Athletes of the Week

Athletes of the Week (AOW) are selected based on athletic performance and sportsmanship. Positive sporting behaviour is valued at KES and integral to our athletic philosophy and School mission statement emphasizing gentleness, learning, dignity, and respect. These student athletes also reflect the seven principles of “true sport” which states: go for it, play fair, respect others, keep it fun, stay healthy, include everyone, and give back.  

 

Junior Boy – Jack Cosgrove ‘27 has been a steady contributor to our Highlander developmental hockey team and junior basketball team. He recently played very well against West Hants in basketball recording many rebounds and several points “in the paint”. Jack is growing into a devoted player in all our programs. Keep up the great work Jack!

 

Senior Girl – Sidney Schwartz ‘23 brought her uniform to Montreal, spoke with her parents and made a brave decision to play this weekend on the Highlander girls basketball team. Sidney was truly phenomenal and played with intensity and pure happiness. This is especially poignant after her battle with concussions. Her teammates were overjoyed to see her playing and she helped us win the tournament. Congratulations and great to have you back on the floor, Sidney!

 

Senior Boy – Nate Montgomery ‘23 was in the toughest weight class over the two days of our 27th Annual KES High School tournament and the Wrestling Nova Scotia (WNS) Open Provincial Championships, placing fourth in the WNS Championships. He scored big points on each of his competitors over the two days, with a two-on-one arm throw on one competitor and a double-leg take down on another, both for four points each. These techniques are usually completed successfully by third-or-fourth-year wrestlers and Nate was brave enough to try these and be successful against the top competition in the province. Nate works amazingly hard in every practice and has a positive attitude, and he is not afraid to try new techniques we introduce in practice. He loves the challenge wrestling brings, and we depend on his high energy and positive attitude to motivate the team. We will depend on Nate to help lead us into a very competitive season. We placed one point out of first place for the senior boys in our home tournament and plan to improve on that result come provincials. Keep up the great work, Nate!

                                       

 

Junior Boy – Giacomo Pogliani ‘27 came off two great wrestling tournaments last weekend. He had very physically mature opponents, but he proved he has the best ankle pick in the tournament. He has comparable potential to a couple juniors we had in the past who had been national medalists. This past weekend at University of New Brunswick (UNB), Giacomo as the most experienced wrestler of the crew with one year under his belt. He wrestled the high school event but didn’t win any matches, as he was in a very high level of competition. He wrestled so well the referee congratulated him on his technical skills and determination. This referee has decades of coaching experience and knows the sport very well. Giacomo followed up on the Sunday event with a silver medal in his age group at the Eastern Canadian Championships in the 89-kilogram weight class. In the finals, he was 6-0 up on his much bigger opponent, and lost only on a quick lapse, where he gave up a control position, trying to be more offensive. He won his earlier match in nine seconds with his usual ankle pick and pinned his opponent. Giacomo continues to improve and is becoming much more technical and tactical in his approach. Keep up the great work!

 

Junior Girl – Natalia Shaw ‘27 has been nominated for all she has done this season, but especially for our game against NKEC, scoring an amazing 21 points and leading the Highlander junior girls basketball team to victory on January 23. This victory helped secure a playoff spot in the Western Region. She is not only the dominant offensive and defensive player on the court but is also the team captain, supporting and encouraging the new players. She is a positive force and the backbone of the team. She adds to the character and positive culture of the program and is very deserving of this recognition. Well done, Natalia!

 

Senior Girl – Kristy Michaud ‘24 was unstoppable this past weekend. Time and time again, she came up with some major saves for our Highlander girls hockey team. She continues to have a positive attitude, to push her teammates and demand the best of herself and them! She is dedicated, uplifting and takes time to help teach our players things from the goalie perspective. Well done, Kristy!

 

Senior Boy – Levi Spence ‘23 won a bronze in one of the biggest and certainly the most competitive weight classes (82 kilograms) in the high school wrestling event in Fredericton over the weekend. He placed a secure third behind two extremely talented and impressive Nova Scotia Canada Games wrestlers in the 11-man draw. I’m sure he would agree that the Eastern Canadian event was more than twice as challenging as the 79-kilogram, under-20 age group. In the Eastern Canadian Championships, he placed second, between two UNB Black Bear varsity wrestlers and an opponent from Montreal. He secured his place in the final match by upsetting his UNB opponent after being down on points with a quick tilt leading to a dramatic pin! This silenced the home UNB crowd. Levi continues to impress!