Winter Sports Success Honored at Chapel

During the school's winter athletic Chapel, the Alpine Skiing, Basketball, Hockey, Nordic Skiing, Squash, and Wrestling team Captains began the program by reading the names of letter winners. The ceremony, led by Athletic Director George Tahan, proceeded to recognize individual athletic achievements, including trophy winners, all-league selections, and Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship awards. Notably, the ISL Keller Flood Shield was awarded to Matt Carolan, the Sayer Rhys Evans Award was awarded to Scotty Moreau, and Isaac Novod and Jack Dragoumanos earned All American status in wrestling. Mr. Tahan concluded by thanking coaches, staff, and support personnel for their contributions to an exceptional fall athletic season.

The list of honorees appears below:

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ALPINE SKIING TROPHIES

The Alpine Ski Coaches Trophy recognizes that individual who in the judgment of his coaches has displayed the greatest improvement.

2026 Winners: Hugh Wylie, Giacomo Turco

The Toni Matt Award is presented to that boy who has made the greatest contribution to the Belmont Hill alpine ski team.

2026 Winners: Griffin Vail, Topher Batchelder

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BASKETBALL TROPHIES

The Ex-Captains Basketball Trophy is presented to that boy who in the judgment of his coach made the greatest contribution to the season.

2026 Winner: Jahmier Stephenson

The Carl H. Amon Jr. Basketball Trophy is presented in honor of the former President of the Belmont Hill Board of Trustees from 1964-1987, an enthusiastic supporter of Belmont Hill Basketball and father of three former varsity basketball players.  This award is given to that member of the varsity team whose unselfishness, sportsmanship and concern for team play have best exemplified the ideals of Belmont Hill athletics. Mr. Amon's son, Doug Amon '63, is in attendance to present the trophy. 

2026 Winner: Jackson Bowhers
 

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HOCKEY TROPHIES

The Wyman S. Smart Jr. Hockey Trophy is awarded to that player who in the judgment of his coaches has made the greatest improvement this year.

2026 Winner: Matt Carolan

The Kenneth M. Martin Jr. Hockey Trophy, given by Mrs. Virginia Martin in memory of her husband.  Mr. Martin was a member of the first graduating class at Belmont Hill in 1927.  At Belmont Hill he earned 11 varsity letters and he captained the varsity hockey team three of his four years on the team.  This trophy is given to the player who in the judgment of his coaches is the most valuable player on the varsity team.

2026 Winner: Evan Jones

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NORDIC SKIING TROPHIES

The Most Improved Award in Nordic skiing is awarded to that skier who in the judgment of his coaches has made the greatest improvement this year.

2026 Winner: Patrick Snail

The Nordic Ski Coaches’ Trophy honors that young man who has contributed the most to the Belmont Hill Nordic Ski team.

2026 Winner: Eita Fuse
 

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SQUASH TROPHIES

The Most Improved Squash Player Trophy is given to the boy who has exhibited the greatest progress on and off the squash court.

2026 Winner: Griffin Ramirez

The Squash Coaches’ Trophy is awarded to that player who has made the greatest contribution to the sport of squash this year.

2026 Winner: Griffin Calhoun

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WRESTLING TROPHIES

The William “Bingo” Emerson Wrestling Trophy honors a 1960 Belmont Hill second generation graduate who was killed in Vietnam.  While at Belmont Hill, he captained the wrestling team and won awards in both football and wrestling in his senior year.  This award is presented to the boy who in the opinion of his coaches has exhibited the greatest improvement in wrestling.

2026 Winner: Milo Davis

The Gilbert S. Jordan Athletic Achievement Award in Wrestling was donated by alumni to honor “Gibby” Jordan, a longtime wrestling coach and director of maintenance who retired in 1986.  It is presented to that boy who has made the greatest contribution to the Belmont Hill Wrestling program.

2026 Winners: Isaac Novod, Jack Dragoumanos

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HENRY B SAWYER SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS

The Henry B. Sawyer Jr. ’32 Awards were suggested by the school senate and approved by the athletic committee in 1987. These sportsmanship awards recognize Mr. Sawyer's 52 years of service to the school. These awards are presented seasonally by sport to "the ideal sportsman whose emotions are controlled by a genuine love and respect for his fellow man as well as the game."

Alpine Skiing: Jack Coughlin

Basketball: Stephane Durocher

Hockey: JJ Thibodeau 

Nordic Skiing: Fitz Courtney, Timothy Snail

Squash: Lucien Davis

Wrestling: Grady Figler, Zachary Lim

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INDIVIDUAL HONORS

The following boys were named 2026 ISL All League, All League Honorable Mention, and All New England. 

ALPINE SKIING
All League Honorable Mention
Matt Williams

All League
Topher Batchelder
Griffin Vail
Hugh Wylie
Jack Coughlin
Cass Myler

All New England Honorable Mention (In Slalom)
Griffin Vail 
Hugh Wylie 

All New England (In Slalom & Giant Slalom)
Topher Batchelder 

BASKETBALL
All League
Jahmier Stephenson

HOCKEY
All League Honorable Mention 
 JJ Thibodeau 
Ethan Bauer 
Nick Ware 

All League
Patrick Woods 
Matt Carolan 
Evan Jones 
Sam Lee 

All New England Honorable Mention
Patrick Woods
Sam Lee

All New England
Matt Carolan
Evan Jones

NORDIC SKIING
All League Lakes Region
Fitz Courtney
Eita Fuse
Saku Kerr
Timothy Snail

All New England Honorable Mention
Pierce Courtney
Kai Fuse

All New England 
Fitz Courtney
Eita Fuse
Saku Kerr
Patrick Snail
Timothy Snail

SQUASH 
All League
Griffin Calhoun
Griffin Ramirez

All New England Honorable Mention
Griffin Ramirez

All New England
Griffin Calhoun

WRESTLING 
All League Honorable Mention
Declan Curtin
Nick Fiumara

All League 
Logan Costello
Milo Davis
Jack Dragoumanos
Phinneas Dwyer
Sammy Flood
Jaiden Lee
Zach Lim
Mateo Montanaro
Scotty Moreau
Isaac Novod
Henry Santini
Brody Sayers
    
All New England Honorable Mention
Logan Costello
Zachary Lim
Scotty Moreau
Henry Santini
Brody Sayers
    
All New England 
Jack Dragoumanos
Mateo Montanaro
Isaac Novod
    
All American
Jack Dragoumanos
Isaac Novod

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OTHER WINTER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Basketball

The 5th basketball team completed an excellent season with a record of 11 wins and 7 losses and 1 tie.  Congratulations to the 5th basketball team and Coaches Murphy, and Taylor.

The 4th basketball team completed an outstanding season with a record of 14 wins and 3 losses.  Congratulations to coaches LaLiberte and Chittock and the 4th basketball team.

The 3rd basketball team captured the Biscoe Tournament at Fenn School for the second consecutive year defeating Fay School in the finals 50 to 44.  Congratulations to coaches Collins and Fritz and the 3rd basketball team.  I ask the boys to come forward to present the tournament championship trophy.  

Squash

The 3rd squash team completed an outstanding season with a record of 14 wins and 2 losses.  They finished second at the Middle School Squash Nationals in Philadelphia losing a hard-fought match in the finals to New Canaan Country School, from CT, 3 to 2.  Congratulations to Coaches Steffey and Speer and the 3rd squash team.

The JV and varsity squash teams completed excellent seasons with record of 8 and 4 and 9 and 5 respectively.  The varsity finished 2nd in the ISL.  Congratulations to the varsity squash team and coaches Brownell and Gargan and the JV and Varsity squash teams.  

Hockey

The 5th hockey team completed an excellent season with a record of 11 wins 7 losses and 2 ties.  Congratulations to coaches McNamara, Peck, and Pare and the 5th hockey team.

The 4th hockey team completed a remarkable season with a record of 11 wins 11 losses and 1 tie.  I know you are saying to yourself a record of 11-11-1 isn’t really remarkable.  It is remarkable because the team was backstopped in goal by Charlie Baker who prior to the season had never played hockey but the put the pads on this winter and helped the team have a remarkable season.  Congratulations Charlie, coach Cunningham, and the 4th hockey team.

The 3rd hockey team completed an outstanding season with an overall record of 16 wins, 4 losses, and 3 ties.  Congratulations to Coaches Phinney & Hargrove and the 3rd hockey team.

The JV hockey team completed a historical season with a record of 20 wins, 1 loss, and 3 ties.  They won the Belmont Hill Invitational Tournament by defeating BC High and Catholic Memorial without giving up a goal.  In fact, the team posted shutouts in 11 of their 24 games, including a streak of 7 consecutive shutouts.  Congratulations to Coaches Davis, Cherpeck, and Burgess and the JV hockey team.  

The varsity hockey team completed an outstanding season with a record of 18 wins, 9 losses and 4 ties. They finished second in the ISL Keller Division.  They qualified for the NEPSAC Stuart/Corkery Tournament.  In the tournament, they lost a hard-fought quarterfinal game at St. Marks. 

Congratulations to the varsity hockey team and coaches Phinney, Cibelli, Halverson, Wright, and Abel.  

Alpine Skiing

The JV Alpine ski team completed an undefeated season going a perfect 69-0 in ISL racing this season.

The varsity team completed a championship season with an overall record of 57 wins and 6 losses thereby capturing the ISL championship for the third consecutive year. They followed that up with a fourth-place finish at the Class A New England championship race at Berkshire East.  Congratulations to coaches Creedon, Trautz, Wallace, and Goldberg and the varsity and JV alpine ski teams.

Wrestling

The Third Wrestling team completed an undefeated 15-0 season. Their performance included a team title at the Cardigan Tournament, where 4 of 14 wrestlers took first. They won the Fay tournament, with six individual champions. They also hosted and captured the team title at the New England Jr Prep Tournament, where five wrestlers, Damian David, Ren Larsen, Yafet Alemseged, Dominic DiGirolamo, and Findlay Sullivan, took first place. Congratulations to the 3rd wrestling team and coaches Davis, Leonardis, Messina, and Sullivan.  

The varsity wrestling team completed another championship season finishing with an overall record of 25 wins and 4 losses.  During the season they took 1st Place at the Graves-Kelsey Wrestling Championship and the won the ISL Dual meet championship by going a perfect 10-0 in ISL dual meets for the 11th consecutive year.  The team finished 4th at the New England Championship at Greens Farms.  They followed that up by finishing 14th at the Prep Wrestling Nationals at Lehigh.

Seven Belmont Hill Wrestlers: Mateo Montanaro, Brody Sayers, Isaac Novod, Scott Moreau, Jack Dragoumanos, Zach Lim, and Henry Santini were 2026 Graves Kelsey Tournament Champions. 
  
At the Graves Henry Santini won the Most Falls in the Least Time Award and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament.

Jack Dragoumanos, Mateo Montanaro, and Isaac Novod were 2026 NEPSAC Champions.  

Congratulations to coaches Bradley, Leonardis, Davis, Sullivan, Williams, Messina, and Ott and the varsity wrestling team.    

Nordic Skiing

The Nordic Ski Team completed an undefeated, championship season with an overall dual-meet record of 47 wins and no losses. The team secured a Lakes Region Championship for the second year in a row in a dominant performance at Holderness.

The team also won the school’s first-ever NEPSAC Nordic Ski Championship at Gould Academy this winter. At the NEPSAC Championships, five Belmont Hill skiers placed in the top 10 of the individual classic race. The Belmont Hill A skate relay team of TZ Snail, Fitz Courtney, Saku Kerr, and Eita Fuse placed first overall, and the Belmont Hill B skate relay team of Cooper Schuldt, Owen Popkowski-Smith, Ethan Xie, and Patrick Snail placed third overall. Not bad for a team that practices on a golf course.

Congratulations to the Nordic Ski team and coaches DeCaprio, Calloway, Kendall, Kirby, and Weiter. I ask the captains to come forward and present the Lakes Region and NEPSAC Championship Trophies.

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SPECIAL RECOGNITION

-In Hockey, the ISL Flood Shield Award is given each season to: "The player whose enthusiasm for hockey and true devotion to the game is marked by his playing ability and physical toughness and yet whose competitive spirit is balanced by emotional control and a real desire to play within the rules of the game."

This year the ISL Keller Flood Shield has been awarded to Matt Carolan. 

-For the third consecutive year, Isaac Novod and Jack Dragoumanos earned All-American status in wrestling at the Prep Nationals.  

-In Wrestling, The Sayer Rhys Evans Award is presented at the Beast of the East Wrestling Tournament in Delaware.  It is presented in honor of Sayer Rhys Evans, a former Wilmington police officer who served in the U.S. Marines who lost his life to suicide, by his parents. Sayer was strong, brave and kind. This award recognizes a wrestler who has faced adversity and shown resiliency, while keeping a positive attitude, showing bravery, and remaining kind to all.

This year the Sayer Rhys Evans award was presented to Scotty Moreau.   

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Thanks to all our coaches for an outstanding winter season. Thanks to Mr. Davis for his tireless work. Thanks to Mr. Chin and Mr. King for their work in the training room keeping everybody well. Thanks to Mr. Negron for his hard work in the equipment room. Thanks to Mr. Malloy and Mr. O’Neal for keeping the Jordan Center secure. Special thanks to Mr. Carey and Mr. Reynolds for all their work in running the rink. Thanks to Mr. Matos and Mr. Schools and everybody in the facilities and maintenance department. I ask that all award winners and their coaches to remain after chapel for pictures.

Thank you all for a truly outstanding winter.