Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Deerfield will bleed green as usual this Parents’ Weekend, as boys’ and girls’ cross country, football, field hockey, boys’ and girls’ soccer, water polo, and volleyball all take on other prep school teams at every level of play.

At the varsity level, boys’ football will play Exeter at 3:30. The team has changed most of its offensive playbook from last year, having started rebuilding after graduating all but one player from last year’s team. Exeter’s team this year is strong, having dominated Worcester, Avon, and Choate. This game is a must-see and is sure to be a great match up.

Girls’ field hockey will be playing Taft at 4:15. The team is experienced this year with nine seniors, and 15 upperclassmen on the team. So far, the team has racked up a 5-1-1 record, with their only loss coming at the hands of the annually strong Hotchkiss team. Taft’s team will bring a 3-2 record into Deerfield, marking the girls in green as the ones to conquer on the turf.

Boys’ cross country will run against Exeter at 3:30. Deerfield swept all three meets at Worcester, Williston, and Cushing, and beat eight other schools at the Westminster Miller Invitational on a difficult course. Exeter’s runners have also had a good start to the season, and sit at 2-0. With strong leadership and a promising group of underclassmen runners, the team looks to use the familiar terrain to stay undefeated.

Varsity boys’ soccer will lock horns with Exeter at 3:00. Exeter has amassed a 7-0-0 record so far, but will have to face a scrappy Deerfield team with a speedy group of midfielders led by Captain Tucker Dayton ’10. Sporting a 4-2-1, the boys are hungry for an upset, and to scratching get into the top of the standings.

At the jv level, the dominant girls’ soccer team will be facing off against Taft as well at 3:30. Taft is 3-2 thus far, but might be overmatched against the 5-0-0 Deerfield squad. “We have a sick offense and our defense just gets better and better every game,” said optimistic goalie Claire Hutchins ’12.

The jv water polo team plays Exeter at 3:45. The boys are sitting at 2-2 right now, but look to jumpstart their season with a win over Exeter who has a good water polo program from top to bottom. “I think our teamwork and game awareness have improved a lot from our first game, and from last year. Last year we relied on swingers and fast breaks, because we had talented individuals, but this year we work as a team,” said Gunn Herabat ’11

Finally, the jv girls’ volleyball will take on Exeter as well. The team is 2-2, dominating Hopkins and Cushing, but losing to Worcester and Loomis. Exeter has a powerful team this year, with a 5-0 record, but the girls are planning on handing them their first loss of the season. “I’m really excited for my mom to see the hard work that my teammates and I have done,” said Zatio Kone ’12.