WAHS ATHLETICS
October 13th, 2024
Welcome to the Western Albemarle High School Athletic Department newsletter! Our goal is to keep you informed and engaged with all the exciting action happening in our athletic community. From game schedules and team achievements to athlete spotlights and important updates, this newsletter serves as your comprehensive guide to everything Western Athletics.
We are proud of the dedication, perseverance, and sportsmanship our student-athletes display every day, and we look forward to celebrating their successes with you. Whether you’re cheering from the stands or supporting from home, your involvement is a vital part of what makes our athletic programs thrive. Go Warriors!
Senior Spotlight
Hannah Ford
a dedicated field hockey player who has been a standout both on the field and in the classroom during her four years at Western Albemarle. Hannah has earned academic awards in Ceramics 1, 2, and 3, geometry, and French 2. She serves as an officer in the National English Honor Society, is a member of the National Honor Society, a leader in FCA, and part of the National Spanish Honor Society. Additionally, she has managed the boys’ varsity basketball team for three years.
Hannah has a heart for service, volunteering occasionally at English Meadows through her church and FCA, and serving as a junior volunteer at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in 2022.
She would like to thank her parents for their constant support throughout her journey. Before stepping onto the field, Hannah enjoys a GoGo squeeZ applesauce to fuel up. One of her proudest memories is beating Albemarle on their home turf in field hockey for the first time in many years.
Genevieve Hathaway
a multi-sport athlete who has excelled in field hockey, lacrosse, and swimming during her time at Western Albemarle. She has played field hockey for four years, earning Honorable Mention All-District honors. In lacrosse, Genevieve was named Second Team All-District as a freshman and elevated her game to earn First Team All-District, Region, and State honors in both her sophomore and junior years. She is also a two-time team state champion and was named to the Daily Progress All-Central VA team. As if that weren’t enough, she is also a state champion swimmer.
Genevieve has shared her passion for sports by serving as a junior coach for the Boar's Head swim team. She credits her success to the support of her parents, grandparents, brother Jack, and her coaches, all of whom have helped her grow as an athlete.
Her pre-game ritual? Eating pickles to prevent muscle cramps before every field hockey or lacrosse game. One of her proudest accomplishments was winning state championships in both lacrosse and swimming in the same year.
Genevieve's favorite quote is, "Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships," reflecting her belief in the power of collaboration and strategy.
Jean-Nika Van der Westhuizen
a dedicated field hockey player with 10 years of experience, the past five of which have been spent at Western Albemarle. In addition to her prowess on the field, she is a member of the National English Honor Society, National Math Honor Society, Morgan's Message Club, and One Love Club. Her athletic achievements include receiving honorable mention All-District honors in field hockey during her freshman and junior years, 2nd team All-Central VA as a sophomore, and 1st team All-District, Region, State, and Central VA in lacrosse during her junior year.
Jean-Nika also shares her passion for sports by coaching young children in field hockey and lacrosse. She would like to thank her parents, family, and coaches for their unwavering support throughout her journey.
Her pre-game tradition? Snacking on Gigi's pickles and listening to music to get pumped up. One of her proudest accomplishments is winning the lacrosse state championship two years in a row. Her motto, "Work hard and have fun," perfectly captures her approach to both sports and life.
PHOTO CREDIT: Emmy Franklin
Week in Review (October 7th - October 12th)
Varsity Football Gets A Big Home Win
The Western Albemarle football team celebrated Homecoming with their first win of the season, defeating Fluvanna in an exciting 27-14 victory! Quarterback Gray Heilmann had an outstanding game, completing 12 of 18 passes for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns, while also rushing for 47 yards. RJ Corbey hauled in 5 catches for 107 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Andrew Azzato added 2 catches for 18 yards and a score. Sean Dean contributed 46 total yards, and Cooper Shelton powered the run game with 71 yards on 13 carries. John von Ypren was perfect on special teams, hitting 2 field goals and 3 extra points. Rafa Friedenberg sealed the win with a game-clinching interception. Go Warriors!
Golf Team -Golf Team Dominates Region 3C Championship
Congratulations to the Western Albemarle golf team for an incredible victory at the Region 3C Championship! The team triumphed with a stunning 28-stroke lead, showcasing their depth and talent. Standout performances included Elsie MacCleery’s remarkable 70, followed by Addi Ritter (72), Brendan Stype (73), Kennedy MacCleery (76), Joe Morinelli (77), and Brady Toms (85). Four Warriors—Elsie, Addi, Brendan, and Kennedy—earned All-Region honors for their exceptional play.
The team now sets its sights on the state championship, battling for the title on Tuesday, October 15th. Go Warriors!
Field Hockey Teams Remains Undefeated
It was a stellar week for the Western Albemarle field hockey program! On Tuesday, varsity defended their home turf, defeating crosstown rival Albemarle 1-0. Avery Powell scored the game’s only goal, while Maizey McCarthy was phenomenal in goal, preserving the shutout.
The Warriors continued their winning ways on Thursday, defeating Louisa 6-0. Holly Thacher netted her first varsity goal, while Skyler Powell, Avery Powell, and Jean-Nika Van der Westhuizen each added one. McLean Stokes contributed two goals to round out the scoring.
JV also had a great week, winning an exciting game against Albemarle with excellent corner play execution. Cora Matzke, Hadley Barrett, and Molly Nolasco scored with assists from Aggie Stokes and Amari Shah. Holly Cummings and Anna Brooks Wertheim anchored the defense. The team then traveled to Louisa, where they earned a 3-0 win thanks to goals by Margaret Kimbrough, Aggie Stokes, and Molly Nolasco, with strong defensive efforts from Kathleen Wyatt and Shiloh Weaver.
The undefeated Warriors have three games this week, with home matchups on Tuesday and Thursday. Let’s pack the stands and support them!
Cross Country Competes at Panorama Farms
Boys XC – Albemarle Invite
The Western Albemarle boys cross country team put in a strong performance at the Albemarle Invitational on Saturday, finishing 10th out of 28 teams at the challenging Panorama Farms course. The top runners for the Warriors were Spencer Envall, Finn Smith, Charlie Larson, George Geis, Christophe de Wekker, and Carson Floyd. Great job, Warriors!
Max Alhusen (4th place) and Henry Bowman (6th place) paced the Freshman team to a 2nd place finish.
Girls XC – Albemarle Invite
The Varsity girls team also finished 10th in the race. The team was led by junior Emerson Ritter (15th place) and freshman Zoey Downer (36th place). Other varsity scorers were Leanne Hodgson, Juliet Kielbasa, Logan Juhl, Abbie Apicella, and Lily Smith.
The girls JV team finished 4th overall and were led by 8th grader, Maddie Fritts (4th place).
Cameron Huynh & Hadley Cabell finished 1st and 2nd in the Freshman Girls race.
GO WARRIORS!
Thank you to all our athletes, coaches, and supporters for another exciting week of competition. Keep up the hard work, Warriors, and let’s continue to make this season one to remember!
Photo Credit: Luke Winters (lukewintersphotography.com)
This Week in WAHS Athletics
Upcoming Events
October 19th - Homecoming Dance
November 8th - Night of Champions Celebration (rescheduled from 9/27)
- 2023-2024 State championship teams & individuals who will be recognized at halftime of the varsity football game.
November 13th - Senior NCAA Signing Day 2024 - 2025
- National Signing Day is a day when high school student-athletes can sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play a collegiate sport for a NCAA school. The day varies by sport and is divided into an early signing period and a regular signing period. For example, in 2024, the signing day for Division I and Division II sports outside of football and basketball is November 13, 2024. We will also have a spring signing day for Division III student-athletes and late-signing Division I & Division II athletes.
- Please fill out this form if you are a senior who plans to sign a Letter of Intent on November 13th and plans to participate in this signing event
Homecoming Football Program
Winter Sports
Please go to wahswarriors.com for out of season practice details for winter and spring sports.
PER ACPS, the following items are required for all athletes to be eligible to participate in official team activities:
1. A completed VHSL Physical Form dated after 5/1/2024. Submit complete physicals (4 pages) to the Athletic Department.
2. Submit ONLINE “Activity Registration”. Helpful information can be found on the left side of the homepage … “Activity Information for Parents” under “Quick Links”. (Please remember the email that you use to register your athlete & the name you use for your athlete)
WAHS Apparel & Accessories Website
Support our school and show your spirit! Visit our online store to browse a variety of school-related gear, from apparel to accessories. A portion of every purchase goes directly back to our school, helping to fund programs and activities that benefit all our students. Shop now and make a difference while looking great!
Student Led Philanthropy
Please consider supporting our students as they spearhead efforts to support local and regional needs.
A Flood Relief Supply Drive starts Monday, October 7th. Bins are in the cafeteria.
- Cases of water, hydration packets (powdered packets)
- Baby formula, baby wipes, diapers, new blankets
- Contractor trash bags, tarps, plastic sheeting
- Flashlights with batteries and pack of batteries
- Cleaning supplies, plastic utensils
- Toilet paper and paper towels
- First aid kits
- Toothbrushes, toothpaste, toiletry items
- Manual can openers and non-perishable food items
- Heavy duty work gloves
Spirit Week Money Drive will start October 10th
- contributions split between grade-level fundraising and our local SPCA.