Sophomore captain and midfielder Alina MacDermott is one of the most prominent leaders on the girls’ lacrosse team. Stepping into the spotlight last year as a freshman, MacDermott established herself as a dominant scoring threat. Even as one of the younger players on the team, MacDermott leads with confidence and a clear understanding of the game, earning the respect of teammates across every grade. Her skill doesn’t just show in her performance, but in the way others look to her for guidance, making her a steady presence on and off the field.

[MacDermott’s] skill shows how much she knows about the game and it shows that she knows what she is talking about,” junior captain Julia Zucconi said. “It helps with her leadership role because it is really easy to look up to her, being either younger or older than her.”

As the baseball team looks to make another championship run this spring, the loss of pitcher Nolan Ross leaves a big pair of shoes to fill at the mound. Senior captain and Emory University commit Spencer Gilcrest is the player tasked with filling those shoes. Gilcrest has already proven himself pitching for the Cats in his three previous seasons and will look to use his experience to lead the Cats in his final season.

“He’s a great leader, as a southpaw his pitch mix creates a lot of diversity and makes him lethal from the mound,” junior Drew Joncas said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he won pitcher of the year.”

One of the preeminent runners to watch for the outdoor track team this spring will be senior Alessandro Marenco, who competes in shorter-distance races, specifically the 300m and 4x200m relay. Going into his fourth and final outdoor season, Marenco helped lead off on a fourth-place finish in the 4x200m at the Nike Indoor Nationals and a second-place finish in the same race at the MPSSAA Indoor State Championships.

“We had a really good indoor season and we’re still competing against the same teams basically, so there’s no reason not to have the same success,” Marenco said. “The biggest goal is to place at least top three at states and get as many points as I can for the team.”

The softball team is looking to make a deep run come postseason time, and if they manage this feat, senior third-baseman Ella Reynolds will be a big reason why. Reynolds first joined the varsity team as a freshman and etched herself into the starting lineup by the end of her first season. In her sophomore year, she helped the Wildcats make a run to the state semifinals while leading the team with five homers. Last season Reynolds managed a .489 batting average while leading the team in home runs (6) and RBIs (33), and she has also committed to play at Emory University after high school. Now playing on the team alongside her sister, sophomore center-fielder Quinn Reynolds, she comes into her senior year eager to do well in her fourth and final WJ season.

“I think we have a great group of girls this year, and I think we’re going to have a very strong offense and a good chance to win,” Ella Reynolds said.

Senior Maddie Beins is ready to kick off the second annual allied softball season, bringing energy and excitement back to the field. 

“I like the team,” Beins said. “I like pitching the best because it’s fun!” 

As one of the team’s returning players, Beins looks forward to building on last year’s success while continuing to grow both her skills and confidence on the mound. Her enthusiasm for pitching sets the tone for a team focused on having fun, supporting one another and making most of every game this season.

The boys’ tennis team is dealing with losing nine seniors from the previous season, including several key roles on the team. Junior Ashvin Ellentuck is one of the players eager to fill the void, as he is one of the leading singles players on the team. Ellentuck played the singles four role in his freshman year at WJ. Last year, as a sophomore, he was moved up to being the singles three player, and this year he is expected to play as the singles two player. But still, Ellentuck realizes that he and his team will have to face tough competition.

“We want to be competitive against the big [tennis] schools, like Churchill, Wootton and Whitman, as we haven’t been as competitive against them in recent years,” Ellentuck said. “For me personally, I want to do well and make a run in counties.”

Senior Marie Boy has been a major part of the girls’ tennis team’s success. After anchoring the line-up at singles two through last year’s 10-1 county title run, Boy returns with big-match experience and the confidence of someone who’s already proved she can win at the highest level in the county. This season, Boy’s role only grows more important as a result of seniors from last year graduating. With the Wildcats chasing another deep postseason run, her ability to lead a unified group of girls makes her one of the most important players in the lineup. 

“[Boy] is good at organizing events for the team to foster a positive team environment and sets the standard for the rest of the team,” senior captain Elizabeth Martin said.  

Anchoring the boys volleyball team at outside hitter, junior Aiden Kaveh has racked up point after point as one of the most prominent players in the county. After a stellar sophomore year, Kaveh has matured into a leader as the Wildcats strive for a county championship. In the Cats’ first game last Friday against Northwest, whom many regard as the second best team in the county, Kaveh helped the Cats go to five sets in a tough 3-2 loss to the Jaguars.

“He’s so impressive,” senior Ryan Heminsley said. “A lot of our strong points come from him. I think he drives us to winning.”

Junior co-ed volleyball captain Nousha Motyamedi is preparing to make a splash in the spring ‘26 season. Because of the co-ed volleyball rule that a girl must touch the ball before the team returns the point, having a female leader is essential. Moytamedi carries over her knowledge of the game from the fall season, when she played on the girls’ volleyball squad. Motyamedi’s leadership and experience will be crucial to the co-ed team as they aim to build on last year’s progress and compete for a division title this spring. 

“Nousha is always very vocal on and off the court. She is a very good passer and sets our teammates up for success,” junior Eoghan Moreland said. “She elevates our team chemistry and brings the team together.” 

 As WJ gymnastics is gearing up for its upcoming season, one of the team’s key leaders, senior Shoshana Berger, is ready to compete one last time in a WJ leotard, hoping to leave a lasting impression. As one of the team’s senior captains, she has made a huge impact throughout her four years of competing, using her experience to guide her teammates and help them be the best and strongest competitors they can be.  

“She’s always very uplifting and positive,” senior Emily Peters said. “Coming from club [gymnastics], she has been able to help a lot of the new people, giving them really good tips and advice.”