Photos by Annabelle Elmaleh, Ava Morollo, Jack Tumpowsky, and Caroline Whalen
By Denebola Sports Staff
Newton South Boys’ Team of the Year: Basketball

By Luke Ito

The 2016-2017 boys’ basketball campaign got off to rocky start, with the team starting off 4-4. After that, however, the team hit their stride, eventually ending the season 11-7, with a .611 winning percentage.

Although the team didn’t make it deep into the tournament, they pulled off a first-round upset over cross town rivals, Newton North, making it to the second round. This unlikely victory away at Newton North was the climax of a strong season for the team.

“The game against North was definitely the highlight of the season and my basketball career personally,” captain Robbie Hodin said.

Co-captain Lucas Nathanson agreed.

“Being the underdog definitely made that win vs. North even sweeter, but it definitely wasn’t the only factor,” Nathanson said. “That, plus the rivalry and the excitement of getting to play for bragging rights for the town, made that victory one of the sweetest I’ve been a part of.”

This year, boys’ basketball will look to repeat last season’s success and move deeper into the state tournament.

 

Newton South Girls’ Team of the Year: Girls’ Soccer

By Toby Morollo

Coming off a disappointing playoff loss in the first round of the playoffs last year, girls’ soccer came back this year with an even greater drive to win. After losing several key seniors from last year, responsibility to lead the team to victory fell in the hands of senior captains Jordan Briney, Lily Riseberg, Maddy Yorke and Chloe Frantzis.

The girls stormed through the regular season to their second Dual County title in a row, entering the playoffs a top seed with a 19-1 record. South’s playoff run had them face dominant opponents including a home matchup against Wellesley and Marshfield, before an exciting sectional semi final game against their old rival, Whitman-Hanson.

In the semifinals the Lions came back from behind the tie the score with less than a minute left in regulation on a goal from Lucy Jenks and would go on to win in sudden death overtime on a stunning header from junior superstar Audrey Lavey, clinching their first sectional finals berth in team history. Although they couldn’t come out on top in a thrilling back and forth game against King Philip in the South Sectional Final, the girls left their mark on South sports and set the bar high for future teams.

 

Newton South Girls’ Athlete of the Year: Veronica Burton

By Brendan Locke

Ever since she was a freshman, Veronica Burton has been a star on varsity basketball. With her dominant play on the court and her leadership off the court, Burton has become well known in the Newton South community.

Commiting to play basketball at Northwestern University this past fall, Burton has been an instrumental part to the Lions’ success in her four years at South. From freshman to junior year, she averaged 19.7 points per game, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.7 steals, numbers that have stood out within the DCL and across Massachusetts. Along with her individual dominance, she also has added to the team’s success. Throughout these first three years Burton has led the team to a 54-12 record, two DCL championships, and two trips to the MIAA Division One South Sectional Semifinals. With the Lions off to a strong start it seems like it’s bound to be another successful one.

Crushing opponents, the Lions have defeated teams by more than 20 points in each of their first four games, largely because of great play by Burton. Leading the entire league in points, rebounds, assists, and steals this season, Burton is on her way to winning another DCL MVP; an award that she has won in each of her first three years.

Burton has hardly even had to play in the 4th quarter because of the big leads that the Lions have had going into the final minutes.

However, Burton has also shown that she is a great leader off the court as well. Newton South Athletic Director Patricia Gonzalez commented on Burton’s impact and her role in the athletic community.

“She is a very strong leader, and she has a big impact on the school,” Gonzalez said. “I think she is conscious of this and knows that people are looking up to her. I think she fills that role strongly.”

Throughout her high school career so far, Burton has been recognized across the state and across the country. Her awards include being named to the Boston Globe All-Scholastic Super Team, Boston Herald All-Scholastic Dream Team, USA Today All Massachusetts Girls Basketball First Team, and being a nominee for the McDonald’s All American Game.

Burton may be making her way into the Newton South record books. Currently Katrina Antonellis, a PE teacher at Brown Middle School, is the all time leading scorer in Newton South history with 1,436 points. However with only four games into her senior season, Burton already has 1,371; 71 points away from the record.

 

Newton South Boys’ Athlete of the Year: Andrew Pratt

By Mia Kamen

Senior Andrew Pratt has been an important addition to the Newton South boys’ hockey and lacrosse teams throughout his time at South, playing with intensity and vigor in both sports. Last year, Pratt led the hockey team to the playoffs scoring 18 goals throughout his season and earning a spot on the All-Conference Team.

Pratt’s contribution the team helped the hockey team to a solid record of 9-8-3. This year the team hopes to reach the playoffs again with Pratt leading them as their captain.

Pratt was also a key player in the offensive line for the lacrosse team that finished second in the Dual County League and made a playoff run that included a home win in the first round against over Silver Lake. He scored an impressive 28 total goals throughout the season and will look to have another strong season this spring.

 

Newton South Game of the Year: Football Beats Brookline 6-0 Under the Lights

By Justin Alpert

Despite a forecast for heavy rain and wind, Newton South filled the bleachers with fans, most of whom stayed put throughout the early storm to watch the Lions take on Brookline in their annual under-the-lights game on September 16. The tough conditions put offensive production at a premium for both teams as the game remained scoreless late in the fourth quarter.

With little time remaining, senior CJ Holley-Jones picked off an ill-advised throw by the Brookline quarterback, giving senior captain and quarterback Luke Cloud and his offense a relatively short field to drive down for the win. Cloud did just that, connecting with senior Lucas Lopes for the game-winning score, with only 43 seconds remaining on the clock. Their second win in as many games early in the season, the Lions used their impressive 2-0 start to kickoff a successful season that included a postseason berth.

 

Female Professional Athlete of the Year: Shalane Flanagan and Serena Williams

By Theo Severud

Topping off a dominant decade in track and field, marathons, and half marathons where she compiled eleven first-place finishes during this decade, 36-year-old Shalane Flanagan won the New York City marathon in 2:26:53, the first American woman to win the race in the last 40 years. She also beat the three-time defending champion, Mary Keitany, by over one minute. Making this victory even more remarkable was her ability to overcome a fractured lower back in February which caused her to pull out of the Boston Marathon.

In similar fashion, 36-year-old Serena Williams won the Australian Open at the beginning of this year and revealed months later she had played at eight weeks pregnant. This caused her to pull out of the upcoming Indiana Wells Open and Miami Open, ending her season in January. Serena Williams holds an undefeated, 14-0 record in women’s doubles and has won 23 Grand Slam tournaments in her open era, 22-year career. Serena Williams also hopes to return to tennis early next year and compete in the 2018 Australian Open.

 

Professional Play of the Year: Julian Edelman Makes Unbelievable Super Bowl Catch

By Olivia Dubin

The greatest Super Bowl comeback of all time may have ceased to exist if Julian Edelman failed to make his scrambling, diving, improbable catch in Super Bowl LI between three Atlanta Falcons, the best professional play of the year.

It was 1st and 10 from the Patriot’s 36 yard line, and Atlanta led 28-20 with 2:28 to play. Brady caught the snap and faced a heavy pass rush by the Atlanta defensive line. He launched the ball into heavy traffic, and it was first tipped up by Atlanta’s Robert Alford at the Falcon’s 40 yard line, who sent it toward the ground. Julian Edelman and a trio of Falcons defenders dove after the ball; it bounced off a defender’s legs and stayed aloft just inches from the turf when Edelman finally secured the ball for the clutch, amazing catch.

Just four plays and a two-point conversion later, New England tied it up 28-28, and sent the game to overtime, where they won 34-28.

“That was an amazing catch,” New England linebacker Rob Ninkovich said of the play. “Just the concentration, everything about it. He did a great job to get his hands underneath it, and it was an amazing play.”

 

Professional Team of the Year: Golden State Warriors

By Ben Giesser

Excelling throughout the regular season and riding their star-studded roster to another NBA championship, the Golden State Warriors put together an extraordinary season this year, the most impressive of professional sports team.

The Warriors finished the regular season with a record of 67-15, leading the NBA in wins, and totaling the second most in team history. Not only did their 82% winning percentage place them atop the league, they also boasted an amazing 116.8 points per game. Their excellent numbers continued throughout the playoffs, where they won the title after a 16-1 postseason record and a near sweep of the defending champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In addition to a phenomenal team performance, the Warriors were led by a powerful grouping of individual performances. “Splash Brothers” Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were both NBA all-stars, along with finals MVP Kevin Durant and defensive player of the year Draymond Green.

This season, the Warriors boast a 28-7 record and may be on their way to another long playoff run.