Sophia Pomeroy received the Hardy Nalley Athletic Award for her active participation in the community, leadership skills, and sportsmanship.
Mia Cromwell has been named Manchester-Essex’s “Outstanding Female Athlete” and has earned the Principal’s Award by the Athletic Department.
Owen Donnellan Valade has been given the Donald Curran Award for athletic service.
While the last meaningful high school game was played months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic cancelling the entirety of the spring season, Manchester Essex Regional High School’s top student-athletes certainly weren’t forgotten at the close of the school year.
MERHS announced its AD award winners at the start of the month, recognizing the following seniors for their contributions as athletes, leaders, and students:
These seniors were all crucial contributors to their respective teams and represented the school well as students and athletes.
For Twombly, who played field hockey and basketball for the Hornets, receiving an award that recognizes leadership and sportsmanship reflects her core values.
“I felt both excited and proud about being given this award,” she said. “Athletics have always been important to me for many reasons, but mostly because of all the core values it teaches me and other athletes. These are things such as sportsmanship and leadership, so to be recognized with an award that embodies what I love most about sports is incredible.”
Twombly will head to UMass Amherst in the fall to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering, and will be looking to play a club sport - she hasn’t decided which one yet - while at school. She also reflected on losing the opportunity to close out her senior season playing lacrosse due to the cancellation of the spring season.
“For me, it was absolutely heartbreaking to miss my spring season,” explains Twombly. “Throughout high school, athletes work hard all season and in the offseason to come back stronger the next year. Last year, my team made it to the State Finals, and this year we were ready to come back and do it all over again. We were ready to prove that we deserved everything we got, and we were ready to blow last season away. Not only were we prepared to have a dominating season, but my team is like family, and I look forward to seeing them every day, so to be denied their company makes me very sad. This season, along with my Manchester Essex High School career, will always feel unfinished.”
Pomeroy, who was slated to be a captain for the softball team this spring after competing in soccer in the fall and indoor track during the winter, also lamented the lost spring season.
“It was very disappointing to hear that the season was canceled because there was too much to look forward to,” she said. “It was not only a gut punch knowing that I would be missing out on competing against our rivals, but also that I would not be able to participate in the Little League parade with the younger softball teams, as well as not being able to help out at the Little League clinics where I had found my passion for the game as a kid too.”
Pomeroy will be heading to Clemson in the fall to study nursing, and is pondering minoring in Spanish, while looking to play intramural basketball at the school. The outgoing senior reflected on how personally meaningful it was to earn the Hardy Nally Award.
“I met Mr. Nalley during my freshman year when I joined the girls’ basketball team,” said Pomeroy. “I owe a lot to Mr. Nalley because he has helped me become the player I am today by helping me with everything from free throws to working in the post. He would work with me individually at times to help me understand what I was doing wrong and how to fix it. Mr. Nalley showed up every day and volunteered his own time to come to practices and games, no matter how far away they were. His commitment to the team and passion for the sport are incredibly inspiring and sincerely changed me as a player and teammate. He also helped me understand that you don’t have to be a captain of the team or a starting player to be a leader and a great teammate.”
Mia Cromwell played soccer in the fall and ran indoor track in the winter and will continue to participate in soccer and possibly track when she heads off to Colby College later this year. Cromwell reflected on earning the Principal’s Award earlier this month.
“I feel honored to have received The Principal's Award,” she said. “This award is special to me because not only was I recognized for my athletic accomplishments, but I also was recognized for all of the efforts I have put in through my schoolwork.”
That extra effort helped propel Cromwell throughout her time at MERHS.
“I am a competitive and driven person, and I take that with me in all aspects of my life, including athletics and academics,” she explained. “Since my sophomore spring, I have participated in strength and conditioning training to stay strong and fit while preventing injuries. Part of the reason I was successful in soccer and track is a direct result of these sessions. I am also motivated to be the best athlete that I can be on a given day, so I think a lot of my success was due to my want to perform the best to my ability every time I stepped on a field or track.”
Donnellan Valade played soccer at Manchester Essex and is headed to UMass Amherst in the fall. Receiving the Donald Curran Award helped reinforce the concepts of team and community for the outgoing senior.
“It feels really awesome to be the recipient of this award,” he said. “It feels really special to me because it feels like it’s acknowledging me both as an athlete and as a person, which makes me feel good about myself and the teams I’ve been on, especially the interactions I’ve had with my teammates and coaches.”
