Varsity Ultimate Frisbee competed in the Connecticut State D1 Championships on May 7 and 10. After facing Fairfield Tribe in the quarterfinals, Xavier in the semifinals, and Choate in its final match, the team placed third overall.
The tournament brought together the top eight teams from across the state. Entering the tournament as the two seed, with a 10-2-1 record, the Hotchkiss team had high hopes of bringing the trophy home.
On May 7, the Bearcats played Fairfield in the quarterfinals, winning 15-2 while completing 88% of their throws. By the end of the game, 16 different players had assisted, scored, or made defensive plays, with everyone playing multiple points. “This was a strong showing by Hotchkiss and a complete team effort,” said Head Coach Dave Thompson.
On flooded fields and in heavy wind on Saturday, May 10, the team faced Xavier. Having tied once and lost once to Xavier earlier in the season, Co-Captains Isaiah Stephens ’25 and Ben Wistar ’26 made adjustments to the team’s offensive strategy, leading to a competitive first-half performance.
However, Xavier’s effective offense and tight zone defense proved to be too much for the Bearcats. The conditions did not help, with slippery discs causing multiple turnovers for both teams.
“My hope for the team was that we could apply what we learned against them last week. We did that, and even though they won 15- 3, it was a better showing than last week,” said Coach Thompson. “The team did a good job of moving on when things were frustrating and focusing on the next thing we had control over.”
Xavier went on to lose 13-8 to first seed Middletown in the finals.
In its final match, Hotchkiss faced Choate, a team it had defeated twice before this season. For much of the first half, the teams traded points, with multiple changes in possession. Chakib Bassou ’26 took the team to halftime up 6-5 with a lay-out catch in the endzone. Entering the second half,
Hotchkiss focused on applying heavy defensive pressure and making deep throws. Coach Thompson said, “It proved too difficult for Choate to work the disc back up the field, and we were able to punch in two points and claim our place on the podium.”
In the final minutes, Bassou forced a turnover right in front of the Choate endzone and Graham King ’27 hit Stephens on an in-cut towards the front corner of the pylon, punching in the final point to end the game 8-6.
After the tournament, Stephens said, “I’ve seen a lot of players grow in confidence this season. Some players came into the season with the mindset of trying to be the hero, but we’ve grown closer together and really come to understand the essence that this is a team sport. I’m incredibly proud of the team’s performance at states. Everybody was muddy and wet, and it took a lot of perseverance, mental discipline, and grit to push through the last game.”
Varsity Ultimate’s next outing is at Northfield Mount Hermon on May 17, when the team will compete in the New England Prep School Ultimately League (NEPSUL) D1 Open Championships against 11 other schools.
At press time, seeding was not yet finalized, but Hotchkiss is not currently in the top four teams, each of which will recieve a bye in the first round.
