Walpole has always been known as a sports town.  Throughout the years, Walpole has consistently produced collegiate athletes that excel at their schools and carry on the Rebel tradition of success in sports.  As this year’s senior class graduates, the future student-athletes prepare to say a farewell to their days as Rebels and welcome their new challenge of continuing on the Rebel tradition at their respective schools.

  Every sport at Walpole has had its premier Rebel – in hockey, it was Mike Milbury (class of 1970) who went on to play 12 seasons in the NHL with the Boston Bruins.  On the gridiron, it was 1990 graduate Todd Collins, the only former Rebel football player who has ever played in the NFL.  The premier Porker was Dina Rizzo, a 1998 grad, who played for Team USA in international field hockey play.  Milbury, Collins, Rizzo – all of these former Walpole High students accomplished feats that inspired the young athletes of Walpole to push themselves to see how far they could go.

  So who will be the next premier Rebel?  The sky is the limit for this new group as they have been inspired by their former classmates who are currently excelling in their sports at their colleges.  Current college athletes – like Caroline Stedman, Davis Butts, and Taylor Silvestro – have blazoned a trail that the class of 2011 will soon follow.  Over 10 current seniors have committed to play a sport in college and are looking forward to working hard on and off the field.  A 2010 Walpole graduate and now a football player at Bentley University, Nick Romaine has experienced his fair share of ‘Rebel Pride’, as he was a stand out football player who served as Captain during his senior year.  “The Rebel Pride tradition is something special,” said Romaine, “I don’t think anybody who isn’t a part of it can really explain it.”

  Not only are Rebel football alumni succeeding, but several former students have excelled in a variety of sports.  Taylor Silvestro and Davis Butts are two 2009 graduates who are on their way to becoming the next generation of premier Walpole athletes.  Silvestro has been a force in field hockey since she arrived at the University of Vermont – in her past season she was tied on the team for the most goals (7), including two game winners.  In addition, Silvestro led the team with 19 shots on net.  Butts was the most prolific lacrosse player that Walpole High has ever produced and is showing the Division I lacrosse world why.  In his sophomore year at Loyola University, Butts was a regular on the first line and was a major contributor on offense.  In the April 30 game against the then #2 ranked Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, Butts received player of the game honors while tallying a goal and an assist in the game.  It is clear that Walpole grads have made a name for themselves at the collegiate level.

  Now enter the future student athletes of the class of 2011.  Many current seniors are gifted in their respective sports, and a few have been recognized for their excellence.  Senior Caroline Malone was a Captain on the field hockey team this past fall and had an amazing year as she led the Porkers to a perfect regular season and to the Division I Semi-Finals.  Along the way, Malone earned Bay State League MVP, Boston Herald and Boston Globe All-Scholastic, and Northeast Region All-American.  Next fall Malone will take her talents to Babson College.  On the lacrosse field, senior Captain Kyle Guilbert is finishing his high school career in style.  Not only is Guilbert the leading scorer on the team, but he was also unanimously selected as a Bay State League 1st Team All-Star.  Along with the BSL All-Star selection, Guilbert – with fellow senior Captain Matt Niden – was named an EMass All-Star.  To top it all off, Guilbert was named an All-American – the fifth All-American that the lacrosse team has had since 2008.  Guilbert will play for Merrimack College next spring.

  Having been a force on the baseball team since his sophomore year, senior Captain Tom Ryan has been the ace in the impressive pitching line-up for Coach Tompkin’s revamped baseball team this spring.  Ryan is going to play baseball for Tufts University, but will carry on the Rebel tradition of excellence with him.  “Being a Rebel means the world to me,” said Ryan, “Walpole has always been, and will always be, a sports town.”  Ryan could be considered a prime example of being a Rebel himself.  One of the best pitchers in the Bay State League is also one of the brightest students at Walpole High.  As sixth in his class and a member of the National Honor Society, Ryan credits his teachers for pushing him so he could reach his full potential.  When asked what separates Walpole sports from other towns, Ryan said, “Walpole sports are defined by tremendous work ethic, fearless attitude, and most importantly physical and mental toughness.”

  Ryan will join his fellow classmates who are an exclusive group of student-athletes that will continue their playing days for another four years.  Who will be the next Rebel to inspire the next group of young Walpole athletes?  Perhaps the class of 2011 has a few athletes that could do it.  Who knows, maybe names such as Malone, Guilbert, and Ryan will be as synonymous with success in sports just like Milbury, Collins, and Rizzo are today.  As these (soon to be former) Rebels move on in their lives they will take with them the lessons they have learned over the past four years and follow some of Romaine’s advice: “once a Rebel, always a Rebel”.