2013 was arguably one of the most bipolar years in all of WHS Sports history. Whether you were following the game on Twitter, at the game cheering, or actually playing in the game; these moments will stick with you for a long time. Here’s a look at the top 10 most memorable moments from this year in sports.

10. Three Walpole Swimmers win State Championships.

For the first time in history, Walpole Swimming & Diving put something in the WHS trophy cabinet. Sophomore Hannah Phelan, junior Katie Smith, and senior Doug Stewart all won State Championships at Harvard University on November 17.

9.  Girls Hockey beats Medfield in first round shootout.

In an instant classic, Girls Hockey defeated Medfield 2-1 (F/Shootout) in the first round of the State Tournament. Junior Jenna Donahue scored the lone shootout goal to propel the Lady Rebels into the second round. Senior goalie Bethany Welch made six penalty saves and was certainly the MVP of the game.

The shootout can be found here. 

 Here is the article of the game recap. Author: Matt Brownsword

8. Girls Soccer upsets No.3 Oliver Ames in Penalty kicks.

In the biggest upset in Girls Soccer’s history, No. 19 Walpole defeated No.3 Oliver Ames in Penalty Kicks. Junior Ashley Levya scored the game winner on the eighth kick after three straight misses. Throughout the postseason, sophomore keeper Kaitlin Brown kept a scoreless streak of 376 minutes, which ended in overtime of the South Sectional Semi-finals against Bishop Feehan.

Here is Levya’s game winning PK video.

Here is the full length article. Author: Peter Hoegler

7. Hingham storms back to defeat Boys Basketball in final minute.

In the first round of the Division 2 State Tournament, Boys Basketball surrendered a 16-point fourth quarter lead to the Hingham Harbormen, who won in dramatic fashion 63-62. The Rebels had an opportunity to win the game in the final seconds, but senior Captain Johnny Adams’ shot was off the mark, and the Hingham fans stormed the court. The loss was tough to swallow, but not as tough as the losses further down on the list.

Here is the article. Author: Peter Hoegler

6. P.J. Hayes wins State Championships in 55m and 200m dashes.

Despite being sidelined with a hip injury for a majority of the football season, senior sprinter PJ Hayes won two State Champions, one in the winter and the other in the spring. Hayes dove across the finish line in the 200m final to pass two other sprinters–making his victory one of the most memorable in Walpole Track’s history. Now Hayes runs for the UCONN Huskies.

You can find the full length article here.  Author: Gina Conti

5. Baseball beats North Attleboro in Tompkins’ return.

The most devastating news in the Walpole High community came last spring when it was disclosed that Coach Tompkins had been diagnosed with cancer. To support Tompkins, the baseball team shaved their heads, and the Girls Soccer coaches sold “Rebels With A Cause” t-shirts. In Tompkins’ first game back–the tournament game against North Attleboro–Walpole won 7-4 behind standout pitching from senior Mike Gaughan. The Rebels went on to beat Barnstable in the next round but lost to Bridgewater-Raynham in the South Sectional Semi-finals.

The article can be found here. Author: Peter Hoegler

4. Boys Hockey falls to Norwood in first round of the tournament.

In what will be remembered as the most heartbreaking loss in the history of this cross-town rivalry, Walpole Boys Hockey fell to rival Norwood 3-2 (F/OT) in the first round of the State Tournament. Norwood scored the game-winner on a John Galvin slap shot only a few minutes into the extra period. Despite being played in Bourne, the game was well attended by both sides; the Rebels just had a longer ride home.

The article can be found here. Author: Matt Brownsword

3. Walpole Football fails to convert 2-point conversion against Natick in OT.

The Walpole Football team had trouble meeting expectations all year, so the Rebels treated the Natick game as an antidote that could heal all their pains. But despite sophomore Steve Cuqua’s 5 touchdowns and the 55 points scored, the Rebels did not have enough–falling to Flutie and Natick in overtime 56-55. Walpole had an opportunity to kick an extra point and head to another OT but opted to try the 2-point conversion. Cuqua was stopped short of the goal line and Natick celebrated the victory. This game was also known as the birth of the Brigade, the new fan section at Walpole High.

Here is the highlights of the game.

Here is the full article. Author: Mike Fortin

2. Boys Soccer wins South Sectional Championship as a 13 seed.

After starting the season 5-7-2, Walpole Boys Soccer went on a tear to end the season–winning four straight games to qualify for the State Tournament. The Rebels then went on to beat No.4 Greater New Bedford in the first round and arch-rival Nauset in Penalty Kicks in the second round. Walpole took care of business against Pembroke in the semi-finals–meaning that they would be playing No.2 Oliver Ames, who knocked them out last year, in the South Championship. Walpole played their best game of the season and shut out the Tigers 2-0 to claim their first ever South Sectional Championship.

Here is Boys Soccer’s celebration after defeating OA.

Here is the article. Author: Peter Hoegler

1. Field Hockey ends State Championship  drought with 1-0 win over Long Meadow.

And the most memorable moment of 2013 goes to the Porkers, who claimed their first State Championship title since 2006. Senior Captain Lina Feeley scored the game-winner in the second half to backbone the Walpole victory.

Here is the article. Author: Matt Brownsword