Hometeam All-Stars: Winter 2009 - Worcester Telegram & Gazette

PAGECENTRAL MASS. HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MAGAZINEWWW.TELEGRAM.COM/HOMETEAM14SWIMMINGGYMNASTICSTina BelleteteGardner HighSenior, 500 FreestyleBelletete won the 500freestyle at the Division1 Central/Westsectional to earn a spoton the Telegram &Gazette Super Team forthe third consecutiveseason. A two-timestate champion in the500 freestyle, Belletetefinished second in the event this yearand was fifth in the 200 freestyle at theCentral/West sectional. Belletete alsowas part of the 200 medley relay teamthat placed third at the state meet. Sheenjoys swimming and reading in herspare time. She’s the daughter ofThomas and Deborah Belletete of Winchendon.Alyssa FarnsworthLeominster HighSophomore, 100 FreestyleOnly a sophomore, but atwo-time swimmingteam MVP, Farnsworthwon the 100-yard freestyleat the Central/Southsectional to earn a spot onthe Telegram & GazetteSuper Team. Farnsworthalso is a two-time Mid-Wach All-Star and has wonthe team’s achievement award each time.Her sectional victory was considered hermost memorable sports moment, but Farnsworthalso qualified for the state meet in the50 freestyle. Farnsworth finished eighth inthe state in the 100 freestyle and 14th in the50 freestyle. College is a couple of yearsaway for the sophomore, but Farnsworth ishoping to attend the University of NorthCarolina and study physical therapy ornutrition. She’s the daughter of John andBrenda Farnsworth of Leominster.Kelly ShermanBromfield SchoolFreshman, 1-Meter DivingSherman captured the1-meter diving crownat the Division 1 Central/Southsectional toearn a spot on theTelegram & GazetteSuper Team. Shermanis only a freshman, butalready has establishedherself as one of thepremier divers in the state, finishingfourth in the state meet and settingschool records in the 6 dive, 11 dive,100 butterfly and 200 medley relay.Sherman was a 2008 AAU national finalistin the 1-meter and 3-meter and platformdiving events, which she called hermost memorable sports moments, andalso was named to the Mid-Wach All-Starteam. Sherman won the coaches’ awardfor soccer in the fall and enjoys readingand playing the piano. She’s the daughterof Ray and Colleen Sherman of Littleton.The teams include the top individual finishers at the sectional and state meets.Jane EhretGardner HighJunior, 200 Individual MedleyAtransplant from NewYork, Ehret had astrong debut season forthe Wildcats, taking the200 individual medley titleand finishing second in the100 butterfly at the Division1 Central/Southsectional to earn a spot onthe Telegram & GazetteSuper Team. Ehret finished fourth at thestate meet in the 100 butterfly and selectedto the Mid-Wach All-Star squad. In additionto swimming, Ehret enjoys weightlifting andrunning. In college, Ehret hopes to studysports medicine or physical therapy. She isthe daughter of John and Maureen Ehret.Katie PowlenAlgonquin RegionalSenior, 500 FreestylePowlen completed astellar swimming careerfor the Tomahawks, capturingthe 500 freestyleand finishing second in the200 freestyle at the Division1 state meet. Powlenswam for Algonquin herfreshman, sophomore andsenior years, and earnedteam MVP honors each time. Powlen wasnamed Mid-Wach MVP this year and setschool records in the 500 freestyle, 400freestyle relay, and 200 medley relay thiswinter, adding to her records in the 100freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 freestylefrom her first two seasons. Powlen enjoystraveling in her spare time and also swimsfor the Shawmut Aquatic Club. She is thedaughter of Jerry and Mary Powlen of Southboro.Diana ZengWestboro HighSophomore, 100 BackstrokeOnly a sophomore, butalready a two-time teamMVP, Zeng placed first inthe 100 backstroke at theDivision 1 Central/Southsectional to earn a spot onthe Telegram & GazetteSuper Team. Zeng alsowas on the Rangers’ firstplace200 freestyle relayteam that helped them to the meet championship.Zeng has set school records in the50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke,200 freestyle relay, 400 freestylerelay, and co-ed relay. She is also a memberof the USA Team at the Westboro Tennis &Swim Club. Zeng’s most memorable sportsmoment came last year when she broke the200 freestyle relay meet record at the sectionals.Zeng enjoys playing the piano, reading,and decorating in her spare time, andsomeday hopes to run her own company.She’s the daughter of Robert Zeng andWendy Wang of Westboro.Kelsey HenningsonAlgonquin RegionalJunior, VaultAtwo-year member ofthe Tomahawks’ gymnasticsteam for coachAmelia Davis, Henningsonfinished second to teammateAmanda Hubleyamong Central Mass.finishers in the vault at theSouth Sectional. Shefinished 14th in the vaultand had an overall strong meet, finishing10th in the floor exercise, 19th in the beam,and 26th in the all-around as Algonquinfinished second to Barnstable — a feat sheclled her most memorable sports moment asAlgonquin advanced to the state meet andfinished fourth. Henningson finished 27th inthe all-around in that meet. She also wasnamed to the Mid-Wach All-Star team andwas league champion on the balance beam.Henningson is unsure of college plans, buthopes to major in early childhood education.She is the daughter of Jeff and Janice Henningsonof Northboro.Emily RutanAlgonquin RegionalJunior, Floor ExerciseRutan finished second inthe floor exercise at theSouth Sectional to earn aspot on the Telegram &Gazette Super Team forthe first time. Rutan alsofinished fifth in the balancebeam and 28th in theall-around as the Tomahawksplaced second andwent on to the state gymnastics meet. In thestate meet, Rutan continued to shine with afourth-place finish in the floor and alsofinished 11th on the beam. A three-timeMid-Wach League All-Star, Rutan helped theTomahawks to league titles the past twoseasons. She called Algonquin’s run to thestate meet this year, as well as her clubgymnastics squad going to the regionals in2006, her two most memorable sportsmoments. She enjoys soccer, track andplaying the clarinet in her spare time. Rutanhopes to pursue a career in biochemistry ormedicine after college. She’s the daughterof Mark and Leslie Rutan of Northboro.Helen YangAlgonquin RegionalSenior, Parallel BarsAmanda HubleyAlgonquin RegionalSophomore, All-AroundAtwo-time Telegram &Gazette Super Teamerin gymnastics, Hubleyfinished third in the allaroundat the South Sectionalto help the Tomahawksto a second-placefinish and a spot in thestate meet. Hubley alsofinished second in thevault, 10th in the parallel bars, 11th on thebeam, and 14th on the floor. Hubley continuedto shine at the all-state meet, helpingAlgonquin to a fourth-place finish with hersecond-place finish in the vault, eighth-placespot in the all-around, and ninth-place finishesin the beam and floor events. Hubleyholds the school record in the all-aroundevent and has helped the Tomahawks toconsecutive league titles. Hubley hopes tobecome a physical therapist after college,and enjoys running, cheerleading and shoppingin her spare time. She’s the daughter ofPaul and Kathy Hubley of Southboro.Diane WhitakerShrewsbury HighSenior, Balance BeamWhitaker finished 14th inthe balance beam and18th in the all-around atthe South Sectional toearn a spot on the SuperTeam as Shrewsburyfinished ninth in the event.Whitaker was a captain forcoach Kristin Valentineand earned the coaches’award for dedication and excellence ingymnastics this season. A four-year memberof the varsity, Whitaker also earned theMIAA Sportsmanship Award this year. Shewas named Shrewsbury’s MVP after herfreshman season and has completed leveleight in USA Gymnastics. Her most memorablesports moment came when sheearned the title of level five state championon the beam and floor in USA Gymnastics.Whitaker, who enjoys playing the piano inher spare time, will attend St. Anselm CollegeSchool of Nursing in the fall. She’s thedaughter of Robert and Barbara Whitaker ofShrewsbury.Yang finished second in the parallel bars at the SouthSectional to earn a spot on the Telegram & GazetteSuper Team as Algonquin finished second and qualifiedfor the state meet. Yang had a strong meet, finishing fifthin both the floor and the all-around and 14th on the balancebeam. Yang then finished fourth on the bars in thestate meet. She is a two-year varsity gymnast for coachAmelia Davis after competing at the club level at the MassachusettsGymnastics Center her first two years. Yang isalso one of the stronger pole vaulters in the state and runscross country for the Tomahawks. She enjoys playing the flute, reading anddrawing in her spare time, and will attend the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology in the fall, where she’ll study to become a podiatrist. She’s thedaughter of Xiuwei Yang and Deping Jing of Northboro.