Sports

Co-Captain Garnet Hathaway ’10

It’s only fitting that the all time leading scorer in Andover Soccer history receives the honor of The Phillipian’s Fall Athlete of the Term. That athlete is Co-Captain Garnet Hathaway ’10. Hathaway said, “Although I had a great season individually, we were very successful as a team and that is the most important thing to me. I just try to do whatever will make the team better.” As Co-Captain, he led the team to a 10-3-4 record, which earned the team a playoff birth despite a string of injuries to some of the team’s core players. With what Coach Steven Carr calls “a pure scorer’s touch,” the dynamic forward led the team with 15 goals this season, and has been one of the team’s go-to scorers since his freshman season. When Hathaway first stepped onto the field Junior year, Coach Carr knew he had something special. He said, “Even as a ninth grader Garnet showed tremendous speed and strength, and he was a tireless worker in training. Every time he stepped on the field he made things happen with his energy and effort.” Due to this great work ethic, Hathaway continued to improve in all facets of the game over the next few years, and he quickly became an integral part of the Andover offense. With 10 goals, Hathaway was the team’s leading scorer in just his lower season. The next season, Hathaway netted 16 goals and became one of the most feared scorers in the league. Carr said, “Over the past couple years, he has greatly improved his technical ability, his understanding of the game and the forward position. In the last two seasons, he has also greatly improved his ball skills. He can take down any ball and either distribute it to his teammates or put a strong shot on net.” This season, all of Hathaway’s hard work paid off in what was perhaps the defining moment of his career at Andover. On November 7th against KUA, Hathaway netted his 41st goal of his career, breaking the record for most career goals by an Andover player. Hathaway said, “It was awesome to break the record, but my teammates deserve a lot of the credit. It takes a team to push the ball up the field. I just happen to be the one who finishes the play.” As a captain this season, Hathaway set an example for the younger players to follow. Carr said, “He shows up every day with a positive attitude, eager to work hard and get better, and his teammates feed off of the example he sets.  He doesn’t say too much, but he doesn’t have to. When he does talk people listen, as he has earned the respect of the entire group through his play, his commitment and his clear desire for the team to be the best it can possibly be.” Looking back on his career at Andover, Hathaway feels like its gone by too fast. “It feels like yesterday I was at the first day of Team Prep Camp in the summer before my Junior year. I wish I could keep playing for this team because it’s been a great experience right from the first time I stepped on the field. I would have liked to close my Andover career with a championship, but I know I will always look back on this season and be proud of what we accomplished. I’ll always remember these guys.” Coach Carr summed up why Hathaway deserves this award best when he said, “It is actually hard to put into words how much he has meant to this team and this program. I know if you asked him he would trade every last one of those goals for a New England Championship.” With such skill on the field and his high regard for his team, it’s clear that Hathaway deserves this honor.