Athletes of the Week for February 8, 2026

Congratulations to Leighton Loomis ’27 and Seiya Mori ’28 for earning Cardigan’s Student-Athlete of the Week Awards. Read what their coaches have to say about them below, and meet all the students who were nominated.

Varsity Student-Athlete of the Week 

Leighton Loomis ’27 - Varsity Basketball 

Leighton stepped up in a big way for the team during the Proctor Academy game, making key plays at the point guard position and controlling the tempo when we needed it most. He hit timely shots and consistently made the right decisions with the ball in his hands. Against Groton School, he led the team in deflections, once again impacting the game beyond scoring. He continues to add value in so many aspects––team leadership, defense, shot-making, and composure. His all-around contributions make him a deserving Student-Athlete of the Week.

Sub-Varsity Student-Athlete of the Week 

Seiya Mori ’28 - JV Hockey

Seiya has been dominant all season and continues to be a consistent presence on the scoresheet. He has the ability to control the pace of the game at any moment and make an impact in all situations. More importantly, he has grown into a more complete hockey player, showing major improvement in his defensive zone coverage, vision, and ability to find open teammates. He has also been a positive and supportive presence on the bench, contributing to the positive team culture. This past week, he had a standout performance against tough opponents Stanstead and NH Mountain Kings, recording three goals and multiple assists. His continued development and commitment to the team make him a well-deserved Student-Athlete of the Week.

Other Varsity Nominations 

Carlos Xie ’26 - Nordic Skiing

Carlos’s skiing has continued to improve, and he has done an excellent job as the team captain this winter. He did well at the St. Paul’s School freestyle sprints in challenging conditions last week, he has been positive and motivated for practice every day, and he always encourages his teammates to do their best. Well done, Carlos!

Reed Oberting ’26 - Varsity Hockey

Reed has been a standout defenseman on the team this winter, elevating his play when it matters the most. His skating ability allows him to control the ice every time he has the puck. Against KUA and Deerfield, he picked up a ton of minutes on the ice and put up multiple assists while also scoring his first goal as a Cougar. His work ethic and reliability have made him a steady force for the team on both ends of the ice.

Xiaobei Zhao ’27 - Varsity Snowboarding

Xiaobei’s riding in the terrain park has developed tremendously in the last few weeks. His charger attitude and commitment have put him on track to become a formidable park rider, and his work ethic and consistent practice are paying off as he tackles new features.

Jay Kang ’27 - Varsity Wrestling 

Jay is a first-year wrestler who has improved so much this year. At the beginning of the season he could barely do the warmup; now he is a trusted training partner and teammate. His growth was on full display in our recent match against Fay, in which he won both of his matches. Jay continues to put in great effort and is starting to see the results. 

Other Sub-Varsity Nominations 

Gabriel Rivero ’27 - Reserve Hockey

Gabo, participating in his first season ever as a hockey player, has worked hard on his skating ability and puck handling. Over the course of the first half of the season, he played both forward and defense positions, but excelled in his defensive role. Each day his backwards skating is getting better, and he has developed a knack for effective positioning, rarely finding himself out of the right place. His attitude is excellent, and his effort in practices and games is at the top of the scale for this team. He is a positive teammate, cheering on his fellow players regardless of the score or situation. He is an unnamed leader of our team. 

Leon Chen ’27- Recreational Skiing

Leon brings a great attitude to the team every day. He always does the right thing, gives his best effort, and shows up ready to improve. His consistent work ethic and steady progress make him a positive presence on the team and someone others can count on.

Kai Baik ’26 - JV Basketball

Kai has made tremendous progress in learning the game of basketball and stepping up when needed. He has worked hard on the plays and been the backbone for our defense. He works every day to improve and to show that he is an effective member of this team. During our game against KUA, he stepped up to guard and battle against players who were much larger and stronger than him. We are very proud of what he has accomplished this past week.

Jackson Gandin ’29 - Thirds Hockey

Jackson has been working hard and has shown much improvement both in practices and in games. He was a shining light in our last game against the NH Selects during which his grit and hard work were momentum feeders for our team. 

Jiho Park ’26 - Reserve Basketball 

Jiho single-handedly turned the tide during the second half of our game against Lyme. He came out for the first time in game playing point guard and used his agility and speed to get past three players and take the ball to the basket. The rest of the team was invigorated and decided to follow suit with new-found effort and aggression.

Henry Petrow ’28 - Thirds Basketball

Henry has been an enthusiastic teammate and regular contributor to the team. He is always positive and supportive of his teammates.

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Athletics Program at Cardigan

Known as the Cougars, Cardigan athletic teams foster sportsmanship, teamwork, and School pride. We support multiple teams in 17 sports to meet the interests and develop the skills of all Cardigan student-athletes. Every boy has the opportunity to play, learn, and have fun.

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