Varsity Football (2023-2024)
By LILY RAMPE ‘26
This year, Exeter varsity football continued their comeback. With a final record of 7-2 and placing second in the NEPSAC Leon Modeste Bowl, Exeter Football had a great season.
The season started out in extreme heat during preseason. But through their hard work and dedication to the team, athletes ended preseason feeling confident in the season ahead. Senior Cordel Epale said, “We’re starting to have a lot more competitiveness within the team, which is a good and positive competitiveness. We’re pushing ourselves more, we’re holding each other accountable.”
The season started off with a win against Suffield Academy, where the team blew them away with a score of 35-7. Even after a close loss against Cheshire Academy, the team was able to come together, stay determined, and went on to win the next six games (including a win against Andover at E>a).
One of the football team’s big wins was against Deerfield. Lower RJ Edmonds, who is a running back and linebacker, said, “We’ve had a very successful season, but the game against Deerfield has to be one of the greatest things. There was this tension in the air, and it was very high energy, to say the least.”
A key player in the game was Senior Zion Simmons. “He made a variety of clutch plays…He really kept us in the game with his clutchness,” Captain and senior Nihaal Rana said. “Overall [in terms of] defense and offense, we put up a fight,” Rana continued.
The captains of the team, Seniors Cade McMillan, Nihaal Rana, and Reid Burke, were chosen by a team vote and have fostered a competitive, yet supportive environment. Head coach Panos Voulgaris said, “In the early going of the season, the captains have shown that they are driven to set a good example for the team. Their work ethic and commitment to discipline have been strong.”
Upper Thomas Hoey added, “They all help out the team in different ways. Nihaal’s our starting left, just a great player. He’s more of a physical presence than a vocal one, but his play on the field makes him someone we can look up to. Reid and Cade are also players who come in every day and put in everything they have during practice. They get kids on the right track and keep us in line. I really appreciate having them as captains.”
Overall, the football team’s dynamic makes the team better. “My favorite is when we’re listening to music in the changing room after practice. The energy is electric and you’ll have guys singing their hearts out. The joy of being there at that moment is almost a getaway from everything else at school,” said Epale.
McMillian added, “When you’re narrowed in and you want to compete, it can be hard to work together. But our team has that bond, and it gives us what we need to win a game.”
