By Ned Harwood ’13, Staff Writer 

Instead of highlighting individual athletes as readers have come accustom to, this month’s edition of Faces in the Crowd will feature some of the best high school sport siblings at the Academy and recognize their excellent athletic achievements. If you are into reading about dynamic family duos and Newark Academy athletics, you have come to the right place.

Riley and Spencer Kolek are two Minuteman brothers who significantly contribute in a variety of athletic disciplines. With both Koleks starting their NA careers in sixth grade, much of the community has known of the dynamic duo’s athletic talents for a while now. However, it wasn’t until this year that the two have both been able to make a major impact at the high school level. Riley Kolek is a three-sport athlete, playing on the boy’s soccer, basketball, and lacrosse teams. After a very strong JV soccer season, Riley was one of the few freshman to be called up to the Varsity squad late in the year to showcase his skills. He now just finished an excellent season for the JV boy’s basketball team, and, after a dominant eighth grade year, all signs point to Riley playing a large role on the varsity lacrosse team this spring. The older Kolek, Spencer, is a big presence in the post for the NA varsity basketball team and has developed into one of the team’s best rebounders with his 6’ 4” frame. Spencer will follow this basketball season with a highly anticipated lacrosse season, in which he will surely be a primary playmaker on the Minuteman attack. While Riley and Spencer’s NA athletic connection will cease at the end of 2013, there is no need to panic as their younger sister Paige ‘17 will be ready to step up to continue the family tradition.

If you haven’t heard of the Glatt brothers by now, it is a wonder if you even go to NA at all. Many claim that Harrison and Griffin are the most balanced athletic combo at NA right now, and the stats sure confirm that statement. Griffin Glatt starred at wide receiver for the football team this year, catching multiple touchdowns and leading the team in receiving yards. However, it is not just the fields he is excelling on, as he was the top rebounder and second leading scorer in his fourth year of varsity basketball this winter. Griffin will finish off his senior year with a chance to defend NA’s golf state championship. While Harrison may not have as many achievements yet, he still has made a big impact on the athletic fields in 2011. Harrison netted two goals on the men’s soccer team, one of which was against Essex County powerhouse Livingston in a tremendous contest. Now, as spring break hastily approaches, Harry is looking for another positive year on varsity for the baseball team that took home the Sectional title in 2011. When asked why they play a plethora of varsity sports between the two of them, Harry responded, “As kids in the backyard, we were always looking for new ways to compete against each other and that meant trying out different sports every day.” Together, Harry and Griffin play a total of five varsity sports and provide plenty of great moments for the Minutemen.

Born and raised in Morristown, the Widmann sibling shave been playing soccer all their lives. When Zack was asked as to what he loves so much about the sport, he said, “The flow of the game is what makes it so fun for me. There is never a pause or dull moment. You always have to be thinking about the present and your next move at the same time.” The four-year letter winner and captain led the

Minutemen in assists this season and earned postseason honors of All-State and All-Prep for 2011. Zack’s defining moment of 2011 was scoring the game-winning goal in extra-time against Essex County powerhouse Montclair in the County tournament to advance to the quarterfinals. Sara Widmann also had an excellent freshman fall on the soccer pitch, earning significant minutes on varsity for the Lady Minutemen. Despite such a strong freshman year, Sara knows she has plenty more left to accomplish. “This year really helped me settle into the style of the high school level and will make me feel more comfortable on the fields come next Fall. We have a lot of star players returning and should have a great team in 2012. I am just hoping to play a role in our success.” While Sarah cannot wait for next fall to come, she currently is looking forward to her first lacrosse season in a Minuteman uniform this spring. Zack will be graduating in just a couple months and Sara will make sure the fields have a Widmann presence as long as she can.