Edward Ashley “Ash” Eames II ’48

Edward Ashley “Ash” Eames II ’48 played on varsity teams in soccer, hockey, and baseball at The Governor’s Academy for five years, 1945-1949. He was co-captain of the hockey and baseball teams in 1948, and he captained the Academy nine in 1949. He is considered one of the finest all-around athletes in the storied history of Academy athletics. In his senior year, he was the recipient of the coveted Goodwin Athletic Prize. He went on to an outstanding career at Amherst College, playing soccer, hockey and baseball; captaining teams; and being elected All-New England in soccer. He received the top athlete award at Amherst in 1953. From 1956-1969, Ash was an outstanding teacher, advisor, and coach at the Academy. Ash Eames was truly respected as a person and as an athlete.

Jeffrey B. Ellis ’63

Jeffrey B. Ellis ’63 played varsity football, basketball, and lacrosse at The Governor’s Academy from 1961-63. In his senior year, he quarterbacked the football team, co-captained the basketball team, and captained the lacrosse team. As the spirited leader of the lacrosse team, Jeff became the all-time high scorer in the history of the school. In presenting the Goodwin Athletic Prize to Jeff at graduation, Headmaster Val Wilkie called Jeff “a leader of the best sort, both for his own teammates and for younger athletes in the school.” Jeff went on to Kenyon College, distinguishing himself on the lacrosse team for two years before entering the military. For those who knew him, Jeff’s spirit and tenacity will be remembered forever.

Anna Hill Gerry ’85

Anna Hill Gerry ’85 was an outstanding all-around performer at The Governor’s Academy, competing in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. Her athletic career in Byfield, with varsity recognition in eleven of her twelve seasons, was marked with humility and quiet dignity. She held captaincies in all three sports and was named the Most Valuable Player in each. Anna was named to the ISL All-League Basketball and Lacrosse teams for three years and was Honorable Mention in soccer for two years. In her junior and senior seasons, she was a member of the All-American Lacrosse team. She was given the Anne-Marie Murphy Athletic Award and the GDA Blazer Award when she graduated. Anna went on to an outstanding lacrosse career at Brown University and at the University of New Hampshire. She returned to her alma mater to coach both soccer and lacrosse.

Amy Russell Bonnerot ’89

Amy Russell Bonnerot ’89 competed in cross-country, Nordic skiing, and spring track for twelve straight seasons during her four years in Byfield. Captaincies, MVPs and records were part of her storied career. In Nordic skiing, she was MVP of the league in 1988 and team captain in 1988 and 1989. In cross-country, she was undefeated in thirty-six consecutive ISL meets; she was the ISL Champion for three years and the New England Champion for two years; and she was the Boston Globe ISL League MVP for three years. In track, she was the ISL Champion in the 800, 1500, and 3000 and won the same races in the New Englands along with the 4x100 relay. She was named the Boston Globe ISL League MVP for Track in 1989. In 1988, she won the 1500 in the Massachusetts Bay State Games. At the Academy, she held school records in cross-country and in the 800, 1500, 3000, and 4x100 relay races. Amy went on to distinguished cross-country and track careers at Boston College; she is presently a member of the Central Park Track Club in New York City.

A. MacDonald Murphy

A. MacDonald Murphy was a member of the faculty at The Governor’s Academy from 1930 until his retirement in 1974. During his forty-four years in Byfield, Mac was a renowned hockey coach who was elected to the Massachusetts Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame in March, 1979; was the founder and long time coach of Academy lacrosse; and was the school’s first Director of Athletics from 1955 to 1972. Mac loved and respected his students, and they loved and respected him. The Class of 1974 dedicated The Milestone to him. His peers in the independent school circuit always felt immense gratitude to Mac who was one of the leading voices in the early direction of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council and the author of its history in 1979. Always insistent on basic human values, Mac was a considerable influence on athletics throughout the region. The original Frost Rink, when covered, became the Murphy-Frost arena to honor Mac’s many years of service.

William H. Sperry

William H. Sperry joined The Governor’s Academy faculty in 1954; until his retirement in 1992, he taught history, chaired the History Department, and served as College Counselor. During his tenure, he served in a variety of coaching roles, including head coach of varsity football, JV basketball, winter and spring Track and, for his final ten years in Byfield, assistant coach of girls track. Throughout his coaching career, Bill excelled at finding athletes’ strengths and then teaching proper techniques for players to reach their full potential. As a track coach, his knowledge of varying events, from sprints to middle and long distance, from hurdles to field events, was legendary. His winter track teams won two New England Class B Championships and his spring track teams were just as successful. The magnitude of his coaching prowess reached its height with the girls track program, when the team, with Bill as the top assistant, won five New England Class B Championships. Bill will be forever remembered by his students in the classroom and on the athletic field.