Winter Sports Celebrate Senior Night

In the week of February 7 – winter sports, girls’ soccer, boys’ basketball, boys’ soccer – and girls’ basketball, celebrated their respective senior nights.

Senior night is a meaningful tradition and ceremony for athletes and their families to honor their high school sports career. The night is usually celebrated on the last game of the normal sport season, and it is always a home game. Before the game starts, there is a ceremony in which players are introduced by a sports announcer and their families can come up with them to celebrate the big night.

Girls’ soccer senior night happened on February 8. The varsity team played College Park High School, winning with a score of 1-0. “I think the game went really well, some of it might have been the energy from the night… but we felt connected like a team and I think we played super well.. It felt good [to win] because the last time we ended with a tie,” said varsity soccer senior Kipling Schnurr.

The game and ceremony were bittersweet moments for all of the girls’ varsity players, since it highlighted that the end of their high school soccer careers is approaching. “[Senior night] felt really nice… I remember watching the senior night as a freshman and thinking about how that would eventually be me, so it was nice kinda having that full circle moment,” said Schnurr.

She added, “The rest of the team really made the night special by making us banners, decorating the shed, and giving us little goodie bags, so I really felt the love of the team that night… I think the [night] was a little bittersweet, so I’m happy to have had the chance and opportunity to get to play on Campo soccer teams for the past 4 years.”

Varsity girls’ soccer is ranked number 3 in the league right now, going onto the NCS playoffs, which started on February 15.

Triumphing with a score of 69-26 against Las Lomas, varsity boys’ basketball had their senior night on February 9. “The game was great and everyone had really a lot of energy and came to play,” said senior varsity player Gabriel Johnson. “Senior night celebration was priceless and all of our guys who work so hard got to be appreciated for all of the work they put in for their team.”

Like girls’ soccer, senior night was also bittersweet for boys’ basketball. “Obviously part of me is a bit sad that it’s my last season, but the other part of me is really happy that my last season is going to be the most successful season of them all,” added Johnson.

Varsity boys’ basketball has already been playing in NCS league games, winning a notable away game win against rival school Miramonte with a score of 62-57 on February 12.

Boys’ soccer played Clayton Valley Charter on February 10 for their senior night. “It was pretty cool… I think it was definitely more emotional than I was expecting to be… I had been playing with some of these guys since like 3rd grade or maybe even before that, and for it to be the last game that I might ever play with them was just really special,” said senior soccer player Mason Fara.

Although the team lost to Clayton Valley 1-2, they played with high energy, and it was still an incredible night to honor the seniors. “Well we lost… But it was also against Clayton Valley and they were a division 1 team… And we played well so it was not too bad overall,” noted Fara.

Fara added, “I think the [celebration] went really well, and it commemorated all 11 of the seniors, and we got all of our families together as well too.”

In a neutral playoff game on February 15, boys’ soccer beat Miramonte with a score of 1-0, with more playoff games to follow in the future.

Varsity girls’ basketball had their senior night, which was coined “Nat Night,” since the celebration and game highlighted and celebrated the 1 senior on the varsity team, Natalie Barkey.

“It was an amazing experience and I will never forget it,” said Barkey.

Even though the team lost to Alhambra High School with a score of 30-40, the team still played incredibly well, and Barkey scored a notable 15 points in total. It was also a bittersweet moment for Barkey: “It was really sad, but I’ll forever be grateful for the bonds that the program let me make with so many amazing people.”