Hills West Fall Sports Wrap-Up
On the brink of winter, the Hills West Roundup decided to take a look back at some of the fall varsity sports. Each team had their ups and downs, but in the end it was all about giving their best effort on the field.
The Hills West boy’s football team concluded an injury-plagued season with a record of 1-7. The teams says goodbye to star linebacker senior Randy Davis and senior kicker Willie Holmquist, among the many graduating from the team.The team looks forward to next year, as junior quarterback Jake Klose and senior halfback Bas Jobe intend to lead the team to the 2013 playoffs.
The varsity boy’s golf team enjoyed a successful comeback season, springing from 3-9 last year to a record of 9-2 this year. They placed second in the first league tournament. When asked about the season, senior Jared Silberlust stated, “I’m proud of our team and I hope we do well come playoffs in the spring.”
The boy’s volleyball team’s season ended in heartbreak, as they were beaten by Northport in their first playoff game. This was especially difficult for the team after a strong regular season with a final record of 13-3. Although they were the third seed, they believe that they have a group of returning players with the potential to do even better next season. On his performance, senior Brett Rickles commented, “It was [over] a lot sooner than we would have liked, we could’ve gone farther than we did but sometimes you just have a bad day.”
The Hills West boy’s soccer team exploded onto the scene this season, and quickly became one of the most successful Hills West teams. Their 16-3 record serves as the hallmark for a season that ended one game before the finals. The season concluded with a loss to Hills East in the semifinals of the playoffs. The team looks forward to next season for another chance at the finals, with players such as returning players Moosah Khanat, Cody Cao, and Josh Koval to lead the way.
The boys cross country team ended their strong season being second place in the league at 3-2. When asked about his team’s performance this season, cross-country runner senior Ryan Gurbatri responded, “I don’t know the record, I just run.” His spirit is a representation of what this team was made of this season: caring more about participation and enjoyment instead of the stats.
The girls field hockey concluded their 2012 season with a lone win, finishing 1-13. Despite the disappointing record, senior team captain Jennie Jung claimed that the season “was so much fun,” and that she enjoyed every second of it. The players look to add more wins to their record next season.
The girl’s cross country team finished with a solid 3-2 record, but faced stiff competition from William Floyd H.S and Smithown H.S, finishing 3rd in their division. Senior Kerri Graber commented, “We had a great season! Our team really came together and worked hard. We pushed one another to train our best, and most importantly, run our best. Many people on the team ran new personal best times and improved drastically, revealing a successful season overall. Even though the season is over and the seniors, including myself, will be leaving, we have a great group of girls left who will carry the team towards victory for the cross country seasons to follow.”
The girl’s volleyball team ended with a strong 9-6 record, but once again was faced with tough competition, finishing fourth in the division. Senior Jessica Kleet said, “It’s really sad to say that my last year playing for West has finally ended. Being on the team for 4 years was such a memorable and great experience that I never wanted to end.”
The girl’s swimming team was very strong, ending the season 6-1, coming in second in their division. Senior Kayleigh Toth commented, “The season ending has made me look back at my varsity career and made me realize how much I am going to miss my team next year.”
This wrap up of most of the fall sports concludes the fall season, and West athletes look forward to the beginning of the winter season.
