With the fall sports season wrapped up and the winter one beginning, SHS’s teams have a lot to celebrate this year. Warrior girls tennis, field hockey and boys soccer all finished as YAIAA District II Champions. Girls soccer, girls volleyball and boys cross country were all YAIAA District II Runners-up, and girls cross country finished third. Warrior football made PIAA District III playoffs, and golfers freshman Brody Lam and sophomore Jack Enslen competed in PIAA District III Championships.
Girls Tennis
Girls tennis boasted an especially successful season this year. Coach Marianne Michels, who has coached girls tennis for 17 years, is proud of her girls performance this year.
“These girls really work hard, and some of them have been training since we ended our season last year,” Michels said. “This always helps strengthen the team. What makes me most proud is how hard they work and that they all love being together and getting better and they love playing as much as I do.”
While the tennis team had a strong season, some players boasted even more accomplishments. Sophomore Summer Antkowiak, senior Vicky Chen, junior Mackenzie Hodge, and senior India Lester qualified and competed in the YAIAA Singles Tournament while senior Natalia Ramirez-Snell, senior Vicky Chen, sophomore Summer Antkowiak, junior Mackenzie Hodge, Senior Ely Schismenos, and Senior Jaylen Van Nice all competed in the doubles tournament.
Michels believes that motivation was key to the team’s success this year.
“These girls are coachable, which makes a difference,” Michels said. “They all work hard, and they want to win. The doubles team worked well together and were very effective. Another key to their success is that they all love tennis, and they want to improve their play.”
Field Hockey
Warriors Field Hockey also finished as YAIAA Division II Champions this year. Senior Lily Franklin, who has played field hockey since seventh grade, is glad her high school field hockey career ended the way it did.
“I think our team did amazing this season,” Franklin said. “People doubted us, but we proved them wrong. We won counties, and we truly deserved it.”
Franklin believes that perseverance is key to her team’s success.
“We had to keep pushing through even when we were tired while playing and mentally tell ourselves that we could win the game no matter what anyone else says,” Franklin said.
Football
Warriors football also boasted a strong season. Senior Isaiah Brokopp, who just finished his eighth season as a football player, believes that the team had a strong year.
“I think the team performed decently well even though our record did not reflect it,” Brokopp said. “Even when we would be down, we would still leave everything we could on the field and never give up.”
Brokopp says that being focused and motivated is one way that the team had a good season.
“Success starts in the offseason and in the weight room as well as worrying only about football while on the field and not letting other things affect them when they are playing,” Brokopp said.
–
Susquehannock’s successes this year were by no means a coincidence. Athletes and coaches displayed skill and perseverance and beat the competition. Now Warrior athletes will participate in winter sports such as boys basketball, swimming and wrestling.
