On their senior night on Oct. 10, Jefferson’s varsity field hockey team beat Lewis in a 3-0 win. The first half of the game was eventful, with the players constantly communicating with each other and calling for the ball.
“We always put our best foot forward,” sophomore Amanda Van Buskirk said. “But you could tell that [in] this game we were really trying, and we were working as a team a lot more.”
However, for Jefferson’s field hockey team, senior night is not just the game. Along with the matchup after school, players partake in other customs as well.
“We all dressed up in black dresses, [which was] the tradition,” senior Sinead Molony said. “The juniors and the underclassmen got us tiaras and sashes.”
The senior night festivities began at 6:00 p.m. while the game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. Prior to the game, each senior student walked down the field with their parents, and each senior wore their pink senior night t-shirts. With Jefferson’s game against Lewis being their third to last, the field hockey season is almost at its end.
“I don’t think it sunk in yet,” Molony said. “It hit me [more on] Thursday and I was like, wow, this is the last regular season game.”
Jefferson’s team is a majority of upperclassmen, with eleven seniors and three senior managers. On Tuesday night, the entire starting lineup was seniors.
“I’ve watched everybody go through this moment, and it’s just weird,” Molony said, having been on varsity for four years. “Thinking about high school field hockey, it’s been a big part of my life, and it’s almost over.”
For the other players, seniors serve as role models throughout the season.
“They start stretches, they help with drills,” Buskirk said. “They’re really kind and understanding and really helpful, especially to new players.”
Although the group shares many memories together through big wins and unexpected upsets, some of their favorite memories are just from hanging out.
“The memories of all the people, the team sleepovers we’ve had,” Molony said. “I think that’s my favorite part, because I get to spend so much time with my best friends.”
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