A winter sports spotlight

Being one of the earliest forms of entertainment, sports have a tight grasp on the world. Its importance is clear in the way our modern society still adores these activities; our school is no exception.

Can you believe we’re already halfway through the semester? It feels like just yesterday, we were enjoying football, cheer, drill, girls tennis, girls volleyball, and cross country in the fall sports season. The winter athletic season had also begun with its presence trickling into this semester. Now, since the 2023 spring semester has started, we will begin to see spring sports come into play. (Get it?)

While football is the sport that is most associated with school sports, it isn’t the only sport that deserves fame. There are tons of other amazing teams at our school. Here are the winter sports that are currently in action.

This article was heavily interview-based, so please keep in mind, some things may be out of date, as the sports season has continued on since I conducted the interviews for each sport. I’d also like to give a special thank you to all the team captains I spoke to! Because of you, this article is possible.

*All images were taken by the Eagle's Scream's amazing photographers, Jasper Mann, Genevieve Deetsh, Ranya Theba, and Femi Henry-Chia.

Boys Basketball

First of all, we have the boys varsity basketball team who has had an awesome season so far. Thanks to their great teamwork and chemistry, they were not only undefeated, but they finished first in their league! Co-captains Brooklyn and Luke describe their team as a brotherhood. In the near future, they hope to win city championships and continue to play the best they can.

Like the varsity team, our JV boys basketball team has had a good season. They have, and continue to enjoy playing together, as they create memories at each game and practice. Team captains William and Ramses had the goal of being league champions, and with their hard work, they were able to meet it! Congratulations to them!

Girls Basketball

As of now, the varsity girls basketball team has had a great season. By playing well together and working hard at practice, they’ve greatly improved their skills, allowing them to score higher at each game, and of course, win. A team captain of this team, Madison, said that everyone has a great bond and is really just best friends. Finishing as undefeated League Champions, they hope to win division one, play their best at playoff games, and make open championships.

Co-captains of the girls JV basketball team Ana and Melanie agree that their season has been going pretty well. While they enjoy their games and practice, a highlight of the season has been forming connections with new and familiar faces. They are like one big family; they joke around with each other, but also play very well together. In the future, they hope to keep working to improve their skills.

Boys Soccer

Despite facing big expectations following their previous season, the boys varsity soccer team has truly performed well and is having a great season so far, according to team captain Charlie. The players are not only teammates, but they are friends, allowing them to cooperate nicely. They were able to finish off strong, second in their league! Since their season is ending soon, they hope to play their best in playoffs and become CIF champions. In the meantime, they will continue to practice and improve their skills, and make cherishable memories along the way.

Our boys junior varsity soccer team has had a rather rough season, however, they are slowly improving and working hard to better themselves. Part of their struggle was not being too closely connected, which affected their coordination and teamwork. Despite this, team captain Jackson S. said that everyone is comfortable with each other, creating a positive environment on the field. As their season continues, we know this team will improve more and more, and make us Eagles proud!

Girls Soccer

Here at Eagle Rock, we have a great varsity girls soccer team. Having only lost one league game, they’ve had a great season. Finishing second in their league, they hope to advance past the first round of playoffs. Really, the team is like a big family, as they greatly enjoy each other’s presence throughout the season and beyond.

Our girls JV team is also pretty good. According to team captain Atziri, they’ve had a good season, being able to bond with each other, and, similar to the varsity team, are like one big family. They always enjoy their after-school practice and bus rides to away games. We wish our girls team the best in the future, as they continue to play their best and have fun at their games.

Girls Water Polo

This season, the girls water polo team has performed really well. This year, they were swarmed with interest, causing one of the biggest years they’ve seen, according to captains Isabella and Lauren. During this season, the water polo players have grown close and improved their skills. They were able to bond during an exciting tournament in San Diego. Now, water polo is a very demanding sport, so we commend everyone on the team greatly, especially seeing that they are a winter sport; they have to swim when it’s ice cold! For the rest of their season, our girls water polo team hopes to go far in, and ideally win, playoffs.

Boys Wrestling

This year, the wrestling team grew. A lot. Sullivan, co-captain of the boys team said it has been the biggest group he’s seen. Like in any sport, they have room for improvement, although it has been one of their better seasons. If you’ve ever been to their games, you’ll know, it's pretty intense, so we applaud wrestling for their strength! Wrestling is like a family; team members can rely on each other and also joke around to make each other smile. Some goals for the remainder of the season include passing through playoffs and hopefully making it to the state championship.

Girls Wrestling

Last but definitely not least, we have girls wrestling. Co-captain Cecile said the girls have had a really great season. They’ve been getting really good scores, they made it to the playoffs, and are undefeated! Like the boys team, they have lots of new members. Now, new faces haven’t stopped them from becoming the big group of best friends they are. Since wrestling is such a tough sport, each team member always makes sure to be kind and supportive. This year, they finished second in their league. Later, they hope to advance to state championships and continue performing at their best, like they always do.

Clearly, each sport is like a second family to our players. We are proud to be represented by these teams. As the winter athletic season continues, we wish each team the very best in each game, match, and tournament. GO EAGLES!!