On the evening of February 2, the atmosphere was electric as the crowd gathered to honor the seniors of the Varsity Boys Basketball team on their special night. However, despite the spirited support from the families that attended and the heartfelt celebrations for the departing seniors, the team faced a tough challenge on the court against McNair.
There were a total of eight senior players celebrated/honored/acknowledged: Wyatt Griffen, Dominic Miranda, Emiliano Ayala, Dontrell Wesson, Tius Mitchell, La’Bron White, Steven Jazulin, and Eric Orona.
The senior night festivities kicked off with a heartfelt ceremony, honoring the dedication and hard work of the graduating players. Friends and fellow classmates cheered loudly as each senior was called out onto the court with their beloved families, greeted by their teammates and coaches with hugs and applause. Senior player Emiliano Ayala said “I felt a mix of excitement when I arrived, but I felt sad knowing it was my last game. It’s a really weird feeling knowing this chapter of my life is coming to an end.” From memorable highlights on the court to their leadership off of it, each senior was recognized for their unique impact on the team.
Dominic Miranda started playing for Stagg during his freshman year and continued to play three years later, until his senior year. Miranda first made Junior Varsity during his freshman year then made Varsity during his junior year. “I’m definitely going to miss my teammates,” Miranda said. “They’ve helped me a lot and not just with basketball, but with school and stuff like that. Inside and outside of the court. We built a lot of chemistry and now we were able to play a lot better than we used to a few months ago during pre-season”.
Despite the loss, the team remains optimistic about their prospects moving forward. Head Coach Andrew Newton, emphasized the importance of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. “Even though we didn’t win the game, our seniors played well and fought hard. I was proud of our seniors,” Coach Newton said.
The basketball team wasn’t the only athletics celebrating their senior night, varsity cheerleaders were also celebrated this evening. The cheer leading team had their final senior night, adding to the emotional atmosphere of the evening. The cheerleaders were recognized for their unwavering support and enthusiasm on the sidelines throughout the season.
Varsity cheer captain Ellie Romero started cheering during her freshman year, where she later was moved up to the Varsity team the same year. Before becoming a cheerleader, she had previously done gymnastics for 3 years throughout middle school.
Compared to Romero’s first year of cheer leading, she’s felt that cheer leading has helped her gain confidence in herself as well as help her build the outgoing person she has become today. “This being my last year is definitely bittersweet. It’s been part of my life for 4 years and I love the girls so much but I’m also happy it’s come to an end, I’m ready to move on”.
Junior Cody Ayers aspires to continue Romero’s legacy as Varsity cheer captain during his senior year. Through cheer leading, Ayers has felt that it has helped him create better relationships with teammates, especially with Romero. “She was one of the few people I loved having as a captain and we had so much fun together during the Football season. I’ll definitely miss when we stuck together and always had each other’s backs when it came to stunts and dances”.
As the final buzzer sounded, and the game came to an end, the seniors on both the basketball team and cheerleading squad were met with hugs, tears, and words of encouragement from their teammates, coaches, and supporters. While the night may not have ended in victory, it became a reminder of the leadership and spirit that defines high school sports. “Now, it’s time to say goodbye to our Delta Kings,” said Newton.
