Field Hockey
The girls’ varsity field hockey team has had a successful season, currently holding a record of 5-5-2. Their greatest accomplishment was defeating University High School, who is number one in the league, with a score of 1-0. The junior varsity (JV) team also found success, winning their first game in eight years. The varsity team is currently fourth in their league, just one win behind Marin Catholic High School. However, the success has come at a price. The team has reported that two of their players have suffered concussions, and numerous other players were injured during the team’s latest game against Marin Catholic. Hence, JV players have had to step up and play for varsity in multiple games. Regardless of the many injuries, the team remains positive, saying that field hockey will always be a fun sport to play, and that they are excited to get back into it next year.
Football
The Berkeley High School (BHS) varsity football team, also referred to as “The Swarm,” has greatly improved this season. They currently hold a 2-5 record, as opposed to the 2018 0-10 record, after their recent narrow loss of 21-20 against Castro Valley. The team secured a strong start to the season, having had a 2-0 record after their first two games. Many of the players attribute their success from this season to their new head coach, James Hodgins, who arrived at BHS this year after having previous success coaching other high school teams. However, Hodgins credits the victories to the players themselves, for their hard work and perseverance. Although there are only three games remaining for the 2019 season, the team is confident that they will be able to finish strong, and come back even stronger next year.
Girls’ Water Polo
Over 70 students tried out for girls’ water polo this season, and, since then, they have been able to develop into a very strong team. The team had a fantastic start to the season, with a commanding win of 13-5 over Moreau Catholic High School. The team currently holds a record of 10-7 after their most recent win against San Leandro High School. Out of the 32 players on varsity, eight of them are seniors and are therefore playing their last season with the team. However, according to team captain Georgia Tomasik, the juniors are eager to step up and give their all next season. The team’s main goal for the next season is to have more team bonding activities because they believe that a tight knit community improves the team in numerous ways. They also hope to reach the championship game of the league tournament, as well as improve as much as they can in the final weeks for this season.
Girls’ Tennis
Despite being forced to practice off campus, the girls’ varsity tennis team has made sure to assert its place among Berkeley High School (BHS) sports. The team currently has a 9-1 record. One of the season’s highlights was defeating Piedmont High School, who have been league champions for the past 20 years. BHS finished second overall in the league last year, not too far behind their Piedmont rivals. With only four games left in the season, the team is currently working their hardest in order to secure the number one title. The team aims to become league champions this year and is certain that this goal is well within their reach.
Boys’ Water Polo
With the constant mention of the boys’ water polo team on the morning announcements, it is no surprise that the team is boasting a lot of pride with their 21-0 record. They feel very prepared for the North Coast Section championship in November and are confident that they can win. The team has scored a total of 369 goals in only 20 games, averaging 18.5 points per game, while only conceding a total of 145 goals or an average of 7.6 per game. This has been, without a doubt, one of the greatest seasons for any sport at Berkeley High School (BHS) this year and the team is certain that their record will remain unbeaten for many years to come.