Boys water polo held their senior night on Thursday, Oct. 19 in a game against Novato High School. They had a successful season and finished first in their league standings. Berkeley started off shaky, with the opposing team scoring three goals within the first six minutes. This was followed by junior Manel Grossi scoring the first goal for Berkeley towards the end of the first quarter. Berkeley caught up with Novato throughout the second quarter, tying the game up 5-5 by halftime. In the second half, Novato’s defense broke down and Berkeley went ahead and continued to lead throughout the rest of the game with a final score of 15-12. The majority of goals were scored by Grossi and juniors Mateo Flores-Knapp and Eamon Kauffer.
Their only senior, Aidan Burns, started the game, and although boys water polo doesn’t do anything extravagant to celebrate seniors, Burns received recognition from the team, with his teammates congratulating him as he exited the locker room after the game. Burns touched on the emotional component of having it be his final high school game. “It’s almost disheartening,” he said. “Coming all this way and finally ending the season.” Burns also reflected on that day’s win, crediting it to the team’s positivity and communication. “They’re killing it, and I’m proud of them,” he said about his teammates. “I’m glad to have spent three years with these boys, and it’s a mix of sadness and happiness.”