The Berkeley High School girls soccer team played against Piedmont on Feb. 9 for their senior night. The game ended in a tie, 0-0, placing them second in their league. The score stayed stagnant through the whole game, with the teams trading possessions. “I felt like the game was good – our energy was there. It felt like we were just one step away the whole game which was frustrating,” said senior midfielder Alex Freeman.
Senior midfielder June McNally scored with 15 minutes left in the second half, but it was negated due to offsides. “It felt like everything we worked for finally came together, and then it was all taken away,” said senior forward Erin Freeman about the play.
According to Alex Freeman, the game was special to the team from the first moments. “The first play of the game, Zoe Fung got to kick off. She tore her ACL and she had surgery in August and she won’t be able to play. That is her last game playing soccer, and it was really nice that the other team was okay with it and she got to kick it off,” she said.
For Erin Freeman, her older sister’s involvement in the team made the game particularly special to her. “I watched my older sister play Berkeley soccer for years, and then I got to play. I’ve been injured for two years, and I’ve been dreaming of this day, so I was so grateful to be able to play,” she said.
Senior goalkeeper Avery Lyman said that her advice for next year’s seniors is to, “soak it up because it goes by so fast.”
Energetic cheers could be heard throughout the Donahue gym on Feb. 7 as the Berkeley High School boys varsity basketball team held their senior night game against Alameda High School.
BHS had a strong lead in the first half of the game, but as the game went on, Alameda caught up, raising the nerves and excitement from the crowd. Down by 1, 49-50, near the end of the last quarter, BHS rose up and won the game with a score of 60-54.
Before the game, a ceremony was held to honor the seniors’ last home game. While receiving warm cheers and claps, the seniors each received a shoutout as they walked down the aisle one at a time with their families.
AJ Loustau, a senior on the team, described how the game felt different compared to other games they had played before. “It felt different because of how much love there was, like everyone was printing out signs for people. And all the seniors came out. There was a big crowd. So it felt like there was a lot of love,” he said.
Hayden Morris, another senior, shared his sentiment about the game stating, “I feel really sad, but also grateful to be able to share the time and moments with my teammates, and that Berkeley basketball will always be a thing and our team will always be a thing no matter what. So we can always come back and share memories and moments together when we come back together after the alumni games.”
On Feb. 9, the Berkeley High School girls basketball team concluded their league season with their senior night. The game against Arroyo High School marked their opportunity to secure third place in West Alameda County standings and secure a position to qualify them for the 2024 North Coast Section basketball championship.
The evening commenced with a ceremony for the seniors, as cheerleaders set up a celebratory red carpet full of balloons and big posters to honor the senior players. Each senior shared reflections and college decisions, fostering a supportive atmosphere from the packed crowd.
When the match began, Arroyo initially took the lead with a free throw, but Berkeley countered, with senior Nyerie Findley scoring a 2-pointer. “I think our team slowly started to come together. Like not just because of basketball, personality-wise, and I’m really glad about that,” said Findley. The first quarter ended with Berkeley in command with the score 9-1.
In the next quarter, seniors Brooklyn Evans and Jamaia Harrison showcased their teamwork, giving Berkeley a 13-1 advantage.
With support from the crowd, Berkeley maintained momentum, securing a 44-29 victory. “That was probably one of the biggest crowds we’ve had in any game. It motivated the team to play the hardest they could to live up to the energy,” said senior Lily Jobson.
On Feb. 6, the Berkeley High School boys varsity soccer team went up against Mount Eden for their senior night game. BHS led throughout the game, taking an early lead by scoring three goals in the first half. They held the advantage, scoring again after halftime, and only giving up one goal. BHS came out on top, winning 4-1, a special senior night ceremony was held afterward.
“Tonight, I loved seeing everyone play with a smile on their face and playing with the joy that is the love of the game. That’s all it’s about,” said senior defender Eli Jacobson-Bell.
The turnout in the stands was high, with lots of sparkly posters held by families and friends, each with a pun. “The guys feed off the crowd’s energy,” said senior midfielder Niko Luckey. “You play that much harder when you have fans in the crowd.”
Senior goalkeeper Toby Jacobson-Bell felt the same way. “It was really great to have all the support, and all of the guys’ family was here. It made it a little extra special,” Toby Jacobson-Bell said.
Despite planning to continue with soccer past high school, with a few games left in the regular season, and approaching the playoffs, Luckey said that this senior year felt like, “the end of a journey, the end of a chapter.”