Sports are Back
By Elizabeth DaCunha
Hello All!
DaCunha’s Dispatches is finally back at it in your favorite Neighb News!!
Now that Fairhaven High is back to normality for the most part, our student athletes finally have been able to have the Fall sport season they have so desperately missed during COVID times.
This edition of my column will be focusing on the reflections of our school’s athletes on what was a memorable season for many, especially with our athletic program being so restricted with last year’s abnormalities.
Starting off with football, our team just recently had a major win against the Old Rochester Bulldogs, which junior Colin Pacheco remarked was, “definitely a highlight of the season… [and] a big win that helped put us in the playoffs.”
Though losing to number one seed North Reading High, the Blue Devils have had a season to remember that has shed light on the future of Fairhaven football.
Next, I’d like to talk about the Lady Devils Volleyball team.
Junior Abby Thomas, a key player for the team’s success this year, shared this season’s experience compared to last year’s modified season: “A highlight of the season would probably be making it to the second round of Tournament. Even though it was the last game, it was still super fun and a great way to go out, especially since last year there was no tournament due to COVID.”
Unlike last year’s, which Ms. Thomas referred to as a “fake season,” the re-addition of Tournament in this season, “added a visible goal for our team and gave us something to push for.”
Senior Diya Patel also shared her favorite moments of her last season saying, “This year’s team had this pop of energy that we’ve struggled to have in the past which has led to some great wins like the ones against Bourne and Falmouth High.”
Thomas, Patel, and the other players I spoke to have reflected on this season with joy saying it was nice to finally get on the court and have as close to a real season as possible, especially with a team so talented.
Fairhaven’s field hockey team had a good season as well, which Senior Captain Katherine Tortorella gave some insight to.
She compared this wonderful season to last year’s saying, “COVID season did not compare to this fall as COVID-19 shut down the end of our season last year with multiple teams contracting the virus.”
“I believe that we [the team] became a tight knit family; one I will never forget,” added Ms. Tortorella. “We all feel a love for the sport… and I am proud to say that this was the best fall season I have had in my time here.”
The Fairhaven Cross Country team had a memorable year that senior captain Kaci Bieu captured in her statement: “So many of the members of the team had significant personal records, and the growth in confidence on the team was excellent which as a captain, I was pleased to see. I’m so proud of everyone and what we accomplished together.”
Our Girls and Boys Soccer teams both had a great season as well.
Tenley Dakin gave her take on this season for the Lady Devils: “For a young team who went 9-8-1, we are in great shape for next season. Our team has never been so close, and being a part of it has been so fun. We gave it our all this season, our coaches pushed us, and we were dedicated and determined to become the best we could be.”
Some highlights of the season from Tenley included, “our first game on the new turf, which was played against GNBVT, being one of our hardest and closest games which we won 1-0. Our senior night was one to remember, beating Case, though our biggest win I have to say was against Bourne who we beat 6-2.”
Eleventh grader Tyler Chang highlighted the young boys’ soccer team’s season as well saying, “The biggest win for our team would be against Apponequet High School because it was our first home game on the new turf field. Being down a 2-0 deficit and coming back for the win gave us the never-give-up mentality.”
And it is this mindset that Fairhaven’s athletic program has instilled into our athletes that has allowed for such a successful Fall 2021 season.
See you in December!
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