Bittersweet End To The Season: G8

by Benton Shappell

Even though it’s their last year at New School, the eighth-grade basketball team will leave a lasting impact on New School sports history! Unfortunately, the start of the season didn’t go well for the team. They lost to Town School for Boys on December 6 by 6 points. Fortunately, the team bounced back, winning their next two games against St. Gabriel and St. Finn Barr, both by over 20 points. They also won against Mission Dolores Academy by 9 points, which was a great way to finish the first half of the season before winter break.

After the break, New School’s eighth-grade team beat St. Monica. On January 17, they played against Good Shepherd and won by just 2 points in an incredible game. Following that, they won their last two games against St. John and West Portal.

At the end of the regular season, the eighth-grade team finished with a 7-1 record, securing the top spot in the rankings! They played Good Shepherd in the playoffs and won, just like the seventh-grade team. The final score was 41–27, which sent them to the finals against St. John, the team they had lost to last year. In the finals, the eighth-grade team lost to St. John by just 7 points. There were several controversial calls during the thrilling game, which I will discuss in more detail in another issue.

Coach DeVries said that the team had been playing extremely well but emphasized that they need to improve their “communication and execution of plays.” He also mentioned, “Overall, the biggest improvement and lesson the team has learned is focusing only on what is in our control. As the season has progressed, players have increased their focus on their game and the team, without being distracted by anything else.”

In the end, the New School eighth-grade basketball team played incredibly, but unfortunately, they won’t have another chance to play for New School again.