In a school where Effies and SENIORS play on the same fields, WHHS makes an effort not to overshadow JH sports by high school varsity games.
The addition of JH field hockey to the lengthy list of sports teams has been beneficial for students as well as spectators. It gives everyone a chance to cheer and participate in something new.
“[Introducing Field Hockey] gave 203 JH student-athletes the experience and opportunity to make new friends, improve skills and foster a sense of pride and school spirit,” Shay Steele, athletic director, said.
The girls JH soccer team played a total of 16 games and one scrimmage. They went on to secure the championship in a win against Seven Hills. In the postseason, consisting of two rounds, the team won the first round against Winton Woods.
“From a strictly competitive standpoint, we were thrilled with the success of the girls’ soccer program, as the JH girls finished with an impressive 15-0-1 record and claimed the postseason tournament championship,” Steele said.
The JH boys soccer team, led by coaches Juan Cruz-Garcia and Jay Jung, had a strong season, with a 13-3 record over their 16 games, including the postseason tournament.
“I think our happiest moment this season was a huge 2-1 win against Mariemont at home on South Field. They beat us 2-1 earlier in the season, so everyone was fired up and excited to get the win,” Jung said.
The JH cross country team, with a total of 59 runners, ran nine meets and held two fun runs every weekend.
“The team likes to say the Eagle Rumble before they run and after practices we ‘clap up’ and say ‘1, 2, 3, Go Nuts! (Or Go Eagles),” Stacey Lane, the JH cross country coach, said.
The JH football team played a total of eight games, with one win and seven losses. They had 45 athletes on their roster this year.
The motto “Win, lose, or draw, play hard and enjoy the game,” gives the football team inspiration and passion for the game, coach Howard Birl said.
WHHS also has volleyball programs for both girls and boys at all levels. Girls volleyball is a fall sport, while boys volleyball is a spring sport.
The JH girls volleyball consists of two teams, one 7th grade team and one 8th grade team.
The 8th grade girls volleyball team played 19 games with a record of 6-13.
“[Our happiest moments as a team were] when we walked off the court, [we] either won or lost against a tough opponent… but played tough as a team. Especially against the teams that thought they would walk all over us,” Andrea Minnillo, head coach of the 8th girls volleyball team, said.
The JH cheer team was on the sidelines for the fall JH football games this season. They cheered a total of eight games with ten girls cheering.
“Their favorite memory was winning the football game and the beach day at cheer practice,” Anaya Murdock, the cheer coach, said.
The Athletic Boosters is looking for volunteers to run concessions. Interested parents and students can sign up using the form under the Athletics Boosters tab found within Athletics section of the WHHS website.