As fall sports came to an end, girls volleyball and soccer teams had stand-out seasons. 

Girls’ volleyball finished the fall season with an 11-9 record, and girls’ soccer finished with an 8-7 record. Last year sports were put on the backburner due to the effects of the pandemic, so everyone is eager for sports this year.

SHA’s athletic director,  Andrew Wilkins, works hard to keep our students physically and mentally engaged, whether for sports or academics.

“It’s an outlet to keep them motivated and in tune, with the academic part and also builds confidence and comradery,” said Wilkins. SHA athletes play on teams with students from the High School of Commerce.

Girls’ soccer has had a stand-out season with a record of 8-7, compared to last year’s record of 2-3. The girls’ soccer team pushed through the various opposing teams with incredible teamwork, advancing them to the preliminary round of the Division II State Tournament.

Leala Samuel was important in the team’s success. She scored seven goals and one assist in the game against Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School. During the 2021 fall season, Samuel was the only girl’s soccer player to attain that milestone. 

“I push myself to a higher limit,” said Samuel.

Soccer wasn’t the only strong team this year;  The girls’ volleyball team also had a successful season with a record of 11-9, starting the year strong with three straight wins. Although they made it to the preliminaries, the team was defeated by Pembrook 3-0.

The volleyball team, like the soccer team, had a strong sense of comradery that carried them through a victorious season.

“Volleyball showed me the meaning of teamwork, and how you are never alone,” said team member Alondra Ortiz, a junior.

As the fall season comes to a close, students are preparing for the winter season, which will include boys and girls basketball, wrestling (with Putnam), and indoor track and swimming (with Sci-Tech). Cheerleading was previously cheering on football and will now cheer for boys basketball during the winter season.