Fall sports preview

Fall+sports+preview

Madeline Hussey, co-sports editor

Tennis

Sophomore Sarina Harjani started her varsity tennis season strong, maintaining a winning streak for her first few doubles matches. 

“In our [first two] dual matches, we won both [of] them,” Harjani said. “We had an invite at New Trier that we did well in [too].”

Harjani noted how well the team is bonding through building friendships and fun activities.

“We are really getting along,” Harjani said. “We had a lot of pasta parties and team bonding activities recently. Everyone is becoming friends and it is nice to see the team come together.” 

“I’m really looking forward to playing more matches,” Harjani said. “We have conference in October. So that’s always really fun, just compete and play against other teams.”

Volleyball

Varsity volleyball center senior Rachel Eshoo said that the presence of returning teammates from last season have helped the team succeed this year. 

“We only lost two girls [from graduating] last year,” Eshoo said. “[This year] we have two new girls [and] they fit in well. Good teammates and friendships come out of this game, which makes the sport fun to play.”

There’s a lot to look forward to in the upcoming season, Eshoo said. When asked what excites her the most, Eshoo noted that she wants to im- press the school. 

“[We are going to] keep winning [to]make ourselves proud and the school proud,” Eshoo said. 

Football

South’s varsity football team’s record is 4-0, senior defensive back Jack Haravon said. As one of the team’s returning players, Haravon is pleased to see how strong the team’s dynamic is this season. 

“We have gotten off to a really great start,” Haravon said. “We have a lot of guys coming back from last season and are building on that success.” 

With the help of varsity veterans, the boys are able to push themselves in practice to prepare for games. 

“The seniors are bonding really well with the juniors,” Haravon said. “It helps our trust and confidence on the field a lot.”

This environment makes for a stronger team bond, Haravon said. 

“We have been hanging out with them on the weekends and getting a lot of meals together post practice,” Haravon shared. “[So,] the team culture is really good. We have a lot of guys who go really hard [in practice]. The physicality of the team is really good too.” 

Swimming

The girls’ varsity swimming team’s season began with a stormy start, senior Captain Kaitlyn Evans said. The team lost their first few swim meets, but the team’s spirit remains far from diluted.

“Our goal, ultimately, is to beat Glenbrook North,” Evans said. 

Evans, who swims freestyle, sees the familiarity her teammates have with each other as a strength. 

“The team has swam together for a long time,” Evans said. “Even with the new freshmen coming in, a lot of us have swam with them [in the past].” 

Golf

Senior PJ Wilkins’ favorite golf club is a short iron, which he’s found to be very helpful. Like his short game, the rest of the team is starting out strong this year too, Wilkins said. 

“Our team is really good this year,” Wilkins said. “We have a lot of sophomores and juniors who carry the team. [There is] a mix of seniors, juniors, sophomores, [and] even one freshman. I’m really looking to see where we can go with [the team].”

Similarily, varsity girls’ golf captain senior Skylar Kreske commended the girls’ camaraderie and their dedication to the mental part of the sport. 

“We all know how mental of a sport golf is, so we continuously encourage one another and support everyone,” Kreske said. “Golf is very much about repetition[.] The more you swing and hit the ball, the better you will compete.” 

Field Hockey

Girls’ varsity field hockey is off to a great start this season, senior Captain Fiona Clements, expressed. 

“We’re doing really well,” Clements said. “We are strong all over the field [and] our passes are incredible.” 

The upcoming season’s excitement is enhanced by the team’s strong chemistry, Clements said. 

“We are getting [the ball] down the field so fast that it is like we are blowing through like every player,” Clements said. “We are going to continue to get closer and improve on our skills.”

Recently, the team participated in a tournament where they won five games in under 24 hours. Clements emphasized how well the team played in the games. 

“All the new players are really improving,” Clements said. “Everyone got great play [time].”