Saving the best for last

Spring senior athletes say goodbye to the sports they love

David Jacobs jacobdav000@hsestudents.org

Each spring, FHS sponsors 10 sports that compete in the top class in the Indiana High School Sports Association (IHSAA). These sports include boys and girls track, boys and girls lacrosse, unified track, baseball, softball, boys golf, girls tennis and newly added boys volleyball. As each season passes, a new senior class winds up reminiscing about their high school careers. Now, these seniors say one last goodbye.

Philip Jones, Boys Lacrosse

“Keep grinding and trust the process,” is what senior defender Philip Jones continues to say to himself. Jones, who also plays hockey and football for the school, started playing lacrosse his freshman year. Despite reaching the quarter finals last year and peaking as the fourth best team in the state, Jones has continued to value the time after the wins more than the win itself. “[My favorite memory] was the mosh pits in the locker room after winning. [The go-to song] in the locker room is ‘Freestyle’ by Lil Baby.”

Kamara Walker, Softball

“There are going to be days where you do not want to be there,” senior pitcher Kamara Walker said. “But the fun times always outweigh the hard.” Unlike Jones, Walker has been playing her sport for 12 years. “[I] started playing when I was younger because my older sister [played],” Walker said. With years of memories to choose from, Walker has always cherished bonding with her teammates. “My favorite memory is the trip our team takes to Evansville during spring break,” Walker said. “We all stay in a hotel together and play a few games.”

Nick Schnaiter, Baseball

“I grew up watching my dad playing,” senior pitcher Nick Schnaiter said. “I was introduced to it from the time I was born, so I have always loved it.” Even with a lifelong connection to the sport, Schnaiter has always cherished the time spent with his team. “[I appreciated] being with my teammates,” Schnaiter said. “Whether it is a weekend in the summer or just the bus rides to and from games.” Aside from time with teammates, Schnaiter has always enjoyed simply playing the game itself. “If I could talk to myself [when I first started playing] I would just say to keep having fun,” Schnaiter said. “The places [this game] has taken me, and the experiences I have gotten from baseball are priceless.”

Helen Myers, Unified Track

“The whole team is so nice and welcoming,” senior unified runner Helen Myers said. “I have met some of my best friends [by participating].” Myers, who is a part of Champions Together and competes in Bocce Ball in the fall, has been competing in unified track since her freshman year. “I initially joined because I had done track in middle school and thought unified sounded fun,” Myers said. Although there has been a lot of winning in her four years in unified track, most notably being state runner-ups in 2021, that is never the ultimate goal for any of the unified sports. With unified, having fun is often the number one goal. “[My favorite memory through unified] is dancing at the Pendleton Heights meet waiting between the events,” Myers said.

Andrew Giger, Boys Track

“I decided to try something new,” senior discus thrower Andrew Giger said. “And I was really bad at football.” Although Giger did not start throwing until his freshman year, discus has become something he looks forward to each spring. “I wish I did more work when I first started,” Giger said. “If I were more dedicated back then I think I would be better now.” Even with all the winter training, weekly meets and personal records set, it was the time spent outside the ring that left a memorable impression for Giger. “[My favorite memory] has been the upperclassmen dinners,” said Giger. “We do them each season and it is a good time to bond.”

Daley Rhodes, Girls Track

“I did not even know what [shot put] was,” senior shot put thrower Daley Rhodes said. “But I had friends that told me I would be good at it.” Over her five year throwing career, Rhodes can attest that not everyday in the ring will be your best. “It is a very fluctuating sport,” Rhodes said. “So some days you will have your best throws and other days you will suck. It just matters how you throw in meets when it matters.”

Alexa Denney, Girls Lacrosse

“[Coach] Beasley convinced me to play,” senior attacker Alexa Denney said. “And I played soccer with him as well.” Despite numerous bonds made with her teammates, Denney has always valued the realtionship shes had with her coaches. “[I look up to] my [lacrosse] coach Bill Laffan,” Denney said. “He was my basketball coach in sixth grade, so he has been a role model since then.”

Jonathan Ash, Boys Golf

“I have been playing casually since I was four years old,” senior golfer Jonathan Ash said. “But I started playing competitively when I was 12.” Playing golf for so long, there are lots of people to look up to, but Ash keeps his idolizing close to his heart. “For me, it has been my dad,” Ash said. “He got me into playing golf at a young age and I would say that most of my best golf memories have been with him.” Although Ash admits golf can get boring, he is part of the estimated one in 12,500 people to hit a hole-in-one. “[I] just felt pure joy,” Ash said. “It was a magical experience.”

Clara Stadler, Girls Tennis

“I am leaving a sport I have played throughout my entire childhood,” senior tennis player Clara Stadler said. “I truly love [this sport] and I regret the time I lost.” For Stadler, the lost time is the result of lack of perseverance. “I wish I could tell my younger self the importance of perseverance,” Stadler said. “[I] lost two seasons to COVID-19, and moved schools halfway through high school. It brought a lot of challenges, but looking back at it now, I would have told myself to stay hard working throughout the difficult times because it would eventually pay off.” Through these tough times, Stadler continued to look towards her coach for answers. “I have looked up to my coach, Gabe; he was my coach at my old school and a long-time family friend,” Stadler said. “I do not think I would have continued playing in high school if it was not for his coaching.”

Zach Lewis, Boys Volleyball

“I saw the school had a team and just decided to try it,” said senior outside hitter Zach Lewis. For originating as something Lewis decided to just try, he has helped lead the school to a state championship his sophomore year. “I looked up to [former FHS volleyball player] Aaron Hernandez my sophomore year,” Lewis said. “At the time he was just so much better than me, so I wanted to be able to play the way he does.” It is safe to say that Lewis has been able to play the way that Hernandez does as he has played a crucial role in earning FHS three straight seasons in the top three of the IBVCA (Indiana Boys Volleyball

Association) rankings. “[If I could talk to my younger self] I would say to do exactly what you did. Because high school volleyball has been amazing.”