While the unexpected global pandemic COVID-19 has taken away many memorable moments for seniors, students involved in baseball, track, golf and girls soccer played their last games and had their last meets without any warning. 

“Right now it’s not really bothering me [that the season was canceled], but once summer hits, it will finally hit me that I won’t ever be able to play again,” senior Trevor Rinne said.

Since everything happened so abruptly, many seniors were shocked and upset after finding out their athletic career at WHS had ended earlier than expected. However, this didn’t stop them from being motivated, as several of them are finding workouts to do on YouTube as well as running to stay in shape while they are at home.

“I’m definitely doing my best,” senior Harley Vuocolo said. “I’m sticking to the workouts Coach Young gives us and I also do 20 minutes of yoga every day, and I play softball on the weekends with my family to stay in shape.”

Not only were these athletes looking to improve their skills or achieve goals as a team this season, but they also missed out on classic senior moments they’ve looked forward to since they were freshmen. 

“I was really looking forward to experiencing Senior Night. I always loved being a part of my former teammates Senior Nights, so I was super excited to experience it for myself, Cierstyn [Jacquin] and Kaly [Stiefferman],” senior Sarah Becszlko said. “During the two-three weeks of practice, we all had a good time together. Everyone got along, so I was really looking forward to pre-game jam sessions and everything that goes along with that. It won’t

really affect my future plans, but it’s just really heartbreaking that I won’t be experiencing my last known game as a Blue Jay.”

Like Rinne, who has played baseball for 14 years, some athletes were planning on using this season to try playing in college, but it affected seniors future plan’s in more ways than one.

“I was sad because I played my last baseball game without knowing, and I won’t be able to play baseball this summer because I’m leaving for the Navy,” senior Drew Holtmeyer said. “I was really looking forward to playing with all my friends and seeing how many games we could win this year because we worked hard to get better in the off-season this past year.”

Although this may be an extremely saddening situation for seniors everywhere, WHS students have taken some time to look back at all of post-game dinners and ice cream, pregame rituals, jam sessions and inside jokes that they enjoyed so much.

“My freshman year I made it to districts and I was with a bunch of seniors, so I felt a little out of place,” Vuocolo said. “But the senior throwers really made me feel like I was one of them, and I remember we all finished our events and we were waiting for the meet to finish and they asked me if I wanted to play cards with them. It’s one of my favorite memories.”

As these athletes leave high school in a way they will never forget, they have learned a few things along the way they want to share with future senior Blue Jays.

“I just want all of the underclassmen who are athletes, or just any underclassmen in general, to never take the little things for granted,” Becszlko said. “I played my last game without even knowing it. Take it in and enjoy it. High school flies. Enjoy as much of it as you can.”