Pinewood sports teams have always been resilient, but none more than this year’s winter sports teams. Through obstacles such as injuries, unfamiliar faces, and tough opposition, the school’s basketball and soccer teams were able to push through to successful seasons.

   Entering the season, boys soccer faced uncertainty with the introduction of head coach David Hernandez and a revamped roster. Team captain, junior Koh Taradash, credited the team for its improvement and togetherness under new circumstances.

   “We had great training sessions and a good team dinner that definitely reflected the positive team camaraderie,” Taradash said.

   After a hard-fought season, they were able to finish with a Senior Night victory.

   “My favorite moment of the season was winning versus Eastside,” Taradash said. “We left everything on the field, and it was all a team effort.”

   Similar to the boys, girls soccer fought through adversity all season. Unexpected injuries and a lack of depth were just two of the many challenges they faced.

   “It was very difficult to fill the injured people’s absences, but I feel like our team was able to do so to the best of our ability,” Junior Lacey Armistead said. “I am glad we were  able to overcome that and compete anyway.”

   Armistead’s favorite moment of the season also came on Senior Night.

   “My favorite moment was when Elena scored the first goal on Senior Night,” Armistead said. “It set the tone for the rest of the game.”

   Boys basketball is another team that just finished a successful season. Despite the run they made at the end of the season, senior Brandon Ge thought they had a lot more to prove. “We got off to a great start, but I feel like at times we felt a little too complacent with what we had already accomplished,” Ge said. “There was a pretty rough patch in the season where we played kind of lazy, and it cost us a few games.”

   In spite of their brief losing streak,  the boys strung together two games in the Central Coast Section playoffs. “I feel like we got back on track and made a pretty good playoff run,” Ge said. “I’m proud of the growth our team showed, as well as how we gelled together and became one cohesive unit.”

   Looking back on the season, Ge reminisced about his final high school sports experience.

   “Overall, this season was filled with lots of great memories created by a special group of players and coaches that I will forever be thankful for,” Ge said.

   While the Winter Sports season ended in regional playoffs for many teams, Pinewood Girls Basketball ended their season in State Playoffs. After a strong performance in the CCS Open Division bracket, they earned the first seed in Division I state. Despite the fact she made her Pinewood basketball debut in January, junior Katherine Garr had an immediate impact on the team.

   “We’ve become very close as a team and we’ve done well working together,” Garr said. “The connection we have is something other teams don’t have.”

   The girls’ season came to an end at the hands of McClatchy in a heartbreaking 66-64 loss, but Garr couldn’t have asked for a better first year as a Panther.

   “I am so lucky to be part of this team and I’m so happy that I transferred,” Garr said. “I am proud of how well we worked together and how supportive we were of each other, even during hard moments.”