Sophomore Dylan Stephen is the quarterback on the Woodbridge High football team. He shared that moving up to varsity as a sophomore was a great experience. Stephen was also asked about all the challenges he and his team faced during the season and how he handled playing against older and more experienced athletes.
“Definitely facing adversity, we graduated a lot of seniors, so everyone said they were going to go down, they’re young,” said Stephen. “Preparing more, watching more films, and making sure I’m always in the right spot, and definitely just putting in off-season work to make sure I’m prepared.”
Will Clarke, varsity soccer athlete, shared that he accomplished a lot this season, scoring four goals throughout his sophomore season.
While football and soccer brought their own challenges and accomplishments, sophomores in other sports had a different experience.
Sayana Rajan, a starter on the varsity Woodbridge High School swim team, shared her experience.
“It feels great, and it’s a great team-bonding sport,” said Rajan.
Lux Baumgarter, who runs distance events that consist of the 1600 meters and the 3200, holds the school indoor Track and Field record. Gave us insight into her experience of holding the school’s indoor track record.
“I feel accomplished and proud of my school record. It wasn’t easy to accomplish, so when I did it, it was a huge achievement for me,” said Baumgartner.
Isabella Guerriero is a varsity track athlete who runs the 800. She was asked what her experience has been like as a sophomore on the track team, and she shared that it has been really good because everyone is really supportive.
In addition to track and swim, transitioning to other winter sports brought new perspectives from athletes like Bobbi Jo Timinkski and Gavin Gary, who reflected on their roles this season.
Bobbi Jo Timinski, a sophomore on the girls’ varsity basketball team, shared that she contributed to winning the division by scoring points up on the court and tried to be a leader, even being a lower classman on the team.
Gavin Gary is a point guard on the varsity basketball team. He told us about the work you have to put in to get the role of a lowerclassman on varsity.
“Training every day and going to the gym a lot helps you succeed in your goals for your sport,” said Gary.
Now this spring, sophomores are leaning on guidance from the upperclassmen while learning to manage the pressure of playing on varsity.
Gracie Milevoi is a starter on the varsity softball team at Woodbridge High School. When Gracie was asked how she handled the pressure of playing up, she spoke about her team and the support they give her.
“The captains Maddie, Riley, and Melanie really support me on and off the field,” said Milevoi.
Jack Kobylakiewicz, a center fielder on the Woodbridge High School baseball team, told us that he learned from the upperclassmen to keep showing up to practice and working hard. He also spoke about how he deals with all the pressure of playing up.
“I just have to trust myself and my abilities,” Kobylakiewicz said.
As some of their seasons continue, these sophomores keep proving themselves constantly. Although they all face obstacles, they work all year round to prove why they belong on varsity.
