The anticipation has set the stage for a thrilling senior night basketball doubleheader as both the boys’ and girls’ teams faced off against our rivals, Dexter, in a game that promised to be an unforgettable dogfight on the court.
With this being a senior-highlighted game, both Chelsea Boys and Girls teams will be having all seniors be the starters for these rival games. Senior Meghan Bareis has been playing basketball since elementary school. Senior night marks her last home basketball game and holds great importance.
“For the game, we started all seniors, which wasn’t our normal lineup at the beginning, but we looked forward to having that opportunity,” Bareis said.
This night is important for many players, including senior Hayden Long, as it recognizes their dedication to their sport over their high school career.
“Senior night will definitely impact our team in a positive way, giving us more energy and momentum to play our best on the court,” Long said.
With lots of motivation, Jake Stephens (‘24) is ecstatic about finishing his high school career on home court against his rivals before going onto college ball.
“This is a pretty good feeling,” Stephens said. “I am really excited to play against Dexter for the last time in my high school career as well as being on our home court.”
For the girls’ team, this will be a memorable event for the seniors as they have been playing together since elementary school.
“It is such a surreal moment, I don’t think I’ll fully comprehend that it’s our senior night,” Baeris said. “These five other girls I have been playing with forever. It is going to be bittersweet but it will be fun and make the game a little bit more enjoyable.”
Senior Grace Ratliff, one of the players who has been playing since elementary school, values Chelsea Basketball and her team. Being a senior she has realized that winning is not the main priority, it’s the experience she will walk away with.
“Win or lose I will have a good time,” Ratliff said. “Of course, this will not be easy to go through but I think our team has been through so much together that we have learned to celebrate and grow through our games no matter the outcome.”
