As Maggie Walker wraps up the second quarter, it comes time to pay tribute to the fall sports season. The volleyball, field hockey, golf, and cross country teams all had very impressive seasons, with some concluding with exciting postseason games.

The boys’ varsity volleyball team was one of those teams, going all the way to the state finals. The team ultimately finished in second in the state after losing very few games in the regular season. Preston Huyard (‘24) said that the finals, played at VCU’s Siegel Center, were “the most exciting part [of the season].” Many players were selected for the first and second all region teams as well, with Christian Walsh (‘23) named the regional player of the year and Coach Connor Dixon the regional coach of the year. Huyard (‘24) said that the “team was really strong this year and a lot of players got a lot better.” 

The girls’ varsity volleyball also had a good season. “Everyone definitely improved,” said Leah Winder (‘24). Considering they only won a few games last season, the team had a lot of improvement from last year. They had a record of 10 wins and 10 losses in the regular season. Although the team ultimately lost in the postseason, Winder said that they “played really hard.” 

The field hockey team also had an admirable season, with varsity making it all the way to the state finals. When asked about her thoughts on the season, goalie Lily Postma (‘24) said, “We had a rough start as a team, but I couldn’t be more proud of how far we came, with making it to states.” Similarly, player Kalli Eam (‘24) said the team had some “tough losses” and “games [they] should’ve won,” but overall everyone “worked really hard” and had a great season. As a goalie on one of the best teams in the state, Postma doesn’t always get to experience a lot of action, so she said that her favorite game was the one against Deep Run. “It was, by far, one of my most active games as a goalie, and I realized how well I could play,” she said. “It really made me love the sport again.”

Finally, the girls’ and boys’ cross country teams had an excellent performance this season as well. Katherine Streeter (‘24) said, “The most challenging thing for me this season has been juggling schoolwork with running. My teammates and I have definitely had some races where we were exhausted from a lack of sleep, but it got easier to manage as the time went on.” She continued, “It was awesome to see how our hard work paid off!” It certainly did pay off, as the boys’ team won first at regionals, and the girls won second at both regionals and states. 

From the cheering of the student section to the sweat on player’s faces, the Maggie Walker fall sports season has been a great success. All teams have improved from last year and accomplished a lot. Looking forward, it’s time to turn our focus towards getting out and showing support for our winter sports teams. Go Dragons!