Sports
Hilton Head Islands Tennis Senior Night
By: Patrick Balfour
Hilton Head Island’s boys tennis team had their senior night on April 18th. They were celebrating seniors Stefan Russel, Alex Rukno, and Sam Cavanaugh.
“I've been playing tennis for approximately 13 years. As the season comes to an end, I'm looking forward to a new chapter. I will continue playing after the season, during the summer I know I will and hopefully for college.” Stefan is one of the seniors at HHIHS. He wants to be enrolled at Wingate University in Charlotte, North Carolina.
One of their coaches, Mrs. Weitekamper has been coaching the upperclassmen previous to the start of the season. “I coached the girls tennis team in 2008-2009. I taught the boys a little while after that. I have been coaching Alex Rukno since the 7th grade. Sam came in during the COVID-19 season and Stefan came around 2020 when the season got shortened due to covid. All student athletes have gained experience and skill throughout the years of playing tennis.
“For myself, I was surprised how well I was improving.”-Stefan Russel
The team played Hilton Head Prep for senior night. Even though they lost 2-4, everyone had a great time playing and celebrating the Seniors for Senior Night. “My favorite experience for the tennis season was tonight. It's the most hectic and the most fun.”
Lacrosse Teams Return to Postseason Action
By: Carmine Genovese, Ashton Johnson & Nick Korneluk
Hilton Head Island High School’s mens and womens lacrosse teams have returned to the postseason once more after a successful regular season. Both teams clinched a playoff birth after several crucial victories over the last few games of the season.
The girls lacrosse team had an impressive regular season, tallying ten victories to only four losses. The girls lacrosse team has scored a district leading twelve goals per game, while only allowing seven. However, their season is not over yet, as they face Academic Magnet High School in the first round of the 2023 South Carolina Girls Lacrosse State Championship Tournament. Even though Academic Magnet comes into the game with a losing record, they should not be underestimated.
Lexi Milbrandt, a second-year player for the girls lacrosse team, noted how “the team bonded heavily throughout the season, which made us a stronger and more dominant team.” The girls team, with a strong emphasis on teamwork and cohesion, were able to win the majority of their games. Lexi also mentioned that “Our team chemistry is very eminent, we trust each other, which allows us to beat our opponents.”
Other members of the team expressed similar sentiments about the team’s chances in the postseason. Second-year defender Jessica Staiger noted that “We believe our team has a good chance of winning the state championship this year.” She also mentioned how “We hope we can win the championship, especially for our senior players who have been outstanding this year.” The team, after a heartbreaking loss in the semi-finals of last years state playoffs, hopes to avenge the loss and win their first state championship in school history.
The girls are not the only lacrosse team striving for the championship, the boys are also vying to take home the first state championship in school history. Second year starter Jackson Olander noted that, "I think I speak for all of the boys lacrosse team when I say we have a strong commitment and dedication to winning the state championship. We've been training hard and pushing ourselves to the limit, and I think that's really going to pay off in the long run."
Of course, it is not just the individual efforts of each player that make the team successful. According to Olander, it is “our team chemistry that really helps us be the best team we can be.”
"When you have a group of guys who are all working towards the same goal and pushing each other to be their best, it's really something special," he said. "We've built a real sense of camaraderie and trust on this team, and I think that's going to be a big factor in our success."
But perhaps the biggest motivator for the team is the desire to win the championship for their senior players. Olander noted that “They deserve it after all of their hard work over the years. They've put in so much time and effort into this program, and we really want to see them go out on top. It's going to be tough, but I know we're all going to give it our all and leave it all on the field."
With the boys and girls lacrosse teams firing on all cylinders and their sights set on the state championship, it is sure to be an exciting few weeks for Hilton Head Island High School community.
Spring Soccer 2023
By: David Morales
Mario Rodriguez is a junior who attends Hilton Head Island High School. This is his first year as a player on varsity with the soccer team and he has learned many things from his teammates and coaches. His goal is to play college soccer or professional after high school. The HHI Boys Soccer team has had many ups and downs but they look to earn a spot in playoffs as they will be playing their rival, May River, on Friday April 22nd.
“We’ve had a difficult season so far because we have lost important games when we should have won. We are working as a team to overcome these obstacles because our goal is to be State Champions.”
“Our season has been stressful since our head coach left midway through the season when we were heading into a crucial part of the season. We have developed as a team and I enjoy the environment while playing with them.”
The Seahawks are currently sitting in 5th place in the standing with their record being 3-4. They have 2 games left which include May River away at The Tank, and their final home game against James Island. His final goal of the season is to finish their regular season game with a clean sheet since he is one of their starting center backs along with Jimmy Bonilla. Hilton Head will always be proud of their achievements and the hard work they put on and off the field.
“My favorite memories of this season will be when we beat May River at home in a penalty shoot-out as well as the bus rides home after away games.”