The hardest part of high school sports, without a doubt is consistency and not knowing what to expect. However, one thing stands consistent at the end of every high school sports season. And that is, the dismissal of the seniors and turning the page to a new team.
For HSE girls’ basketball, the 2026 senior class will be especially remembered. A class that will be remembered because of the great young women they have become, but without a doubt the success as well.
After 4 years, the 2026 class exits the program with a varsity record of 90-13. Additionally, this class was crucial in helping the team win back-to-back sectional titles in their last two seasons. Even greater than that, helping the program reach heights that they hadn’t reached since 2019, advancing to semi-state during the 2024-25 campaign.
“The talent level of this group brought us to where no one thought we could be” stated sophomore Haylee Mezera. The talent level was undoubted, with more than half of the seniors planning to play college basketball at the next level.
Apart from talent, a large senior class of 6 girls proved crucial to the chemistry of the team.
“I’m so proud of every one of the seniors” remarked junior Abby Orme. “Not only [for] their accomplishments throughout the season, but how much they brought together underclassmen and our whole team chemistry.”
“[These seniors] quickly became some of my closest friends and my biggest supporters” sophomore Eevey Tolliver added.
These seniors held the team together and boosted the chemistry constantly on the court, but they did the same off the court and outside of basketball as well.
“They were always there for you… I knew I could talk to them about anything” sophomore Piper Brinley emphasized. “It didn’t matter if you were having the best game of the season or your worst… they would know exactly what to say to pick me up.”
Nonetheless, these seniors showed up all season, on the court, on the sidelines, and outside of basketball as well. Next season, the underclassmen who spoke in this story will step into the roles the seniors once held, carrying their lessons with them every time they take the floor.
