When playing a high school sport, a team becomes a family. Between practices, team events, and games, a bond is formed. It is hard when a team does not meet expectations, but it is even harder on the seniors who have played their last game.

In previous years, BSM athletics have had a lot of success. With three State Championships last year, there was some pressure on this year’s teams. “We for sure had pressure going into the Section Tournament. We are a team that always goes to the State Tournament,” senior soccer player Vivian Shinall said.

After you play your last game, especially if you were expected to win, can be devastating. “I was confused when we lost because every year I had been on the team we went to State, so I was not expecting that game to be my last,” senior soccer player Ingrid Lundberg said.  

Now that their high school careers are over, some seniors have advice for their teammates who are going to be on next year’s teams. “If you put in the offseason work such as lifting, staying out of trouble, then you should have a pretty successful year. Also, everyone needs to buy into the grind of going to practice and wanting to play and listening to the coaches because they will put you in the best position to succeed,” senior football captain Braeden Fitzgerald said.

Even though the high school sports chapter of their lives is over, some seniors plan to keep playing. “I plan to keep playing football either at NDSU, Iowa, or Indiana state,” senior football captain Ikenna Ujuagu said.

After playing for BSM soccer for four years, Claire Grazzini will keep playing soccer and NDSU, and Shinall also looks forward to possibly playing Division 3 soccer.

These seniors will never forget the memories they made as Red Knights. “People tend to say that high school, sports, or even life goes by too quick. They’re not wrong. I’d give almost anything to go back as a freshman to just be able to have the same adrenaline rush as the day when Coach Hanks told me I was starting a regular season game. For me personally, I wish I would’ve cherished the moment more, but in the end. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience as a Red Knight, and at the end of the day, we were State Champions. and that will last forever,” Fitzgerald said.