After a competitive winter season with most teams making the postseason and four teams making it past the first round, the winter sports teams look to persevere in the off-season and come back even stronger next year.

The girls basketball team took their talents into the postseason and ended their journey on  March 3 against the Oxon Hill Clippers. They came out cool and confident two days before after a 17-point blowout victory against the Wheaton Knights, pumped and ready. They came in hard, but it was not enough to get the win as they fell to the clippers 36-51.

“We worked better this year as a team, we didn’t let the losses get to our heads,” junior forward Princess Frazier said. Frazier believes the team still needs to work on communication and work together as a team.

The boys basketball team wrapped up their season March 2 when they looked to conquer the Magruder Colonels. Despite a valiant effort by the ‘Rines, they fell to the Colonels in devastating fashion, losing 47-49 in overtime. The team battled all game to try and make it to the next round, but they weren’t able to come back from the two point deficit after giving up a last second shot to the Colonels.

Despite a heartbreaking end to the season, the team still looks to come back strong and go even farther next year. ”At the beginning of the season we started off slow, we weren’t playing together as a whole. Towards the end of the season closer to the playoffs, that’s when we all came together and started playing together,” junior Markel Grant added.

Our swim and dive team finished up their season on February 18 after competing at the regional meet. Despite the valiant effort and competitive spirit of the ‘Rines, they weren’t able to send any swimmers or divers to the states meet.

“We had a lot of close meets, which is surprising,” senior Mackenzie Allen said. “We moved up a division this past year and we all thought we weren’t going to do well. We did better then we expected.”

‘Rines wrestling had a competitive competitive playoff run after a tough regular season. With many of our wrestlers made it to the regional match, competing with the top wrestlers in our region. “I think the people that stayed worked really hard and pushed themselves to their limit… and it worked out for them,” junior Selom Kalin added. Despite all of their hard work and dedication, none of our wrestlers were able to make it to states.

The indoor track season finished up a great season. The team came out strong going to regional’s and  sending four people to states. The team looks to improve individually and as a group, dropping time and improving every day.

“I think we learned to not be scared, at first we always [were] really nervous, but then as time went on we got used to the pressure, and we were ready to take on any challenge,” junior Saul Flores said.

“[The season] went pretty well, I think everybody improved a lot and the team worked well as a whole,” sophomore Zachary Pepperl said. “I think everybody just needs to get stronger as an athlete.”

Look for all of our winter sports teams to come back strong next season, and make long playoff runs.