![Walking through the tunnel created by the cheerleaders and Celebrities, senior Frances Tran smiles as the soccer team is sent off during DEN for their playoff game against Rouse tonight. Tran said the wins against Smithson Valley and Alamo Heights gave the team a morale boost to take on the Raiders tonight. “I know we were not 100% confident in those games,” Tran said. “But, Rouse is a big opponent for sure. We’re definitely going into tonight with a lot of morale [because of the previous wins].”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/frances-tran.jpg)
![Holding a bucket of materials in one hand and a roll of tape in another, anatomy and biology teacher Tyler Terry prepares for a lab. Terry said his proudest moments are when his students are happy to see him. “When I take my wife to a football game or something and a bunch of students want to say hi to me or they like to smile and wave and it just makes me feel good that the students are really kind and supportive of me,” Terry said. “[I’m also] proud when I see students perform really well in their extracurriculars because I can see how hard they’re working in my classes, [so] when I see that they’re also working so hard in other things. Like they’re winning band competitions or they’re getting awards for their theater productions, or I see them put on their choir shows, that’s like, wow, you guys are incredible.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rags-6.png)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901.jpg)
![Holding her dog, Nova, senior Ariana Balakrishnan poses for her senior pictures while Nova wears a bandana with her college decision. Balakrishnan applied to 18 colleges in total, but she decided on Columbia in the end. “Right before I clicked the button to open Columbia’s letter, I literally looked at the camera and go ‘This is just gonna really suck because I wanted it so bad,’ and I clicked it and all of a sudden you hear trumpets,” Balakrishnan said. “There’s a video that plays when you open it and I actually didn’t watch the video, I just watched the screen go black, because every day of December before ED [Early Decision] I would go on YouTube and watch the acceptance video to manifest it, so immediately when the screen went black, I started screaming and jumping up and down. And my parents in the video are like ‘What are you doing, where’s the letter,’ and I was just screaming ‘I got in, I got in.” I just started crying, and it just felt like everything in the world came together.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ariana-2-300x217.jpg)
The Varsity Lady T-Wolves are headed to the playoffs after beating Rouse and Marble Falls for the second time. Their 9-8 victory against Rouse on Mar. 28 has knocked Rouse out of the playoffs. On Apr. 9 they won a pivotal game against Marble Falls 1-0, putting them in third place, and sent Marble Falls to fourth place going into the playoffs.
According to senior left fielder Chase Kavcak, the most recent games against Rouse and Marble Falls were the most important of the season.
“We needed to win those games to secure our spot in the playoffs,” Kavcak said. “They were also some of the most exciting games of the season.”
The predominately senior team, with a district record of 6-4, is striving to win the playoffs for their last season, according to senior short stop Abigail Shade.
“It makes me want to push myself to work harder knowing it could be my last chance to step on the field as a Lady Timberwolf,” Schade said.
Schade’s teammate, senior second basemen Claudia Golden is also especially excited for playoffs.
“Being a senior doesn’t make me play or perform better for playoffs,” Golden said. “But it definitely makes me care a little bit more because this is our last chance to prove what we can do.”
The girls aren’t ready to part ways yet and hope to play as many games together as possible, according to Schade, who will be playing softball for Temple College.
“I will miss being surrounded by such a great group of girls,” Schade said. “I’ve never been so close to any team, we are all sisters and work really well together.”
According to Kavcak, her softball memories will follow her when she graduates.
“We have an extremely special bond this year,” Kavcak said. “And that’s something I’ll cherish for years to come.”
Photo by Martin Driskill
Their first playoff game will be Thur. April 25 at home versus the LBJ Jaguars at 7:00 PM.
