Coronavirus may have cut their prep careers short, but seniors remember great moments in athletics.
Video: Congratulations 2020 Seniors A tribute to this year's resilient high school graduates.
Gabby Hansard anticipated an emotional finish, but not quite like this.
The senior at
Live Oak Classical (Waco, Texas)
helped her basketball team win on Senior Night and
afterward the squad "shared very kind words," before presenting Hansard
with a basketball signed by all her teammates.
"Of
course I began to cry during this extremely bittersweet moment,"
Hansard said. "And then all of my teammates wrapped me in a giant group
hug. I think my coach may have even shed a tear."
She called it her favorite moment of a rich and memorable three-sport prep career.
Hansard
was one of more than 400 student surveyed by MaxPreps to reveal their
most cherished high school memory that was featured in the above video
entitled "Congratulations 2020 Seniors."
MaxPreps
video editor Michelle Gaudy produced a lively video that captured pictures, video and words supplied by the student
athletes, many of whose senior seasons were cut short by the coronavirus
pandemic.
But high school kids,
especially prep athletes, are a resilient group. Life lessons they
learned on the field can be applied immediately. Like never giving up or
giving in.
"We came back in the last inning with a nine-run rally with two out to walk it off right before sunset," he wrote.
Kenneth Munoz, Orange Vista
File photo by Tom Houston
Here are other favorite moment responses broken down by categories:
Travel bonds
"Getting
to travel with your teammates to different fields. It would bring everyone closer as a team, even our coaches.
The only way you win is being one with your team."
— Adam Sanchez of Warren (San Antonio) baseball, tennis"Being
on all the late night bus rides heading home from games, laughing at
the fun times we had during games and tournaments."
— Bryce Hamlin of Sands (Ackerly, Texas) football, basketball, track, tennis
Friday nights
"Our pep rallies in the afternoon and going on to our
school bonfire behind our football stadium as the football team dances
to the school band."
— Jose Jimenez of Nogales (Ariz.) football,
track
Game night
"The atmosphere on game days. I loved getting ready to go to
battle with my brothers. No other feeling like it."
— Cade Lewis of
Highland (Hardy, Ark.) basketball, basketball, cross country
Personal and triumphant
"Getting my first tackle of the season as a female football player"
— Vivian Harris of Mira Mesa (San Diego)
History lesson
"Being the first girl on my high school football team to score a point
in a game."
— Sawyer Mohney of Warren (Pa.) football,
soccer, bowling
Short answers, wide scope
"Making my first varsity team."
— Daniel Patino of Mater Academy Charter (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) soccer"Playing soccer with my friends."
— Camryn Garcia of Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial (Corpus Christi, Texas) soccer
Long answers, family ties
"Being
part of a football team because we were a real close brotherhood and it
shaped me to not just be a great player, but also a respectful man."
—
Hunter Adolph of Philo (Duncan Falls, Ohio), football"Going through all
loses and defeats together as a whole and bonding as a whole team, as
brothers."
— Humberto Sanabria of Far Northeast Warriors (Denver) soccer"An overall feeling of being a family. Being a part of
the softball team was always fun since everything we did, we did
tougher. I always felt part of something bigger than just a player on a
field playing a game."
— Kennedy Michewicz of Northridge (Greeley, Colo.) softball"All the practices that I never really wanted to
go to because they all made me so much better and opened my eyes to the
hard work that creates greatness."
— Daryn Batts of Skyline (Dallas) basketball, track 
Daryn Batts, Skyline
File photo by Michael Horbovetz
"I have had my best friends playing with me for
our school team since the seventh grade."
— Abby Hornbuckle of Grissom (Huntsville, Ala.) softball
"Being able to play football and basketball all four years with teams I call my family no matter what."
— Isaiah Cardenas of Maxwell (Calif.) football"Playing
the game I love with friends that lasts a lifetime, and given the
opportunity to represent my school and play in front of all my family
and friends."
— Madisen Duryea of Bradshaw Mountain (Prescott Valley, Ariz.) softball
Saving best until last
"I'm a goalkeeper so I usually don't get to play the field or score, but
during my final high school game I was able to do both. ... and I
helped my team win. It was a good way to end my high school career."
—
Andy Rapp of Clark (San Antonio, Texas) soccer
