Creek’s water polo team enjoyed a night of both celebration and victory as they won against Manvel, while celebrating their annual senior night. The meet was a home game, with Manvel serving as opponent, visitor and loser, as Creek won with a score of 14 to 3. The senior night served as the final home game for Creek, in which coaches, teachers and teammates honor senior water polo players.

The night began with the girl’s water polo team playing their game, in which they too were victorious against Manvel’s girls team. The girls played before the senior celebration due to not having any seniors on the team.

Senior night celebration commenced, in which the graduating seniors enjoyed cookies and other snacks with their family, coaches and teammates. Senior Kinley Foster and his coach Anne Woolweaver highlighted how the senior players were honored in a dramatic manner. They told how the seniors removed their nameplates from the roster board by climbing up a ladder and taking it off. The players would then receive a rose and thanked their parents for all the support they have given. Parents also gave their child a water polo ball to autograph.

Foster highlighted that the night was a wake up call for how close high school was to ending for him.

“I never really thought about how close I was to getting to my home game and my senior night,” Kinley said. “When I heard my name I was like ‘Wow, I’m leaving and this is the last home game.’ Part of was relieved because I’m ready to move on and go to college. But part of me was really hit by nostalgia and memories of playing in that pool. So it was kind of sad, but it was all good.”

Coach Woolweaver and Foster gave notice to many highlights during the game. In the first half of the game, the team scored nine points. Because it was senior night, seniors were allowed to play throughout the entire game. Coach Woolweaver noted that every senior scored a goal that night and that the game was one of “the best games because everyone played as a team working together towards the goal.” She went on to say how the team improved on certain skills before the game.

“We had worked on some areas of the game in practice during the week and it was nice to see them implemented and run successfully resulting in scoring and winning the game.” Woolweaver said.

One major highlight was how senior Kenneth Francis’ entire family showed up to support him. Kenneth made both his family and friends proud when he scored in the third quarter off of a penalty shot. Kinley Foster noted that he has struggled with staying in athletic programs due to having muscular dystrophy.

“Because it was senior night, every senior had to score at least once,” Foster said. “So we were really trying to get Kenneth an opportunity to score. When he finally scored everyone went wild. He even scored a couple more times.”

Coach Woolweaver expressed her proud feelings at Francis’ scoring.

“I am thrilled that Kenneth has been part of the team and that he was able to score multiple times including scoring a penalty shot during senior night,” Woolweaver said. “Kenneth has worked hard to compete at the varsity level and it was nice to see him be successful in front of the home crowd and his family and friends.”

The game was ultimately a success, and one that reminded even Coach Woolweaver that this was a night to be proud of and to remember regarding her seniors.

“I will miss the seniors,” Woolweaver said. “They are an awesome group of athletes. Most of the seniors I have known for more than 4 years as they attended the clinics that the high school team runs when they were younger. To see these athletes mature and grow, not only in athletics, but academically and socially has been a treat. They are a reliable, fun loving group of athletes that are always willing to help. When the boys won state the last time these athletes were freshman and they set a goal to win state as starters in the game and I am looking forward to them fulfilling that goal.”