Years spent dreaming, months spent conditioning, weeks spent practicing, days spent preparing, and hours spent anticipating the one moment that your wins and losses determines: playoffs.

The NKHS varsity girls volleyball team lost 3-0 against Classical High School, despite their intense determination at the URI Kearney Gym on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

Although they did not win and make it to the championship game, they had a successful season, and evolved as a team both on and off the court. “Since the beginning of the season our team has grown and progressed so much,” senior Alexandra Barton said. “We became physically and mentally stronger and not only that, but we grew together as a team and developed an unbreakable bond.”

Four days later, on Saturday, Nov. 9, the varsity boys soccer team was defeated 1-0 in the last two minutes of the championship game against La Salle Academy.

Similar to volleyball, the soccer team was confident going into their season, and familiar with the teammates they had been playing with since elementary school. They played well throughout the regular season, and senior Matt DelGreco considered playoffs to be the peak in their performance.

Before the game, a strategy included being focused, but not letting themselves become stressed, as they knew how to play the game as well as anyone.  They remained loose and poised into the first half of the game.

“We were really positive in the game because we definitely outplayed them in both halves,” said DelGreco. “At half-time we were confident we could win and were very happy with our first-half play.”

Despite their concentration, skill, and resolution to win, La Salle shocked NKHS with their championship win. The NK team was stunned and enraged with what had just occurred in front of them, with barely any time left on the ticking clock.

“It was the toughest thing I’ve ever had to go through in high school because soccer has been my life since I was little,” said DelGreco. “It was just a terrible feeling when the ref blew the whistle to end the game. I immediately started crying because it meant so much to win and knowing I may never step on a soccer field again was depressing.”

The volleyball team’s initial reaction was devastation, as well. While losing was terrible, Barton said, “Not being able to see the team every [day] and play the sport I love” was even worse.  Barton will be graduating in the spring.

She is confident, however, that next year’s team will be fantastic. “Keep working hard,” she said. “Use everything you’ve learned, and keep adding to it!”

Even though they lost, neither teams would change a single practice, serve, or kick of their seasons. “I honestly think that this volleyball season was some of the best months of my life and I wouldn’t change anything about it,” Barton said.

“This team is my family and I wouldn’t change the season for anything,” said DelGreco. “It sucks we lost but we had a great season – beating Barrington, which gave them their first loss in two years was great and beating South Kingstown on their own turf in such a dramatic fashion was incredible. I loved every minute of it.”