The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Bitter Sweet Senior Night For Panthers

By

by Ben Gaines
Tamarac came to Hoosick Falls for the final home game of the Class of 2013 on Senior Night.
JV Win
Before their game, the Seniors watched the JV game with fond memories of their times back on JV. The JV had a rough start, with Tamarac winning the tip and the first quarter. The JV, driven by the Dynamic Duo of Justin Gaines and Mark Hackett, was determined to win this game.  The entire squad turned the game around and won 57-33, paving the road for the varsity team.
Senior Recognition
The varsity warm up time would come only after the senior boys and girls had completed the traditional giving of the blue and white carnation to their parents.  “We owe everything to our parents, and tonight we will make them proud,” said Cody Gaines to his girlfriend Liz Leva, Captain of the Varsity Cheerleaders, when she gave him his flower and hugged him to start off the Flower Ceremony.   There were few dry eyes by the end of the bitter-sweet Senior Night Ceremony as the fans watched the Class of 2013 take the floor for the last regular season home game.

HFCS Class of 2013 Hoopsters and Cheerleaders are (l to r): Josh Brogue, Randy Tutunjian, Taylor Baker, Cody Gaines, Elizabeth Leva, Aja Wolfrum, Kaitlyn Snyder, Evan Phillips, Chris LaCroix and Johnny Whitman. They will all be missed. Photo by Callie Gaines.
HFCS Class of 2013 Hoopsters and Cheerleaders are (l to r): Josh Brogue, Randy Tutunjian, Taylor Baker, Cody Gaines, Elizabeth Leva, Aja Wolfrum, Kaitlyn Snyder, Evan Phillips, Chris LaCroix and Johnny Whitman. They will all be missed. Photo by Callie Gaines.

Final Varsity Home Game
Tamarac won the tip, and the senior squad of Taylor Baker, Josh Brogue, Johnny Whitman, Evan Phillips and Cody Gaines went to work. The match was fierce with neither team willing to give in as the two rivals worked the ball up the court. The first half ended with the Panthers on top 24-20.

The 5’ 11” Senior Cody Gaines pulls down a rebound against the 6’3” Michael Bornt of Tamarac last Friday for one of his five in the game. Sophomore Andrew Hoag (#4) and senior Taylor Baker (#5) get ready to take the ball on to offense for the Panthers. Photo by Callie Gaines.
The 5’ 11” Senior Cody Gaines pulls down a rebound against the 6’3” Michael Bornt of Tamarac last Friday for one of his five in the game. Sophomore Andrew Hoag (#4) and senior Taylor Baker (#5) get ready to take the ball on to offense for the Panthers. Photo by Callie Gaines.

Both teams took the floor for the second half knowing they had to fight to win this match. The underclassmen couldn’t bear the thought of letting down their teammates tonight so they gave it their all when they played, to the delight of the fans. Levi Brewster, Austin Pitt and Andrew Hoag contributed on the score board and to the stats.
When the last buzzer sounded it was a golden night for the Panthers’ Class of 2013. Senior scorers for Falls were # 33 Evan Phillips with 14 points – a game high, # 12 Randy Tutunjian with 9, # 22 Josh Brogue and #5 Taylor Baker with 1 each. Senior rebounders were # 50 Cody Gaines with 5 – a game high, Baker and Brogue with 2 each and Tutunjian with 1.
The score of the final home game of the 2013 Panther season was 44-34 for a 7-5 league record.  Special thanks to Mollie Henry for her diligent work as the varsity scorekeeper.  The squad travels to Schuylerville on Friday, February 8, for the last game of league play.