Girls' Tennis
Girls' tennis wrapped up an outstanding season with a 13-5 record. According to junior Elanna Kunis, the team’s success stemmed from maintaining a positive mindset, even after difficult matches. The supportive atmosphere was key:
“Being on a team brought me so much happiness when it came to competing. It has also taught me how to work with a group and share ideas on how to improve.”—Elanna Kunis, BHS Junior
Field Hockey
Head Coach: Avalon Moore (promoted from assistant) Assistant Coach: Aly Turfler
The field hockey program saw a leadership transition this year, with Avalon Moore taking on the head coach role. She was supported by new assistant coach Aly Turfler. Junior varsity player Ailsa Collier noted, “(This season) was really different, but we had a lot more work outside of the team. We had assigned runs and we had a lot more team bonding, which was fun.”
A more structured approach, including a practice team and increased conditioning, contributed to the team’s achievements.
Boys' Water Polo
Coach: Alon Yoeli JV: Jorgen Blomberg
Boys' Water Polo had a successful season, winning the West Alameda County Conference (WACC) Championships with a 16-7 victory over Castro Valley. Senior varsity player Eamonn Kaufer explained, “Our success came from our drive to work hard and really want it. Playing together helped us grow a lot inside and outside of the pool.”
Yair Sas was named WACC MVP, and other Varsity players who made the WACC First Team include Beckett Sas, Eamonn Kaufer, Torben Wihlbiller, and Mateo Flores-Knapp. Manel Grossi and Becker Hockenbrock received Honorable Mentions.
Football
While the football season was still underway at the time of reporting, players expressed immense pride in the team’s performance.
“Our reason for success was everyone buying into the program and everyone working together as a team.”—Gunnar Chock, BHS Junior
For first-year players and veterans alike, the season fostered discipline, commitment, and skill development both on and off the field.
Cross Country
The cross-country team had a phenomenal season, marked by loads of personal bests and team victories. Together, they claimed victory in 5 of 6 races at the WACC Championships, where the Girls Varsity, JV, and Frosh-Soph and Boys JV and Frosh-Soph all won. The Varsity Girls became NCS Champions and earned a team spot at the CIF State Meet. The team also cheered on two individual qualifiers, seniors Dante and Preston, at States.
The team credits their success to close bonds and unwavering mutual support. Senior Abraham Lee shared, “We’re like family. Running together outside practice and friendly competition pushes us to our best.” Reflecting on his final season, Lee added, “The connections I’ve made here are some of the strongest, and the support from the community was incredible.”
Girls' Volleyball
The girls' volleyball team had a strong showing, finishing as the third seed in their WACC league. The season brought the players closer together, forming a tight-knit group that felt more like family.Senior Lily Schultz noted, “(This season) helped us empathize with each other and understand how we feel and why we feel it, and it’s made us way better as a team. This emotional intelligence on the court translated into improved performance and team unity."
As we look ahead, winter sports—Boys & Girls Basketball, Boys & Girls Soccer, and Wrestling—are already underway and will represent Berkeley High into the new year. We hope you’ll come out and support our athletes!
Don’t forget to save the date for the 16th Annual Berkeley Athletic Fund Golf (and new for this year Cornhole) Classic in early May 2025, at Tilden Golf Course. Whether you join us for the golf tournament, cornhole or just for dinner, it’s a wonderful way to support our student-athletes.