As the leaves turn gold, the air turns crisp and the new school year begins, fall sports are off with a bang.
Lick-Wilmerding High School competes in the Bay Counties League (BCL) West against various Bay Area schools, including University, Urban, Marin Academy and Stuart Hall. Seven Varsity sports are offered during the fall season: Girls Volleyball, Girls Tennis, Girls Field Hockey, Cross Country, Girls Water Polo, Boys Water Polo, Boys Flag Football and Girls Club Flag Football. By October, the season is well underway with numerous games—across all sports—taking place each week.
LWHS Athletics Director Eliot Smith is looking forward to what the 2025 season brings. “I’m excited because every year is a new race, and with the fall athletics season, you get to see new incoming freshmen who are new to [LWHS] athletics,” Smith said.
On the court, Girls Varsity Volleyball aims to build off last season’s headway, which was cut short just before the North Coast Section (NCS) playoffs. Co-captains Lizzi Barry ’26 and Maxine Holmes ’26 are emphasizing building a fun, yet focused, team culture. “We’re always checking in on all the players, making sure that they’re feeling all right with the season and balancing school,” Holmes said.
Girls Varsity Tennis has a strong footing, with a current record of 5-3, including an impressive win against Branson, last year’s NCS champions. With a talented roster complete with lower and upperclassmen, the team looks ahead to its ultimate goal of winning NCS. Despite big aspirations, co-captains Sofia Susal ’26 and Nyara Afshar ’26 see the value of teamwork and community.
“I think tennis is a lot of times mistaken as an individual sport, but as a captain, it’s our job to make sure that the team is the primary reason contributing to our success, not necessarily one player’s individual training,” Afshar said.
“Cheering for each other. That’s one thing that we emphasize a lot. Even though people are playing their matches, just being conscientious of the matches around you and cheering for a good point goes a long way,” Susal said.
On the field, co-captains Vivienne Nesmith ’26 and Samantha Sherman ’26 are leading Varsity Field Hockey to an impressive start to the season. Despite a historic win against Tamalpais, the team isn’t satisfied, focusing on the little things like improving upon their fundamental skills and player-to-player relationships in order to succeed throughout the season. “I think we’ve improved a lot, especially over the past two to three weeks. I’m excited to keep seeing that improvement and keep seeing us make connections on the field,” Sherman said.
With over 60 active runners, the Cross Country team is sprinting toward its shared goal of making the state championship this season. Captains Ella Mogannam ’26, Kai Scott ’26, Arman Anoshiravani ’26, Sam Wiley ’26, Téa Theodosopoulos ’26, Tyler Yee ’26, Etta Chung ’26 and William Choi ’27 are echoing the importance of a strong team culture.
“I think our community this year is honestly the strongest I’ve seen…the team itself has been able to foster a sense of connection between the members that isn’t based on speed or grade, which is really lovely to see,” Scott said.
Between various wacky traditions—including the knighting of frosh runners with Trader Joe’s breadsticks—and the annual team sleepover, there’s no question about the team’s tight-knit bond.
“I think that the team we have makes going to practice fun and going to meets and supporting each other something that you want to do and something that is very enjoyable,” Mogannam said.
Boys Varsity Water Polo shares a similar goal of fostering a positive environment and building a team, rather than a group of individuals. Captains Jake Gillelen ’26, Cillian Stanley ’26 and Charlie Fridman ’26 noted how this season feels unlike previous years.
“I think we have a great dynamic and I’m excited to see how these boys improve,” Gillelen said.
Girls Water Polo captain Sadie Ehrlich ’26 underscored how strong performances and positive attitudes have shaped the season so far. “This year, our attitude is one of the most positive I’ve seen and people are really committed,” Ehrlich said. With a current record of 9-4, the team hopes to reach the NCS playoffs.
For Boys Varsity Flag Football, captains Austin Sheepo ’26, Briggs Cline ’26, Oliver McCulloch-Juilland ’26, Charlie Wantoro-Clark ’26 and Jonah Rucker ’26, are commanding the team to an undefeated season. With players ranging from seniors to frosh, they have their sights set on being back-to-back league champions. Sheepo, for one, is excited to pass the torch to the juniors and underclassmen after the season wraps.
“Instilling that competitive nature, wanting to win, wanting to show up and compete is something we will continue to instill in the younger classes,” Sheepo said.
For the first time ever at LWHS, the school has implemented a Girls Flag Football club. Coach Smith explained the reasoning behind the new club. “Girls flag football is the most popular sport right now in high school,” Smith said.
Although the club will not have any games this season, captains Zoe Polsky ’27 and Amelia Davies ’27 have pointed out the team is looking forward to trying a new sport in a risk-free environment.
“We have a really good group and everyone is excited to be there. It’s really fun. Even though a lot of us don’t know the positions or rules, we’re all athletes and it’s fun learning together,” Polsky said.
Check your schedules to see Tiger athletes compete in the pools, on the courts, on the fields and on the track!
