A season has come and gone for the HMSA Aviators baseball team, filling up record books and memory banks along the way. While the team may not have enjoyed as much success as it would have liked, the team remarks positively on the journey it embarked on dating back to the start of the school year. “It’s been a great ride,” junior Kevin C. said, “I can’t wait for next year.”

The Aviators struggled for much of the season until hitting their stride in late April. Two games in succession brought close, hard fought battles against the New Roads Jaguars and Wildwood Wolves on April 21st and April 26th, respectively. The Aviators came up short on both occasions, but each game resulted in the Aviators exceeding their season-high output in runs scored.

Their finest performance of the season without a doubt came in their proceeding game, on April 29th, against the Vistamar Vikings on the Aviators’ homefield of Holly Park. The Aviators captured their first and only win of the season on the day by a score of 6 to 4. The team informally adopted the slogan “work” early on in the season, an endearing term that teammates used to encourage each other at strenuous points. On this day, the players found themselves repeating the word more than usual. “Ambition and, as Anthony would say, ‘work’ (kept us in the game),” said senior Hector L. Stellar work by the pitching staff, led by starting pitcher junior Don M. and clutch hitting from sophomore Josue L. and Noah O. in critical spots ultimately led the team to their victory.

For the seniors on the team, the end of the season is the end of a journey; while some journeys may have been shorter than others, the bond felt by all is the common factor. Although Alejandro G., Erico B., and Hector L. will have graduated by the start of the next season, they will all identify as “Aviators at heart,” as senior Alejandro G. put it. Their spotlight will soon be filled by this year’s underclassmen, who someday, too, won’t be able to say, “there’s always next year.”