This April, the Sword & Shield recognized three spring varsity captains as the athletes of the month: Connor Mursalo from Boys’ Volleyball, Austin Barnett from baseball and Anna Gubin from softball. We admire their hard work and dedication in their sports and congratulate them on a successful season.
Boys’ Volleyball
Senior Connor Mursalo first joined volleyball because it was the first tryout that came up when he joined the school midway through the year. He quickly got hooked on playing, as he enjoyed the bonds he made within the team. This led him to join club volleyball outside of school in addition to being a part of the school team.
“I enjoy eating out with the team after our games, win or loss, we always go for food after,” Mursalo said.
Mursalo admires how nice all the players are, even if they are not on his team. His team goal is to win league, and his personal goal is to get to know everyone in the program better and continue to play in college.
Baseball
Senior Austin Barnett started his baseball journey at age three because his older brother inspired him. He admired watching his brother play baseball at his games and wanted to try it out for himself. He soon fell in love with the sport and continued it.
”My favorite memory has been all the team dinners and the close games that we have won, along with the early morning lifts,” Barnett said.
Barnett’s main goal for the season is to make CIF and have fun during it. Baseball has had a great season so far, and Barnett hopes to continue this newfound spirit throughout the rest of the season. Their next game is on April 24 against Woodbridge.
Softball
Senior Anna Gubin started her softball career last month when her friend took her to the batting cages to clear her mind amidst college applications. He recommended that she join high school softball, and she admired the team aspect of it. She enjoyed being a part of a team sport for the first time since her role in tennis was primarily individual.
“I’ve loved learning the game, growing with my teammates and building chemistry on the field,” Gubin said. “It has been a very rewarding season both as a newcomer and captain.”
Gubin is thankful to be able to play one last season with her best friends before leaving for college. Her goal for the season is to make it to CIF and have a deep run at it.
