On Oct. 25, the UHS Trojans suited up for their Senior Night game against the Woodbridge Warriors in their annual Rivalry Week match. This was the last home game of the season and the final home game for many Trojans.

After the opening ceremonies, the Trojans had a hot start. Seniors Damari Carter and Justin Tribble helped the Trojans drive the ball down the field, and junior Diego Sosa found the end zone with a short rushing touchdown. 

The Warriors tried their best to respond but could not break through early in the first half. Once the Trojans got the ball back, they suffered multiple penalties and ended up in a fourth-and-25 situation, forcing junior Jake Rabold to attempt a long field goal. He missed, giving the Warriors another chance to even the scoreboard. The rest of the first half was a back-and-forth battle between the two teams, with neither being able to score.

“Our defense was stuffing them,” junior Zion Barreto said. “They gained pretty much no yards on us.”

The Warriors came out during the second half, ready to score. They immediately scored a touchdown on a quick 11-play drive. The Trojans attempted another long field goal, but it was also no good. The Warriors capitalized on good field position and scored another early touchdown in the fourth quarter. A Trojan fumble two minutes later allowed the Warriors to score once more and seal the game.

A late Tribble-to-Carter connection closed the gap to just five points.

“Damari and I knew the importance of this moment, and his efforts allowed us to capitalize,” Tribble said.

Unfortunately, the Trojans would lose 14-19. Many players wish they could have done more to help the Trojans edge out the Warriors.

“I’m sorry for our seniors,” sophomore Marco Pablo Tirado said. “We played our hearts out there, and I’m sorry we couldn’t do more for you. Next year is for you guys.”

With their last game, Nov. 1 against the Katella Knights, UHS Football has officially concluded a memorable season.