Spring Sports Athlete Spotlight
For senior Gabriel Duenas, lacrosse is more than just a game: it’s a blend of strategy, speed, and brotherhood. “I got into lacrosse my sophomore year thanks to a senior named Angelo Mariano,” Gabriel said. “He introduced me to the sport, and I’ve been hooked ever since.” Now a key player on the team, Gabriel specializes in faceoffs and midfield. “Faceoffs are like the tip-off in basketball, but faster and more explosive,” he explained. “It’s an intricate part of the game that sets the tone, and Angelo was the one who taught me how to do them.” While the season has had its tough moments, especially facing off against highly competitive teams, Gabriel says the experience has been worth it. “Most of our team is still pretty new to lacrosse, so playing against stacked teams has definitely been a challenge,” he said. Still, it’s the time spent off the field that’s left the biggest impact. “Probably the most memorable moment this season was just going out to eat with my teammates,” he shared. “That bond off the field is what makes playing together even better.” Gabriel encourages others to give lacrosse a try. “It’s the fastest sport on two feet and it combines elements from all kinds of sports,” he said. “Once you learn the basics, it becomes one of the most fun and exciting games you’ll ever play.” For Gabriel, lacrosse is more than a high school activity; it's a fast-paced passion fueled by teamwork, grit, and the drive to keep improving everytime he gets on the field.
For senior Theeran Sivakumar, tennis is more than just a sport, it’s a personal journey of discipline, growth, and drive. A star player on the Washington High School tennis team, Theeran has made his mark with an undefeated season and a reputation for sharp focus and skill. “When I was little, I played a lot of sports,” he said. “But I had the most fun with tennis, so I decided to focus on it.” That decision paid off: now, in his final year at WHS, Theeran holds an impressive 9–0 record. His toughest match so far? “Definitely against Mission,” he said. “It pushed me more than any other game this year.” Theeran prefers singles matches, where he’s in full control. “Every shot, every decision it’s all on me,” he explained. “I like relying on my own strategy and instincts.” Still, he finds value in doubles too. “It’s fast-paced and fun. It brings out a different kind of energy with teamwork.” Although this year’s team chemistry isn’t as tight as in past seasons, Theeran says the team still brings a positive spirit. “It’s a good and enjoyable environment. We support each other,” he says. His advice for anyone considering tennis? “Go for it. It’s a great way to make friends, stay active, and challenge yourself.” As he wraps up his high school tennis career, Theeran hopes to leave behind more than just an undefeated record. “Tennis teaches you discipline, patience, and confidence,” he said. “That’s something you carry with you, both on and off the court.”
For Washington High School junior Michael Peng, sports have always been a large part of life, but it was not until middle school that volleyball really captured his attention. “I got into volleyball because I watched the anime Haikyu!! in eighth grade,” Michael says. “After that, I tried out and made the A team in middle school.” Now, Michael is in his third year of playing for the varsity boys volleyball team.
Interestingly, volleyball actually isn’t Michael’s first sport. For ten years, he played ping pong, before switching his focus. He is also currently involved in track and field, cross country, and enjoys racket sports like pickleball and badminton. “I do two practices a day, running first, then volleyball. After that, I try to get my homework done and sleep before 11,” he said. While he does admit that he procrastinates on long-term plans, like studying for AP exams, he manages to stay on top of daily tasks like homework and balances his packed schedule.
Michael also says that the team culture has played a big role in his experience. In his first two years, the team struggled under a coach who was not the best at bringing the team together. “Our old coach got fired this year, and now we have Coach White,” Michael said. “He’s really good at bringing team chemistry together and keeping the energy positive. Volleyball isn’t just physical, it’s also mental. You have to keep your cool.” That chemistry has paid off. Despite being one of the lower-ranked teams in the league, Washington pulled off a win this season against James Logan High School, ranked second in the league. “We won in four sets, and I was really proud because we were the underdogs,” Michael said. Beyond doing well on the court, team bonding off the court has also created great memories. “During my freshman year, the seniors were great role models,” he shared. “After games, they’d take us out for food. Once we even went out for ramen after a win. They were really welcoming.” Though Michael had considered playing volleyball in college, he has shifted his goals and now hopes to play pickleball at the college level. However, volleyball remains a meaningful part of his high school experience, one filled with growth, discipline, and close bonds.
For Washington High School sophomore Avasha Jaiswal, playing badminton started out as an activity she shared with her father. “We used really bad rackets, but it was still fun,” she says. As she got older, badminton stood out to her, even after playing other sports like volleyball. “I’m not a huge fan of running,” she says. “Arm-based sports just stuck out to me." Currently a mixed doubles player on the school team, Avasha says she now feels close to both her teammates and her coach. “I felt estranged during freshman year,” she says, “but over time I got closer with everyone.” She has a strong friendship and connection with her partner and it shows in their matches. They even have a small mid-game ritual where they clink their rackets together. “It’s common in badminton and it helps ground you or celebrate a good point. I feel like it really boosts motivation.” Avasha’s favorite memory from badminton is one of her recent matches against American High which ended up being her first official win with her partner. “The score was 19–21. We thought we were going to lose, but we pulled through in the end. We were so happy afterward.” Balancing practices every day (and even on the weekends!) along with other extracurriculars and academics is hard. “It’s really difficult,” she says. “I have had to sacrifice some sleeping hours, but I have learned how to manage my time better this year.” Avasha is proud to be part of the team, which has been improving with recent wins against different schools like James Logan. In the future, she hopes to keep playing badminton as a hobby.
Avni Gupta, a freshman at Washington High School, is a part of the school’s JV track and field team. She started track and field in the summer of 8th grade but has been running since the third grade. Gupta says, “I had a passion for running and I wanted to commit to a sport.” She is an excellent runner who has been able to compete in the Junior Olympics for Cross Country. The skills she gained in cross country have helped her to become a better athlete during track season. On the team, Gupta’s events are the 100 meter, 200 meter and the long jump. “I want to improve on my time in the 100 and 200,” she says. “I want to jump further. I'm gonna do that by staying committed to the sport, not skipping practices, and giving it my all. No matter how bad the day is, if you cheat on the workout, you're just cheating yourself. It's not doing you any favors. So, I’m going to try my best.” Gupta reflects on her reasons for enjoying track, saying, “I like the sport because of the way you feel at the end, how proud you feel after finishing the run. You do feel terrible when you run it, but at the end, the joy that it brings to you, it's amazing.” Gupta plans to continue with Track after graduation and is excited to see how much she can improve!
Romeo Coronado is a sophomore on the Varsity Boys Baseball team. He has played Baseball for 10 years. He started playing the sport because his parents forced him to. He went along with it because he “thought of it as something to do after school, but as time passed it grew to feel less like a job [and more like] an opportunity to get away from reality.” Over the course of ten years, Coronado has grown into an excellent baseball player. He had the opportunity to play for the USA Baseball National Team Identification Series (NTIS) which is an extremely prestigious player identification program which allows athletes from across the country to compete for a spot on the National Baseball Team. He was able to travel to North Carolina and play in a great competition. Coronado plays infield and outfield on the school team. He says, “I really love the positions I currently play because I’ve mastered them.” However, Coronado still thinks there is room to improve. “One of the reasons I love the sport is because there’s always ways to get better at it. I want to get better at hitting to the right side of the field because I mostly hit it towards the left. I’m going to do this by hitting to the right side during practice with drills over and over until I get the hang of it.” Coronado wants to play college baseball if given the opportunity and can’t wait to see what the future holds for him and baseball!
Ava Ellsworth, a dedicated student athlete at Washington high school, has been making waves in the world of swimming. By her senior year she has already achieved impressive milestones, including making MVAL all league 1st team for her role in the gold medal 400 yard freestyle relay, as well as helping the Washington girls varsity swim team win the league title three years in a row! Ava has been swimming competitively since she was seven years old on her summer team, The Sharks. Although swimming is a tough and physically demanding sport she stuck at it, improving by leaps and bounds. The thing she enjoys most about swimming has been the community, and her teammates have helped her throughout her swimming career. When asked she said her favorite memory of her time swimming was her first time winning both MVALs and league her sophomore year. When Washington was announced as the victors everyone was super excited and pushed their coach (Mr.Harvey) into the pool. She says it was an exhilarating and overwhelming experience. If you've ever been to a swim meet you've likely seen what are known as the famous "Banana Interviews." Ava started the interviews her junior year and has been doing them at almost every meet since. They're little interviews she does during swim meets in which she asks Washington swimmers as well as swimmers on the opposing team silly questions and makes them into hilarious videos. When asked why she started doing them she said, "In a sport like swimming, where it gets really stressful, the interviews are a fun way to relax and remember the important part of any sport, which is the community. It’s also just super fun and silly!"
Isha Kannan is currently a junior at Washington High School. She was born in Santa Clara, but has been living in Fremont since she was four. This is her second year working on The Hatchet and she currently holds the role of Opinions Editor. In the past, she has covered a variety of different topics such as health, new years resolutions, school programs, and more. She is excited to help new journalists with their writing and article ideas! Beyond writing, Isha loves going to debate tournaments, reading classic novels like Jane Eyre, parasailing, and practicing calligraphy. She is also one of Washington’s three SURFBoardE student representatives. In the future she hopes to go to university!
Eric Ma, a senior at Washington High School, has spent his entire life in the Bay Area. This is his first year working for The Hatchet, and he aspires to capture campus life through photography. He is the WHS Aviation Club's founder and president, as well as a member of the Photography Club. Eric is a student pilot and photographer with over 1500 Instagram followers. He intends to attend a flight program at a university to become a commercial pilot or to join the US Air Force to become a fighter pilot.
Nikita Murugesan is a sophomore at Washington High School and has lived in Fremont for her entire life. This is her second year working at the Hatchet, where she is one of the Opinions editors. She is interested in covering current trends and events. Her hobbies include reading, dancing, rollerblading, playing the trombone, and enjoying the occasional sweet treat. In the future, Nikita hopes to go to college to study and become a doctor.
Lily Spivey is a junior at Washington High School and has lived in Fremont her whole life. This is her first year working on The Hatchet and she hopes to cover current events, pop culture, and student life. Lily spends most of her free time reading, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. She’s also been on the varsity swim and water polo teams since her freshman year. In the future, she hopes to become a pediatrician and have a house near the coast.