The track and field seniors descended down the steps into the stadium for Senior Night as a sea of their teammates, friends, and families observed, April 23. After a long season, the graduating Wolverines bade farewell to Westview, looking forward to the next chapter in their lives. With such a large crowd, the atmosphere of the stadium felt more meaningful to them than any regular meet. The results against Rancho Bernardo that night were mixed, with the girls team winning, 72-64, and the boys losing, 76-55.

For hurdler and sprinter Omar Shanyour (12), the atmosphere created by the fans played a significant role in his mindset heading into the meet.

“I had a lot more people cheering me on because we’ve had only a few home meets this year, so it was extra special,” Shanyour said. “I also felt very emotional because I have been on the team for four years.”

On the track, the event’s highlight came when  the 4×100 relay team composed of Shanyour, Miles Miranda (11), Brogan Ford (12), and Josh Haney (12) shattered a school record that has stood for 20 years.

“We’ve had a goal for the last few weeks to break the school record because we had consistently been finishing around that time,” Shanyour said.

When the crowd was at its loudest, Shanyour said he felt the energy translate directly into his performance and ease any anxiety he felt.

“When that many people are cheering for you, it’s a great feeling,” he said.

Long distance runner Jayden Hernandez (12) came into the night with a unique perspective. Having transferred to Westview, his high school experience was different from the rest.

“Although I met them recently because I transferred, they have been extremely welcoming towards me,” Hernandez said. “I wasn’t nervous or anything because of the people around me.” 

At first, finding his footing at a new school was difficult, but he said his teammates helped make the transition much smoother than expected. For a night as significant as Senior Night, the sense of belonging they gave him mattered.

Still, the presence of his family in the stands added extra pressure that was hard to shake.

“I was still pretty anxious because a lot of my family was there, but I had my teammates there to support me, which eased the pressure,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez also noted the difference in energy with this meet in comparison to other meets.

“The energy was way higher than usual,” Hernandez said. “Because it was Senior Night, everyone was very involved.”

For Delaney Hennigan (12), who competed in distance and sprint events, Senior Night was about making the people who showed up for her proud. Long before the first event was called, Hennigan was already determined. Her pre-meet routine, the same one she has leaned on throughout her career, kept her grounded throughout the emotion of the afternoon.

“I have pre-meet rituals I do during the day to mentally prepare myself,” Hennigan said. “I wear the same jacket and sweatpants for warmups and listen to the same songs to get myself in the spirit.”

When Hennigan’s name was announced before the meet began, she walked side by side with her family. 

“I was reflecting on how my past teammates went through this and now I’m the senior,” Hennigan said.

She said seeing her parents in the stands gave her the boost she needed to push through. 

“I couldn’t believe that these four years went by so fast,” Hennigan said. “A bunch of my friends and family were there, so I really wanted to do well and make them proud.”

This moment was extremely sentimental considering they were the reason why she joined in the first place. Although she regretted it at first it eventually grew into something she loves and one of her favorite aspects of high school.

“I originally only did it because my parents did it when they were younger,” she said. “But, it’s definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made.”

The sight of her teammates also gave her a similar feeling. 

“As I was walking I got to see how happy my teammates were for me and that really motivated me to do well,” she said.

When it came to competing, Hennigan made an effort to stay focused despite the significance of the night.

“I was really just focused on the meet,” Hennigan said. “I had to treat it like a regular one despite all the festivities.”

Even though all her focus was on the meet, she admitted that the crowd’s cheers helped her pull through when it mattered.

“The energy of the crowd definitely helped out whenever I needed it,” she said.

Hennigan said the meet gave her and her teammates a chance to compete as friends, one last time.

“At that moment, it wasn’t different teams facing off, it was really just us having fun,” Hennigan said.