Photo by Daemyn Broxterman.
The scent of cut grass and concession popcorn has vanished, chased away by a sharp autumn wind cutting across the empty bleachers. Inside, a locker room that once echoed with laughter and chaotic energy has fallen completely silent.
Hastings High School has officially ended its regular season with one game against Grand Island Northwest on Friday, Oct. 16th.
While the rest of the student body easily slips back into regular Friday nights, senior Jezoar Trochez Orellana finds himself mentally replaying the highs, lows, and the strength of the team that refused to quit.
“The biggest challenge this season has been consistency and staying intense,” Trochez Orellana said.
For Trochez Orellana, the struggle wasn’t a lack of physical talent but a missing mental edge.
“We have the athletes to make plays. We just are lacking [the] confidence and the energy a lot of other teams we’ve lost to have had.” Trochez Orellana said.
Even if the scoreboard didn’t always go the team’s way, what happened off the field made the season worth it.
The team won a game against Gering on Friday, 44-7, showing that the team is still determined. This game qualified Hastings High for the Class B football playoffs, where they will take on No. 2 seed Gretna East on Friday, Oct. 30th.
Trochez Orellana said he wasn’t ready for his time with his team to end quite yet.
“What people don’t realize is the brotherhood we have built through all the adversity we’ve been through,” Trochez Orellana said.
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