As the fall season came to an end, Bishop’s sports team captains are looking back on the months of hard work and growth, but most importantly, leadership, sharing how they supported their teammates and helped shape the spirit of their teams along the way.

Leadership has been at the heart of the Football Team’s strong season, and the four captains, Cash Herrera (‘26), Lukas Miniasin (‘26), Dane Larson (‘27), and Ryan O’Donovan (‘27), have each played a guiding role in the group’s success.

Quarterback Cash has been playing quarterback since he was six years old. After transferring to Bishop’s as a sophomore and becoming a captain as a junior, he’s grown into a leadership role on the team. “This is a really young team, but everyone was committed,” Cash said. He emphasized the team’s culture of accountability: “Everyone held each other to a high standard, and that’s why we saw success.”

 His personal goals this season were to grow as a leader by learning how to connect with different personalities and enjoy his last months before graduating early in January. Being a captain has “taught [him] a lot mentally and how to lead kids… it puts you in the spotlight to help lead,” he said.

For Dane, the season was “full of growth and challenges for both the team and [him] personally,” including the team’s injuries that made moments tough, especially in later, more important games. His focus as captain was leading receivers and defensive backs, while also helping younger players step up in games. 

Off the field, both Dane and Cash highlighted this season’s mentorship program that pairs upperclassmen with underclassmen. “It’s a great way to build the team and help younger players grow both on and off the field,” he explained.

The Boys’ Football team had an overall record of eight wins to four losses this season, and a record in their league of three wins to three losses. 

Dane explained, despite falling short in some games, “What stood out most was how we stayed together, even when things weren’t going our way, and I can say for certain that this unity will carry into our next season.”

As Cash reflected on his last season as a Knight, he said, “It was a pleasure to spend my time at Bishop’s and be able to learn from the wonderful coaching staff. It was a great three years of Bishop’s Knights football, and I will forever be embedded in the program. Go Knights!”

On a team where momentum can shift with every rally, the Girls’ Tennis captains, Emma Banaie (‘26), Sophie Zeng (‘26), and Sophie Arrowsmith (‘26), have kept spirits high and teammates focused all season long.

Sophie Z. described the team this year as “more connected than ever.” She and her co-captains organized a preseason captains’ practice week and coordinated new uniforms, introducing maroon into the design for the first time in four years, to set the stage for the season. 

Her goal at the start of the season was “to encourage everyone to perform to their best effort and work hard no matter the situation.” At the end of the season, reflecting on that aim, she said, “I think we did incredibly as a team in supporting each other to bring our best effort, even when we had off days…I’m proud of how we balanced playing hard and having fun.” One of her favorite parts of being captain had been watching younger players grow more confident on varsity, like Evelyn Fu (‘29), who was dominating their singles lineup as a freshman.

For Sophie A., boosting team morale was a priority. “We even went on a hike at Torrey Pines the first week of the season,” she said. As captain, she was learning to keep her energy positive even when schoolwork or exhaustion was very much present. “Sometimes we’re exhausted, but you can’t let that affect how you’re playing and affect the mood of the whole team.” Her favorite part of being a captain was cheering her teammates on loudly and proudly throughout the season, both in singles and doubles matches.

The Girls’ Tennis team finished with a record of six wins and zero losses in league, earning themselves the title of Coastal League Champions. They made it to the semi-finals of the Open Division, and unfortunately lost to Canyon Crest Academy (CCA), who ended up taking the Open Division Championship.   

“As a senior captain, this season meant everything to me,” Emma reflected. “I’m so grateful for this team, and all that we fought through together.”

She shared, “leading them has been the best part of my time at Bishop’s, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come. Even though it’s my last season, I’m leaving knowing the team is closer than ever,” which she hopes is an environment that the captains continue to foster next year.

Before every game even begins, the Girls’ Volleyball team came alive in a warm-up dance led by senior captains Paige Meyer and Rebecca Liu, which not only sets the tone of the game, but the entire season under their leadership.

When describing her goals for this season, Paige acknowledged the program’s legacy by saying, “We have a lot to live up to since Bishop’s volleyball has had so much past success.” These successes include winning their league and making it to CIF Open and State Play-offs for the past three years.

 This year’s roster included many underclassmen, who, she said, brought determination and energy to the team. Her goal, as she stated at the beginning of the season, was to extend their season as long as possible with another league championship, which they secured alongside La Jolla Country Day.

Rebecca, who has played volleyball for nearly a decade and has now finished her fourth year on varsity, emphasized how important team dynamics are. After every match, they did “ETA shoutouts”, which stands for effort, teamness, and attitude, to appreciate the small, but meaningful moments players bring to the court each game. “Culture creates every season,” she said.

On the court, Rebecca said that her goal as captain was to “continue the amazing culture and joy and encouragement that we’ve had ever since I was a freshman.” She achieved this by remaining patient, focused on every point, and leading by example.

Off the court, Paige focused on fostering “a culture of compassion and people being there for each other,” where every teammate felt supported on and off the court. She noted that stepping into a captain role meant learning conflict resolution and decision-making. “Rebecca and I have always been quieter players, so it’s been a little bit of an adjustment to speak up,” she said during her season. Still, she prioritized “getting to be the kind of captain that [she] had during [her] past three years.” 

At the end of the school year last year, when they earned the captain position, Paige and Rebecca read a book that taught them the basic components of being a role model and a leader on the team. 

At the start of the season, Rebecca explained that the captains had been in constant communication with Head Coach Katie Meyers about how the team was feeling both physically and emotionally. Rebecca noted that they had to manage not only their own morale and effort, but also support the rest of the team in those areas. These extra efforts by both captains helped create a cohesive environment and contributed to the team’s success.

Under the strong leadership of Paige and Rebecca, the Girls’ Volleyball team finished with a record of nine wins and one loss in league, earning them the Co-Coastal League champion title. “It was an incredibly rewarding experience to be able to guide BiVB (Bishop’s Indoor Volleyball) towards an amazing season,” stated Rebecca. 

Kailin Xuan (‘26) has been playing golf since middle school and joined the varsity team as a freshman. A co-captain for the second year, along with Stevie Turquand (‘26), she reflected on the growth from being a younger player to leading the team.

With a mix of returning players and new additions, Kailin described the team as “balanced and dynamic.” Their goals at the start of the season included winning the league and performing well at CIFs. 

On the course, Kailin focused on consistency and setting the tone with her own play. Off the course, she prioritized team bonding, from post-match boba runs to catching the sunset at Torrey Pines after practice.

“Golf is relatively individual, but on our team, the relationships we build make it feel so different,” she said. Being a captain has meant organizing practices, motivating teammates, and creating a supportive environment. Kailin added, “My favorite part about being captain has been the opportunity to connect with everyone on the team in a new way, whether that’s encouraging each other, celebrating after a strong match, or simply sharing moments on and off the course.”

The Girls’ Golf team experienced great success. They were the Coastal League Champions and went undefeated in all of their matches. As a team, they qualified for CIFs and were the Division 2 Champions, beating Cathedral Catholic. 

After last year’s championship run, Bishop’s Field Hockey returned just as strong and hungry for another victory. Guided by the five senior captains, Yina Shate, Sabrina Feldman, Isabelle Torralba, Riley Ross, and Kali Mahone, the team was determined to keep their championship legacy alive and lead the team with purpose and unity.

At the start of the season, Yina described this year’s group as a “young, fresh group of players.” She shared that the captains were determined to go back-to-back and bring home another CIF Open Division championship, while also fostering a “tight-knit family within a family.” 

Over the summer, the captains created a “Knights mantra sheet” with values like grit, kindness, and spirit. Each player kept a copy in her locker as a daily reminder throughout the season. Early in the season, Yina shared that her favorite part of being a captain was already feeling like an older sister to younger teammates, both during drills and beyond the field.

Sabrina, who has been playing field hockey since sixth grade, echoed the team’s intensity. Coming off last year’s championship and domination, she said, even from the start of the season, the players were highly focused this season: “We’ve got a name to prove for ourselves.” Her goals included improving teamwork and communication on the field while maintaining their strong connection off the field.

 “Last year, a lot of the underclassmen would text the upperclassmen for help on homework,” she recalled. “There was a lot of comfort between grade levels, and we want to keep that going,” which she hoped to continue into this past season. For Sabrina, the best part of being captain was calling the group “our team” and helping maintain the close and hard-working culture she has admired all four years on the team.

History repeated itself in the best way possible: the Girls’ Field Hockey team dominated through their schedule, finishing with an overall record of 23 wins to two losses, and a league record of 12 wins to zero losses, securing the league champions title. The team held up the CIF Open Division trophy once again, beating Canyon Hills 3-0 on Saturday, November 15th, despite the pouring rain. 

After four years of running alongside her teammates, senior Ayanna Hickey stepped into her final season with a new responsibility of leading the cross country team as captain.

When asked about the team environment at the beginning of the season, she described the team as cohesive, saying, “Everyone has some closer friends, but overall, everyone gets along well.” 

Ayanna’s goals for this year were both competitive and personal. She hoped to guide both boys’ and girls’ teams separately to state, while also savoring her last season. “I just want to have a good time my senior year,” she said.

She acknowledged that leadership in an individual sport can look different and come with unique challenges. “I can’t relate to each person on the team, so I usually focus more on the varsity members and helping them out whenever they need.” Still, she brings energy to every practice, often bringing her speaker and playing music to make long runs feel a little lighter. Her favorite run-hype song at the moment is “We Built the City” by Starship because it makes everybody laugh, herself included. 

The cross-country team has seen success this year, with the Girls’ team securing the Coastal League Championship title and the Boys’ team placing third in their league. Separately and coincidentally, both teams placed second in Division 5 CIF and qualified for states, which was held on Saturday, November 29th, in Fresno. 

This year, the Boys’ Water Polo Team was under the guidance of senior captains Colton Bell, Dominic Simopoulos Carlson, and J.T. Moss, whose leadership has shaped the team’s mindset and momentum throughout the season.

Colton, who has played water polo for 10 years, emphasized the team’s united atmosphere. “Our team is the most connected it’s ever been,” he said. He’s worked to break down seniority barriers: “Eradicating the social aspect of ‘seniority’ has done a lot of good for the team and has made being a captain a much easier job.”

As one of the captains, Colton’s goal from the beginning of the season was to lead by his play in the pool rather than just words. He admitted that the responsibility was stressful at times, “It’s a weird feeling when you’re the player everyone looks up to, and it creates a lot of pressure.” Still, he felt that taking on the role had elevated his game since he is responsible for “leading warm-ups, answering questions, and setting the best example [he] can for the team.”

Dominic believes, “The boys really work well together and have had great camaraderie this season.” As a senior captain, the most important thing to him has been “trying to build the same kind of brotherhood” that he experienced when he was an underclassman.

As captain, he said, “I realize that everything I did affected the players because a team naturally depends on its captains. My reactions, whether we were playing well or struggling, set the tone for everyone else, so I made sure to be aware of that.” These realizations helped him strongly lead the team this year.

The Boys’ Water Polo team’s final record in league was two wins to four losses. They earned a spot in the CIF Open Division and lost in the semifinal round to long-time rival La Jolla High School 15-8. However, on Saturday, November 22nd, they took home the Division II State title.

Across all fields, courts, courses, and pools, Bishop’s fall sports teams showed that this season was characterized not only by competition but by leadership and growth. Captains stepped up to guide younger players and strengthen their team culture. Together, they helped shape a successful fall season.