![FHS Fall 2024 Sports Preview]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1732642422/ferndalesdorg/jddtrf7uh0uvbcm0jkl6/Graphicfixed.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1732642422/ferndalesdorg/jddtrf7uh0uvbcm0jkl6/Graphicfixed.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1732642422/ferndalesdorg/jddtrf7uh0uvbcm0jkl6/Graphicfixed.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1732642422/ferndalesdorg/jddtrf7uh0uvbcm0jkl6/Graphicfixed.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1732642422/ferndalesdorg/jddtrf7uh0uvbcm0jkl6/Graphicfixed.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1732642422/ferndalesdorg/jddtrf7uh0uvbcm0jkl6/Graphicfixed.png","width":1920}])
FHS Winter 2024-25 Sports Preview
The Golden Eagles' winter sports season began earlier this month with the first bowling matches, and the rest of our teams will follow suit very shortly. To celebrate the season, we interviewed one standout student-athlete from each of our eight winter sports teams!
BOYS' BASKETBALL
Last Season: In the winter of 2024, the Golden Eagles bounced back from a down year in 2022-23 to reach the district tournament. Four student-athletes -- Jonah Brillowsky, Noor Grewal, Bishop Ootsey, and Mantaj Singh -- were named to the All-Northwest Conference honorable mention list.
Senior Jonah Brillowsky (PF/C)
Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?
A: I’m just looking forward to having a great season with these new guys that we got. We have a good group this year.
Q: What’s your personal goal for this year?
A: I want to catch a couple dunks this season.
Q: Why do you love basketball?
A: Just the connections that you make. I've met so many friends playing basketball throughout my life, and it's affected me very positively.
Q: What basketball player do you look up to?
A: I watch a lot of Chet Holmgren, who plays for the OKC Thunder. He’s a good defender, he can shoot, dribble, and he’s 7 feet tall.
GIRLS' BASKETBALL
Last Season: The Golden Eagles reached the district playoffs for the sixth year in a row. Mallory Butenschoen was named to the All-Northwest Conference Second Team, and Jillea Fox was an honorable mention.
Senior Isabella Vargas (Post/PF)
Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?
A: I’m most looking forward to working with my team, seeing how we grow together and achieve our goals.
Q: What’s your personal goal for this year?
A: To become a better player and a better teammate, and getting more rebounds.
Q: Why do you love basketball?
A: I love the exercise that it brings and the teamwork that comes with it.
Q: What basketball player do you look up to?
A: Definitely Michael Jordan. He got cut from his high school basketball team, so seeing how he rose to the top and won six NBA Finals is really inspiring.
UNIFIED BASKETBALL
Last season: The Golden Eagles Unified Team (where student-athletes of all genders and abilities share the court) went undefeated last winter.
Senior Gabby Krutsinger
Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?
A: Working with Coach (Grant) Driver. He's nice!
Q: What’s your personal goal for this year?
A: To try my hardest.
Q: Why do you love basketball?
A: I just fell in love with it. I like running around, going crazy, cheering my team on. If you see me on the bench, cover your ears!
Q: Are there any teammates that you look up to?
A: Ben and Abdiel, who played last year. They're good teammates.
BOWLING
Last season: Madison McFadden continued the Golden Eagles' long streak of sending a bowler to the state tournament in Tukwila. She placed 35th out of 100 student-athletes from around Washington.
Senior Haylee Ochoa
Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?
A: I'm most looking forward to making a connection with all of my teammates and getting to know everybody more.
Q: What’s your personal goal for this year?
A: Self-improvement, with improving my scores and maybe bringing myself to state once again. (Editor's note: Ochoa reached the state tournament in 2022 and 2023.) Or making it to state as a team, I hope!
Q: Why do you love bowling?
A: It’s a really fun sport. My coach is amazing, he makes it a really fun activity to do. My family always used to come bowling growing up, and they said I should try a sport in high school, so I did this my freshman year and really loved it.
Q: Are there any former or current teammates that you look up to?
A: One of my past teammates, Katelin Oord. She’s always kept a positive attitude, and I’ve loved that. It’s something I can take from her.
CHEER
Last season: The fall cheer squad brought a burst of energy to each football game this fall.
CHEER WILL PARTICIPATE IN TWO COMPETITIONS THIS WINTER: DEC. 7 AT DECATUR HS AND THE WSCCA QUALIFIER ON JAN. 18 AT YELM HS.
Senior Leia James
Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?
A: I’m very much excited for the competitions we’re about to go to, and get to show off what we can do. I’m also excited to hang out with all my friends on the team, and create stronger bonds.
Q: What’s your personal goal for this year?
A: To be able to hit our stunts and do really well in our competitions.
Q: Why do you love cheer?
A: I love cheer because of all the bonds that I’ve made throughout this program, and all the memories I’ve experienced these past few years.
Q: Is there anyone on the cheer squad you admire or look up to?
A: I look up to Gabby (Tovar Lopez). She’s inspired me in so many ways with her positive attitude, her smile, and her welcoming personality.
BOYS' SWIM
Last season: The boys' swim team placed 11th at the 3A district meet, and broke multiple Golden Eagles all-time relay records in the process.
Senior Markus Little
Q: What are you most looking forward to this season?
A: I'm really excited about competing and hanging out with all these cool guys. I'm also really excited to finish my last year.
Q: What’s your personal goal for this year?
A: I really want to place at districts this year. I have a few personal best times I want to break, but I also really want to have fun.
Q: Why do you love swim?
A: I like getting in the water -- it feels really great before and after. Swim has been the best thing I've ever participated in. The people in it are awesome, and I think everybody should give it a try.
Q: Are there any swimmers that you look up to?
A: My dad used to swim for Sehome High School, and he told me a lot of stuff about when he was there. I want to try and match his skill; it motivates me.
BOYS' WRESTLING
Last season: Wyatt Strait won 2nd in state at the annual Mat Classic state tournament, with Mason Fillipini and Gabe Rios-Gordillo joining him in Tacoma.
Senior Wyatt Strait
Q: What are you most looking forward to this year?
A: I just love wrestling season in general and I’m excited for all of it: the practices, the tournaments, getting to be around all these guys. With all the guys and coaches that have been with me since freshman year, it’s almost like a family. On and off the mat, we’re around each other all the time.
Q: What is your personal goal for this year?
A: I’m definitely looking for a state championship this year. I got second place last year, so the only thing better for me to do is get first place. That’s my only goal this year.
Q: Why do you love wrestling?
A: I love the fact that everything goes quiet while you’re on the mat. When you’re there, it’s tunnel vision – there’s nothing else going on, you’re focused on one task. No other sport really does that for me. It’s just you and the other guy.
Q: Is there a wrestler who you look up to?
A: It might sound a little bit tacky to the guys who’ve been around wrestling their entire life, but (Russian Olympic legend) Aeksandr Karelin. He’s the most accomplished heavyweight wrestler ever. When they interviewed him, he always said that he wanted to ‘train like a madman,’ and I’ve tried to do that since high school started.
GIRLS' WRESTLING
Last season: Eliana Guillory represented the Golden Eagles at the Mat Classic state tournament in Tacoma.
Junior Becka Andres
Q: What are you most looking forward to this year?
A: Hanging out with my teammates and competing.
Q: What is your personal goal for this year?
A: I want to try and get to state. (Editor's note: Andres reached the regional meet last winter.)
Q: Why do you love wrestling?
A: The community and the friends I've made.
Q: Is there a wrestler who you look up to?
A: My teammate Chanelle Bill-Kinley. She's really tough.