Winter Sports Q&A – Riverside Part 2

Winter sports are back in action at Riverside High School. The most popular right now are Basketball and Swimming.

We had a chance to catch up with some of the athletes from each of these teams to see what they are doing to prepare for the season ahead and their plans for the future. [VIEW PART 1]

This is part four of a four part series featuring area athletes in winter sports.

Ayden Garcia

School? Riverside

Sport? Basketball

Grade? 12

How many years have you have played? 8

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season? Working to clinch a playoff spot.

How do you hope to improve this year? I hope to improve offensively

What do you feel is your biggest strength? My defense is my biggest strength.

What is your favorite part of it? Playing with my friends

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? Ellwood or Mohawk

What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season? To practice more on shooting drills being consistent

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? Scoring my career high against Mohawk my junior year

What will you miss about playing your sport after graduation? Spending so much time with my teammates

What are your future plans after graduation? To attend a trade school for contracting

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? No

Will Sullivan

School? Riverside

Sport? Basketball

How many years have you have played? 6

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season? going deep into Playoffs

How do you hope to improve this year? I hope to improve in leading the offense and facilitating.

What do you feel is your biggest strength? Iso offense off the dribble and 3-point shooting

What is your favorite part of it? Getting close to the guys on the team

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? Mohawk

What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season? Putting lots of work in the offseason

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? Having 17 against Neshannock last year

What are your future plans after graduation? Going into mission work overseas and playing basketball in college

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? Yes

DeLana Fox

School? Riverside

Sport? Basketball

Grade? 12

How many years have you have played? 9

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season? Have fun and enjoy my senior year!

How do you hope to improve this year? I hope we can improve as a team this year and make it to the playoffs!

What do you feel is your biggest strength? I believe my biggest strength on my team is offense, I may not be the highest scorer, but I will screen for my teammates in hopes of them getting open and hitting a shot!

What is your favorite part of it? My favorite part about this, is that this gives us a more open shot on the court, and this will hopefully lead to a victory.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? I feel like Mohawk is going to be our biggest rival this year, since our new head coach is coming from there.

What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season? Our team has been in the gym in the off season, lifting and getting shots up.

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? My favorite memory is 8th grade basketball, with Saul as our coach.

What will you miss about playing your sport after graduation? I will miss being a part of a team and creating a connection with my girls.

What are your future plans after graduation? My future plans after high school are to become an elementary school teacher.

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? I plan to continue sports after high school, I am undecided where.

Camryn Friello

School? Riverside

Sport? Basketball

Grade? 12

How many years have you have played? 10

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season? I’m looking forward to watching our team come together under a new coach and enjoying my last year.

How do you hope to improve this year? I hope to improve my shooting.

What do you feel is your biggest strength? My biggest strength is the knowledge of the game.

What is your favorite part of it? My favorite part is getting to play with my friends and watching us come together on the court.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? Our biggest rivalry is Ellwood.

What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season? We have been working hard in the gym and the weight room to prepare for the season.

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? My favorite memory was winning our first game of the year against New Castle last season.

What will you miss about playing your sport after graduation? I will miss all the younger players I have become friends with through basketball.

What are your future plans after graduation? I plan to attend a four-year college.

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? I do not plan on playing sports in college.

Danielle Rosenberger

School? Riverside

Sport? Basketball

Grade? 12

How many years have you have played? Since 3rd grade, 9 years

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season? I’m looking forward to enjoying my senior year with the girls I’ve been playing with since 3rd grade.

How do you hope to improve this year? I hope to improve by putting extra work in and getting extra help from my coaches.

What do you feel is your biggest strength? I feel my biggest strength is my defense. What is your favorite part of it? My favorite part of basketball is the memories I make and the friendships it created.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? Ellwood is our biggest rivalry.

What have you and the team been doing to prepare for the season? My team and I have been preparing for this season by watching film, putting in efficient time in the gym, and lifting.

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? My favorite memory would be when coach Lauren would make us brownies for after games. What will you miss about playing your sport after graduation? I will miss being on the court and seeing my friends every day.

What are your future plans after graduation? After I graduate, I plan on attending nursing school.

Do you plan to continue to play sports after high school? No, I do not plan on continuing to play sports after high school.

Gabriella Finch

School? Riverside

Sport? Basketball

Grade? 12

How many years have you have played? Around 9 years

What are you most looking forward to in the upcoming season? I am looking forward to having this last year with my best friends.

How do you hope to improve this year? I hope to always be improving and getting better this year.

What do you feel is your biggest strength? I think my biggest strength is that I am competitive.

What is your favorite part of it? My favorite part of it is spending time with my teammates.

Who do you feel is your biggest rivalry this upcoming season? I do not know who our biggest rivalry is.

What has been your favorite memory been over the years? The bus rides to and from games hold some of my favorite memories from basketball.

What will you miss about playing your sport after graduation? I will miss everything. It is going to be weird not playing a sport that I have played for 9 years.

What are your future plans after graduation? I am going to attend a 4-year college in hopes to play soccer.