As the leaves begin to wither and fall, and the weather gets colder and wetter, the winter sports teams begin their quest for glory. Here’s a break down of the winter sports on the horizon.

Girls Basketball
A team rooted in history comes with great expectations; the girls basketball team intends to achieve, if not exceed those expectations this season. The girls are confident that they will reach state this year, even though they play in the state’s toughest league. Led by juniors Alyse Harris and Demarea Caples and seniors Kiana Chang and Renee Brown, the team’s core from last year remains intact. However, this season marks a change in tradition. The legendary Joyce Walker, though coaching during the fall season, has handed the reigns to the capable hands of Andro Bernard, a former assistant coach. It’s a new season, with a new school and new coach — the girls are ready for a fresh start. As Harris said, “The past couple years have been rough, but we’re ready to be top dogs again.”

Boys Swimming
After living in the shadow of the illustrious girls team for the past couple years, the boys swim team looks to make a major splash this season. Though the boys suffered the losses of several seniors, the team remains quite competitive. Co-captains and strong swimmers themselves, Carl Majeau and Anton Devore look to lead by example. The boys have also gained several new divers, adding to the talent pool led by senior Wes Wangerin. Confidence runs high with the speedo-clad men, as the boys hope to send about ten swimmers and divers to state and finish in the top three as a team. Perhaps Majeau sums up the team’s mentality the best by saying, “We’re going to be the s**t.”

Boys Wrestling
Though the wrestling team has been overlooked in past years, the team hopes to grow in numbers as well as popularity this year. The boys have a larger turnout this year, meaning a more competitive team. Having lost almost no key seniors, the boys are led by juniors Clifford Rostomily and Andrew Bennett, as well as seniors Warren Tiatia and Taji Thomas. In addition, senior Gordon Loop, a transfer from Eastside Catholic, adds experience. Though the team will most likely fall to powerhouses Eastlake and Redmond, look for boys wrestling to make more of an impact this year in their conference.

Boys Basketball
The boys basketball team: The team that has produced the likes of Will Conroy and Brandon Roy, the team that has won the state title numerous times, the team that commands respect among the nation, is THE team this year. Other high schools have lost star players or dropped from the league, and Garfield returns all its starters from last year (the starting lineup will consist entirely of 6’+ players). Along with the addition of new talent, the boys are in an excellent position to capture the state title. The coaching this year is more personal to the players, and the talent on this team is incredible — Tony Wroten, Dre Taylor, Pierre Wright, and Christian Blanks, a transfer from Cleveland High School, are among the elite in the nation. Look for the team to receive more press this year, including a possible stint on ESPN, no small feat. In short, boys, we’re expecting great success.

Gymnastics
The gymnastics team — the team that has always performed solidly but not incredibly, will have a fresh start this season. This year proves to be a bit of an experiment, as many of the 3A schools have mixed in with the 4A schools, causing a possible shift in the standings. While the girls have lost seniors Caitlin Anderson and Misa Shikuma, a new crop of talented freshmen, will look to fill those large shoes. With coach Yekii Killion at the reigns and seniors Emily Golden and Heidi Rodenhizer leading the way of this fairly unknown team, look for the gymnastics team to continue its solid run, and finish in the middle of the pack.