The West Branch Bocce Ball team returned to the competition this year, for the first time since 2020. The Warriors ended with a record of 6-10 in the regular season, heading into the District 6 playoffs as the 6th seed. The Warriors went 1-2 at Districts, leaving them in 6th place, and an overall record of 7-12.

The Warriors played on February 17th in the District 6 playoff tournament. Each match consisted of one 30-minute frame to decide who advanced. The Warriors lost their first-round match-up against Saint Mary’s, sending them into the consolation bracket. The Warriors went on to win their next game against Dubois, securing them a spot in the 5th-place game. Unfortunately, the Warriors lost to Ridgway, placing them 6th out of 8 teams competing. 

As an inclusive sports team, the Warriors explored ways to involve the whole school in their season. For example, the team’s game against Ridgway was played as an assembly during the school day. The game ran like any other game would, just at an earlier start time. The elementary students, along with the band and cheerleaders, were invited to attend the game, creating a large crowd for the game. The Warriors split the match, losing the first frame but then coming back to win the second. 

Another stand-out game for the Warriors was senior night. The Warriors faced off against Saint Mary’s and honored the seniors before the game. The team is losing all four partners to graduation. After the pre-game ceremony, the Warriors locked in and had an outstanding performance. They won both frames, getting their first and only sweep of the season. 

This year, the team included three athletes (special education students) and four partners (regular education students). The athletes on the team were Gavin Royer, Braxton Marks, and Malcom Kephart. The partners included Gracie Eyerly, Bella Koleno, Kyla Kephart, and Emma Petriskey. Petriskey comments about the season, “Throughout the season, the entire team improved tremendously, and we all did amazing work at districts.”