Boys’ basketball senior night
In the middle of Feb., the gym was filled to the brim with fans hoping to see a victory on senior night. Led by senior Nino Williams, the Leavenworth Pioneers were nearing the end of their season, and one of their last obstacles was the Cougars. With one of the biggest crowds of the year, the main auditorium boomed as the game began.
The game was predicted to be an even match-up. The Pioneers were considered the better team on paper, but the Cougars had the crowd and momentum of senior night. Out of the gate, Northwest began a relentless attack on the basket. The Cougars shut down every offensive weapon Leavenworth threw at them, going into the locker room leading by double digits.
As the second half progressed, Williams began to get into foul trouble and grew more frustrated with each tick of the clock. When junior A.J. Spencer threw down a rim-rattling dunk over a Leavenworth defender, the game was all but over. The Cougars won with a score of 59-42, and the fans left pleased on senior night
Boys’ soccer against Olathe South in the state quarterfinals
Going into the state quarterfinals, the Cougars knew they were in for a battle against Olathe South.
“They beat us twice earlier in the year. I mean, we knew they were pretty good, but we were on a roll. We had really pulled together as a team,” senior Sam McCrillis said.
The Falcons were the only team that had defeated the Cougars twice already in the season. The first loss came during the Olathe East Invitational, and the second came late in part the regular season. The Falcons were also the reigning state champions.
The game was played at ODAC but seemed like a home game for the Cougars. The NW faithful came out in huge numbers to show support.
“It was a tough game. I think the most exciting part of the actual game was the final whistle. Everybody went crazy, and we had a ton of fans there to help,” senior Jon Kankam said.
The Cougar defense held strong at the end of the game against numerous Falcon attacks. But, after all the mayhem, the Cougars came out on top, winning 2-1.