Senior night is often a bittersweet experience. For most of the girls on the Xavier Saints basketball team, this is their last season of competitive basketball. After years of looking forward to playing at the varsity level, they are doing their best to soak it all in.

Like most of the girls on the team, senior Maria Steffen has played for the various Xavier feeder teams before getting to Xavier. The goal while playing for these teams was to develop the necessary skills in order to play for Xavier’s varsity team. Now, as Steffen nears the end of her final season, everything is a little different.

“The biggest difference being a senior is stepping into a new leadership position on the team. When we’re on the floor a lot of the underclassmen look to us when they’re unsure of themselves or the situation,” Steffen said. “It’s a lot different than the previous three years, but it’s a good different.”

Like every year, a trip to state is always the goal.

“The team has been playing really well the past couple games so our goal is to continue that into the rest of the regular season and regional play,” senior Paige Diebold said.

The Saints currently have a record of 11-8. The Saints played Kennedy on Tuesday, February 6 and will finish out their regular season at Linn-Mar on Friday, February 9.

The Saints were granted a first round bye in their region and will play the winner of Clinton and Western Dubuque at home on Saturday, February 17 at 7 p.m.

Thomas Bean

Sports Writer