Mr. Frost’s voice echoed off the gym walls as the warm-up music slowly sizzled out. One by one, the starting players make their way onto the court, eyes locked in and hungry for a win. It was time for dolphin hunting.
On January 7th, the Flintridge Prep Wolves faced off against the Chadwick Dolphins in a heated rivalry between the schools. With early three pointers from juniors Miles Adashek and Tyler Louie, the Wolves quickly established control. Adashek led the charge, repeatedly dribbling into the box, weaving through defenders, and finishing with a confident fadeaway jump shot. Once he was in that pocket of the court, he could not miss.
As the game progressed, Chadwick began to retaliate physically. Flopping around like dolphins, they drew many fouls, slowing Prep’s momentum. Midway through the game, Dolphin’s player Jai Rainayake suffered a bleeding injury, halting the game flow. Prep fans grew upset when Louie was forced off the court due to blood on his jersey, while Rainayake was allowed to stay in the game. Shouts could be heard around the gym, yelling at the referees to get “Jai out of here”.
As the tensions grew, so did Coach Cartwright’s vivid expressions, motioning at players up and down the court. Suddenly, Adashek was knocked to the floor as Chadwick players scrambled for ball possession, prompting a Wolves timeout. Despite the heated chaos, Prep regrouped, establishing a game plan for the win. Senior Max Craven delivered when the stakes were high, delivering a layup in Prep’s time of need, extending the Wolves to a 46-45 lead with under a minute left in the game.
But with 40 seconds left in the game, Chadwick’s Luke Swanholt scored. The entire student section stood up, praying that we would find the strength to bring it home and take the win. On the final possession, Adashek dribbled up the court, passing to Craven, whose final attempt to win the game was blocked by 6’4” Swanholt. The buzzer sounded, hearts dropped, and Prep’s players walked off the court in disappointment as the final score 46-47 was sealed into the gamebooks.
Despite the saddening finish, the Wolves demonstrated grit and resilience. While the result stung, the game served as a reminder to never get comfortable, even when they’re ahead. The Wolves gave their fans a night to remember and proved that they are ready to come back stronger than ever.
