As the girls varsity basketball team shook hands with their rivals the Niles North Vikings this past Friday, they were thrilled to have won 53-25 and to have brought the traveling trophy back.

Junior and varsity player Nicole Zelazko was excited to have won such a competitive game against a team they lost to in the previous year.

“Niles North is a special game for the sole reason that it’s our rival school,” Zelazko said. “It always feels good to come out with a win, but it feels even better that it’s against the school we lost to last year for the trophy. Not a lot of people have really believed in us this year,  so coming out with the win not only brings the trophy back home, but it instills a lot of pride into our school and our team.”

Going into the game, fellow teammate and junior Tricia Pabst knew that it was key for their team to give it their all.

“We all knew it was important to play our best. Not only because we were determined to get the trophy back, but also because North is in our conference this year,” Pabst said.

Sophomore Samantha Galanopoulos revealed that the team’s effort and performance was a critical part of their win.

“I think we played very well. We executed everything needed throughout the whole game, especially the defensive end. A lot of us looked to score and really worked hard on defense to get the ball and finish on the other end,” Galanopoulos said.

Senior Maddie Simkins saw the determination that was put into the entirety of the game by her team, and attributes this to the win.

“We played hard from the beginning and all the way to the end. We didn’t give up for one second, and played as a team the whole game,” Simkins said.

Despite the lack of many fans in the stands, Galanopoulos was extremely pleased with the outcome.

“It feels so good to win because we get to bring back the trophy that has been there for too long, and it shows everyone who doubted us that we are more than capable,” Galanopoulos said. “Not only did we beat our rival and win the trophy, but we did it without any fans, and that proves that we deserve more respect and attention than we are receiving.”

Make sure to catch the girls at their next game and cheer them on against the Trevians this Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:00 p.m. at New Trier.