Hawks Close Tournament with Silverware and a Winning Senior Send-Off

The Hawks had two more games to play, and they made both count. EABH beat the Chapel Trojans 6-2 to lift the Third Division Bronze Bracket trophy, while the Lady Hawks defeated the PACA Warriors 25-17 to take third place in basketball. For six seniors, those wins also marked their final appearances with their teams.

The boys came into the final fired up and quickly put Chapel on the back foot. Luigi (8) opened the scoring, Rafael Tinti (10) made it two, and EABH kept going. Another goal from Rafael and a second from Luigi sent the Hawks into halftime with a 4-0 lead. The pair would also score a free kick each during the match, giving Chapel plenty of trouble in front of goal. Tinti picked up a yellow card for taunting the opposition, but Chapel had otherwise found little to interrupt EABH’s momentum.

With a comfortable advantage, the Hawks began rotating players off the bench. They created less going forward, and Chapel started to apply pressure. That became a problem after the break, when two quick goals cut EABH’s lead in half. At 4-2, the Hawks needed to get back into the game before the opponent could close the gap any further.

The return of Luigi and Rafael settled it. Luigi scored first to complete his hat-trick, and Rafael followed with his third to make it 6-2. EABH regained control and finished the match without another scare, securing the trophy in the seniors’ last game together.

Massi, Chase, and Rafael could hardly have asked for a better result to end on. A special thank-you goes to all three for their commitment to the team and everything they contributed in a Hawks jersey. For Rafa, scoring half of EABH’s goals in a final added another reason to remember the day.

The Lady Hawks had to wait longer to put their result beyond doubt. Their third-place game against PACA stayed close, demanding another full effort from players already feeling the strain of the tournament. It was the last basketball game of the season, and everyone was tired. Still, EABH kept competing, with neither side able to pull comfortably ahead for much of the contest.

Laura Calixto added a three-pointer in her final appearance alongside fellow seniors Summer and Carol Bonato. The two co-captains helped lead the Lady Hawks through one more tight game, and the team finally opened up a gap in the closing stages. EABH won 25-17, earning third place and ending the season with a victory they had worked hard for.

Summer, Carol, and Laura leave with one final win together. A special thank-you goes to the three seniors for their dedication to the team, and to Summer and Carol for their leadership as co-captains.

The Hawks were recognized again at the closing ceremony. Luigi Albuquerque and Summer Rose received MVP awards, while Massi Vicintin and Carol Bonato earned Sportsmanship Awards. Teammates had four more reasons to cheer before heading home with the Bronze Bracket trophy, a third-place finish, and two wins to close the tournament.