By Za’niyah Russell
Under the Friday night lights, Derby High School’s seniors took the field for the last time, falling to St. Paul 21-14 in an emotional Senior Night game at 7 p.m. The night honored years of hard work, leadership, and family support, marking a nostalgic shift for the team’s final moments together.
Captain Brooklyn Fernadez ‘26 got Derby off to a strong start, scoring the first points of the night and setting the tone for the seniors’ final game. Captain Quincy Carter ‘26 contributed another crucial touchdown, scoring 6 points, keeping the team in the fight as the clock wound down. The game was a nail-biter with both teams battling fiercely until the fourth quarter — the scoreboard locked 14-14. Emotions ran high as Derby’s team poured everything they had into overtime. St. Paul ultimately gained the upper hand and scored, bringing the score to 21-14, leaving Derby players frustrated and heartbroken while their opponents celebrated.
Despite the loss, the seniors’ determination and grit on the field reflected years of hard work, dedication, and unforgettable memories. The results of the game were clear, and both the seniors and underclassmen had strong opinions and insights on how it unfolded. Ceaser Rueda ‘26 said, “As a team, I think we played very well all around, but there were just some mistakes and things that we were doing wrong.”
Despite the tough loss, which brought disappointment, anger, and sadness, the seniors took responsibility and understood where they had gone wrong. Captain Abner Rivera ‘27 and Ayden Moran ‘27 felt their coaches could’ve stepped in more with preparation. “It’s just the basic stuff that we needed to do to help us win,” Moran stated. Proving that even the mistakes that were small served as a reminder of how much teamwork, focus, and attention to detail mattered, especially on senior night.
The team’s last game was on Nov. 26 at Oxford. They had practices in between, not only to prepare more, physically and mentally, but also to reflect on past games like this one, especially since many players felt the loss could have been prevented.
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