As Archie Williams’ 2025 winter sports come to an end, the sports teams reflect on their performances and celebrate their achievements. With multiple teams making school history, their achievements will be remembered for years to come. This winter, the Falcons demonstrated dedication to their sports and delivered outstanding performances.
The boy’s varsity basketball team kicked off the pre-season strong with a 9-4 record but found the strength of the Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) surprising. The team lost their first two MCAL games but quickly recovered and ended up with a 5-4 league record, putting them as the fourth seed for playoffs. While their season was very successful, the boys faced many challenges.
(Ellen Winter)
“The main challenge this season was dealing with the high expectations and pressure we put on ourselves to win the MCAL championship. We also struggled to come together and hold each other accountable, they were all really good friends, but there is a difference between being friends and being teammates. The best teams often have really good player leadership,” said head coach Russell Bauer.
The boys’ basketball team won their first playoff game against San Rafael High School and advanced to play Redwood, where they took a hard loss. They then moved on to the North Coast Section (NCS) playoffs as the 10th seed in Division I, where a loss against Acalanes High School brought their season to an end. Next year, they look to grow not only as players but also as people.
“I hope to help these boys grow as men. I think there is a lot of potential for them to go far next year, but it will be based on their ability to develop into becoming men built for others,” Bauer said.
Two players on the team received All-MCAL honors, including junior Grady Stewart, who received first team, and junior James Butler, who received second team.
The Archie Williams girls’ varsity basketball team had an exciting and successful season, their league games with a 4-5 record, and as the fifth seed for MCAL playoffs. They then faced San Marin High School, who stopped the girls’ MCAL playoff run in the first round of playoffs.
The girls had lots of success in the NCS Division IV playoffs and made it to the quarterfinals, where they took on the first seed, Encinal High School. While they battled hard, they ended up losing, which concluded their season. They have high hopes for next season as they hope to reach their full potential as a team.
“I’m looking forward to the group of girls who are gonna be coming back, and looking forward to them hopefully bonding even more and getting tighter and more connected…They have a lot of potential as far as what they could possibly do and what they can accomplish on the floor,” said head coach Zach Wahle.
The Archie Williams boys’ varsity soccer team had a triumphant season this year, earning several awards for the school. The Falcons were consistent from start to finish with a league record of 5-0-3 and ended the regular season as the first seed.
After a bye for the first game, the boys beat Tamalpais High School in the semi-finals and advanced to play Redwood in the finals. Unfortunately, the boys lost 3-2 to Redwood at San Rafael High School in the finals.
The boys’ season continued into NCS as the fourth seed in Division II, where they had a successful run, going on to win the Division II NCS finals. Due to their success in NCS, the boys automatically qualified for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoffs, receiving the first seed in Division III.
Despite several losses last season, the boys were able to win multiple championships. Head coach Rene Ayala attributes their recent success to their experience in the previous season.
“I want to give last year’s team a lot of credit for getting us to the place where we wanted to be. It took us a while to learn how to win those games, but this year, I think the boys took that extra step. I don’t think it would have been possible had it not been for the adversity that we faced last year,” Ayala said.
The Falcons battled through the CIF playoffs, beating Sacred Heart Prep and Tam in the first two rounds. The boys then faced Hillsdale in the finals on Archie Williams field, winning comfortably 5-1. This completed their seven-game win streak and made them the CIF NorCal Division III champions for the first time in this program’s history.
“It was surreal… I just felt elated for the boys because they had gone through so much heartbreak [last season], and for them to win a couple of championships, that meant the world to me,” Ayala said.
With a very successful season, many players received accolades, including seniors Jake Morrison, Jackson Richardson, and Willy Finley, making first-team all-league, sophomore Charlie Hinkelman and junior Aidan Dunn making second-team all-league, and junior Sean Chamberlin earning MCAL player of the year.
Archie Williams girls’ soccer also had a very successful season this year with new coach Pernille Kelm. The team displayed significant growth and development despite ranking sixth in MCALS, going 5-7-5 and 3-4-2 in the league. The team credits their new female coach this year for their success on the field.
“I think her presence as a female really guided the way we play and the way we step onto the field…I think she was a really good inspiration for us… I think her being a role model helped us all come together,” senior Ava DeCuman said.
The girls formed a strong bond throughout the season, and with a new coach and plenty of young talent on the field, they are eager for next year. Several players stood out, including senior Mari Rode, who made the first team, and seniors Phoebe Morf and Kennedy Finnane, who received honorable mentions.
Archie Williams has a very close and resilient wrestling team, as shown by their performance on the wrestling floor. Despite having a slow start to the season, they were able to go the farthest in Archie Williams’ history, making it to state.
“Wrestlers are a very tight group, we’re kind of like misfits that don’t fit properly anywhere else so we get along great together,” said head coach Mack McKenzie, “We weren’t very successful going into tournaments this year because our team was mainly freshman and sophomores, but two years from now we will have a very successful program.”
Junior Sofia De Jesus was the only person in all of MCAL to go to the state championships. She won third place in NCS to advance to state, where she went 1-2, ending her successful season.
Archie Williams’ winter sports teams all had successful sports seasons that will be celebrated for years to come. From championship victories to qualifying for MCAL playoffs, the Falcons’ dedication and commitment shone through. These teams look forward to next year’s season to strive for even greater accomplishments.
