Playoffs have graced our spring sports yet again, and with that comes cuts. And I’m not just talking about team cuts as the season progresses; I’m talking haircuts. 

New haircuts during playoff season is a long-lasting tradition at Briar Woods. Primarily boys’ sports teams use their playoff induction as an excuse to cut, dye, and redesign their hair. Some teams, like baseball, kept it tame with simple mullets and maybe some bleach. But this year, the lacrosse team took it to a whole new level.

The upperclassmen were tasked with being “barbers” instead of defenders. The attackers on the field most certainly attacked the heads of their freshmen teammates, leaving one with a nearly shaved noggin and a zigzag design. Senior Tate Young buzzed his head and bleached one half. Despite the near sighting of graduation, the seniors with these looks walk around the halls with utmost confidence.

But one can’t help from asking, “Why?” Sophomore varsity baseball player Jake Ludwig talked about his new and maybe improved look. “We had Michael Digiovanna cut our hair and most people bleached it,” said Ludwig. He weighed in on the origin story of playoff cuts within the baseball team, saying, “I know that [the baseball team] bleached their hair when they won the state championship in 2017, and I think that’s where it stemmed from.” 

Though the bright, bleached, and somewhat botched haircuts can be deemed unpleasant to the eye, they might be working. Our very own Lacrosse team has advanced to the state championship! Perhaps there is a reason for playoff haircut season.