In a heartbreaking game for the Harker community, The San Francisco 49ers lost to the rival Seattle Seahawks in the National Football Conference (NFC) Championships on Sunday January 19 with a score of 17-23.

After a 12-4 regular season, led by coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers fell short of returning to the Super Bowl after leading for the first three quarters.

“I’m very disappointed about them losing,” Emma Doherty (10) said. “My expectations were that they would play in the superbowl, and I was very hopeful that they would win.”

Key players include running back Frank Gore, who led the team with 1128 rushing yards for the season. Wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who was traded from the 2012 Super Bowl championship Ravens, surpassed expectations with 1179 receiving yards for the season.

One of the most significant games of the regular season was the 49ers victory against Seattle 19-17 in Week 14. The first time the 49ers played against the Seahawks in September, they lost without scoring a single touchdown to end with a disappointing score of 29-3.

The season began with various obstacles including injuries as well as off field issues. Five weeks into the season, linebacker Aldon Smith had to attend a rehabilitation program after a car accident where he was found to be over the legal alcohol limit. Around the same time, he was charged with illegal possession of an assault weapon.

A lengthy injury report included wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the offseason, and receiver Mario Manningham, who was still recovering from a torn ACL. Patrick Willis and Vernon Davis also missed games due to minor injuries.

With the absence of so many key players, 49ers fans wondered if the team even had a chance to return to the playoffs. Despite their setbacks the 49ers still made it to the NFC Championship for the third consecutive time, a franchise record.

The Seattle Seahawks play the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 2.

The San Jose Sharks are currently ranked second in the Pacific Division with a record of 59-37-16.

The Sharks began their season under coach Todd McLellan with a six game winning streak at the newly crowned SAP Center.

Captain Joe Thornton carries the team with 46 assists so far, and Joe Pavelski has a total of 25 goals for the season. Goalie, Antti Niemi averages 2.4 goals scored against him per game. The Sharks’ strong roster has many other standout players who have impacted the season.

Twenty-year-old rookie, Tomas Hertl has contributed to the offensive line with 4 goals in one of his first NHL games. Logan Couture is another key player who has been instrumental in scoring as well as blocking penalty shots

On Jan. 18, Pavelski’s first career hat trick helped overcome a two-goal deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 5-4 victory.

Another victorious game for the Sharks was against the Anaheim Ducks, where Bracken Kearns scored his first NHL goal to end Anaheim’s 10-game winning streak.

In a heavily anticipated game, the Sharks lost to the Kings 3-4 in overtime on Oct. 30. The loss was reminiscent of last season when the Kings ended the Sharks season in a close Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Sharks fans hope for better luck this year.

“I’ve been a Sharks fan for 5 years, and I can definitely say that this season has been one of their best. Their performance this year has been much better than it was last year, so I think their chances for the playoffs look pretty good this season,” said Samantha Madala (11).

Injuries also affected the team. Most significantly, Dan Boyle suffered a severe concussion during a game against St. Louis on Oct. 15.

The last game of the regular season is on April 12 against the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Golden State Warriors are ranked second in the Pacific Division with a record of 35-22 past the halfway point of the 2013-14 season.

Key player Stephen Curry leads the stats boards averaging 23.5 points and 9.2 assists per game. Andrew Bogut and Klay Thompson average around 19 points per game. In the offseason, the Warriors added Andre Iguodala to the roster, who is said to have added a new dynamic to the team.

As part of a three-trade deal that was finalized on Jan. 15 with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, the Warriors acquired guards Jordan Crawford and Marshon Brooks.

Mark Jackson, head coach of the Warriors since 2011, has prompted great improvements over the last three seasons, as last season was the first time the Warriors made the playoffs since the 2006 season. Warriors fans have high hopes for continued success into the rest of the season.

“I think they really have the potential to go far in the playoffs this year,” Arjun Ashok (11) said. “They have one of the best starting fives in the league and with Jordan Crawford, they have a lot more depth. I am definitely excited to see what they can do in the playoffs.”

Significant games include the matchup between the Warriors and Sacramento Kings in early November, where Golden State beat their rivals 98-87. The week following that game, the San Antonio Spurs narrowly beat the Warriors 74-76. This game is a rematch of last year’s Western Conference semifinals playoff series, where the spurs emerged victorious.

The regular season ends in mid-April, and the playoffs end in June with the NBA Finals.

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on Jan. 27, 2014.