Sports
2006
11
Girls' Varsity Basketball Team looks to dominate
u C alley L athrop _____________
Staff Reporter
Last year, the Varsity
Girls' Basketball team
finished w ith a record of
10-4 in league, and were
18-8 including off-season
and tournam ent games.
Follow ing their second place
finish in the Three Rivers
League, H ead Coach Glen
Lee anticipates even more
victories, and hopes for first
place in league.
A tough loss to Central
Catholic last year, stopped
their advancem ent in the
playoffs, and the team faced
m any obstacles, including
injuries and illness. "We
need to im prove on health.
Being healthy, staying w arm
outside, w atching out for
the flu, etc," Lee said.
Lee added that a team
is m ade in off-season,
because that is where the
players gain practice and
experience. "They've put
in a lot of w ork in the off
season, and played over
35 gam es this summer.
They are w orking hard in
tw o-player w orkouts, open
gym, SA Q ( Speed, Agility,
Quickness) and the w eight
room," Lee said.
The season started w ith
M idnight M adness on Nov.
6 at 12 a.m. An optional
overnight event, its aim is
to get players pum ped and
ready for tryouts, and to
have som e fun as well.
The first Varsity game,
held Thanksgiving
w eekend, w as against a
team of alum ni players from
previous West Linn teams.
The Varsity girls were able
to sneak by the form er
players, 41-38.
Girls basketball hopefuls line up during tryouts which were held
Nov. 6, 7 and 8. Last year, the team finished with an overall record of
18-8, and placed second in Three Rivers League.
Photo by Sarah Chicoine
Varsity Football Team ousted from
Cross
playoffs by Beaverton in heartbreaker
, J aimie L orenzini ____________
Staff Reporter
The Varsity Football Team
was considered the underdog
by its competitors and by the
preseason polls out at the
beginning of the season.
"I don't think we were
underdogs. But I think we
played with a chip on our
shoulders because we weren't
given a lot of respect," Ron
Chappell, head coach, said.
The Lions used the *
disrespect as a motivator to
achieve a 5-1 record in the
Three Rivers League and a 7-2
record overall, which qualified
them for the second place TRL
spot in the playoffs. The Lions
hit a five game winning streak
that matched them up with
the Metro League number
four team, Beaverton. The
Beavers came out of a tough
league which includes Jesuit,
Westview and Southridge.
Southridge finished third in
Metro and beat TRL champion
Lake Oswego earlier in the
season.
The second place finish
allowed the Lions to play their
first home playoff game since
1999. Despite their efforts,
Beaverton beat the Lions,
38-28. The team went into
halftime with a 14-12 lead but
turnovers in the third quarter
allowed the Beavers to take
the lead.
The turnovers did not stop
the Lions from putting out
their best effort Friday night.
recognition, including two
sophomores, Mitchell Gaulke
and Josh Oltman.
Other accomplishments for
the team were a third place
state rank in recognition of a
3.26 team GPA and beating
Clackamas for the first time
In the fourth quarter, West
in seven years. Lane Locke
Linn forced Beaverton to
and Zac White, seniors,
fumble in the endzone.
were named scholar athletes
Kyle Quinn, senior, had the
and Locke received a $2,000
last touchdown of the season
scholarship.
which capped off a great year
Next year the Lions will
for him. Despite the team's
return many skill position
loss, the players remained in
players. Erik Koczian and
high spirits.
Justin Monahan, juniors,
"It (the season) was good.
• return to take over starting
We (the team) had a lot of
receiver duties. Kraus, junior,
chemistry," Kyle Kraus, junior,
will take over Quinn's spot at
said. Chappell agreed.
running back. Justin Williams,
"This was a very special
junior, will again take over
season," Chappell said. "This
blocking duties for Kraus at
is a group of players that are
fullback.
a lot of fun to work with.
Other returners will be Josh
They work hard. They are
Thurston, junior, at defensive
very unselfish. They put the
back, and Oltman on offense.
team first. They're just a great
Bryce Baker, sophomore, will
group of guys. It's (the season)
take over as quarterback next
also very special because they
year.
were picked to finish fourth or
On the line, the Lions return
fifth in their league, and they
starters Tommy Patrick, junior,
exceeded expectations."
and Gaulke. Several JV players
Chappell was named TRL
will step up to play next year
Coach of the Year. Thirty
to fill the vacancies left by
players received all league
graduating seniors.
O C / u D t/ / I
staff Reporter
al6:41and B em ertw asn
behind with a 16:46. Mon
was also named to the
First Team.
On Nov. 4, the State Cham
pionships were held at Lane
to State.
'T h e team has a good team CommunityCollegeinEugene.
atmosphere; they motivated The girls Varsity placed twelfth
each other really well," Jenni in the State. Nowlin placed
Denekas, senior, said.
ninth running a 19:12 and was
TaylorNowlin,sophomore, less than three seconds off her
finished third at Districts with personal record whileSeigneur
a time of 19:37 and Rachel placed forty-seventh running a
Seigneur, junior, finished ninth 20:27 and was eleven seconds
with a time of 20:16 earning off her personal record,
them spots on the Three Riv-
"Our strength is that we
ers League First Team. Taylor have a good depth as a team/'
also earned State recognition Bemert said,
and qualified to compete in
Both the Boys’ and Girls'JV
the Oregon-Washington Bor- teams won at Districts. They
ran undefeated and are look
der clash.
ing forward to next year. The
"It was a
worked hard. When we work leaders of the girls at Districts
together we are pretty good," were Alyssa Jemigan, junior,
i .....'-'--I............J
who placed first with a time
The Boys' Varsity Team im- of 21:39 and Sara Myre, junior,
proved over last year, moving who placed second with a time
to fourth place in the league, of 21:41. The leaders of the boys
up from seventh place. No team were Logan Kelly, fresh-
runners advanced to State man, who placed first with a
time of 18:08 and Tyler Har
mWê^mSÆ mmà
Girls' soccer ends successfully
Staff Reporter
Photo submitted by Linda MacClanathan
over
c]ose *0 a minute. Morrow ran
The Girls' Varsity Cross
Country
Team capped
an im-
j
rr
pressive season as dual meet
champions and by winning
u L exi W elp ___________________
Justin Senff, senior defensive tackle, attempts to regain control during the game against McKay on Nov.
3. The Lions fought their way into overtime, but lost in a narrow defeat, 36-35.
In a hom e game against
the Sandy Pioneers on Dec.
1, the team w on 57-28. The
team also w on in the Tip-off
Classic on Dec. 1, bringing
them to 3-0. In another
hom e game, they beat Forest
Grove on Dec. 5, 63-50.
On Dec. 8, the Varsity
girls lost their first non
conference m atch up against
Beaverton, 37-51.
U pcom ing gam es include
a non-league game at
Benson on Dec. 15 at 7:15
p.m. and the Lake Oswego
Interstate Shootout. The
first game in the tourney is
against Lincoln on Dec. 27 at
6:30 p.m.
"We need to w ork on just
being consistent in practices
and w ith game situations.
H alf-court gam e and lay
ups w ith transitions could
be im proved," Lee said.
The Varsity Girls' Soccer
Team ended well with a fifth
place finish in the Three
Rivers League.
"We were a very young
team, which included
10 sophomores and one
freshman," Joey Leonetti,
head coach for the past nine
seasons, said.
"Our senior captains,
Megan Foster, Elizabeth Sloop
and Susan Schrank, did a
great job this year keeping
everybody positive when we
were struggling with injuries,"
Leonetti said. The juniors on
the team this season were led
by Amy Kestek, in her second
year on the team and Leonetti
said she will "definitely be an
important leader next year."
Other juniors on the
team included Erika Busch,
Samantha Demars, Dana
Bush and Jordan Gilbertson.
In their first year on
Varsity, Leonetti cited their
contributions to the defense
and midfield. He looks
forward to them comprising
the starting line up next year.
filris tfarsly S etter___________ a
continued on page 14