Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2006)
12 Sports December Snowboarders prepare to shred into season a K ate T olan _____________ Staff Reporter After an im pressive first place finish last year at State, the Girls' Snow board Team has a high standard to uphold. A lthough the pressure is on, m em bers are still looking forw ard to the season. This year players want to, "H ave fun, learn new tricks and jum ps," Danielle Ramsby, senior and returning member, said. However, problem s caused by the w eather have left both team s in a bind. Last year the Snow board Team practiced every W ednesday, traveling by bu s on H ighw ay 35 to Mt. H ood M eadow s Ski and Snow Resort. With the recent flooding, H ighw ay 35 w as closed due to m assive w ashouts from floods on Nov. 6 and Nov. 7. Repairs involved m oving 25 feet of boulders before contractors could even begin. The team practiced at Ski Bowl until M eadow s opened on Dec. 9. However, it cost $15 dollars per m em ber to practice at Ski Bowl. Dry land practices began the w eek after Thanksgiving and the first m ountain practice w as to be on Dec. 6. An all time high turnout of 51 snow boarders and an in-house coach, Jam ie Kelso, biology teacher, m ark som e of the changes this year. The team has two returning coaches, Ryan Stephens and Forest Alcam o. N ew coaches are Kesslie Carlson-Ham, Brynn Hayes, junior, Danielle Ramsby, senior, Hana Jacover, senior, walk up the mountain during a snowboarding competition. The Girls' Snowboard Team finished first at State last year. Photo submitted by Nanette Boggess Jenny Looper and Joey Bruce. Looper will be the Snow board Team's first ever full time fem ale coach. She com es from Tahoe, Calif, and is highly skilled in the half pipe. To m ake the Snow board Team, new m em bers had to try out in April and attend follow-up interviews in October; last year's competitive m em bers earned an autom atic spot on the team. With the sport becom ing more and more popular, riders were cut this year for the first time. The Snow board Team is expected to perform well b ased on last year's standings at State and on the num ber of experienced m em bers returning. Volleyball Team's hopes for State squelched m S ydney M ac N aughton Staff Reporter On Nov. 1, the Varsity Volleyball Team played D avid D ouglas for the playoffs. They won against the Royal Scots, 3-0 but a Nov. 4 loss, 2-3, to North M edford at home kept them from advancing into the State playoffs. "We alw ays play to win," Carl Neuburger, Varsity Volleyball Team coach, said, before the loss during the second round of the playoffs. This w as the first time since 1991 that the team did not make it to State. This year there were two playoff rounds rather than one, so only eight team s went to State rather than 16. "The best tight (teams) will not be at State," N euberger said. "Our captains are alw ays pushing us to be the best we can be," Michelle Hurt, Michelle Hurt, junior, and Brittney Beatty, senior captain, reach for the ball during against David Douglas in the first round of the State playoffs. After losing in the second round of the playoffs, the team did not make it to State for the first time in 15 years. Photo by Kelsey Schrader junior, said. One of the m ost memorable gam es is considered the gam e against the Clackam as Cavaliers, according to Victoria Bechtold, senior team captain. This season, the team struggled with injuries to the back and w rists of several players, including Brenna Kelley, sophomore, continued its winning streak and Hurt. At times, the • this season, reaching 108 practices could not be consecutive league wins by completed because of these the end of the season. injuries. The team m ade up for their struggles with strengths. The team has lots of experience, and is skilled at ball handling, especially setting. The team Ski Team hopes for best during building year u H sllary K rippaehne _______ Swimmers start fresh with new coach m E mmaue C ox ____________ Staff Reporter Rumors were circulating that there wasn't going to be a Swim Team because Blake Blackwell, former coach, left. Interviews for the new coach began the week of Oct. 30, and Jessica Hauser was hired on Nov. 2. Blackwell took over for the previous head coach, A1 Marsh (former Southern Oregon University and Lake Oswego Swim Club coach). He was Marsh's assistant coach for two years prior to that. Blackwell, a West Linn alumni and former Swim Team member, announced he would be leaving. "He was a great coach. It kinda' sucks that he had to leave because this is my senior year and I wanted to finish with someone I was familiar with. But it's good for the freshman because they are new and coming into the Swim Team with a new coach," Sarah Wilson, senior and team captain, said. Hauser's practices consist of a dry land practice where swimmers usually run two laps, work in the weight room, and play endurance games. Pool practices are a mix of all the strokes and some drills focusing on technique. "At first I thought she wasn't going to push us very hard, but by the second practice, she got harder on us. She is really nice and determined," Kelsey Lissman, freshman, said. Last year, Lake Oswego was the toughest competitor... again but Wilson also cites Locke and A lyssa O'Neil, sophomore, were nam ed to the Three Rivers League First Team. Neuberger won Coach of the Year for the league. "The whole season we all worked really hard, winning league and getting far in the tournaments," Hurt said, "Also, making it to the semifinals at the West Linn tournament is a pretty big accomplishment because for the past couple of years, we have not done very well. The team w as sad we lost the gam e, but I think we realized how far we came and how much we improved. The loss m ade us determined that we will succeed next year." Clackamas as being a tough competitor. "They are the hardest because we are both at the same [skill] level," Wilson said. She is confident that this year will be different. "Even though last year we had pretty good seniors on the boys team, we have heard that there are going to be three or four freshman club swimmers joining the team," she said. The Swim Team competed on Nov. 30 against the Oregon City Pioneers, with the girls beating the Pioneers but the boys losing. Whitney Finnerty, sophomore, placed first in the 100 meter breaststroke and Wilson placed second in the 100 meter butterfly. Their next meet is on Jan. 4 against archrival Lake Oswego at the Lake Oswego Pool. Staff Reporter With 13 seniors who graduated last year, Ski Team is planning for a "building year." Bmce Rodway, coach, and Jeff Woodsen, assistant coach, accepted 10 beginners on the team this year. The team also lost Katie Whitbeck, senior, due to an injury. After suffering from disease in both of her knees, Whitbeck decided not to participate in Ski Team this year. "Skiing will cause my knees to get worse, which would be bad," Whitbeck said. She thinks they will do well, but also expects it to be a rebuilding year. "The kids have a great time, and their families are always there," Sue Wenger, mother of a graduate, said. Wenger is planning on helping out with Ski Team this year. "I help because I love seeing the team succeed." Chelsea Spitzer, junior, joined the team for the first time this year. "I like competitive racing and skiing seemed like it was right up my ally," Spitzer said. In the off season Spitzer runs four to five times a week and works out at the gym. Ski Team is both a team and an individual sport. Participants ski down the mountain and receive a score. The individual's score adds points to the team total. The first meet, the Christine Cato Memorial Race, is Jan. 6 at Timberline Lodge. The race, dedicated to a high school skier who died, is the largest high school ski race in North America. The skiers practice from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and work hard according to Sandy Slossar, parent of freshman on the team. "They are doing fantastic. They have started their dry ’and training and the coach says they are in good condition. I think they will do well this year," Slossar said.
