Sports
Februar^
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Kimbrow returns after injury, still dominates
m
S achie H opkins ____________
Staff Reporter
On Jan. 5, a Friday night,
Jennifer Kimbrow sat
waiting for her name to be
announced for the starting
lineup of the Girls' Varsity
Basketball Team. The Lions
finished a surprising third
in the tough Three Rivers
League last year, and made
a trip to the playoffs. They
defeated Lakeridge and
Lake Oswego, the first time
in 10 years they beat either
team. They continued with
a victory over Newberg in
the opening round of the
playoffs before falling to
Central Catholic...and all the
while Kimbrow sat on the
bench with a broken leg; an
injury she suffered near the
start of the season. She was
sidelined for the rest of her
junior season of basketball.
Now she is completely
healed and leading the Lions
to so far, another successful
season. One hour after
waiting to hear her name,
Kimbrow scored 23 points
in an 81-48 victory over the
Putnam Kingsmen in the
league opener.
"Jennifer Kimbrow is fully
healed from the injury to her
leg last season. She worked
her tail off to get back into
game shape in the off-season
and is really showing signs
of improvement with her
overall game," Glen Lee,
head coach, said.
Despite facing many
posts taller than her, she has
shown herself to be a threat
in many ways. She has a
consistent close range jump
shot, is a strong rebounder
and is a dangerous passer.
"Jennifer is a great passer
out of the paint, so when
teams double down on her
she’s able to find our spot up
shooters on the perimeter,"
Lee said. "Jennifer's strength
right now is her defense
around the basket. She
makes life very difficult for
our opponent's posts."
Basketball has been a
passion for Kimbrow for as
long as she can remember.
" I have been playing
basketball all my life
basically. I know that's
what everyone says, but I
probably played even in
diapers," Kimbrow said. "To
be honest though, when I
was younger my dad was
the one pushing me. I liked
it, but I didn't dedicate
myself until around my
freshman year. That's when
I realized, 'wow, I love this
game.'"
As for this season,
Kimbrow and the team have
high aspirations, but ones
that are certainly not out of
reach. After missing a trip
to the Chiles Center, where
the State playoffs are held,
by one game last season,
ever.
Locke trains constantly
and. can can be found running
three or four miles every
morning in order to stay in
shape for the prep season.
Locke was even willing to
give up some of his other
activities for the sport he
loves. As a freshman, he
played football and enjoyed
it; however, in order to save
himself from getting hurt,
Locke quit football, but
returned his senior year.
"I came back to football
because it is a really great
group of guys and a fun
sport," Locke said.
Locke continually makes
sacrifices for wrestling, but
believes it is worth it. As
a sophomore, Locke was
District champion and made it
to State. Last year, he repeated
at District and was ready to
head for State. However, two
days before the meet, during
training, Locke tore a bicep
and was unable to compete.
Locke hopes to remain
injury free and to become a
three time District Champ
and win State in the freestyle
division.
In recognition of Locke's
hard work in athletics
and academics he was
awarded the Scholar-Athlete
scholarship. Locke's 3.5 grade
point average, his Varsity spot
on football, his outstanding
wrestling record and his
excellent sportsmanship
earned him the $1,000
scholarship.
Locke plans to use this
money to pay for part of his
tuition at Southern Oregon
University, which he plans to
start next year. He will join his
brother who wrestles at SOU.
league liiiier______________ m
The Lions faced the
toughest team so far this
season when they went
up against Oregon City
on Jan. 22. The Pioneers
have a strong history,
winning several National
Championships in the 1990's,
and they are currently ranked
second in the state. The Lions
came out with an incredibly
strong first half matching the
Pioneers basket for basket.
Going into the second half
the Lions trailed by a mere
point, 38-37 but were unable
to keep up losing the game
76-61.
The Lions entered the
season knowing that they
were going to have to prove
that they were once again
contenders. Off to an 11-
4 start and playing in a
controlling fashion, they are
certainly on their way.
redemption is at the top of
everyone's lists.
"Before every game
we always say, THINK
PURPLE!' That just means to
us the Chiles Center, because
[the University of Portland's]
school colors are purple
and we want to be on that
court, not just watching. We
want to look up and see our
fans in those purple seats.
To do that would just be
incredible," Kimbrow said.
Much of the attention on
Kimbrow was on the broken
leg, but she just wants to
move on, making the best of
her final year playing high
school ball, leading the team
to a 11-4 record, and a 3-1
league record so far.
"This season is my senior
year, so I just want to give
it my all and look back and
really say to myself that I
couldn't have done better. I
did my best," Kimbrow said.
Locke has his future locked
a
S arah C hicosne ____________
Forum Editor
While most students are
finalizing their weekend
plans, Lane Locke, senior,
is getting in the zone for his
next wrestling match. Locke
began his wrestling career in
the third grade inspired by
his older brother, Nick, Class
Lions dominate the competition
Lane Locke, senior, advances on
his Milwaukie opponent during
the dual meet held on Jan. 25
at WLHS. Locke has wrestled
for four years and is hoping to
become a three-tim e D istrict
champ.
Photo by Cole Fiala
of 2005, and Kirk Spencer,
a wrestling coach. Spencer,
who coached Locke until his
unexpected death in 2003,
was a second dad and family
friend to Locke.
"Think big, believe big
and the results will be big," is
what Spencer always said to
his teams. "That's how I live
while wrestling—that's how
I live. It's in all our hearts,"
Locke said.
Ever since Locke started
wrestling nine years ago, it
has become a big part of his
life and as he comes to a close
on his high school sports
career, is going as strong as
continued from page 13
Also contributing to the
Lions' early struggles was the
zone defense presented by
the scrappy Pacer team, who
forced the Lions into making
tougher perimeter shots.
The Lions stepped up as
Aden and Wattman-Tumer,
junior, hit several key shots.
Emily Locke, senior, also had
several important rebounds
and then put-backs, pulling
out a close one, 45-41.
Continuing their winning
ways with big victories over
McKay and Milwaukie, the
Lions are 8-1 at home. West
Linn defeated McKay 60-41,
with an especially impressive
first half. They led in every
category against Milwaukie,
with a 73-37 win and a strong
bench performance.
Jennifer Kimbrow, senior, waits to check in during a home
against the Milwaukie Mustangs. Returning for her senior s e a ^ ^
after breaking her leg at the beginning of last year, the co-captain
has led the Lions to an 11-4 record.
Photo by Ann Breyne
World class skatepark
available at Tanner Creek
u
A lex F rye _________________
Contributing Writer
Rock and rolls, crooked
grinds, and kick flips are
some of the tricks performed
at the world-class Tanner
Creek Skatepark. The
local hotspot sits nestled
into a hillside behind
the Mackenzie Rose
neighborhood, near Safeway,
on top of the hill. The 14,000
square foot skatepark built by
Grindline Skateparks features
numerous bowls (deep round
basins), a large over-vert
(over vertical) pocket, and
a sizeable street section that
includes rails, ledges, and a
large four stair.
According to Wes
Canterberry, college student,
the Tanner Creek Skatepark
is the best in the Portland/
Metro area. "I like it.
It's a great place to skate,"
Steven Kulp, college student,
said.
Canterberry and Kulp
are not alone, according to
Melissa Skoczylas, nearby
resident. Depending on the
weather, there are usually
about 30 people skating there
at any given time. Cameron
Mazzia, sophomore, noted
that the close vicinity of the
skatepark to multiple retail
areas and neighborhoods is
convenient.
Most people who skate
there are regulars and it’s
great to get to know them
according to Jordan LeVeque,
freshman. He said that only
occasionally does he see
people there that seem to
follow the "skater" stereotype
of being drug addicts or
troublemakers.
"It's not as bad as you
might think, there are a lot of
nice people there," LeVeque
said. He also thinks that the
skaters take good care of the
park.
According to Daniel
Loveland, Daddies Board
Shop owner and webmaster
for oregonskateparks.com, he
has heard commentary that
the Tanner Creek Skatepark
was inappropriately
designed. Some feel that the
park was built in a manner
too advanced for most of the
skaters from the community.
The advanced level of the
park causes out-of-towners
to come in and potentially
frustrate neighbors with
unruly behavior.
Siitiparft