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Sports
Boys' netters hopes to repeat championship
m J oseph M iller ______________
Staff Reporter
For the past four years,
the Boys' Varsity Tennis
Team has been successful in
capturing the Three Rivers
League title, as well as the
State Championships in 2003
and in 2004. This year, they
hope to repeat their success
in attaining the league title
again, as well as sending five
players to state. However,
this year there is a bit of a
catch.
They will have to work
harder than in past years
because ten of last season's
senior players graduated.
Ward Lewis, English teacher
for 26 years at West Linn
and coach for 24, said that
everything will have to
change, but he still has a
positive outlook.
"It's exciting because it's
like we're starting over,"
Lewis said.
Lewis originally played
baseball in high school, but
switched to tennis when
he was 19, and in college.
His roommate had been the
this season won't be as
smooth-sailing as the past
seasons. He feels this season
may be slightly difficult. The
three other returning players
include, Anthony Bonaduce,
senior, Christopher Erbin,
sophomore, and Miles
Rifkin, sophomore.
"We lost ten seniors. It's
going to be tough," Kirkemo
said. He added, "We could
use some support at the
games."
One of this season's
newcomers, Joel Callagan,
freshman, is feeling
confident along with
excitement for this season.
number-one
player of the
college tennis
team, and he
suggested
Lewis play
tennis, and
so, he was
introduced
to the world
of tennis. He
became a
coach for the
same reason
he became a
teacher.
"I like
working with
young athletes,
Lewis said. "I
like organizing
Collin Bundy, j unior, practices his swing at tennis
young peop e to practice. He will be competing at fourth singles this
do fun stuff.
season.
Photo by Malia Chong
This year,
there are so
far a total of 36 players,
with four returning Varsity
players. And with 14 spaces
needed for the Varsity team,
there are ten spaces left to
fill.
One of the four returning
players includes Kevin
Kirkemo, senior, a tennis
veteran. Kirkemo has been
playing tennis for the past
six years, and has been
undefeated in high school
play for the past two years.
He started by taking small
lessons at a local center.
Kirkemo also realizes that
Track Team sees large tu rn o u t
D anielle L evine
Staff Reporter
Runners are confident and
coaches are pleased with the
turnout of competitors for the
spring track season. Practices,
h began Feb. 20, run
day through Friday,
with optional practices on
Saturday. There will be 15
meets this season which
started with the Ice Breaker
Meet on March 14 at Tigard.
"It's nice since in the
beginning you get to chose
what events you want to do
for the season. So you get to
try it all out," Sara Sebastian,
sophomore, said.
Last year the Girls' Varsity
Track and Field Team was
quite successful. The girls
4x4 team, two throwers and
a high jumper went to State.
Taylor Nowlin, sophomore,
placed second at Districts
and went to State in the 3,000.
Kelli Walters, senior, Ali
Super, junior; and Samantha
Dewart, junior; all went to
State last season along with
£
Nowlin.
The boys
4 x 100
team also
went to
State and
Sambaran
Chatterjee,
senior,just
missed a
trip to State
in the 100.
This gives
the coaches
high hopes
for the
team.
Ali Super, junior, throws javelin during the first week
"We
have have of track practice. Super was State champion in javelin
last year and is expected to repeat.
a great
Photo by Jon Helmkamp
turnout
and could have the best girls
continue our growth from last
team turnout in the past six
season toward being a more
or seven seasons," Scott Spear, complete team," Spear said.
coach, said.
Upcoming meets are
Lakeridge and Clackamas
March 20 at Lake Oswego;
are top rivals for the Lions.
April 4 at home; April 7 at
Clackamas has a large, strong
Sisters High School; April 12
team featuring several top
at Putnam; April 13 at Aloha;
runners.
April 18 at home and April
"We are looking to
21 at Centennial.
Equestrian Team shows potential
L auren P ak
Staff Reporter
%
The Equestrian Team
began its season with a
promising start at its first
competition held Feb. 17.
"M y goal is to not fall
off, but mostly to go to
State," Samantha Roberts,
sophomore, said.
Samantha Roberts,
sophomore, left the with
first place in the Hunt
Seat Equitation and was
followed by teammate
Hillary Obye, junior, who
1 4fced second. Elizabeth
Sloop, senior, exited the ring
with second place in reining.
Maile Reiniche, junior,
placed second in Hunt Seat
Over Fences along with
Hartley Kelly, freshman,
eighth, Kira Nordwijk,
senior, took home ninth
place.
Karleigh Vroman,
sophomore, placed eighth
in showmanship, and
Courtney Moore, junior,
placed ninth in Dressage. In
Western Gaming, Ahnalise
Murray, senior, placed third
in Keyhole.
This is Dru Sloop's fourth
year as coach of the team.
"All of the teams, horses,
and riders have their own
goals, but they are all here
because their passion is the
horse," Sloop said.
Sloop will support
the team as it competes
March 15-18 and April
12-15 at the North West
Equestrian Center. The State
championship will be held
May 17-20 in Redmond
at the Deschutes County
Fairgrounds.
Equestrian Team
members cheer on their
teammates, but according to
Sloop, Obye and Roberts it
would be great for people to
support the team.
Callagan has been taking
tennis lessons since the
second grade, and decided
to join the WLHS tennis
team over the summer
inspired by his brother,
Isaac, junior, who is playing
tennis this year also. His
goals are to be at the top of
the JV in hopes to be on the
Varsity team next year. He
also hopes to be better than
his brother.
"This season's going to be
pretty exciting, because we
haven't been the underdog
for a long time," Lewis
said. "We're going to have
something to prove."
Returning players vital
to Girls' Tennis victories
C hristopher E rbin
Page Editor
After a successful rebound
season in 2006, the Varsity
Girls Tennis Team once
again became a dominant
force in the Three Rivers
League. Although the Lions
suffered some key losses at
singles, they are returning
four doubles players who all
advanced to State last year.
Christiana Cha, senior,
Kaitlan Locke, senior,
Alexandra Smith, junior, and
Danika Tonning, sophomore,
return to lead a younger, less
experienced team. Although
they have positions to fill, the
Lions look to improve upon
their second place finish in
the TRL a year ago.
"Last year was a really fun
season," Cha said. "Our team
is going to be solid again this
season. We have some good
returning players and I'm
looking forward to playing
doubles with Kaitlan (Locke)
again."
The 2006 team was perfect
in league play with the
exception of losses to Lake
Oswego, a team that finished
second overall in State
behind the powerhouse Jesuit
Crusaders. They also swept
the Lakeridge Pacers, a team
that had dominated the TRL
in past years. -
"My expectations for our
matches against these teams
are very high," Aaron Downs,
coach, said ." LO is going to
be in the top three in state to
start the season and it will be
an intense battle with them."
The Lions' goals include
stealing a victory against
LO and being co-league
champions. Their first meet
of the season is against the
Lakers is on Mon. April 9 at
Lake Oswego. Along with
improving in league play, the
Lions will look to use non
conference match ups early
in the season to benefit their
returning players and get a
taste of some of the tougher
competition throughout the
state. Their first two meets
of the year were at Sunset on
Tuesday, which was followed
by their home opener against
Barlow on Wednesday.
According to Coach
Downs, experience will be
a hard trait for most schools
to find this season, but he
believes the Lions have the
leadership that much of the
league lacks.
"We want to compete for
the league title and qualify
as many girls to go to state
as possible." Downs said. It
is what should be expected;
the Lions are a team that is
defending a second place
finish in the TRL a year ago
and are hoping to establish
themselves as a consistent
state contender.
"Our goals for the season
are returning our leaders
back to State. We have high
expectations for our team and
we are very excited to get it
rolling," Downs said.
Boys' Rugby program grows;
makes impact in fourth season
J on H elmkamp
co-Sports Editor
The West Linn Boys Rugby
Team has grown from 15 to
60 players, and is now in its
fourth season. After losing to
Beaverton last year at State,
they are trying to make a
comeback. On Feb. 26, the A-
side defeated Reynolds 37-5,
thus beginning a season that
they hope will bring a State
title.
Last year, the team placed
fifth in state, and Shiguru
Tsutsumi, coach, sees room
for improvement.
"We need to pass the
ball more, not just have one
good player trying to lead,"
Tsutsumi said.
Although the A-side was
able to dominate against
Reynolds, the B-side lost, 5-
25, to Tualatin. The team has
many senior players this year
that have passed experience
onto new players; experience
that will hopefully lead to a
positive outcome.
Boys Rugby Slutting Womemnni ■
continued on page 10