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Sports
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Track team sprints toward State championship
_ I ke M c G innis ____________
Staff Reporter
Matching up against
Lakeridge on April 18 for
their fourth Three Rivers
League meet of the season,
it all came down to the triple
jump for the girls' team.
Rachel Seigneur, junior,
claimed first in the 3000m
with Katherine Flyte,
freshman, finishing second.
Taylor Nowlin, sophomore,
and four other Lion runners
finished the 1500m before
the first runner for the Pacers
even crossed the finish line.
In the end, their efforts
weren't enough, although
it took a freshman from
Lakeridge jumping more
than a four feet better than
her personal best in the triple
jump to defeat the Lions,
74-68.
For the boys, Nicholas
Kemner, senior, won the
pole vault and Ben Morrow,
junior, took second in the
3000.
Sambaran Chatterjee also
grabbed first in the 200.
It came down to the end,
but the boys pulled it out,
accomplishing what the girls
couldn't, beating the Pacers
86-59.
Despite a recent Three
Rivers League loss to
Putnam, the team surprised
many in the first four TRL
^?ets of the season.
In the meet against
Putnam, the boys lost three of
the top distance runners, Ben
Morrow, Taylor Kolasinski,
Michael Bernert, juniors, to a
Model UN meeting, crippling
their chances. The boys
ended up losing but the girls
took home another victory.
The big story was the
first two TRL meets of the
season, where the Lions
were considered underdogs,
including a big win against
Oregon City on April 4.
"It was going to be a tight
meet; could have gone either
way, but we stepped up," Joe
Cemy, boys' track coach, said.
Oregon City was projected
to win but Cemy stressed
the importance of getting it
done on the track, not just on
paper. They beat the Pioneers
78-67. But what pleased
Cerny more was the way
everyone in all the different
events, running, jumping,
throwing stepped up and
contributed.
The big race was the 800m
which was won by Kolasinski
and Charles Lammers, senior,
who finished second with a
personal record of 2:07.
Another big first and
second finish for the Lions
was the 300m hurdles. Shawn
Miller, senior captain, won
the race, and Bryce Baker,
sophomore, pulled into
second place on the last two
hurdles, in spite of a quad
injury
"He did a good job battling
through a little soreness. I
wasn't surprised by it, but I
was pleased," Cemy said.
The girls also swept many
events during the meet in a
big win against Pioneers.
Jazmine Whitlock and
Taylor Brooke, sophomores,
placed first and second in the
100m and 200m dashes. The
Lions swept the 800m and
1500m with first place finishes
by Taylor Nowlin, sophomore,
and Natalie Pittenger, junior.
Sambaran Chatterjee, senior, finishes out his 100m dash during the Oregon City meet April 4. The
Lions were underdogs to the Pioneers, but came away with the victory.
Photo by Malia Chong
Ali Super, junior, lead a
sweep in the javelin.
Later the same week, the
boys traveled to the Sisters
Invitational on April 7. Miller
had a great weekend there,
placing second in the 110m
high hurdles followed by
Alexander Schlitt, sophomore,
in third.
The Lions also upset the
Lake Oswego Lakers on
their home turf the previous
week. It was almost the same
scenario as the Oregon City
meet, according to some of the
Undefeated Girls' Tennis Team sits atop league
everyone," Downs said.
challenge of changing from
The Girls' Tennis Team
The team holds intense
doubles last year to singles
started its season with a
practices which last
bang, and Aaron
BSjjMjl up to an hour, about
Downs, Varsity
two to four times a
Head Coach,
week after school.
believes his
If they are not at
players have
practice, they are
made strong
competing.
progress so far.
So far they have
He predicts a
had seven matches
great outcome at
and they have won
Districts.
all of them including
The team
a close win over
features a balance
rival Lakeridge, 10-9,
of seasoned
despite the fact that
veterans as well
they have missed
as young talent.
some practice time
At first doubles,
and a tournament in
Christiana Cha
Bend on April 14.
and Kaitlan
"We've missed
Locke, seniors,
Danika Tonning, sophomore, battles back against
the last couple
after last year's
Lakeridge. Tonning won a hard fought match that went
successful season longer than any of the others. Photo by Jon Helmkamp weeks because it was
raining," Tonning
in which they
said.
reached the State tournament this year.
The team is 7-0 (4-0 in
New players Taylor
and second doubles,
league) and preparing for its
Coronel and Catherine
Alexandra Smith, junior, and
toughest match of the season
Broadhurst, sophomores,
Kellie Kawasaki, sophomore,
against Lake Oswego on
have been important new
have a good chance of
Wednesday. Other upcoming
additions at third doubles.
making it to State.
dual matches are being held
"These things can take
At first singles, Danika
today at Putnam and Friday
Tpnning, sophomore, also has a while to adjust, but the
at Clackamas. Districts will
great senior leadership has
JJhance to make it to State.
take place on May 9 and 10 at
made things much easier
She has turned in excellent
the Portland Tennis Center.
and has been very helpful to
results and overcome the
track members.
"I think going into the meet,
(the mindset was) it was going
to be close, with Lake Oswego
favored, but we all stepped up
together and the results were
a lot better than we expected,"
Nico Matthews, sophomore,
said.
Matthews helped the team
in a huge way, winning three
events and tieing for first in
his fourth event scoring 20
points for the team.
Sambaran Chatterjee,
senior, won the 100 and 200
meter dashes.
The girls swept the discus
against the Lakers, with
Samantha Dewart, junior,
throwing huge. Cemy said
the team dominated the field
events.
The first meet of the season
was a non-scoring meet at
Tigard where four teams
competed. Super threw the
javelin two inches shorter than
the school record at Tigard.
"She is one of the leading
throwers in the nation, not just
Oregon," Cemy said.
The team also got to see
Clackamas at Tigard which is
going to be beneficial because
the Lions will not face the
Cavaliers in a dual meet this
season but will face them at
Districts. Cemy cited the
Cavaliers as the team to beat
in the TRL.
This year, Districts will be
hosted by West Linn for the
first time in five years, on May
10 and May 11.
Equestrian Team canters to next meet
■ S arah C hiodine
Forum Editor
With the second of four
meets finished, Equestrian
Team members are feeling
positive. Although the
individuals practice on
their own consistently, the
team can be found every
week working with the
Wilsonville team, practicing
in Wilsonville.
"It's great being with all
my teammates and watching
everyone progress as the
season goes on," Ahnalise
Murray, senior, said.
Because of their hard
work, three of the team's
athletes are in top 20 out
of the 122 athletes in the
TriRiver Valley District.
Elizabeth Sloop, senior, is
tied for second, seven points
behind first. Hillary Obye,
junior, is in sixth and Karleigh
Vroman, sophomore, is 20th.
The team's second meet
was held on March 15-18.
Each meet consists of 26
events including jumping,
hunt seat, stock seat, working
rancher, reining and figure
eight. Murray pulled through
in their second meet with
seventh place in the figure
eight with a time of 11.84 and
fifth in barrels with a 16.37.
Sloop also contributed
a first place in reining and
working rancher, gaining
the team 40 points. The team
also finished well in trail
and stock seat; Obye in third
and Sloop in fourth. Vroman
finished fifth in stock seat;
Obye won first in hunt seat
with Vroman not far behind
in third. Maile Reiniche,
junior, came through
with a second in huntseat
over fences.
With many great
performances, the team
placed fourth in its second
meet and hopes for a good
showing at State.