r
aerasse, Softball, Track, and Tennis
Baseball clinches league with six straight wins
■ J on H elmkamp
co-Sports Editor
With six consecutive wins,
the Varsity Baseball Team
clinched the Three Rivers
League title with a 14-5
drubbing of Putnam, the one
team West Linn had failed
to beat this season. Nathan
Gonzalez, senior, came up
huge with a grand slam and
Ryan Barnes, sophomore, and
Mitchell Bailey, senior, each
had a home run.
Following a victory over
Lakeridge 12-1 on April 20,
the Lions were looking at a
week that would prove to
be telling, playing Putnam
on April 23, Lake Oswego
on April 25, and Clackamas
on April 27. Going into that
week, Mike Lord, head coach,
stressed how important those
three games would be.
"This next week is like the
playoffs. If you guys want to
prove that you deserve to get
to State, you have to prove
yourselves with these three
games," Lord said to the team
after the Lakeridge game.
The team squared off with
tnam, losing 5-3. Against
Lake Oswego they lost 10-6,
and suffered another setback
against Clackamas with a 6-5
loss.
In their match up with
Putnam, four of Putnam's
five runs were unearned.
Both teams had eight hits, but
it was poor defense that led
to a Lion loss. Against Lake
Oswego, they left eight guys
on base and went only five
for 14 with runners in scoring
position. The opportunities
were there, but they couldn't
take advantage of them.
Against Clackamas, they
gave up two unearned runs
and again left eight guys on
base.
"It wasn't like we played
horribly that week. They just
didn't go our way," Brian
Bailey, assistant coach, said.
After three games that
dampened the spirits of West
Linn baseball enthusiasts, the
Lions came back and won
their next four games, two
of
« which were rematches
against teams that beat them
in their three consecutive
losses.
On April 30, the Lions
Girls' Rugby Team wins State
title for fourth straight season
■ K atie C arnahan
Staff Reporter
colleges offer scholarships
for rugby players, one team
member, Audrey Jones, a
student from Lake Oswego
High School, was selected
as an alternate for the USA
Eagles, a U-19 team which
After winning its first
State championship in 2004,
the Girls' Varsity Rugby
Team has been nearly
undefeated taking home
many titles. At the
National Invitational
Tournament held in
Milwaukee, Wise,
on May 19 and 20,
the team won every
game taking home
ninth place.
On April 28, the
team added a fourth
consecutive State
Championship after
defeating a Canby
team and on May 5, Zchone Jones, sophomore, outruns the Canby
the girls played at
defense in the State championship game.
Pacific NW Regionals The Lions defended their State title for the
and placed third.
fourth consecutive time, 33-10.
"It w as exciting,
Photo submitted by Megan Hackney
but overall I think we
gives girls a chance to
continue their success in the
just did okay," Kylie Rogers,
World Cup Competition.
junior, said.
Overall, Rogers and
Every day, at Athey
Hackney added that the
Creek Middle School, the
game is a lot of fun and that
teams practice passing
they hope next season will go
drills, tackling, scrums and
even better.
rocking.
"(In rugby), 'rocking' is
"Last year, there were
when you tackle someone,
no signs, and really no
and instead of stopping the
acknowledgments of the
game, you just push the
team. It was nice to see the
other player and keep going," 'Come to Girls Rugby' and
Megan Hackney, sophomore,
the 'Congratgulations' signs
hanging in the halls," Rogers
Jjaid.
*
Although no Oregon
said.
faced off against
Lakeridge, crushing
them 18-2. Two
days later, they
hosted Clackamas,
redeeming
themselves with a
6-0 shutout. On May
4, despite having to
pack the team and
all its gear into four
trucks to get to the
game, the Lions beat
Lake Oswego, 7-3.
They beat Oregon
City 5-1 on May 7
with Kyle Kraus
stealing the show,
pitching a complete
game in only 69
pitches. After a week
of success, the Lions
once again perched
atop the league, one Nathan Gonzalez, senior, takes his lead from second base against Putnam on
May 14. The Lions went on to win 14-5, earning the league title.
game ahead of Lake
Photo by Jon Helmkamp
Oswego.
"They're a really talented
knowing I should be able to
The team hopes
team. Next year (on Varsity)
be back so I can contribute in
to see the return of Alex
they should be contending for
playoffs," Edwards said.
Edwards, senior, first
a State title," Edwards said.
Next year, the team will
baseman, who broke his wrist
Colby Martzall, senior,
return most of the Varsity
in a collision with a base
leads the Lions' offensive
players, including the entire
runner at first base earlier in
attack with a batting average
pitching staff and Barnes,
the season. He has missed
of .500 and 26 RBI's, along
who is currently batting .468
almost the entire season, but
with Bailey who's batting
with 22 runs batted in. He's
has been at every practice
.457 and Justin Monahan,
the Varsity lead-off hitter as
and every game and has a
junior, who's batting .411.
a sophomore, stepping into a
positive attitude about the
leadership role. Lord will also Bailey, catcher, and Martzall,
season.
be bringing up members from shortstop, along with being
"It helps watching the
the JV team that has lost only huge offensive threats, are the
team play and not getting
core of the defense as well.
one game.
to participate, but it helps
Two girls nam ed to Elite Team; Lions m akes case fo r State
j l ZAK L a STER________________
co-Sports Editor
The Oregon Elite Travel
Team is a group of 18 girls
chosen from a group of 86
Varsity lacrosse players.
These 18 girls form a team
that represents the state in a
series of games. They play
two tournaments during the
summer in Vail, Colo, and one
tournament on the east coast
in early October.
The team will have a few
practices but the majority
of the preparation for the
tournaments will be on their
own time. Two girls from
West Linn, Solveig Lee and
Erika Busch juniors were
deemed qualified enough to
make the Oregon Elite Travel
Team. For both Busch and
Lee, being on the team is
something that they are really
excited about.
"We were able to exhibit
skills at a level high enough to
be placed on the Oregon Elite
Travel Team. It is an honor for
me," Lee said.
"I think to be a part of
the Oregon Elite Travel
Team is really cool. It's a big
opportunity for me and I'm
looking forward to it," Busch
said.
Their
placement on the
team has capped
off what has been
a remarkable
season for the
team which
won 14 of its 17
games. One of the
top teams in the
state, the Oregon
City Pioneers,
first in league and
undefeated, gave
the Lions the
Shannon Edwards, junior, picks up a loose ball
most problems.
against Lakeridge on May 8. The Lions won the
Photo by Sarah Chicoine
They lost twice to game 12-3.
them, each time
at the Tualatin Recreation
by one only point.
Center began for the Lions
"We have done much better on May 18 with a 11-7
than anyone could have
victory over Roseburg. They
expected. Even before try-outs advanced to the semi-finals
nobody had predicted the
against St. Mary's on May
kind of success we've had this 22. The winner of that game
season," Lee said
would play the winner of the
The goal for the Lions is
Oregon City/Lincoln game
a State championship. This
for the State championship.
is very realistic based on the
Results of these games were
way the girls have played
not available by press time.
against their competition.
"This year, has been
Whether or not they win a
one of my favorite years of
State championship, they will
playing lacrosse. We are a
all remain friends for a long
very bonded group and we
time, according to Lee.
do a good job at helping each
The State tournament held
other," Lee said.