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Sports
15
Super sets school javelin record, claims State title
J on H elmkamp
co-Sports Editor
Ali Super, junior, w ho has
been throw ing javelin since
seventh grade continues to
add to her illustrious high
school track career w ith a
new personal best, school
record and State-w inning
throw of 154' 5" set on
M ay 17 at the State m eet in
Eugene. Super also claim ed
the D istrict title on M ay 10
w ith a throw of 137' 4."
Last year, Super proved
she deserves to be a nam e
that everyone know s,
entering into the w inners
circle w ith the Javelin State
title in the 4A division as
a sophom ore, and this
year she repeated the feat,
claim ing the 6A State tile.
Super w on this year's State
title w ith second place
falling 17' 7" behind her.
"W inning the State title
w as really exciting," Super
said.
Com ing off of last year's
success, she set her goal:
both, breaking
the school record
by alm ost four
feet. .
Her interest
in throwing
javelin started in
seventh grade.
G ary Reddaway,
a javelin coach
for W LH S, is
a close friend
of Super's dad,
Scott. Reddaw ay
began coaching
Super in
addition to her
regular track
practices, giving
her an incredible
leg up on the
com petition.
"Reddaw ay
Ali Super, junior, follows through on a javelin has been one
throw during a meet at home against Oregon City. of the best
Super won the State title for a and set a school coaches I've
record with a throw of 154'5".
ever had. His
Photo by Malia Chong help has been
throw ing over the 150' m ark
really im portant to m y
and setting a new school
im provem ent," Super said,
record. She accom plished
Super feels that some
people don't understand
how challenging throwing
javelin is. "I think there's a
lot more technique than a lot
of people see," Super said.
Because of her talent in
javelin, she has received
letters of interest from
various colleges.
"Tve gotten letters
from a lot of colleges like
Princeton, N otre Dam e,
N orth Carolina and the Air
Force Academy. I really
w ant to go to the Air Force
Academy," Super said.
H er goals for javelin go
beyond com peting in high
school, she also dream s of
m aking the O lym pic trials.
"I doubt I'll m ake it that
far," Super said.
Girls 1 tennis finishes strong
D anielle L evine
Staff Reporter
Finishing off the season
strong with a 13-1 record,
the Girls' Tennis Team
finished second in league
behind a Lake Oswego
team that is favored to win
State. They placed second at
Districts, held May 10,11 at
the Portland Tennis Center.
Danika Tonning, sophomore,
placed second in singles;
Kellie Kawasaki, sophomore,
team of Haley Graham, junior,
and Victoria Bechtold, senior,
also reached the semifinals of
doubles consolation.
At the State tournament
which was held May 17-19,
Tonning competed against
Sprague's top singles player in
the first round lost but came
back in the consolation finals,
beating Marina Todd of South
Medford 6-3. In doubles, the
team of Kawasaki and Smith
defeated a young McMinnville
Boys' Varsity Tennis sends members to State
C hris G arfield
Staff Reporter
The Boys Varsity Tennis
Team returned to top form
after struggling during its
non-conference matches. The
team posted victories over Rex
Putnam, Clackamas and rival
Lakeridge Pacers. The wins
^
moved them to second
prcrce overall in the Three
Rivers League.
The biggest of these wins
came against undefeated
Lakeridge. Strong
performances from singles
players led to an early lead
for West Linn. At first singles,
Christopher Erbin, sophomore,
won 6-1, 7-5 and Miles Rifkin,
sophomore, at second singles
matched the result with a 6-4,
6-3 victory. At fourth singles,
Anthony Bonduce, senior, led
5-0 before his opponent was
forced to quit.
Strong performances in
singles put West Linn ahead
3-1, only needing its doubles
teams win to gain the victory.
At first doubles, Brett Wright,
sophomore, and Kevin
Kirkemo, senior, competed
well but fell (5)6-7, 6-4, 6-2. The
team of Samuel Chipperfield
and Kyle Wickert, seniors, also
won a set but lost the match.
With the overall match
score tied at 3-3, third doubles
team of Sam Tingey and Ryan
Beam, sophomores, and fourth
doubles team of Brian Fuchs,
senior, and Nick Russel, junior,
came away straight set wins to
give the match to the Lions, 5-3.
The win against Lakeridge
came at an ideal time as the
Lions had also defeated Rex
Putnam 8-0 and Clackamas
5-3. At third singles, Colin
Bundy, junior, beat his Putnam
opponent 6-2, 6-1, while the
third doubles team of Beam
and Tingey, topped Clackamas
The team also competed
in the Jesuit Tournament, the
biggest of the year outside of
State. The Lions took seventh
beating out Lakeridge. Rifkin
posted the best result for the
team, finishing fourth in the
second singles bracket. The
fourth doubles team of Fuchs
and Russel, along with third
singles player Bundy, won as
well, before having trouble
in the later rounds of the
tournament.
The Lions continued its
success tying a Barlow team
that beat them a year ago. Just
a day later, the team recorded
a 6-2 win over Clackamas to
get second place overall in the
TRL.
The Lions finished the
season at Districts at Portland
Tennis Center. The top doubles
teams entered with high
standards as Kirkemo/Wright
received the number five seed,
while Erbin/Rifkin were the
top seed overall.
Erbin and Rifkin qualified
for State on their way to their
second district title with a
6-3,6-3 victory over the fourth
seed. The team of Kirkemo/
Wright fell one match short of
qualifying for State, losing 6-4,
6- 2 to the third seed from Lake
Oswego.
In singles, Tingey and
Bonaduce posted the best
results. Tingey came within one
win of State, losing to the top
seed. Bonaduce lost a tough
first match, but went on to win
the consolation bracket.
At State, Erbin and Rifkin
held their seeding and reached
the championships. They
defeated teams from Lincoln,
7- 6(4), 6-1 and North Medford
6-2,6-1. In the semifinals they
defeated the Metro league
champions from Westview 6-2,
6-1. They fell in the finals 6-3,
6-3 to the number one seed
from North Medford. As a
team, the Lions finished fifth
in State, improving two spots
from last year. Rifkin and Erbin
also earned places on the First
All- State Team.
"Were a very young team
and the most exciting thing
(this season) was the way they
matured and how seniors
helped develop the younger
kids," Ward Lewis, head coach,
said.
Alexandra Smith, junior, winds up to serve in a match against
Milwaukie on May 3. Smith went on to advance to State in doubles.
Photo by Colton Reyes
and Alexandra Smith, junior,
placed second in doubles;
Christiana Cha and Kaitlan
Locke, seniors placed third in
doubles.
Lisa Kirkemo, freshman,
and Katelyn Beck, sophomore,
were the only JV members that
went to Districts. Beck, despite
losing her first round match to
Tonning, advanced deep into
the consolation draw reaching
the semifinals. The doubles
Coaches name next year's Dance Team captains
K aitlyn R agan
Staff Reporter
D a n ce Team tr y -o u ts
are usually nerve-racking
with skills being tested and
w atched and critiqued by
coaches. However, try-outs
can be really fun too, especial
ly for returning members.
"I love try-outs! It's fun
to m eet our new possible
teammates and finally dance
again after a few months off,"
Mindy Orolin, junior, said.
The Dance Team season
begins in Septem ber and
team m em bers dance and
condition at a studio during
the summer. The try-outs took
place May 7,9, and 11.
Routines were performed in
small groups on the final day in
front of the coaches and various
guest judges. Close to 60 girls
came to tried out and 35 made
the team.
Captains for next year will
be Tami Horton, junior, Laura
McKinley junior, Mindy Orolin
junior, Kaitlyn Ragan junior,
Courtney Sunderland, junior
and Katie Warmack, junior.
Since there is only one dance
team at W LH S, all grades,
including incom ing fresh
man, try out. The graduating
seniors help lead warm ups
and across-the-floors.
"It can be intimidating but
it's worth it. The returning
members usually work hard
to make sure everyone feels
comfortable and confident,"
Rachel Tennis, sophomore,
said.
'T am really excited to be
a senior next year. This year
we were so successful and I
know next year is going to be
even better," Katie Warmack,
junior, said.
team, and later took on
Cougill and Remmers, from
Lake Oswego. Cha and Locke
matched up against Sprague's
top doubles team and lost. As
a team, the girls finished fifth
overall in State.
"This season was an
absolute success and one of
the best in West Linn history.
This was a great group of
ladies and they played very
well together. They were very
fun to coach and they were
very competitive. Our seniors
Kaitlan (Locke), Christiana
(Cha), Susan (Zack) and
Victoria (Bechtold) displayed
great leadership and will be
sorely missed," Aaron Downs,
coach, said.
Downs, will be coaching
summer tennis with the help
of Nikki Stroup, coach. They
hope to help improve the
girl's game while enjoying
themselves at the same time.
"I'm very excited to be
working with the tennis
team this summer! They are
such a great group of girls,
and watching them play
and improve each week is
amazing," Stroup said.