Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2007)
2007 Page 9 Football clinches second place inTRL for second straight year a I saac C allagan ______________ Before the season started many of the Lion's players had high expectations. So far, the season has turned out to their liking. Situated comfortably in second place in the Three Rivers League, the Lions are confidently looking forward to post season. With last week's 31-14 win over rival Oregon City, the Lions clinched the number two spot in the TRL for the second straight year behind Lake Oswego with a 6-2 record. Tonight they play the McKay Royal Scotts. a team that gave the Lions a surprise loss last season. McKay is only 1-4 in their league. The season-opening surprise loss against non league Wilson has been the only speed bump so far in a season full of success. The Lions started off 4-2 with the only other loss coming against Lake Oswego, the state's top ranked team. standings, it also knocked them off the track to a state championship. Despite being defeated by the Lakers, many players such as Tommy Patrick, senior, still feel good about the season. Others, while their contributions may be less noticed, haven't let that dampen their spirits. "I stand on the sidelines and use my voice every Friday night," Michael Schwartz, junior, said. This evident display of team spirit is one of the contributing reasons to the Lion's stellar season. This season has also been full of surprises. Reid Adams, sophomore, is the starting defensive back despite his youth. Another surprise, although much more melancholy, was the injury to Austin Banta, junior. Banta, who started at tight end and defensive end, tore his medial collateral ligament during the game against Clackamas. The loss of Banta, who had been playing very well so far, said. But the team moved beyond that loss and won its next four games, including an exciting win at Clackamas. Clackamas, who has started out 5-2, has been upset the last two years by the Lions because of their tenacious play. The other wins this season have come against David Douglas, Lakeridge and Putnam. The goals for the remainder of the season are ambitious. The team wants to "go undefeated the rest of the year," said Connor Deeks, senior. The goal is the playoffs, where the team wants to improve on last year's results. "We want to make it past the first round," Truax said. Last year, West Linn lost to Beaverton in the first round. This year, they hope that they will go further into the postseason. Patrick pointed out that now the Lions have to "take it one game at a time." "That's what the (Pittsburgh) Steelers did," Itopfhc loss to L ak e w a s h u ge. a d d e d N ico las V arela, Oswego hurt more than West Linn's place in the "We expected to beat them," Robert Truax, senior, junior. With the season almost over, there is little Staff Reporter Volleyball team puts in long hours, sees results a M ary W ood _________________ Staff Reporter m part of their earlier game against Lakeridge, according to the West Linn Tidings. "They don't have very much experience, but they're learning really quickly" Kawasaki said. The team is doing really well, with Carl Neuburger, The Varsity Volleyball Team achieved its 100th consecutive league win last year, and the team members know exactly what it takes to reach that status. For Kellie Kawasaki and Danielle Sargant, juniors, the hardest part of the sport is the practices. "We work really hard, and we practice for three hours every day," Kawasaki, one of the team captains, said. On the weekends, the girls participate in very competitive tournaments. Betsy Wilhelm, junior, in her role as an outsider hitter passes the ball to her teammate in a win in three There games against Putnam on Oct. 18. The team has been are two undefeated in 11 games this season, and is heading to freshman on the second round of the State playoffs tomorrow. the team, but Photo by Malia Chong their youth coach, telling the West Linn isn't stopping the team Tidings that the girls were from succeeding. One of skillfully serving in the them, Reagan Beatty, played Lakeridge game. All their extremely well in the first work has brought them 11 wins and no losses this season. "We don't really count anymore," Kawasaki said. The team got a bye in the first round of State. The second round is tomorrow, but despite their skill, Sargant isn't positive about a win. "I don't want to jinx it," she said. The sport isn't all about winning though. Kawasaki feels the best part of it is seeing the team succeed, but Sargant has a different view. "The best part about it is having fun while you're playing," Sargant said. She enjoys her teammates, which makes practices a good experience for her. "It's fun. We have really good team chemistry." Kawasaki gets to have fun with it, too. As one of the team captains, she gives gifts to her teammates every week. Being a captain also has its responsibilities, like organizing with the other captains, Michelle Hurt, senior, and Alyssa O'Neil, junior. "We lead by example," Kawasaki said. Her leadership is paying off, and will hopefully earn them a victory at State tomorrow. Erik Koczian, senior, goes all out diving to catch a pass against Lake Oswego on Oct. 11. Koczian finished the game with 115 yards on nine catches in a losing effort against the state's number one team. Photo submitted by Tracie Krellwitz room for error. The Lion's goals were furthered after their win at home against Milwaukie. 27-6, thanks mostly to touchdowns by three key players. The first score came on a quarterback scramble by Bryce Baker, junior. The second was delivered by Justin Monahan, senior, in the form of a 24-yard pass from Baker. Lastly, Kyle Kraus, senior, bulled his way into the end zone on a 15-yard run. Cross Country teams pleased with District finishes u E mmalie C ox _____________ Staff Reporter Both the Boys' and Girls' Cross Country teams are ranked seventh going into the State meet which will be held tomorrow at Lane Com munity College in Eugene. The whole season built to Districts which were held on Oct. 25, with the girls taking first and the boys finishing second. Elliot Prince, freshman, ran the 5k course in 19.36 minutes placing third and Natalie Pittenger, senior, ran a 19.47 taking fifth leading the team to first only one point ahead of Lake Os wego. The boys' team placed second behind Clackamas. Michael Bemert, senior, and Taylor West, freshman, ran 16.38 placing eighth, and a 16.43 placing ninth, respec tively. "I figured the boys rated third in the district, so see ing them finish second was very good," John Linman, assistant coach, said. The Boys Cross Country Team has been all about te a m w o rk . T h e y h a v e w ork ed really hard on developing a good strong team more than individual im provem ent. H ow ever, the team is also focused on helping runners beat their personal records. Varsity is led by senior co-captains Ben Morrow, Taylor Kolasinski and Ber- nert, joined by West and Cullen Wannarka, freshmen, and Neil Rajput and Chris Daniels, juniors. "A lot of the teams in our district have one or two really good runners. But with our team, we have like five or six that could be on any Varsity team," Bemert said. The girls team is led by senior co-captains Rachel Seigneur, Diana Crane and P ittenger. As four year members of the team, they have been to the State meet for the last three years and have succesfully made it again this year. They are joined on Varsity by Prince, Chelsea Ollar and Erin Mor row, freshmen, and Kathryn Flyte, sophomore. The team has also vol unteered at the Portland Marathon to help runners on the course and to assist with clean up after the race. They have helped stage and run two Junior Varsity cross country meets and have spent m any hours laying bark mulch down on the trails at Mary S. Young Park.
