10
Mardi#
Lions upend top ranked Lakers, finish second in TRL
M ax H ays
Staff Reporter
Since losing its first league
game to Oregon City in early
January, the Varsity Boys'
Basketball Team has won nine
out of 10 and has reeled off
seven wins in a row, beating
previously top ranked Lake
Oswego in the process. They
entered the game against LO
in third place with a 7-2 record
in Three Rivers League play
behind Oregon City and Lake
Oswego.
The Lions were in need
of a big win in order to keep
their place near the top of the
standings and pulled out the
big win in convincing fashion.
The game was a defensive
battle from the start, with
the score at only 7-5 with
the Lions leading after one
quarter of play. They kept up
the defensive effort the entire
game giving up only 36 points,
their best defensive game this
season.
"We played very well
defensively. We got out on
their shooters and packed the
middle to slow down their
big m en," Eric Viuhkola, head
coach, said.
Even though the Lions made
only 10 field goals in the game,
they did a good job of drawing
fouls and made 20 free throws
during the game, helping them
to a 44-36 win. The team was
Underriner, junior, and Ryan
Barnes, senior, added nine
points apiece.
The team beat Lakeridge
earlier in the week, 81-71.
Jeffery Bush, junior, led the
at the end. We took ill advised
shots and turned the ball over
too much," Viuhkola said.
The team was led by Barnes
who scored 14 points, and
Gray and Bryce Baker, senior,
who both scored 11.
After Oregon City lost to
LO, the Lions will finish in
second place behind LO and
will have a better seed in the
State playoffs.
"I've really enjoyed coaching
these guys, especially after
about a third of our league
games when the team really
came together and started
playing as a team," Viuhkola
said.
Lions eliminated by top
ranked South Eugene
J ennifer S itton
Staff Reporter
Johnel Gray, senior, catches a pass during the Lions’ home game against
Lakeridge. The Lions won the game 81-71 which helped catapult them
into a second place finish in the Three Rivers League.
Photo by William Thompson
led by Johnel Gray, senior, who
scored 17 points and grabbed
11 rebounds, while Michael
Lions with 22 points and
Gray had 19 points in the high
scoring affair.
Intramurals fly high with rise in popularity
M ark C hipperfield
They followed up the big
win against LO with a blowout
win against Putnam, winning
70-44. Josh Oltman, senior, lead
all scorers with 22 points and
was followed by Barnes who
had 15 points.
After being ranked as high
as ninth in the Associated
Press Poll, the Lions hosted
Clackamas in a very important
game. If the team was able to
beat Clackamas they would be
in first place in the TRL, but
the Lions couldn't hold off the
Cavaliers in the fourth quarter
and ended up losing 47-50 in a
heartbreaker.
"We gave the game away
The league started in 1998
Staff Reporter
when over 100 students tried
out for the school basketball
It is a late winter night, the
team the year after West Linn
lights are on, and two teams
won the state championship.
are ready to play some ball at
In this basketball league
the Rosemont Ridge Middle
for the commoner, another
School gym. One of the best
successful year has just drawn
kept secrets in the school is the
to a close.
intramural basketball program
People from all types of
for which anyone can sign up
basketball
backgrounds
partake in
doing their
best LeBron
James,
Cleveland
Cavalier
small
forward,
imitations.
Nico Varela,
Michael Schwartz, senior, catches the ball in the low senior,
post while Ian Markstaller, senior, heavily defends along with
him. Despite the efforts of both teams, the intramural Schlitt, was
game resulted in a draw.
Photo by Nico Varela a co-captain
of the junior-
and, for many, the best part
senior division second place •
is that there are no tryouts or
team. Schlitt started playing
evaluations of talent.
intramural basketball this
"The atmosphere is laid
year after he quit the school
back, but partially competitive
basketball team. Varela
at the same time. You can try
is a four year intramural
as hard as you want and still
veteran who had only played
have fun. Games are always
recreation basketball before
fun to play and w atch/'
high school.
Alexander Schlitt, senior, said.
" These boys make new
This year eight teams, four
friendships, learn to how
consisting of underclassmen
compete, win, and lose and
and four consisting of
respect each other," Jamie
upperclassmen, met once or
LeVeque, math teacher, said.
twice a week to run the clock.
LeVeque has been the
commissioner of the program
since 1998. He is the one
who organizes the whole
league, making the teams and
schedule.
Games like the match up
between teams six and seven
on Feb. 5 are representative of
the league. With 15 seconds
left, Varela drained a half court
granny shot to tie the game
only to have the other team
come back and win the game
on a free throw.
"That was a big moment for
me. It is definitely something I
will remember for a long time.
Only in the spirit of murals
could this event take place,"
Varela said.
The program has seen a
spike in popularity with the
student body over the past
couple of years because of the
entertainment of the games.
Brianna Ruiz, senior, has
attended the majority of the
games over the past two years.
She is one of the fans who now
flock to intramural games to
catch a glimpse of the action.
"The players are very
entertaining and funny. My
friends play and it's better
than sitting at home," Ruiz
said.
It is too late to sign up
for this season. Check the
Roar next fall for registration
information.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament
injury. The team won the
game 57-43 without Maleike.
The next Friday, the Lions
lost to Lake Oswego 29-38,
with Elise Miller, starting
sophomore point guard, out
due to illness.
During their last league
game of the year, the Lions
played Rex Putnam and
celebrated senior night.
Ashley Bruser, Sachie
Hopkins, Avary Kolasinski,
Brittany May and Hannah
Schumaker, seniors, were
The Girls' Varsity
Basketball Team lost to
number one ranked South
Eugene on Feb. 27. The Lions
didn't come out very strong
and didn't even score until
there was two minutes left in
the first quarter. The score at
halftime was 14-37 in favor of
the Axemen.
In the second half, the
Lions played even with the
Axemen, tying in the third
quarter and losing by one in
the fourth. The final score
was 44-68 to propel South
Eugene to the final eight
teams where they will
face the Jesuit Crusaders
at the Chiles Center at the
University of Portland.
The Lions celebrated a
first round playoff victory
at home on Feb. 24 over the
Grant Generals. The team
took a quick 16-14 lead
in the first quarter. They
continued to stretch out the
lead throughout the first j
half, but let up a bit in the
Karly LeVeque, freshm an, drives
second to a final score of
past a Grant player in the Feb. 24 first
44-29.
round playoff game. The Lions beat
Of the 14 girls who
the Generals 44-29 to advance to the
played in the game, 11 of second round of playoffs where they
them scored. The three
faced undefeated South Eugene.
Photo courtesy of Patti O'Mara
leading scorers were
sophomores including Amy
honored for their hard work
Christensen who had seven
and dedication to the program
points, Elise Miller who also
over the last four years.
had seven and Jennifer Sitton
"This year will definitely be
who scored six.
my most memorable season
The team finished off
because we had a much more
league with a strong second
close knit team than we have
place finish and a 9-3 record.
had the last three years," May
Their only league losses came
said. "It's weird to think that
to number one ranked Oregon I'll never play at West Linn
City and Lake Oswego.
again."
The team started out slow,
The team suffered a blow
with the game tied at half
in the first minute of the
time. They ended up winning
Lakeridge game on Feb.
69-43 in a game that was
10, when Andrea Maleike,
closer than anyone would
starting sophomore guard,
have expected.
received a season-ending