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Softball Team overcomes slow start to advance to playoffs
u T y C larke __________________
Staff Reporter
Although the Softball Team
started off on a cold streak,
dropping four out of its first
five league games, the Lions
managed to rebound and won
seven out of their final eleven
games.
"We need to be better than
three opponents in our league
when the season is over," Jamie
LeVeque, head coach, said ." I
think we are, but we need to
win on the field to claim this."
In the end, the Lions were
better than not three, but
four teams. They ended 8-8
in the Three Rivers League.
Oregon City took the league,
with a 15-3 record. Lakeridge
ended up in second, at 13-5,
including a 20-0 beat down of
Lake Oswego.
Starting off league play on
April 1, the Lions defeated
Cavaliers of Clackamas 8-5.
The team then dropped the
next four games. To the Lake
Oswego, 6-3; to Rex Putnam,
12-2; shut out by Oregon City,
losing by seven; and then lost
a close one to 9-8 to Lakeridge.
After a day of rest, the Lions
righted the ship defeating
Milwaukee, 5-1.
Even though the Lions
had some tough losses early,
Leveque maintained a positive
attitude.
"Winning and losing
softball games does not define
the kind of people we are
working with. They will
win and lose with grace and
respect for each other and
opponents," he said. "In fact,
their true character has been
revealed in the wake of losing
games. And it has not wavered
from the first day. They still
come to work each day and
compete to win."
In a rematch against
Clackamas on April 17, the
Cavaliers avenged their early
season defeat, shutting out the
Lions 3-0. The team did not
stay down for long, though.
Three days later, the Lions
were the ones who
avenged a loss.
They beat the
LO Lakers in
a thrilling
game that
went into
Putnam in a league battle on
April 22 with a very strong
showing all around, shutting
them out 7-0. The team then
lost in a close 4-3 defeat to the
OC Pioneers. Facing league
powerhouse Lakeridge, who
was 10-1 going into the game,
West Linn pulled off a 3-2
upset.
Fresh on that win, the Lions
looked to achieve a .500 record
if they won against bottom
dweller Milwaukie. Despite
their 1-10 league record at the
time, the Mustangs gave the
Lions all they could handle.
The Lions beat the Mustangs
in eight innings, 8-4 and
catapulted into the tie for third
place.
Unfortunately, the Lions
wouldn't stay at .500 for long.
On May 4, the Lions faced off
against Clackamas in a battle
for complete ownership of
third place in league. In a wet
and rainy game, the Lions fell
to the Cavaliers, 4-7.
The Lions then had
consecutive games against
the first and second team in
league. The team came out
victorious in a low scoring
affair against Oregon City on
May 11,1-0. It was a great win
for the Lions against a state
title contender. Unfortunately,
West Linn could not topple
both teams in less than a weak
Lakeridge defeated the Lions,
8-5.
The Lions had their final
game on April 18 with playoff
chances in the balance. A
win guaranteed a spot in
the playoffs while a loss left
the Lions on the outside
looking in. Although the
team was facing the last place
Milwaukie, the Lions did not
take them lightly. The Lions
took home a victory, 3-1, and
more importantly, a playoff
spot.
The first playoff game
for the Lions was on May 21
against Barlow High School,
the Lions were not able to top
Barlow, losing by a score of
6-3.
an extremely successful
season, winning multiple
matches before falling just
short of qualifying for State.
Christopher Erbin and Miles
Rifkin, seniors, cruised to
their fourth consecutive
District title only dropping
nine games in five matches.
The team's biggest
challenge came in the
the end."
During the State
Tournament, Erbin and
Rifkin received the number
two seed, giving them a bye
in the first round and some
favorable matchups. Erbin
and Rifkin cruised into the
semifinals before losing to
Jesuit (5)6-7, 6-4, 7-5.
The Girls' Varsity Team
disappointed with losing,
but I played really well
and it was a long match,"
Tonning said.
In doubles, Kellie
Kawasaki, senior, and
Natalie Smith, sophomore,
cruised through to the
championship match where
they almost pulled off the
upset of the tournament
6-3. Their tournament ended
when they were knocked out
by teammates Kawasaki and
Smith in the semifinals.
"I think our season went
really well! We had our
new coach and an awesome
team. We also did very well
at Districts," Coronel said.
"This season was my best
season, I had so much fun."
sem ifin als w h en they
also p erform ed w ell d u ring
b efore losin g to L ake
knocked off teammates
Samuel Tingey and Brett
Wright, seniors. Tingey
and Wright took home
fourth place after winning a
three set thriller over Lake
Oswego 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. With
the win, the team qualified
for the State Tournament on
May 21 at West Hills Tennis
Club.
"We had to work hard all
season," Wright said. "We
had to overcome a lot of
things but it was worth it in
the season, finishing with
a 12-3 record good enough
for second place in the
TRL. This season they were
directed by a new coach,
Ke Ounaphom, originally a
coach from Clackamas.
At the District
Tournament, the team sent
five players to State. Danika
Tonning, senior, took second
place in singles falling in
a marathon three setter to
Lakeridge 6-3,4-6, 6-4.
"I was pretty
Oswego 6-1,3-6, 6-1.
Although they came up
short, Kawasaki and Smith
advanced to State feeling
confident, as Lake Oswego is
ranked third in state.
The biggest surprise of
the tournament came when
the second doubles team
of Catherine Broadhurst
and Taylor Coronel,
seniors, unexpectedly
qualified for State after
upsetting Lakeridge in the
quarterfinals, winning 6-1,
Lauren Pyrch, sophomore, readies
herself for a pitch in a softball
game against Lakeridge on April
29. The Lions bounced back from
a slow early season start, winning
six out of the last ten games.
Photo by Zack Mueller
Seniors dominate Tennis Districts , advance to semifinals at State
a E ta S antoro ______________
Staff Reporter
The Boys' Varsity Team
began the season with high
expectations after returning
10 starting players, including
eight seniors. The team lived
up to those expectations
going undefeated in league
to claim their second
consecutive Three Rivers
League title and sending
two doubles teams to State.
"This team is the most
united team I have ever
coached. It is senior-
dominated, but we've got
freshmen and sophomore
talent," Ward Lewis, Boys'.
Varsity coach, said. Lewis
has been the boys' tennis
coach for 26 years.
At the TRL District
tournament, Grant Beehler,
Mark Chipperfield,
Ryan Nesbit and Blake
Beehler, seniors, finished
»
T h e girls b eg a n their
State tournament on May 21
at Tualatin Hills Park and
Recreation Center. Tonning
received the number six
seed in the tournament
and advanced all the way
to the semifinals before
falling to the eventual State
Champion. Kawasaki and
Smith lost in the second
round to number two seeded
Lincoln, while Broadhurst
and Coronel failed to make
it out of the first round,
falling to West Salem.
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