Varsity Boys' Basketball Team plans to put pressure on opponents
J ennifer S ittqn & S ean P ebler
The Varsity Boys' Basketball
Team plans to play a very fast
paced game that will include
full court pressing and making
opponents play its style.
Coming off a 16-7 season in
which they placed second
in the Three Rivers League,
the team hopes to improve
throughout the season as much
as they did last year, if not
more.
"We play really fast and
shoot the ball well," Eric
^ Krellwitz named TRL Offensive Player of the Year ^
Photo by Tracie Kreiiwiîz, Stop Action Memories
Keaton Hedman, junior, runs the ball against Westview during the Lions' second round playoff
win. They came back from a 28-9 deficit to score in the final minutes of the game, winning 46-34.
The Lions began their playoff run against Gresham winning 31-28. In their final game of the
season against West Salem, enthusiasm was high as this was the first time WL had advanced to the
quarterfinals since 1998. The Lions lost 20-41.
Three Rivers League Honors
Offensive Player of the Year: Logan Krellwitz
First Team Offense: Seniors Michael Fay (wide receiver), Brandon Thomas (tackle), Krellwitz (quar
terback). Juniors Connor Kelley (wide receiver) and Eric Pitassi (guard)
Second Team Offense: Senior Michael MacClanathan (tight end) and junior Keaton Hedman (run
ning back)
Honorable Mention Offense: Seniors Seth Wegener (tackle), Kyle Merriam (wide receiver), Alec
Grimmett (kicker), Mason Haye (tight end); junior Jake Kelley (center); sophomore Mason Finnerty
(running back); and freshman Wyatt Houston (running back)
First Team Defense: Seniors Seth Wegener (line), Mason Haye (inside linebacker), Michael MacCla
nathan (outside linebacker), Tony Engel (cornerback) and Ethan Bays (safety)
Second Team Defense: Seniors Logan Krellwitz (safety) and Michael MacClanathan (punter), and
junior Kaden Staskiewicz (line)
V_______________________________________________ -_J
Viuhkola, head coach, said.
"We will press and run the
majority of games."
A big difference between
last year's team and this year's
is the loss of Johnel Gray, 2009
Three Rivers League Player
of the Year, but according to
Viuhkola, other players have
stepped up greatly to fill those
shoes. Many players have been
working hard in the off-season
to prepare for this season,
notably, senior Jeffrey Bush.
According to Viuhkola, he has
never had a player improve so
much from one season to the
next.
"I just hope to help my
team win a lot of games this
year and advance deep into
the playoffs," Bush said.
The lions also return senior
Michael Underriner, the team's
leading scorer and rebounder.
Underriner was on the TRL
second team all league last
year.
Zachary Valentine,
senior, has also shown great
improvement and will be a
great asset to the team this
season. Freshman transfer,
Michael Hauser, has also been a
really nice addition, according
to Viuhkola.
The team is loaded with
seniors this year, but according
to Viuhkola, that doesn't seem
to have that great of an impact
on the team. "We practice a
lot harder and kids are a, lot
more in tune with what we
want to do," Viuhkola said,
but he couldn't say for sure if
that was due to the maturity
of numerous seniors or just the
makeup of this year's team.
"We're playing perennially
state tournament type teams,"
Viuhkola said of the team's
preseason schedule, which
includes Wilson, McKay, Grant
and Barlow.
"We have the
of a really
team. We want
teams play
to improve
as much this
year as we did
last year,"
Viuhkola
said. "I
believe
we're
going to be
good."
The
Lions
"(Football playoffs)
always makes it kind of
tough," Viuhkola said. The
playoffs delayed the official
determination of teams early
in the season. A few spots were
saved specifically for certain
individuals, while others
competed in a two day tryout
for their spot on a team. In
some cases, there were two
spots saved for three football
players and those who proved
themselves during those
tryout days were given the
opportunity to play.
Wilson
65-71 in
season
opener.
Three
th e Li o n s
M c k a
25 p o i n t
On D ec. 8
gained their
win of
d
Bus
from
later,
with
from Bush,
the Lions
season by
Grant, 75-57
points from
and 20 points
Underriner.
\ ote?
_____D E A R W E S T L IN N : K E E P U P T H E S P IR IT !
Bringing back the roar. As
good as gold. Sink LO. We are
West Linn. Beat OC.
Take a look around on any
given Friday and you will
find numerous spirit shirts
adorning both students and
staff. School spirit has been
at an all-time high this fall.
Whether that's due to Lou
Bailey's enthusiasm or this
year's ASB or our incredible
fall sports teams, everyone
seems to be involved and
excited for every game this
fall.
Maybe it's because I'm a
junior and my classmates are
very involved in athletics, but
I can't help but notice students
discussing in the hallways and
in classes about upcoming
games and opposing teams.
And it's not just football
that's drawing all the attention
this year. Yes, attendance at
football games has been high
and most people don their
spirit shirts on Fridays, but
people seemed to follow every
team into playoffs this year.
The volleyball playoff game
was watched by an immense
crowd of students as was the
girls' soccer game two hours
before that.
I recently attended the
Varsity Girls' Soccer playoff
game at Jesuit High School.
Photo by Mark Poppert
WLHS students cheer on the football team at one of their home
games. Student spirit has been at an all time high this year for all
sports, including football.
I was pleased to see that the
WLHS student fans greatly
outnumbered the Jesuit fans, at
their home field! Granted, their
volleyball team was playing in
the State championship match
later that night, but it was still
quite exciting.
Football, volleyball, boys'
soccer, girls' soccer, boys' and
girls' cross country: all made
it to playoffs and all enjoyed
huge support from fans. But
what happens when the crisp
fall air dissipates and students
are greeted with dark, bitter,
cold evenings? Is watching a
game in a gym less exciting
than watching a game on a
field?
As we make the transition
from fall to winter sports,
let's keep the spirit going.
Our winter sports teams and
athletes are just as good and
just as talented as the ones in
the fall. They went to all the
football games, all the soccer
and volleyball games and
cheered for their cross Country
runners.
Now it's time to see
what WL students are really
made of. Will we sit at home
huddled in blankets, watching
tv, or will we venture out to
cheer on our winter athletes?
Can we keep up the reputation
we are slowly building? I
challenge all WL students to
keep the spirit alive through
winter and even through
spring. Can we have equal
attendance at boys' basketball,
boys' soccer, girls' basketball
and girls' soccer? Yes, WL we
can. We're as good as gold. We
brought back the roar; don't
let it fade into the chilly winter
night.