Sports
2010
Wrestlers struggle to win, but stay competitive
E mily R eed
I have coached four State
champions, and 44 State place
winners. I hope the number
keeps growing," Samarron
said.
Donald Paulson, senior,
won second place in the State
meet at 153 lbs. last year and
is expected to place again.
Other possible State contenders
include MacClanathan and
Chay, Brian Schiewe, Christian
Wilson, Travis Schutzler, Logan
Krellwitz.
West Linn is historically
one of the top ten teams in the
state. In 2008, the team earned
The Swim Team is currently
5-1 with one tie, the one loss
coming from the second meet
of the new calendar year. At
the meet on Jan. 7, the first of
2010, the team beat Oregon
City, despite the absence of
at least six swimmers. Some
were sick, and some were at
a club meet, but despite the
low numbers, Maclain Marsh,
head coach, is satisfied with
the swimmers' results.
"It wasn't our best
meet," Marsh said, "but the
swimmers still did extremely
well."
Alexander Earhart, senior,
and Justus Highbarger,
freshman, both swam for
personal best times in their
respective 50 yard freestyle
races. Elliot Prince, junior,
achieved her best time, 5:57, in
the 500 yard freestyle. Lindsey
Gilmore, sophomore, swam
the 100 yard breast stroke in
1:14.
"Historically, we're not a
first place team," Marsh said.
"We're more like a second or
third place team, but we have
individuals that do extremely
well."
On Jan. 14, the team swam
against Lake Oswego, which
team captain Kevin Sellers,
senior, cites as their biggest
challenge. They lost, though
Gilmore, who expects the
team to win Districts, said the
races were close.
"The team was really into
it," Gilmore said.
Both Sellers and Gilmore
cited the addition of Marsh
as new head coach as a
contributing factor. Sellers
recalls past coaches that had
trouble putting swimmers
into their strong events.
"They would do that
to give the swimmers the
experience," Sellers said,
"but the team wouldn't win
because of it."
"There's a closer dynamic
now because the coach is
younger," Gilmore said.
Marsh graduated from West
Linn in 2005.
"You almost forget that he
is your superior," Sellers said.
Districts will take place on
Feb. 12 at Lake Oswego High
School at 2 p.m.
second place in the District
Championships. Through 2007,
the team won 11 District titles
in a row.
During the Oregon Classics
on Jan. 8 and 9, the team again
performed well. They won
their first dual meet against
Milwaukie. There were not
wrestlers to compete in the
heavyweight and 103 lb.
division, and the Lions had to
forfeit these matches creating
a three way tie between
McNary, Redmond and the
Lions. Then, it came down to
the numbers. Because of the
forfeits, West Linn did not win
enough matches to win the
tournament, and went home
with a still respectable fourth
place finish.
"Currently, I would say that
Braden Krellwitz, Christian
Wilson and Travis Schultzler,
MacClanathan, Paulson, and
Chay are carrying the team in
terms of matches," Samarron
said. "This year we are getting
off to a slow start and we are
lower in numbers but, we
should be fine in February
when it counts. And if we train
properly we might surprise
some people come the District
Championships. I think this is a
pretty tough team."
As ridiculous as it seems
and how depressing it sounds,
the Blazers have been reduced
to eight active players in
three games this season. First,
Nicolas Batum, forward, went
down with a shoulder injury.
Then, two of the three second
round draft picks followed.
Patty Mills, guard, was out for
the summer league games due
to a fracture in his right foot
which required surgery. The
other injured rookie was Jeff
Pendergraph, forward, who
underwent left hip surgery
Sept. 9.
The next one to go was
Travis Outlaw, forward, with
a left foot stress fracture, in
mid November. After that
was Rudy Fernandez, guard,
who had back spasms that
eventually led to a necessary
surgery in early December. He
returned in the win against
the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan.
13. After Fernandez, who else
but the head coach to rupture
his Achilles tendon during
practice? Nate McMillan
underwent surgery Dec. 7 but
was back by Dec. 15.
The big blow came when
Blazers center and 2007
number one draft pick, Greg
Oden, fell after trying to
block a shot by the Houston
Rockets and fractured his left
patella. Of course, it didn't stop
there. Pryzbilla went down
awkwardly on his knee after
going up for a rebound against
the Dallas Mavericks. He
dislocated his right patella and
ruptured the patella tendon.
Both were quickly determined
out for the season. The Blazers
are without a true center for
the season.
Due to all the injuries, the
National Basketball Association
allowed the Blazers two injury
exemptions. The team chose
to bring up Anthony Tolliver,
Idaho Stampede forward, from
the D-League. Tolliver didn't
play up to expectations so he
was sent back to the D-League.
The Blazers also signed Shavlik
Randolph on Dec. 30 for a 10
day contract. Randolph was
with the Blazers last year but
signed with the Miami Heat
over the offseason. He was
waived by Miami and picked
up by the Blazers who also
waived him and then decided
to resign him.
Pendergraph and Mills
were finally cleared to suit
up and play with the Blazers.
Pendergraph immediately
received crucial minutes and
proved he deserved more.
Mills was first assigned to the
D-League before being moved
up to play for the Blazers
after Steve Blake, guard, was
hospitalized. Mills scored 38
points and had 12 assists, while
adding seven of 10 three-
pointers playing in the D -
League but hasn't seen much
time with the Blazers.
After finding the spark at
the three-point line, Blake was
hospitalized with pneumonia.
He missed only four games
and returned to the lineup,
only playing seven minutes
and going scoreless in the loss
to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The next player to go was
the last player anybody ever
wanted to hear on the injured
list, Brandon Roy, guard. Roy
was listed as questionable for
the game against the Orlando
Magic due to a strained
hamstring which was shown
on an MRI taken Jan. 14.
Fans may be saying it's a
curse. Yes, it is unfortunate,
but thanks to general manager,
Kevin Pritchard, the Blazers
have been able to stay close to
taking first in the Northwest
Conference, usually one game
back of the Denver Nuggets.
At one point, the Blazers
were first in the Northwest
Conference and third in
Western Conference until the
loss of two straight games.
It only proves how great the
Blazers will be once injuries
subside— they'll have a strong
starting team and an even
stronger bench.
Surgery O c t 30 on right shoulder.
Returns on January road trip.
H o s p ita liz e d fo r p n e u m o n ia.
Missed four gam es.
D is lo c a te d rig h t p a te lla and
ruptured patella ten d o n . O ut
for season.
S u rg ery on Dec. 8 on back
Returned Jan. 18.
Fractured left patella. Out for
season.
Surgery on July 13th on right
foot. Returned Jan. 1.
Surgery on Sept. 8 on left hip.
Returned Dec. 19.
Surgery on Nov. 18 on left foot.
Out until March.
The Varsity Wrestling Team
is facing a difficult season with
very challenging competition.
After a disappointing first few
tournaments Doug Samarron,
head coach, pulled a great
performance out of the team
to finish at the Pacific Coast
Championships over winter
break.
Captains Michael
MacClanathan and Toney Chay,
seniors, turned in outstanding
matches with Chay winning
the championship at 140 lbs.
"In my coaching career,
Photo by Trade Krellwitz,Stop Action Memories
Brandon Schutzler, junior, pins a wrestler from Corvallis in the Crater
Wrestling tournament on Jan. 16. The Lions won fifth place.
Swimmers ring in new year with hope for Districts Win
E lise B rown
Photos courtesy of www.beyondthebeat.net,www.mkrob.com, www.realgm.com, poitiersbasket86.basketses-
sion.com, www.sportsrumormiil.com,photobucket.com, www.agentdagger.com, Ashley Sheron