Sports
February
Girls' Basketball Team hopes to stay in TRL top three
A lison F ieldhouse
Ending the preseason
at 7-2, the West Linn Girls7
Basketball team headed into
league with the momentum
of a five game winning
streak. On the road, they
defeated both Lake Oswego
and Lakeridge in their first
two league games.
"We've been road
warriors and we need to
carry our intensity from
non-league play into league
play,77 Glen Lee, head coach,
said.
In their first league game,
the Lions faced Lakeridge
and won 39-21. The team
was down 8-15 at the end
of the first quarter, but
scored eight points to end
the half 16-15. The second
half displayed the Lions'
defensive potential, as they
only gave up six additional
points to the Pacers.
7/We started out sluggish
as it was our first game after
break,77 Lee said.
The team won its second
league game against Lake
Oswego, 50-28. The game
went back and forth, but
West Linn was able to
hit some key shots that
helped them keep the lead
throughout the game.
The Lions faced some of
their toughest competition
in the second week of
league, including Oregon
City and Clackamas, two
of the top three teams in
the state. On paper, Oregon
City and Clackamas are
their toughest competition,
according to Lee.
In its third league game
against Oregon City, the
Lions lost 41-74. Their next
game, at which they wore
pink jerseys, warm-ups and
shoelaces to support breast
cancer, they lost 39-60 to
“We are our toughest competition. We
are a young squad and for many it’s
their first time playing at the varsity
level so we need to make sure we
are focused.
”
-Glen Lee, Head Coach
the next game, the team
continued with a 39-31 win
against Lake Oswego.
77We are our toughest
competition,77 Lee said. /7We
are a young squad and for
many it7s their first time
playing at the varsity level
so we need to make sure we
are focused.77
The lions lost for the
second time to Oregon City
in their eighth game, 46-71.
Following this loss, the team
played against Clackamas
for the second time and lost
47-60. In their tenth league
game, the team lost to
Canby, 59-67.
The team's main
concentration is currently
league games, but in the
back of their minds is their
TRL standing. This year, all
teams have the opportunity
to make playoffs, but the top
three teams from the TRL
will automatically advance
to the 32 team bracket.
Photo by Rachael Woolley
"Since we play everyone
Hayley Bigoni, senior, attempts a free throw during the Lions' Jan.
in our league three times,
14 Breast Cancer Awareness night against Clackamas. The team wore
we will know every
pink jerseys, warm-ups and shoelaces in support of Breast Cancer
team like the back of our
Awareness. They lost 39-60.
hand," Julia Boyd-Helm,
Clackamas, a game which
league game against Canby, sophomore, said. "If by
was a lot closer than the
winning 60-44. In their
chance we don't make the
score indicated, according
sixth game the lions faced
top three in league, we still
to Lee.
Lakeridge for the second
have a chance of playing in
They played their fifth
time and won 50-33. In
playoffs."
Deep Snowboard Team sets sights high for State
S eah P ebler _____________
The Snowboard Team
is led by its depth of
upperclassmen and features
the emerging talent this
season, according to head
coach Graham Peterson.
Some of the key boarders
returning to the slopes are
Nick McMillen, Andrew
Brown, Joshua Gertlar,
Trevor Harris, Kyle Holmes
and Drake Edwards,
seniors.
"1 believe that this is the
largest team that I have
coached. I also think that
we have the best coaching
staff that we have ever
had," Peterson said. "I'm
happy to say that we are
stronger than ever before."
In Peterson's opinion,
the coaches have been able
to incorporate the young
riders into the mix as well.
He believes that the four
year learning process can
contribute to much of the
development of a young
snowboarder.
"We are lucky enough to
start developing freshman
and work with them
through the years, this
process keeps our team
stocked with good riders,"
Peterson said.
On the girls' side of the
board there is talent to be
seen as well.
"I am really excited for
the girls this year. We have
a bunch of freshmen girls
who just joined and Kylie
Steele, who is a senior,
just joined too and I think
she's going to do pretty
Three Rivers meet of the
season. Some highlights
included both the boys and
Photo by Nancy Steele, Picture This Photography
Trevor Harris, senior, shreds the slopes in a recent meet at Mt. Hood
Meadows on Jan. 22. The team united for a strong showing, earning
first in both the boys and girls banked slalom competition
well," Edwards said. "And
as always, Gabby Estey
is going to be leading the
pack as far as competitions
g°-"
On Jan. 22, the team
competed in their first
girls side placing first in the
banked slalom competition.
Michael Foushee, freshman,
earned first in the boys
snowboard cross, with
Estey coming in second on
the girls side.
The team's second
meet took place on Jan.
30. Foushee and Holmes
finished 1,2, respectively, in
the boys halfpipe, leading
to the lions earning first
place in the team halfpipe
competition.
Estey, junior, placed
fourth in both the half
pipe and snowboard cross
last season at the State
competition.
For the riders, everything
is geared towards their
preparation for the State
meet.
"Ultimately everything
is building toward State,"
Peterson said. "At State
we face the toughest
competition, therefore a
success at the state level is
the ultimate measure of our
riders' skills."
"Snowboarding is really
fun, but when it's done
with a group of fun people
that's when it's the best
and I think that's the kind
of attitude we all have,"
Edwards said.
State is a compilation
of what each rider has
achieved throughout the
season, and the builds
upon the knowledge and
experience of the slopes
that the riders can gain.
"For us, success has two
elements. First, how we do
in competition, and second,
the experience that each
rider walks away with
at the end of the season,"
Peterson said.
Dance team
progresses
toward state
competition
continued from page 11
"Our amazing coaches
(Wilcox), Angie Sharpe, Ka-
rissa Hanno and Shammra
Smith truly inspire us not
only as a team, but also
as individuals with their
combined background ex
perience and knowledge,"
Zaayer said. "They have
our best interests in mind
and have taught us that
hard work and integrity
will have benefits beyond
the dance team."
The first competition
was held on Jan. 29 at
Canby High School, where
the team placed second
overall. They fell short of
first place Parkrose by 1.61
points.
"This placing has mo
tivated us to continue on
with hard work and dedi
cation for the upcoming
competitions and the final
State competition in mid-
March," Johnson said.
Competitions continue
every other weekend start
ing Feb. 19 until the state
meet on March 16 at the
Memorial Colliseum.