Image provided by: West Linn High School; West Linn, OR
About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2011)
10 Sports March Tennis Every high school sports team, from football to golf, includes winning a league title as one of its goals at the beginning of the season. The boys' tennis team achieved this goal last year, sharing the Three Rivers League title with Lake Oswego and Lakeridge. With only two seniors lost from last year, the Lions are looking to compete for another title. The team is led by a core group of seniors who head coach Ward Lewis calls very talented. "They enjoy competing against each other, and they are friends," Lewis said. "Will they bring their 'A' game to practice? Will they beat on each other? It's better if they do because playing the Lake Oswego schools is bloody." While the Lake Oswego schools are the two biggest competitors for the Lions, new league additions could change the outlook of the league this year. Both Canby and Grant are now in the TRL for tennis, and they bring a new set of challenges with them. "Grant has the third best player in the state, and we wonder how deep they are," Lewis said. Girls' Tennis Expectations: A tougher league schedule with the new additions: Canby and Grant Impact newcomers: Mitchell Tingey, freshman, Craig Wright, sophomore, and Anthony To, junior. Thoughts on last year: "The Lions gritted out a league title shared with Lake Oswego and Lakeridge. They did it with hard work, but expect to be more seasoned and play at a higher level this year—we will have to," Ward Lewis, head coach. Returning veterans: Seniors Arthur To, Ken Tsu- ruta, Dylan Martin, Andrew Brown, Micah Wiard, Kabir Samra, Thomas Ward, Ryan Scott-Deeter, Christopher DelBene and Preston Rattle along with Jonathan Macemon and William Risenhoover, juniors. Big matches: All matches against Lake Oswego, Lakeridge and Grant. Pre-season training: Tryouts coupled with practice single and double matches. "For years Lake Oswego and Lakeridge passed the TRL title back and forth across the lake. But the Lions have won six of the last seven league championships, and the Lake Oswego schools resent this, so they have plenty of motivation to beat us." —Ward Lewis, head coach. Expectations: "I am expecting at least five girls to make it to the State tournament and have the team as a whole placed in the top three in league," Ke Ounaphom, head coach, said. Thoughts on last year: M I think we could have done better, but we were still learning and unsure of what spots we would be playing," Eta Santoro, junior, said. "I'm satisfied with our efforts last year and know we can definitely improve this year." Returning veterans: Amanda Wagner and Natalie Smith, seniors, Emily Erbin, junior, and Emily Shea Big m atches: Lake Osw ego, C lackam as and Lakeridge T y C larke ___________________ The Girls' Tennis Team has a new sense of calm this season after struggling with a multitude of line up changes that shook the Lions last year. The team lost only two seniors from last season and is expecting bigger things this year. "I'm glad that our team is pretty much set this year because we have a lot of the same people coming back," Eta Santoro, junior, said. "I think this can make us successful because everyone has experience." Last year, the team tied for third in the Three Rivers League. Amanda Wagner, senior, was the sole member of the team who qualified for State. Despite some struggles that came with the line-up changes of last season, the team expects to improve this year. "The organization of who was playing what and when was not so great," Kristin Nesbit, junior, said. "Hopefully this year will be more organized so that there's no confusion or anger among players." The team started the season off with success, winning a close match against St. Mary's on March 11. Photo by Alex Houston Megan Wakefield and Johanna Seider, sophomores, participate in Girl's Tennis tryouts on March 1. Expecations: With most Varsity players returning and many experienced junior varsity golfers ready to play at a higher level, the team has high expecta tions to lead the team back to the State Tournament Impact newcomers: CJ Sitton, Caleb Archuleta and Hayden Coppedge, freshmen Thoughts on last year: After placing second at Districts, the team followed with a slightly disap pointing State Tournament Returning veterans: Zachary Foushee, Connor Jetton and Bryant Bushnell, juniors, and Charlie Moore, sophomore Big games: Every week the team faces fierce com petition, including the addition of Grant and Canby to the Three Rivers League Pre-season training: Individual responsibility of practicing and putting in extra time at the course "One of the things that sets golf apart is the ability to play against everyone in the league every week. Every match this season we play against the reigning State Champions." —Justin Paredes, head coach S ean P ebler _____________ The Boys' Golf Team returns this season after placing second at Districts to the eventual State champion, Lake Oswego, last season. Competition is set at a high level with the addition of Grant and Canby to the league, according to head coach Justin Paredes. "We have added two teams to the Three Rivers League that went to the State Tournament last year," Paredes said. "The bar is set high every week by our competition." In their first league match on March 28 at Stonecreek Golf Course, the team placed second behind a strong individual performance from Foushee, who shot a 67. "Wet have a lot of confidence and talent this year, and we have the potential to be one of the top teams in the state," Bryant Bushnell, junior, said. Fre*»ea«*<yn +rm ni r >g : In d o o r p la y to a v o id ra in , along with conditioning. "We're a pretty tightly bonded group this year. Everyone knows each other and their abilities." — Eta Santoro, junior Boys' G olf Photo by Alex Houston Carli Wilson, sophomore, cradles the ball as she advances upheld during a recent lacrosse practice. Girls' Lacrosse Expecations: To place fourth or higher in the Three Rivets League Impact newcomers: Nearly 10 freshmen who are ready to show their skills on Varsity Thoughts on last year: Competed with the top three teams in the league Returning veterans: Connie Swanson and Claire Offer, seniors, and Hannah Weber, junior Big games: All league games Pre-season training: Open fields scheduled peri odically since the beginning of winter sports "Although I hope to be more competitive this season, we're always more than happy to take brand new players or girls interested in a new sport. La crosse in its higher levels takes an amazing amount of athleticism and is an amazing cross-trainer for soccer, basketball, and other sports." — Megan Elston, head coach Boys' Lacrosse Expecations: Mark Flood, head coach, believes the spring break trip to Arizona will contribute to the chemistry of the team. Impact newcomers: James Squires and Andrew Weinhart, juniors , Payton Germain, senior, and Jack McMenomy, sophomore Thoughts on last year: Second half comeback by Lincoln led to first-round playoff loss to the Cardinals. Returning veterans: Eric Pitassi, Christian Wilson and Brandon Schutzler, seniors, and Kevin Cathcart, Sean Byme and Corey Etheredge, juniors Big games: Non-league games against Lincoln, Or egon Episcopal School and two Colorado teams, and league play against Lake Oswego and Lakeridge. Pre-season training: Speed and conditioning training on Tuesdays and Thursdays since the beginning of the school year, with open fields periodically. "Even though we lost so many players graduating last year, I'm very confident in the group of guys. If we work hard the State Title is wide open for anyone to take." —Kevin Cathcart, junior attack S ean F ebler _________________ S ean P ebler ____________.____ As the Girls Lacrosse Team approaches the meat of their schedule, the players are setting their sights on the top tier of the Three Rivers League, according to head coach Megan Elston. "We're in the toughest league in the state, and although we lost pretty bad to the three top teams in the TRL, we showed noticeable improvement against them," Elston said. "We also had excitingly close games with Clackamas, and I hope they become a new rival in the girls lacrosse world." With three upperclassmen as the leaders on the team, many expect younger players to step up to compete for a spot on the Varsity squad. "We have a huge freshman class with a lot of potential for our upcoming season," Weber, junior attack, said. "Watch for West Linn Girls Lacrosse all around the state, it's going to be huge." The team played in their first game on March 15, defeating Wilsonville in a close battle, 9-8. The Boys' Lacrosse Team expects to come together and build team chemistry at its spring break trip to Arizona, according to head coach Mark Flood. "Our spring break trip to Arizona will tell us a lot of what we can expect from this team," Flood said. "We are young but very skilled. This trip gives the kids a chance to get in a lot of extra work and bond." With such a short amount of time before the retreat and many athletes missing the first few practices due to winter sports, Flood feels that this trip is pivotal to the team's early success. "With only two weeks of pre-season practice and lots of kid missing for skiing and other sports, this trip will give us much needed time on the field together," Flood said. On March 16, the team played in their first pre-season game of the season, defeating Liberty 15-2. After a playoff loss in the quarterfinals to Lincoln last season the team expects to travel deeper into the State playoffs.
