2011
Brown channels personal skills from his commitment
J ack L ammers __________________
Standing atop the halfpipe
winners' podium is where
Andrew Brown, senior,
witnessed the combination of
his passion and success. With
friends at his side and the
ability to experiment with a
relatively novel sport, Brown
observed that what drew
him to snowboarding is its
development.
"I love participating in the
sport because I can be a part
of one of the most progressive
sports in the world," Brown
said.
Brown's last four years
on the Snowboard Team
gave him a true feel for the
sport and the program's
advancement. As he has
pressed through his high
school career, he has seen
himself develop among
and away from the powder,
but seeing the capability to
intertwine a pastime with
other aspects of his character
gives Brown motivation as he
heads towards college.
"Andrew has always been a
strong rider across the board.
He doesn't always get on the
podium, but he consistently
scores in the top 10 within the
Photo courtesy of John Gertiar
Andrew Brown, senior, performs a method air at Mount Hood
Meadows during a halfpipe competition on Feb 12. This season Andrew
placed consistently within the top ten in league for the halfpipe and
in this competition Brown took seventh among six other teammates
in the top ten.
league," Graham Peterson,
head coach, said. "This
consistency helps keep our
Ski Team takes first at State
T y C larke
A nother State
Cham pionship can be added
to the West Linn trophy
case, c o u r te s y o f th e B o y 's
Ski Team. They finished
off a season that saw a first
place finish in every league
meet. The boys took first in
the State com petition, w hich
w as held in Bend M arch
2-4, w hile the girls finished
fourth. Overall, both the
boys and girls com bined to
finish third.
"Honestly, the
team did far
better
than
I could
have
im agined.
I knew that West
Linn
Ski
^
team
w a s
very
good, and had a large
quantity of am azing racers,"
head coach Cooper Raasch
said. "I knew they had w hat
it took to w in, bu t State has
to be 100 percent m istake
free, a single crash from
a racer can ruin a teams
chance at victory. This team
w as alm ost perfect last
w eek, and this is w hy they
are cham pions."
The team had high
placing individuals as well.
M ackenzie Burns, senior,
took first place overall
for the second year in a
row. The boys also had
an individual first place
finish of their own; Stephan
Splistoser finished in first
place overall. An overall
first place finish consists of
a com bination Salom and
G iant Salom
overall team scores strong.
Andrew has also helped the
younger riders by riding with
them and having a positive
attitude."
This year, the senior class
has forged a reputation for
the team as a powerhouse
"M ackenzie and Stephan
are sim ply two of the best
skiers in Oregon, and ski
fast every time they are on a
co u rse," R aasch said. "They
m ake w inning look easy."
The success on the slopes
has not been the only thing
that has developed this year.
The team chem istry has
grown as well. Raasch says
the team has becom e a large
family.
"I have gained a
great deal of respect
for the athletes
on this team,
and the
Photo courtesy of Paul Ramsey
Stephan Splistoser, junior, flies
down the mountain during the
State competition. Splistoser’s
first place overall finish headlined
the competition for a boys’ team
that won the State title.
seniors w ill be m issed next
year," he said. The head
coach is not the only one
w ho feels this way.
"I think the team has
definitely becom e closer to
each other due to the fact
that w e are all very outgoing
and nice people, not to
m ention the shared love of
skiing," Splistoser said. "I,
along w ith the coaches, have
also seen an im provem ent
in the ski racing abilities
am ong the racers on the
team , and this is possible
because our team is very
balanced and we are always
chasing each other and
striving to do better."
displaying skills in a
seemingly effortless fashion,
something that contradicts the
great deal of practice hours
and their attention to detail. *
On Feb. 12, Brown was among
12 other teammates to place
in the top 15 in a league half
pipe competition.
"He is part of a strong
foundation that supports the
whole team and creates an
environment for progression,"
Peterson said.
What Brown discerned
from his experience is the
multidimensional advantages
of the sport. According to
Brown, snowboarding takes
on roles of both internal
motivation as well as stimulus
through the support of
teammates.
"The individual
commitment is one thing, but
what is most appealing about
the team is its creation of a
friendly atmosphere where
you can experience teamwork
and progress," Brown said.
Outside of snowboarding,
Brown commands a
difficult schedule including
international relations, AP
Statistics and AP Spanish.
Brown also holds a spot on
the Boys' Varsity Tennis Team
this spring, another sport in
which he excels.
Brown's future will mostly
deviate from his competitive
snowboarding career, but
according to Peterson, the
effect Brown has on his
teammates and on the team's
dynamic is a feat that will
easily flow into successes,
whether they emerge on his
first day at business school or
on the path to his vocation,
whatever that may be.
"(Brown) has left a positive
impact on the program.
Hopefully, he has learned the
value of working toward a
goal and what is takes to be
successful," Peterson said.
Next year he plans to
attend the University of
Portland Business School
and as Peterson has
acknowledged, Brown's
character is obviously
transferable to other aspects
of his life.
"Andrew has become a
very well-rounded rider over
the years. He has developed
a calm focus that makes him
a great competitor," Peterson
said. "That type of focus will
be a great asset for Andrew on
and off the hill."
Wrestlers conclude State meet behind
stellar second place finish by Harman
A ustin C ummins
The Wrestling Team finished
their season with a 13th place
finish out of 45 teams at the
State meet. The tournament
was highlighted with a second
place finish by Ryan Harman,
junior, in the 171 lb. weight
class.
"I thought it was pretty
awesome because it was my
first time at State," Harman
said. "Last year I wasn't that
good and I improved over the
last year. It showed how much
better I got."
Coaches agree that Harman
improved greatly since last
season, with many believing
he put in some of the best
performances of his career.
"Ryan Harman did great,"
Geoff Bingham, assistant coach,
said. "To finish in fourth at
regionals and then go on to win
second at State, he wrestled the
best tournament of his life."
Other highlights included
teammates Anthoney Chay,
senior, and Braden Krellwitz,
junior, placing third and sixth,
respectively.
It proved to be more difficult
to advance to State with the
new lineup format according
to Bingham and Samarron.
Instead of having two 32-man
brackets, the tournament
now has 16-man brackets,
meaning fewer wrestlers from
each school moved on and
competed in fewer matches.
"The State Tournament
had the toughest 16 kids (per
weight) in the state battling for
a place on the podium," Doug
Samarron, head coach, said.
We had three out of four stand
Bingham said.
The team also earned a
second place finish in the Kirk
Photo courtesy of Trade Krellwitz, Stop Action Memories
Ryan Harman, junior, wrestles his Canby opponent to the ground at
State. Harman won the match by a decision of 4-3, placing second in
the 171 lb. class at the State Tournament on Feb. 26-27.
on that podium, proving that
hard work and a little extra
effort pays off."
The team competed at
Districts on Feb. 18-19, with
four of the eight seeded
competitors placing above
fourth. Against other league
competitors, Krellwitz placed
first, Chay earned second,
Michael Skoczylas, junior, won
third and Harman achieved
fourth. These top four wrestlers
moved on to compete at the
State tournament.
"Going to Regionals was
tough as a team, and State's
new format made it difficult,
but we did a great job and
we've come a long way from
the beginning of the season,"
Spencer Invitational held Feb.
.
6
"It was funny. Even though
we had placed second to
Glencoe, we beat Westview,
who had beaten Glencoe in the
past," Bingham said. The main
highlight was when Michael
Webb, freshman, pinned an
opponent who was at least 70
lbs. heavier than he is.
There will be many key
wrestlers returning to compete
next season, leading to a sense
of optimism in the program.
"Three out of the four
(from State) are returning next
year with solid experience. I
am excited about West Linn
wrestling and building future
champions!" Samarron said.