Wednesday, October 28, 1992
Sports
TheClackamasPrint
Pg. 11
Women look forward to upcoming hoops season
by Melissa Baughman
[Staff Writer
The talent on the Lady
Cougar Basketball team may be
the best kept secretin the league.
Coach Kim Spaulding prefers it
this way.
“I think a lot of schools
don’t realize that I had a pretty
good recruiting year,” the sec­
ond year head coach explained.
‘We’ve got some freshman who
can play!” x
Jenny Topham, Wendy
Nielson, Brandy Toivonen and
Jill Warrington are all returning
from last year's team, which fin-
■ished sixth in league.
“I think this year we have a
stronger sophomore base and our
¡freshman group is really tal­
ented,” the sole returning starter,
Topham, said. “The key to our
»success this year will be our
^■efense,”
Another key to the success of
the women’s basketball team may
be the appointment of the new
Assistant Coach, Trev Kiser. Coach
Spaulding is very excited about
her new assistant. He has proved
to have a lot of valuable input.
“He brings a new perspec­
tive, which works well,” Kim said.
According to the coaches, the 12
girls are working extremely hard
during the preseason and Spauld­
ing is very happy with the way
things are going. They are prac­
ticing five days a week and con­
centrating on getting in shape. The
girls have come together as a team
early on.
“There is no reason we
shouldn’t finish near the top,’’
Spaulding said. “With four re­
turners and the freshmen, look for
a very successful season in league
and beyond.”
Coach Kim Spaulding watches attentively as two freshmen basketball players work on
quick drives and defense at a recent practice.
Men’s basketball squad strives to be competitive
■■EM
uvpiiuuivic yuoiu di ci H uuiiiiaun relays a pass to a ream mate in a recent practice. The
men's team begins league pay on Jan. 6 against Portland Community College.
Wrestling team boasts depth
by Frank Jordan
Staff Writer
“For the first time, we should
be strong from top to bottom,
not just in the middle weights,”
commented Head Wrestling
Coach Jim Jackson whende-
■cribing his team for the up-
coming season.
Seventy wrestlers turned out
for the opening practice on Oct.
5 and according to Jackson, “We
have 50 or so of those guys who
could make a real impact on our
team, no question.”In fact, this
■earn may be so strong, that “it
might be easier to focus on our
weak points because we have
such a strong group,” Jackson
said.
Fifteen wrestlers are back
m a successful season last
■ear, in which Clackamas sent
five individuals to the National
Knior College Athletic Asso-
■iation (NJCAA) champion-
ships. Included among those
■turning grapplers this year are
■lake Tompkins from Boise,
■>, who was a Re gion 18 cham­
pion and also placed 8th at Na­
tionals last season, Travis Bon­
neau, from Portland, who was a
Region 18 champion, and also went
to Nationals last season but did not
place, and David Evans, from
Bandon, who last season defeated
all 3 of the wrestlers who qualified
for the National meet.
Jackson was disappointed to
find out that Brian Kiley, who was
a Region 18 champion last season
and placed fourth at Nationals,
decided not to return to school this
term.
The loss of Kiley, however,
will not detract from the impact
that the new wrestlers will have on
the program. “This is the best
recruiting class that I have ever
had here at Clackamas,” Jackson
said. “Not only in the quantity,
but in the quality of people.”
Among the new people are 16
who finished in the top 4 in their
weight classes in their respective
high school championships, includ­
ing four state champions.
“We also have four wrestlers
that transferred from other col­
leges, including Tommy Doman,
from Woodbum, who went to
Ricks College (in Rexburg, ID)
and placed third at the National
tournament last year,” Jackson
commented.
The Cougar wrestling sea­
son opens with the CCC Take­
down Tournament on Sat., Nov.
7. Junior, high school and col­
lege wrestlers will participate in
this annual event. The regular
season opens with a triangular
meet with Highline Community
College and the Oregon Thun­
derbolt Wrestling Club on Wed.,
Nov. 18.
“This is one of the strongest
teams that we have ever put on
the mat,” Jackson said. “We would
like to take eight or more guys to
the National meet in Bismarck,
ND, something we haven’t done
in a long time.”
“We are just trying to hold
the excitement down and let the
season come. Just let the chips
fall where they may, but I think
that we will be all right,” said
Jackson.
by Jason Eck
Staff Writer
The Clackamas Commu­
nity College men’s basketball
team is looking to be a tough
competitor in the coming sea­
son.
Coach Royce Kiser has sev­
eral returning players this sea­
son.
They include: Dan
Conover, a 6’2” guard; Brent
Johnson, a 6’2” guard; Brian
Peterson, a 6’4” wing; Jon
Dahlin, a 6?3" wing; Jeff Lau-
ritzen, a 6’5” post; and Jake
Petersen, a 6’5” post.
After arespectable 20-win
season and a third place finish
behind Lane and Chemeketa
Community Colleges, Coach
Kiser feels that this year, “Every
team’s a contender.” He fears
that each team in the NWAACC
will be tough, but specifically
said, “Thé strong contenders
will be Umpqua, Chemeketa
and Lane.” He went on to say,
“Whoever comes out of our league
usually wins the NWAACC
championship.” That has hap­
pened five out of the last six
years, with Clackamas capturing
it in 1987.
“Overall, we should be bet­
ter,” Kiser said of the coming
season. He based this observa­
tion on two factors. First, he com­
mented that the Cougars have a
better starting five this year. And
secondly, he said that they have
better depth in their lineup. He
also said that Glen Kiser, a 6’7”
standout player, would be missed.
He played for Clackamas last
year and was selected as a first-
team, all-league member.
The Cougars open the sea­
son when they travel to Longview,
WA., to play in the Red Devil
Tournament on Nov. 27-29. The
men begin league play when they
play host to Portland Commu­
nity College on Jan. 6.
SPORTS SPOTLIGHT
NAME: Blake TûrapfânT ;
SPORT:Wrestling
YEARiSe^tomote
,
HEIGHT: 5’’ •
WEIGHT: 134 lbs.
PREVIOOÏ.'/
J’ ,
SCH00ii j :Ç^nïénn jal. : ; :
High: Schoolîfi là$to : :
MAJOR: HealthEducation
FUTURE PLANS: .To
attend Boise State Üniv-
Education.
FAVORITE ATHLETE:
i John Smith (a three-time Olym
picchampion)
IF YOU COULD BE ANY«
•THING IN THE WORLD,
WH AT WOULD YOU BE?
An Olympic champion
SPORTS BRIEFS
The Fellow Christian Athletes
iFCA) is holding a meeting
onight at 5 p.m. in Randallk,
R003. Any questions? Contact
fratine Woods at ext 2418.
Come and join the fun! Intra
mural Flag Football begins :
Round Robin tournament
Games are on Tues, and Thurs
at 12:30 p.m..
. ..