Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Page A-3
Sports
Cougar grapplers compete at state
Jason McMillen
IVN Contributing Writer
The entire Illinois Valley High
School (IVHS) wrestling team,
consisting of Chase Nelson, Ayden
Lindsey and Dillion St. Onge, made it
to the state competition this year held
Feb. 24 and 25.
St. Onge, a junior, took fifth
place for his weight class which was
an improvement over his personal
performance last year which landed
him in sixth. The other members of
the team wrestled valiantly, but were
eliminated before placing.
In the past, sophomore Lindsey
and St. Onge had been to the state
competition at least once. For Nelson,
a junior, it was his first time.
Zach Arythenotta, one of the
coaches of the team and lifelong
resident of Cave Junction, has been
coaching for around six seasons and
helped to lead the trio through two
practices a day in preparation for
the tournament. The diligent and
dedicated team showed up every
day before class at 6 a.m. to do
strength and conditioning exercises,
then after school, they met up again
to work on drilling and technique.
“Just hard work,” Arythenotta
replied, when asked why he thought
the entire team made it to the state
competition, “The kids, for the most
part, showed up every day and tried
to better themselves.” In all, the team
participated in some 35 to 40 matches
before they were qualified to compete
at state.
“My uncle Jay’s been the head
coach there for quite some time,”
Arythenotta said before explaining that
Jay is a national hall of fame wrestling
coach and that the program itself
is solid. According to Arythenotta,
elements of his team make it to state,
“every year,” but this is the first season
that the entire team made it. However,
with bigger teams in the past, it is not
the largest amount of students that had
qualified for attendance.
A big problem facing the IVHS
wrestling team is that there are not
enough students participating. Their
lightweight competitor did not have
an equal opponent to practice against
for a good portion of the season
since the other student in his weight
class dropped out of the program.
“We’re kind of in a slump right now,”
Arythenotta said of the situation,
“because numbers are down and we
haven’t had the numbers coming up
from the youth, but the youth is a
pretty strong program, so in about four
or five years we’ll be back on top.
“As bummed as we are about
the season being over we’re already
looking forward to next season,”
Arythenotta explained, before adding
that all three team mates and current
coaching staff are planning on
competing again next year.
Throughout the offseason the
team will be assembling for practices
a couple of days a week so that they
don’t lose what they’ve gained.
Ladies falter in second half, season comes to an end
Ray Brown
IVN Contributing Writer
The Lady Cougars were seeded
to open their state playoff run by
having to take on the No. 1 3A
team, Salem Academy and traveled
to Salem to represent their school
Saturday, Feb. 25.
Coach Serena Barry gave an
account of the final game: “Tori
Johnson led the Cougars in scoring
with 14 points, going six for eight
from the free-throw line. Aundrea
Miller had eight points, also going
six for eight from the line. Final score
was 26-47.
“I am proud of how hard the
girls played against the No. 1 team
in the state. We were out sized at
every position, but the girls weren’t
intimidated and came out strong. We
played a tough first half, going into
halftime only down two points, 15-
17, and controlling the tempo of the
game.
“However, in the third quarter,
they were able to adjust to our
defense and their size and ability
started to take over as they began to
crash the boards and set more screens
for their star point guard Aimee
Smith, who was the high scorer with
18 points. We struggled to score in
the third and the fourth and weren’t
able to match their production.
“Overall, I am happy with our
performance and with how we ended
the season with good attitudes and
having fun. Our seniors Aundrea
Miller, Tori Johnson, and Roza Jonas
have done so much for this program
and they will be missed.”
And don’t forget about coach
Serena Barry. This young lady is
much like this year’s team, achieving
more success than expected. There
was a basketball coach at Denair
High School in the 1960s and 1970s,
Glen Loftin, and a volleyball coach at
No. 25 senior Tori Johnson led the Cougars in points during the road playoff loss in Salem Saturday, Feb. 25.
cruz
Wednesdays
@ 9 p.m.
KARAOKE
w/ Steve - OH
TIM MITCHELL
Saturday the 4th @ 6 p.m.
F r i d a y, M a r c h 3
5:30 PM
March 3 & 4 @ 9 p.m.
KARAOKE
is one of these coaches that have a
knack for bringing out strengths of
both the individual and the team, and
we’re fortunate to have her in this
town. Thanks Coach!
(Photo by Michelle Binker, Illinois Valley News)
Art’s Red
Garter M i c h a e l
Live Music
Ripple Effect
Fall River High School from around
2000 to present, Kelly Freeland-Sloat.
These two coaches could take an
undersized group of underdogs and
mold them into champions. Barry
Friday, March 3 @ 9 p.m
Saturday Pool Tourney @ 7
Every Wednesday Free pool on Sundays
from
Open MIC Night
6 - 8 p.m.
Taylor’s
Country Store
Fridays @ 6 p.m.
J Barley
Sportsman
Tavern
The
G SPOT
Hump day Karaoke
w/ Jammer Dave
8-midnight
Open Mic w/ B
Thursdays @ 7 p.m.
OPEN: Tues. - Sat.
6 PM - MIDNIGHT
Willie &
the Poor
Boys
March 3 @ 9 p.m., $5
Eat
@
McGrew’s!