|
Sports
|
Written by Desmond Jones
|
|
Monday, 04 January 2010 |
|
Every time the Grant Generals' women’s soccer team stepped out onto the field in 2009, they were facing more than just another team; they were also up against mediocre expectations. The Generals were written off as an “average at best” team before they even had a chance to lace up their cleats. “We really outdid our expectations,” senior Natalie Abbott recalls.
Even with the low expectations hanging around, the Generals managed to finish second in the PIL, outlast PIL champions Lincoln in the playoffs, and make it to the quarterfinal round, where they lost 4-3 in a competitive game to South Salem. “I’m so proud that we made it to the quarterfinals!” senior Emma Forslund exclaims.
Although soccer is a team sport, there were some noteworthy individual efforts. Ten players made the all-league team; four on the first team, three on the second team, and another three making honorable mention. The team also saw a new up-and-coming star arise in freshman Parkes Kendrick. “She’s become such a strong player,” Forslund comments. “Her confidence really improved towards the end of the season.”
Two members of the varsity team managed to overcome ACL tears, one of the most threatening injuries among female athletes, and participate this season. “It was good that Lauren Reifer and Stephanie Welty were able to come back from injuries and contribute to the team,” says junior Anna Judge.
Even though the Generals managed to silence critics many times this season, the same questions will surface in the future. “We only have five seniors leaving,” Forslund states. “The team will still be really strong next year.” Judge believes that “We will be fine, although we will still need to work hard.” Forslund, who will not be returning next year, encourages her teammates to “stay strong next year, make it to the finals, girls!”
The women’s soccer team hopes to feed off of the experiences from this year, and continue to assert themselves as a dominant program. Their first goal for next season: to “beat Lincoln” and win a league championship.
|
|
|
Written by Will Watkins
|
|
Monday, 04 January 2010 |
|
November 4th was a hard night for the Grant women’s volleyball team. They suffered a rough loss against Clackamas in a 3-0 set sweep, knocking them out of playoffs. “I thought we did well, we just needed to play with more heart,” says junior Virginia Keil. “We fell apart and broke down.” It was an unfortunate end to the girls’ season.
While the girls had some problems during their playoff game that night, their season as a whole was amazing; they did far better than anyone expected. Last year, the Generals placed fourth in the PIL, missing out on the playoffs. This year, with the help of a few transfers and a newfound inspiration to succeed, they managed to place second in the PIL.
Two new transfer students joined the team this year: Claire Chappuis and Jade Beavers. The transfers added a lot to the team dynamic, and were a big factor behind the Generals’ success. “I thought we brought in a good aspect and added to the team strength,” says Beavers.
According to the players, last year’s team was not all that strong, and this year’s was expected by many to be just the same. However, the Generals stepped up to the plate, and are now in the top 30 in state, when last year they were ranked around 200. The Generals had four first-team all-league PIL, as well as one second-team player and one honorable mention. This showed the individual as well as team strength during the regular season.
But what made the Generals' season so successful? It was a new team with lots of younger players, and this year was expected to be a “rebuilding year.” The entire team is made up of two sophomores, one senior, and the rest juniors. The team started one sophomore, one senior, and four juniors.
The younger players really earned their stripes this year, despite the fact that nobody expected them to do particularly well in league play. Varsity had very few returning players, and the new players this year did their part to contribute to the Generals' strong PIL finish.
As strong as this year’s team was, next year's will be even better. “I know we’re going to win PIL next year,” says Keil. “It’s not a goal, it’s a fact.” The Generals are all very confident in next year’s team and believe that they will go far in state after taking the PIL championship. Next year, the Grant volleyball team plans to make a name for itself, and earn the respect of other teams in the state.The team is sure to be a powerhouse in years to come. |
|
|
Written by Will Watkins
|
|
Monday, 04 January 2010 |
|
The men’s and women’s cross country programs were both in a rebuilding process this year, working to return to the level they once reached when Coach Cotton was still at Grant. Both teams failed to qualify for state, finishing a “disappointing” third in the PIL. “Although we ran hard and competed well all season,” senior Aidan Smith commented, “we fell apart at the district meet.”
“Frustrating,” was the one word used by senior Melanie Becic to describe this year's cross-country season for the Grant Generals. The boys’ and girls’ seasons were brought to an unfortunate and abrupt end when both teams placed third in the PIL city track meet, falling just short of state qualifications for the second year in a row.
One of the most disappointing things about the General’s cross-country season this year was the number of strong seniors running on both teams. The girls are graduating four of their top seven runners, while the boys are graduating six. Luckily three of the six Grant runners who qualified for state, Lily Martin, Ragan Allen, and Daniel Slaughter will all be returning to the team next year, along with a strong batch of sophomores and freshmen from the JV and Freshman squads.
While disappointing in some regards, it was hardly what one could call an unsuccessful season. Both teams did very well at the Nike Pre-Nationals in late September, with the boys finishing first in their division and the girls finishing second. The boys were led by Robert Macy who ran a 16:22 to finish third, and the girls by Ragan Allen, who ran a 19:56 to finish seventh. The boys’ team also finished five runners in the top 25, and the girls finished four.
The Generals had a very strong year, and were unluckily cut out of the state meet. “It was a really fun season,” said senior captain Aidan Smith, seeing a brighter side to the cross-country wteam’s less than desirable finish. “We had a great time and ran some great races.”
The team still has very high hopes for next year, despite the high number of graduating seniors. The younger runners will surely step up to the plate and lead grant to the state meet next year. The Generals look forward to another strong and successful season. |
|
|
Written by Will Watkins
|
|
Monday, 04 January 2010 |
|
Things were looking bad for the Grant Generals football team at the end on the first quarter in their Round Two playoff game against Central Catholic. However, the Generals were able to dig deep, find their rhythm, make some electrifying plays, and score 50 unanswered points against the Rams, sending them to the quarterfinals. “We just needed some clutch plays to get us started,” says quarterback and captain Kenneth Acker. “Once we got going, we were able to take control.”
One of these big plays was Acker’s phenomenal punt return in the second quarter. He ran the ball for 32 yards, breaking tackles every step of the way, running from one sideline to the other to give the Generals the boost they needed to turn the game around. The video of this play has been watched over 6,000 times on Youtube, and was played on ESPN SportsCenter as one of the top plays of the week. Another turnaround play was made by junior safety Byron Brown, who picked off a pass early in the second quarter and ran it back for a touchdown. These two plays managed to pull the Generals back in the game, and ignite their big 50-14 win over Central Catholic.
The game was a reflection of the Generals’ fantastic 10-2 season, in which they lost only to Canby in the pre-season, and Jesuit in the quarterfinals. The Generals had the potential to win State, but ran into trouble in their game against Jesuit. “We could have beat Jesuit. We just couldn’t find the end zone,” says Brown, reflecting on the team's 33-0 loss against Jesuit. The Generals definitely had the skills to go all the way, they just came up short.
Even so, the Generals were very strong in league play. They reclaimed the PIL title this year after losing it to Lincoln last season. They were easily the strongest team in the PIL this year, going 4-0 in league play, and beating Lincoln 31-21. They also had 11 first-team PIL players, including Acker who won the awards for both offensive and defensive player of the year and Diallo Lewis who won Coach of the Year.
Acker led the team in passing yards and touchdowns with 927 yards and 14 touchdowns, and Booker Wells led all receivers with 513 yards and 8 touchdowns. Junior Trevionte Riley was the team’s leading rusher with 1101 yards and 15 touchdowns. Acker also led the team in interceptions returned for touchdowns with six.
Grant hopes to come back next year and have another strong season. They will come out ready to defend their PIL title and go all the way to the State Championship game. “It will be our goal to win the championship next year. It is always our goal to win the championship,” says Lewis. The Grant Generals’ football program is sure to be a contender for the state title for years to come.
|
|
|
Written by Arainnia Brown
|
|
Friday, 30 October 2009 |
|
The Missouri Tiger’s quarterback looks downfield, clutching the football with all of his might. He spots an open player, tipping the football high in the air to make the throw. Another player hits the ball, sending the play into a blur with players being tackled everywhere on the field. When the commotion is over, Nebraska Huskers lineman, Ndamukong Suh rises from the ground, holding the football high in the air. The crowd goes wild as he starts his victory dance.
Suh, a former Grant student and athlete who graduated in 2005 is considered a top prospect in the NFL draft next season. His hard work and strong skills have NFL scouts and coaches, as well as his former coaches, watching in awe.
“His ability to dominate, to run, to move his movement was aggressive,” says Grant football coach Diallo Lewis about Suh. During his athletic years at Grant, Suh created memories that will forever be remembered by coaches, teachers, and also his fellow students.
In only his sophomore year, Suh made the varsity football team, playing both offense and defensive line. Lewis, an assistant coach at the time, noticed his intense talent early. “He was a pretty smooth player, and his quick speed was amazing for his large size,” says Lewis in a confident tone.
In 2004 he was named PIL Defensive Player of the year and first team All-League on both offense and Defense. Still, During Suh’s years at Grant, Lewis never thought of him as possibly being drafted in the NFL. “We never had those types of discussions [about going to the NFL] we talked about growth, and maturity as a young man.”
Suh also participated in track at Grant throwing shot put. In his senior year he set a school record with a throw of 61 feet four inches. This record still stands today.
“He worked hard, he was very coachable, and majorly competitive,” says former track coach Greg Cotton. “Anytime I can watch a game, I look for him on TV,” he says with a grin. Even though Cotton doesn’t coach Suh anymore, he still keeps in contact with him.
Now a senior at Nebraska University, Suh has created a great reputation for himself. His stats are unbelievable. He currently holds two Nebraska records, including most interceptions in a season, and most interceptions returned for touchdowns. Suh is one of the top defensive linemen in the Big 12 and is considered one of the best in the nation
His 6’4, 300 pound muscle toned body has everything it takes to make it to the NFL. “I’m all for winning,” Suh says, “I want to be the best, strongest, fastest, and quickest.” He has received multiple awards for his football accomplishments, and set records for his college team-- all Suh’s committed work is finally paying off. Recently he was featured in The Oregonian, and is now preparing to be featured in the next issue of Sports Illustrated. Beside his drive for playing football, his family keeps him motivated to be the best. “My parents just had my two little sisters in August, I want to make a better life for them,” Suh says. As for going into the NFL he says, “I’m staying focused, trying to get into the game plan, because the best of the best play in the NFL.”
|
|
| | << Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > End >>
| | Results 10 - 18 of 107 |
|
|
