Mount Hood

Western Men’s Lacrosse playoff recap

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

Seven wins and three losses — this was the record that Men’s Lacrosse had as it entered into the PNCLL playoffs. Their first opponent: Gonzaga University. In the 2016 playoffs, the Wolves went head to head against Gonzaga and lost, 21-10. For the first time in three years, the men were ready to face them again. Taking to the field on April 26, they weren’t willing to go down without a fight.

A battle was what Gonzaga was presented with. Neither side wanted to let up, but Western found itself with a comfortable lead going into the half. This lead left the Wolves feeling more relaxed, which gave the Bulldogs the opportunity to find their way to the back of the net. Western knew they had to find the momentum they began the game with. With lightning-fast offense and relentless defense, the Wolves proved to be too much for the Bulldogs. After a hard-fought competition, the Wolves came out on top, 16-13.

“It felt good to get a playoff win,” said junior midfielder Taylor Klus. “We haven’t even made the playoffs since I’ve been here so it was good to go from not making the playoffs to winning the first game. It meant a lot to the program after a rough couple years.”

During the game, senior Andrew Barnett reached his 100th career goal, and 100th assist. This made him the second player in Western Men’s Lacrosse history to reach that milestone.

Having eliminated Gonzaga from the tournament, Western was ready to move on to the semifinals versus the University of Montana the following day, April 27. The drop in temperature reflected the drop in energy that the Wolves were feeling.

“The odds were stacked against us going in,” Klus added. “We were on the second day of a back-to-back. They had home field and they have over 30 players on their roster.”

But the men weren’t ready to back down. They came in strong, and went head-first into the game feeling prepared for a win. However, the battle took a turn for the worse as the Wolves found themselves grounded on defense against the Grizzlies. After four quarters of struggling to make their way down the field, the Wolves fell to the University of Montana, 21-8. This closed their season.

“Overall, I think the season went well,” said Klus. “We gained a lot of experience on how to play those better teams.”

As for the state of Men’s Lacrosse in the upcoming years, Klus isn’t worried.

“I think WOU Lacrosse is on the rise. We have a very strong freshman class and another freshman class coming in that will help fill the gaps of the four seniors,” Klus said. “With a few more bodies, better rest … I fully expect to win the PNCLL next year.”

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Sharon Eidler

Spring Intramural leaderboard: The top teams of each sport

Volleyball

 

Co-Rec Competitive

Killah Hawaiians 3-0

Bumpin’ 2-1

Meow Down 1-2

Wait for it…. 0-3

 

Co-Rec Recreational

Incomprehensibilities 3-0

Scott’s Tots 3-1

Work for sets 2-2

I’d hit that 0-3

 

Men’s/Women’s

Joey’s Men’s VB Team 3-1

Ball Busters 2-1

Mas Hits 1-2

Meet the Blockers 1-2

Bumping balls 1-2

 

Softball

 

Co-Rec Sunday Night League

Broke Bat Mountain 2-0

benchwarmers 3-0

Always Going Deep 2-1

Swingers 1-1

Masterbatterz 1-1

Misfits 1-1

Dunder Mifflin Inc. 0-3

Wait for it…. 0-3

 

Co-Rec Thursday Evening League

Soft balls 1-0

Basic Pitches 1-0

Bad Apples 1-1

Rolling Bunts 0-1

The One Hit Wonders 0-1


Men’s Monday Evening League

Dirty Ball Bags 1-0

Opihi Lickahz 1-0

Blue Ballers 0-1

Rippin Magoos 0-1

 

Soccer

 

Co-Rec

Los Linguistas 1-0

Look ma, no hands! 1-0

Your Goalie’s Nightmare 1-0

Grace & The Funky Bunch 1-1

Head Game Strong 0-1

Dunder Mifflin 0-1

Team World 0-1

 

Photo by Paul F. Davis

Men’s Lacrosse closes out their senior send-off on top against Southern Oregon University

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

The stands were filled with the cheers and howls of Wolves and fans alike, as the men made their way to the field for the last home game of the season. For some, it would be the last time they ever play on the home-turf. For others, it would be the last opportunity to show their Western fans the potential that Men’s Lacrosse has for years to come. Playing against rivals Southern Oregon University, the Wolves had a tough fight cut out for them on April 20.

However, before the game could begin, there were four seniors to be celebrated. Seniors Bryce Hinkle, Zack Rodgers, Andrew Barnett and Alex Eidler were presented with framed photos of them playing, a memento of the dedication put forth and memories made while taking to the field as a Wolf.

Once the gifts were given, it was time to get down to business.

“I was personally nervous up until the game actually started,” stated senior Bryce Hinkle. “The energy seemed a little less focused but more energetic than usual.” But once the game actually began, the momentum didn’t cease until the game came to a close.

Western would dodge down the field and score, and Southern would retaliate in the same manner. For the first quarter, this type of play continued, until Western found itself in a comfortable lead. Always sitting above Southern by at least a point, the Wolves wouldn’t let the Raiders’s quick-scoring get the best of them.

At half, Western was ready to make an adjustment to ensure the Raiders couldn’t come out on top. They decided to put their defenseman Justin Morales on Southern’s #00, and according to Hinkle, “he essentially shut down their best goal-scorer.”

From then on, Western was able to extend their lead to an even more comfortable margin, sitting a firm three-points above the Raiders throughout most of the third quarter, stretching into the fourth. It was a defensive stalemate, with both keepers putting a stop to any potential score. However, it wasn’t until the final minutes that the Wolves were able to find the back of the net, and extend their lead to 5, closing the game 18-13, Western.

“That game meant a lot to me, especially with it being the last game with some of my best friends who I would have never met otherwise,” said Hinkle. “The future of WOU LAX looks pretty good … this team has had the best chemistry of any team that I’ve been on here and I don’t see that changing in the future.”

The Wolves play again on Friday, April 26 at 4 p.m. against Gonzaga University in the first game of the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League playoffs. The last time Wolves played against Gonzaga was 2016, where Western lost 21-10 in the second round of the PNCLL playoffs.

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photo by Caity Healy

Four Western Rugby players nominated to try-out for All-Star Grizzly team

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

In its first year as part of the National Small College Rugby Organization, Western Oregon Rugby was already making a name for itself. Two seniors and two sophomores were invited to try out for the Pacific Coast All-Star team to play as Grizzlies: seniors Joey Caver and Matt Cornish, and sophomores Kai Segundo and Trever Kahunahana. Trying out individually, if they made it, they’d be playing the All-Star tournament in Houston, Texas beginning on May 23.

“It’s an honor to just be selected to try out,” explained Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Andy Main, “but if we get someone on the team, I’m really hoping to make it known because it’s a pretty big deal.”

Main went on to explain what it takes to be nominated; aside from talent on the turf, it all comes down to character.

“The success of the Pacific Coast All-Star team in the past was because they had high-character guys, as well as good rugby players. Absolutely all four of these guys meet that criteria,” Main said. “They’re good rugby players but also really good guys so I’m really proud they’re the ones getting the shot at this.”

On April 13, the morning of the tryouts, the players could feel a change in energy on the pitch.

“It was different honestly. I kept thinking about it the day of because I was comparing it to a regular game,” said Caver. “I was still really nervous but I knew that because it was more-individual focused … I didn’t have all the pressure and focus that I usually do. It was a different focus.”

Kahunahana could relate with the energy Caver was feeling that morning.

“I was really nervous. Not knowing the coaches… it’s really hard preparing for that… just getting thrown into the fire,” said Kahunahana.

When it came down to it, the four pushed their nerves aside and played as hard as they could. For the seniors, just being nominated was significant, as it was their last opportunity to show their skill for Western.

“It means a lot, actually. I’m a senior… Western Oregon Rugby means a lot to me,” said Caver. “It’s sad to know that I’m done with Western but now we have this, the All-Star game… knowing that there’s more gives me hope.”

Cornish added, “I’m always trying to go out there and do my best so this felt like a really good thing.”

As for the sophomores, being nominated at a young age meant something entirely different. For Kahunahana, it was only his second year playing rugby.

“For me it was a big experience. My position doesn’t really get the spotlight,” said Kahunahana, “the fact that someone actually made notice of my work was a really special thing.”

For Segundo, this was his first year every playing rugby at all.

“It was truly an honor to be nominated,” said Segundo. “I have been constantly working … to get a better knowledge of the game of rugby and to mold myself into the best player that I can be.”

After a long day of every player going out of their way to prove their talent and abilities, the team walked away with a sense of pride in what they had accomplished. But for Caver, that sense of pride came in the form of a confirmed spot in the Houston All-Star game.

“After the game, the coach pulled me aside and asked me, ‘are you going to be available for the Houston game?’” said Caver, “and I was like, ‘I’ll make myself available.’ … I got one of the three total automatic spots on the team from that day.”

The rest of the players are anxiously awaiting to hear whether or not they’ll be joining Caver with the Grizzlies, and the final results will be released on May 1. But as for now, the nominations alone shows the direction that Western Oregon Rugby is headed.

“WOU Rugby is going to be dominant in the future. With the four of us being nominated, it will motivate our other teammates to push harder in practice and in games to be nominated as well,” said Segundo.

Kahunahana added to that, saying “we’re going to be a really young team but luckily this year with a lot of experience passed down, we’re looking really good.”

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of Brandon Killen

Club Sport highlight: Get to know Western’s Dance Team

Caity Healy | Editor-in-Chief

How long has Western’s dance team been around?

WOU Dance Team has been a part of the WOU Club Sports for about 4 years.

What does an average day look like for someone who is on dance team?

The great thing about the dance team, (it) does not typically interfere with a student’s school schedule or ability to participate in other extra curricular activities at school. We practice three times a week in the evening Tuesday through Thursday.

How many people are involved with it?

For this academic year, we had 21 girls involved with the team by the end of basketball season. That has been the largest amount of participation and positive growth I have seen since I have been involved with the team in the past four years.

Is dance team currently doing anything on campus?

Spring Term is usually considered our “off season”- it is much more relaxed regarding our practice and performance schedule, but right now we are prepping for our upcoming kid’s clinic on May 25.

If someone is considering joining or trying out for the team, what is your advice?

Something that is really cool about our try-out process, is that we have two per year. One during Spring Term for the following fall and one at the end of Fall Term in the current academic year for basketball season in the winter. For somebody considering joining … my best advice is to have a positive attitude and have fun. Of course the dance team values somebody who is committed and a harder worker, but all we can ask is for  an individual who is willing to learn and have fun. We are not a competition team, so our schedule is not as rigorous as some people may think. We encourage people who have a background in dance such as other previous dance team experience, hip-hop, jazz, or pom to try out, but it is not required.

Where can students go if they are wanting to join, or wanting more information?

If you want to stay updated on current events, you can like our Facebook page “Western Oregon University Dance Team” or follow us at “WOU_danceteam” on Instagram. We have tryouts coming up at the end of May for football season of 2019. Follow our social media for updates if interested.

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photo by Paul F. Davis

Women’s rugby faces off against unplanned Alumnae/outside player team

Cora McClain | Copy Editor

There was a chill in the air on the drizzly morning of April 13 as Western’s women’s rugby took to the pitch against a team sporting very similar colors to our Wolves. An interview with club president Lexi Osborn after the game cleared up the confusion.

“Eastern cancelled on us Wednesday, so we sent out a mass Facebook post inviting any women ruger (rugby player) in the Oregon area to come out for our seniors’ last home game … most of them are alum,” Osborn explained.

The Alumnae and Wolves faced off for this exciting match. From the first blow of the whistle, the energy between the two teams was palpable, both giving their all. The experience of the alumnae was obvious from their expert passing and pushing against the Wolves as they held their defensive line. However, it couldn’t hold the Alums back from scoring the first try of the game. This was followed shortly by a quick play by the Wolves that won them their first try.

After, the aggressive teams struggled up and down the sideline. Their bodies slammed together, each team pushing as the rain began to pour. The raw power of the Wolves gave them the ability to crawl along the sideline to their next try, making it through the uprights for the extra points, taking the lead. However, the Alumnae retaliated with their fast passing to earn their next try.

This struggle continued as the cheering of supportive fans rang out as the Wolves found a break in the Alumnae’s defensive. Sprinting down the center of the field to a slide through the uprights earned the Wolves their final try for the half. The hard work of each team displayed in the final score of the half, 24-20 Wolves.

The second half saw the teams come back with even more energy than before. A battle that traveled from sideline to sideline ensued, with injuries sustained from both the Wolves and Alumnae as the later pulled ahead with decisive passing and power pushing them into a lead. However, as the clock had 16 minutes left, the teams broke and gathered together into a huddle. Hip-hip-hoorays rang out over the field as the sun peaked out from the clouds.

After the seniors were presented to the crowd of cheering fans, each sporting a crown of flowers, Osborn explained that it was the Wolves’s final home match for the season.

“We wanted to give the seniors a good send-off,” Osborn said. When asked about the future of the club, she explained that half of the team are rookies who started just two weeks earlier.

“We have a lot to learn,” Osborn said. She explained how they were going to have to work on their defense for future games.

The Wolves will be taking to the pitch once again on April 20 to face off against University of Portland.

 

Contact the author at cmcclain17@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Western Oregon host Northwest Club Basketball Championship, takes first

Shariff Youngblood | Freelancer

On a typical Pacific Northwest cold and gloomy day, five teams battled for the Northwest Basketball Club League Championships. A trophy was on the line, and there was only one team that was going to go home with it.

On April 13, the Wolves, University of Portland, Seattle University, University of Oregon and a second Western club team, which was added due to a team dropping out, came together. Western students gathered around the gym to show support for the home team.

The first game of the tournament on April 13 saw the Wolves take on the University Of Portland Pilots. The Pilots came out scoring in the first half, and kept hitting shots in the second; they ended up closing out Western, 71-52.

With a game under their belt and a loss on their record, the Wolves responded by coming out on fire versus the University of Oregon as they built a comfortable halftime lead of 47-32. The University of Oregon would not go quietly as they hit three-pointer after three-pointer and cut lead down to six with about five minutes remaining, but it was all Wolves from there as they pulled away late with a final score of 96-77.

After every team played two games, the tournament playoffs began. The Wolves were matched up against the Pilots. Western’s second club basketball team was matched up with Seattle University. The Wolves had revenge on their mind as they looked to knock the Pilots out of the tournament; Western’s second club team was looking to advance to the championships.

Western’s second club team played a close game all the way through the second half. The deficit was cut to three points in the closing seconds. Seattle University stepped up late and made four free throws to close out the game, 47-41.

The Wolves started their game against the Pilots by hitting six threes in the first half. However, the Pilots were determined to make it a close game and cut the lead down to single digits with the score being 35-28 going into the second half.

The second half proved to be a physical game with both teams trading buckets until the last four minutes, when Western held to the win. Both teams fought hard, but the Wolves hung on with a 54-44 win to advance to the championships versus Seattle University.

The championship game was finally here. The Wolves were matched up against the  undefeated Seattle University team. Western came out fired up and was able to build a double-digit lead in the first couple of minutes. The teams traded baskets but the Wolves were leading 38-23 going into the second half.

The second half was a completely different game as Seattle University started making shots. They fought their way back and cut the lead down to four points with about six minutes to go. With his team needing to extend the lead, the Club Sports player of the week Joey Gaylord took over. Gaylord started the runoff by hitting back to back deep threes extending the lead to 10 in the closing minutes.

However, Seattle University would not let up, and cut the lead down to six with about 40 seconds of play left. The Wolves made their free throws and closed out the game 54-46, capping off a 3-1 finish and earning the title of Basketball Club League Champions.

“This championship is really big for WOU with us being such a small school. We have about 6,000 students and were playing against D1 schools and we have proven ourselves as one of the top D2 schools out there,” said Gaylord.

 

Contact the author at syoungblood16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

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