April 5,2012
sports 11
Both varsity lacrosse teams look
forward to sticking their opponents
BYCLAYMILLSAPS
Reporter
Men and women playing
varsity lacrosse have been
enjoying a promising season.
Though they have only
played a few games so far,
they are off to a great start.
Practices are running
smoothly, except for some oc
casional rain that keeps them
off the field.
Key to their success are dedi
cated players. Senior Gabe
Chauvigne is starting goalie.
"Our defense is one of the
best in the state," said
Chauvigne, who has been
playing lacrosse since sev
enth grade at Kiser Middle.
His favorite part of the sport
is the fast pace of the game;
Senior Jesse Hoggard agrees.
He plays attack and midfield.
Hoggard joined the team
through the influence of
his brother and friends. He
claims that the team would
be much better if they had
not lost their top scorers
from last year.
"Our coaches expect us to
have a good attitude and try
our hardest whether we mess
up or not. They want us to
stick together," said junior
Griffin Kelton, who quotes
Coach Wright; "Strong and
wrong is better than weak
and right."
Kelton plays attack and
finds shooting and, of course,
making goals the most stimu
lating aspects of the game. All
of the young men plan to con
tinue playing next year either
as a Whirlie or for a college
or club team.
Coach John Burns is more
than satisfied with his team's
performance. They opened
the season with a victory over
the Triad Blackhawks 16-2.
Jessie Winfree is a junior
who plays midfield for the
women's team. While this
season is her first year of
playing lacrosse, she de
cided to try the sport out of
curiosity. She made a good
decision because she really
likes the action. Her favor
ite part of lacrosse is when
the team unites as one dur
ing a game.
All of the players seem to
think that their toughest com
petitors are Northwest fol
lowed by Western. These
matchups are very challeng
ing but still fun.
Coach Lauren Seager was
quite pleased that her team
won their first three games.
Lady Whirlies demonstrated
their dominance by defeating
Southeast 18-4, Western 11-9,
and High Point Central 16-4.
Playing midfield and
defense, senior Dianna Dames
has been playing on the team
since her sophomore year.
Dames admits that some
practices are more grueling
than others.
"It's still worth it, though,
because the feeling of winning
a game is awesome,"
said Dames.
Prospects for both teams'
seasons look promising, so
students should support
these Whirlies and attend as
many games as possible.
Track season off to a great start with athletes
jumping high, throwing far, running fast
BYMADISON CAMPBELL
Reporter
Dashing for the finish line, the
Whirlie Track team initiated their sea
son imder the guidance of head coaches
Sam Westbrook, a social studies
teacher, and Seth Peoples. While
Westbrook focuses on discuss and shot.
Peoples spends his time working with
distance runners. Assistant coaches
include Joseph Duncan, who works
with jumpers, and Lance Thayer, who
focuses on the sprinters. Westbrook
takes pride in being a coach for six
years. He has high expectations for this
year's team since his previous athletes
have always achieved success.
Westbrook himself is an accomplished
athlete. In high school, he played foot
ball and baseball, wrestled, and par
ticipated in track and field. He contin
ued playing football in college as well.
"We are hoping that both the
women's and men's teams will keep
climbing the ranks to finish in the top
four in the conference. We also believe
that we will return to the regional meet
with more than the 20 qualifiers we had
last year, and we will send more ath
letes to the state meet than we sent last
season," said Westbrook.
Track and field incorporates many
different skills into a variety of events.
Each athlete faces a test of endurance,
strength, and skill. Events range from
long-distance foot races to shot-put or
discus. Many events are more indi
vidualized with relay races being one
of the few that incorporate more of a
team effort. Although athletes may
compete individually, there is un
doubtedly an unbreakable bond
among the team members.
"This team is my family. There is no
separation between the sprinters and
long distance [rurmers]. We all cheer
one another on. 1 still remember last
year during one of my 4x400s. I was
the fourth leg, meaning I was the an
chor. It was a battle for the win on
the last stretch, and I remember my
whole team running down the side
lines, cheering me on. I won, and
they all ran over and hugged me.
That's a memory I'll never forget,"
said junior Courtney Sparks.
Different events also make a
difference in the way that each athlete
practices. Once the team warms up to
gether, anyone who is not participat
ing in running events breaks off to
practice either discus or shot-put.
Having such precise movements
takes several repetitions of each
motion in order to be successful
at a competitive level.
"A typical practice is filled with frus
tration, repetition, and a lot of spin
ning," said junior Josh Sohn, who par
ticipates in both discus and shot-put.
Sohn has set his goals high with
hopes of breaking the school record in
discus. In his third year participating
in track and field, he was happy to
share his most memorable experience.
"I once spun out of control while at
tempting a throw, and I found myself
stumbling out of bounds," said Sohn.
Expectation for any Whirlie athletic
team is to stand firm and support the
school's tradition of excellence.
The track and field team is no differ
ent, proudly acknowledging its grow
ing program and versatile mix of the
student body.
"I love how large the track team is
and how many people it takes work
ing together in order for us to main
tain a winning and successful team.
It gives all of us an opportunity to meet
new people and create new,
strong, friendships," said sophomore
Amber Daniel.
Track is a sport in which individual
responsibility is key. Senior encourage
ment plays a key role in making sure
each athlete strives to do his or her best
every day. This season has a strong
senior class, so the underclassmen
must train extra hard to fill their
spots in the future.
"If the underclassmen keep push
ing themselves like we have seen
them doing, I have no doubts that
we can have a powerhouse team
next year. Every year we want to
see improvement, and it's our job
as seniors to make sure that im
provement happens. Pushing the
other members of the team is essen
tial for Grimsley to be successful in
upcoming years, but I am certain
that the underclassmen will step up
in place of those of us who are leaving,"
said senior Robert Whiting.
Gri®«lcy
psfeRt«,
H itsff
f elco«e!
V
11
HOT STONES
MANl/PEDI
$5 Off
an?
rULLiSKT
$6 Off
a 0 y
$2 Off
P E 0
GYppja
^ MAfll
te valid w! (Aer
,
EYELA^tl
EATGMiON
20
Nei wli w? ote’dkounrs