K R T O W G EE E M IN W C A K EA C RS L O P
An Array Of Emotions Carries Team Into The Placing Rounds of STATE TOURNAMENT After moving on from that win, the team faced Sheldon and lost in 4 games leaving them with a bittersweet 6th place. After the game, the girls huddled together outside the gym. Tears were shed as the realization of a finished high school career washed over the seniors, but their pride was stronger than ever. At that state tournament the girls played like they had never played before. Coach Anderson-Cook expressed how proud she was of how far this team had come. With that feeling of accomplishment, the team walked back onto the court to receive their 6th place trophy. All 14 girls walked hand in hand with their heads held high as they were given their prize. The season as a whole left the team with an array of emotions. There is nothing they can do to change what happened over the season, and the truth is, what happened over the season represents these girls perfectly and that is all they can ask for.
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CH AL C L PE C E RS O N A ERV M GE D ER P S V AN L EN E CE IS R CE S 6T HM TE IT H AR Y P N S L AET
Some years, before the season starts, you just have a certain feeling. A feeling that a state title is in your reach. This year, the varsity volleyball team had that feeling. In pre-season meetings goosebumps would run along their arms when they talked about what they thought their team was capable of. Being state champions was their goal. But sometimes goals get blurred with other things and become unattainable. It’s possible that their outlook on what they were capable of changed and that the girls lost confidence. “Either way we lost games that were completely in our control,” explained Courtney Pattock (12), “We backed down from several challenges and decided not to come out when it truly counted in league.” Before they knew it, the gophers had 4 losses under their belt, two loses each to Central Catholic and Barlow. And not only were those losses bad for their record, they hurt the girls’ pride. The attitude of refusing to lose was becoming a rarity and some team members were becoming accustomed with losses. “I am a fiercely competitive person and this team was a little sensitive. When we don’t win there’s always one girl that says ‘we were close’, but close isn’t good enough,” Head Coach Lori Anderson-Cook said. Despite the few blows to their egos, the team still worked hard to get to their overall goal of a state championship. Several dramatic problems surfaced throughout the year and the girls were forced to deal with unhappy players and coaches. Team meetings became pleas for leadership and respect. “After the air was cleared it was just easier for us to play. We started playing all the way through the game and would start off strong and finish strong,” said Heather Ries (11). A match against Jesuit, one of the best teams in state, sparked the girls while at the Bend tournament. For the first time, they rose to the challenge and played more competitively that ever. “We penetrated while blocking against some of the best hitters in the state. We really wanted to win, and we hadn’t seen that from our team as a whole,” Olivia Shropshire (12) explained. From that point on, the girls found a way to move past all the hardships and just play. When they faced Jesuit again, the Gophers gave them a run for their money at the state tournament and finally found the guts to beat Barlow. The girls chose the perfect time to do that because that meant that the Bruins would be eliminated from the state tournament with 8th place and no trophy to show for it.
Writen by: Taylor Richardson
Taylor Richardson (12) secures a pass for the Gophers during a game. “My favorite moment was winning skits in bend, I’ll never forget dressing up and dominating everyone else’s skits.” laughed Richardson.
VOLLEYBALL | SPORTS
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6/16/2010 4:45:37 PM