Issuu

SPORTS

WOMEN’S SOCCER

FEB 3 7:30pm vs University

MEN’S BASKETBALL

FEB 4 4:00pm vs Athenian

February 1st, 2017

Athlete of The Month Ayla Elam is a committed basketball player and captain this year. She began playing basketball at the age of seven, but only recently started to play competetively.

Volume XXVI Issue 7

The Head-Royce Upper School Newspaper

Freshmen Stars Shine Bright

Johannes Takes His Shot BY LIZA WOOLARD

Reporter

Freshman Tennis Player, Remy Sirimongkolvit (left), and Softball player Elli Novagradac (right).

BY SOFIYA LYALL Reporter

he spring sports season is just around the corner and many new promising athletes from the freshman class are looking to tryout. New prospects for softball, baseball and tennis are entering this upcoming season and looking to hopefully improve their respective teams. Our softball team will welcome Elizabeth Novogradac, who will be an asset to the team given her years of experience. Novogradac has been playing softball for five years and also has previous experience playing baseball: “ I have been playing softball for about five years, but also played baseball for three years before that. About two years ago I started playing

year-round competitive travel softball and have been ever since.” Tennis also has exciting new prospects, freshmen Remy is excited to compete on the Head Royce team but will also bring significant previous experience: “I have been playing competitively for 6 years and I’ve trained with a lot of great coaches like former number 6 in the world, Wayne Ferreira.” This type of previous experience is what is going to make this year’s freshmen athletes important assets for our spring season. Their commitment to sportsmanship and desire to participate in each team’s community will also make for their easy assimilation. Freshmen Remi adds that he “just want[s] to get to know the guys on the team, and hopefully have some success during [his] first

year on the team”. Which should be an easy feat for him as he seems committed to putting his best foot forth as a tennis player on the Head Royce team: “I think I can bring my energy and 6 years of experience to the team.” Ellie Novogradac seems to share this enthusiasm to be a Head Royce athlete: “I am very excited to be on the team. I have been looking forward to playing since seventh grade, since I knew the team would be extremely strong.” Both athletes also share impressive goals for their respective sport.Novogradac hopes to “win league and NCS.” which would be an impressive feat for the Head Royce softball team. Both freshmen share an enthusiasm to be Head Royce student athletes which is fostered in our broader school community.

2016 Sport Report BY MADDY HENRY

Features Editor

rom the tumultuous Presidential Election to the many beloved public figures who passed away, 2016 was a year marked by unexpected surprises and hardships. The wild ride that was 2016 did not exclude the sports arena where fans were shocked and left in awe at some of the brilliant achievements of their favorite sports teams. To start, one team accomplished something no one thought possible; the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series since 1908. In this 112th World Series the Cubs went all the way, and finished it all off once and for all in the 10th inning of Game 7, defeating the Cleveland Indians. After 108 years, the wait for Cubs fans was finally over. The Cleveland Cavaliers also made a comeback of their own in 2016 when they defeated the Golden State Warriors during the NBA Finals. The Warriors were coming off a season of winning a record 73 games, and were thought to have been in a prime position to win, but LeBron James and the rest of the Cavaliers proved to be too much for the Warriors. College sports also witnessed some incredible feats by athletes. The 2016 NCAA Championship game featured two seemingly impossible 3-point shots in the final five seconds of the game by North Carolina’s Marcus Paige. This was followed by Villanova’s Kris Jenkins shot, the first ever buzzer-beater for

a victory in a championship game. Additionally, newcomer Auston Matthews shook the hockey rink this past year with his incredible debut in 2016. The 19-yearold went into his first game playing as a Toronto Maple Leaf, and came out with a total of four goals scored overall. He is the first player in NHL history to have done so. On a different note, Simone Biles showcased amazing talent in gymnastics at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The 19-year old showed yet again that she has what it takes by winning gold medals in vault, floor exercise, and all-around with an additional bronze in balance beam. Her wins at these Olympic games set the record for most medals won by a female American gymnast at the Olympics and is also the most decorated American gymnast in history. The Olympics also saw some squabbling between Michael Phelps and South African swimmer Chad Le Clos, as well as some heated competition between American Lily King and Russian rival Yulia Efimova. The former argument started when Le Clos beat Phelps in a 200m butterfly in London and gloated about it. Phelps came back to Rio in 2016 with his sights set on beating Le Clos in the same race. Phelps was able to beat him. Similarly, King thought to challenge Efimova after the Russian had been popped for doping earlier in her career. King was able to pull out a gold in the 100m breaststroke final and later declared her support of competing fairly and cleanly.

TAI TRAN

n addition to the school’s extraordinary volleyball team this year, we also had an individual from our community the state championship in archery recently, Johannes Bachmann. Bachmann is a Junior at the school, and started shooting archery, one of the oldest sports in the world, about six years ago. Although he started shooting six years ago, Bachmann has only been competing in archery for 10 months. After initially seeing it on TV, Bachmann became fascinated by the sport and went out and bought his own bow. Bachmann shoots for the CAL JOAD (Junior Olympic Archery Development) team. He is very dedicated to the sport, practicing for three to four hours a day, seven days a week. Bachmann is very busy as a junior, focusing on school when he is not practicing, shooting, or competing. Bachmann will practice either at a full length 90 meter range, or in his backyard. The location of his practices constantly change due to the weather and time of year. The fact that he is devoted to practicing every single day, rain or shine,

proves his dedication and love for the sport. When he started shooting archery, Bachmann shot with a compound bow, but has recently transitioned to an Olympic style recurve to ensure that he is shooting at maximum capacity. It also opens him up to the high-quality tools true Olympians utilize. This bow was used by archers in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, in addition to archers at the California state championships. Bachmann reflected on how he felt going into the tournament, having recently shot winning scores in practice: “I was incredibly nervous going into the tournament. I had shot scores in practice that could win the entire tournament. This just made me more nervous because I knew I was fully capable of winning, it was just a matter of staying calm and not letting my head get to me.” Bachmann went into the tournament nervous, but came out a champion. Next, he is going to the Indoor Nationals in February, and hopes to continue his streak of success. Bachmann is working hard, and his next target (outside of the shooting range) is to make the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. We’re all rooting for you, Johannes!

51 Is Going to Be Fun BY CAMERON CHIN

During the regular season, the Raiders looked dominant with the dynamic duo of Derek Carr and he NFL Playoffs are well Amari Cooper on offense as well underway and has been as the imposing Khalil Mack on full of surprises. In the wild defense. The Raiders, with their card round, the Texans beat Week 15 win over the Indianapothe Raiders, the Seahawks beat lis Colts, clinched a playoff berth, the Lions, the Steelmarking the Raiders’ ers beat the Dolphins, first playoff appearand the Packers beat ance since 2002, the Giants. The Packending a 14-year ers and Steelers won playoff drought. close divisional round However, their sucgames, winning by cess came at a price. three and two points, In that same game, respectively, but fell star quarterback to the Falcons and PaDerek Carr suffered triots in the confera broken fibula and ence championships. was ruled out for Now, the field of the season. The fol12 teams have been lowing week, vetwhittled down to two: eran backup Matt the New England PaMcGloin suffered triots and the Atlanta a shoulder injury Falcons. Both teams ruled him COURTESY OF SUPERBOWL.COM which have a long history of perout for the season, forming well in the playoffs. The ranked scoring offense (Atlanta) forcing rookie Connor Cook to Patriots have won their division and the top ranked scoring de- play for the remainder of the sea(the AFC East) 14 of the last 16 fense (New England). The Patriots son. When the Raiders faced the seasons under quarterback Tom are currently a 3.5 point favorite Texans in the wild-card round in Brady, and are looking for their over the Falcons; favorites are the playoffs, the inexperienced 5th Super Bowl win since 2002. 33-17 in the last 50 Super Bowls, Cook, who had never been in The Falcons, while slightly less but underdogs have won eight of an NFL game up to that point, accomplished historically, have the last 15. The Falcons and the was not able to lead the team to still made it to the playoffs five Patriots will play on Sunday, Feb- a victory, losing 14-27. Despite a times since 2008 and are look- ruary 5th, so tune into what will stretch of bad luck that spoiled a ing for their first Super Bowl win. prove to be a very exciting game. very successful season, it is clear En route to the Super Bowl, both The Oakland Raiders had one that this playoff run was only teams have dominated offen- of their most successful seasons the beginning of their success; sively, with the Falcons scoring in a long time, as shown by their the Raiders have an immensely 36 points against the Seahawks 12-4 record, something they had talented team that will be playdefense and the Patriots scor- not accomplished since 2000. off contenders for years to come. Reporter

ing 34 points against the Texans defense in the divisional round. Both teams also won their respective conference championships in blowout fashion, with the Patriots beating the Steelers 36-17 and the Falcons routing the Packers 4421. Super Bowl LI will pit the top