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The Mycenaean, Leesville Road High School, December 16, 2013
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The Mycenaean, Leesville Road High School, December 16, 2013
Sports/ 15
Basketball
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN POPE
Behind the Scenes
For the first full week of the regular season, we followed every move of the Leesville Men’s Varsity Basketball team. From the high-energy drills of practice to the prime-time plays of the game, every moment was observed from a behind-the-scenes perspective. Explore an average week for the Leesville basketball squad in our in-depth feature below.
we’ve got better basketball players in general,” Staves says. “We’re inexperienced, but we’ve got to [get] all the younger guys up to our level right now, so we can be ready when we play teams...with a lot of experience.” For all of Staves’ evident leadership, however, Leesville’s 2013-14 squad may need Sanders Rohs, senior, most of all. The long-distance shooting specialist is the principal trigger-man from three-point range and the catalyst of most momentum runs. Russ Frazier, head coach, directs players before a drill in practice. He “It’s a mixed group, but I think led Leesville to a 16-7 record in his first season but will face an even bigwe’re looking good so far,” Rohs ger test this winter. says. “We’re just trying to get closBy: Ben Pope and Dave Nyamu 19-9 season -- their first winning er as a team, working better…[to] campaign since 2005-06. The forJunior Editor and Staff Writer just sort of gel.” mer Northwood (Pittsboro) High Both Staves and Rohs are incoach was blessed with some Monday, 4:57 P.M. As the great players, but his refreshing troduced to loud cheers at the locker room door swings open attitude was most responsible for opening tip-off of the following and the 12 members of the Lees- Leesville’s drastic program turn- Tuesday’s game against Apex. But a pair of stars with slightly differville 2013-14 Men’s Varsity Bas- around and attendance spike. ent perspectives -- freshmen Alex ketball team flood into the gym, Hunter and Jonathan Mebane the air is markedly filled with -- are also announced alongside chatter and laughter. Groups of T he P l a y er s them in the starting lineup. players joke amongst themselves Neither try to conceal their lack Frazier’s friendly instrucas they bounce basketballs and tion continues as practice moves of experience, but both still look begin warming up. The lighthearted mood is far along. “You’ve got to stay inside,” almost fully comfortable wearing from the stereotypical beginning he says to a player standing in the the blue and green on the court. “Chemistry is just something to the regular season’s first full ‘paint’ -- the rectangle in front of week, which will test each player’s the free-throw line under the bas- that comes along with experience greatest endurance with three ket. “[If] you go outside...you give with playing with each other,” echoes Mebane. them a path right to the basket.” games in the ensuing four nights. Frazier also needs Ben ZeThe team must continue to But, as the next week will make blatantly clear, the Leesville bas- work on their down-low physi- monek, sophomore, and Greyson ketball team isn’t one to adhere to cality to adapt their dynamics Kelley, junior, to boost the team’s to Frazier’s strategies. This win- physical potency. stereotypes. Zemonek, who also received sigter’s squad is younger (featuring three freshmen) and smaller than nificant playing time on last year’s Th e Co a c h most of their opponents, yet they team, has already reached veteran status despite his still hope to After a casual shoot-around age. “We’re lackemploy a “We’re a lot better transitions into an organized ing size, but I defensive, warm-up, Russ Frazier, head than last year in think we can grind slow-paced coach, gathers the team around he says. style. many ways because it out,” for a huddle. The players focus Kelley, meanBeing yet maintain their cheer; the rewe’ve got better while, is expected among just maining 150 minutes of drills are fill the sizable four sebasketball players to meant to be tiring and challenging shoes of nowniors, capbut not disheartening. departed 2012-13 in general.” tain BranLater, a simple out-of-bounds power forward don Staves save attempt expands into a full carries a great responsibility for Shyheid Petteway. “I expect us to team lesson. “Don’t throw it this the season ahead. Judging by his be better than last year; we’ve got way [towards the basket],” in- easygoing personality and open a good veteran group,” he says. structs Frazier, “and...secure it conversationalism -- even with an Role players like Jethro Bajani, with two hands.” athletically pathetic newspaper junior, and Douglas Elks, freshFrazier is the exact opposite of reporter -- that duty is handled man, fill valuable niches, as well. the ideal image of a strict veteran with ease. Bajani’s free-throw expertise aids coach. He’s also the perfect coach “I think we’re a lot better than a team which proved unreliable at for a Leesville basketball program last year in many ways because the line a season ago. Elks’ height he’s almost singlehandedly rehelps add much-needed shortPHOTO COURTESY OF BEN POPE vived. distance shooting ability. Frazier’s boyish relatability and merry sincerity gives him each The Atmosphere player’s absolute trust from day one on. His players seem to enjoy Next up on Monday’s practice practice more than talking with agenda falls a five-on-five scrimeach other, more than goofing off, mage: a handful of offensive playmore than their time outside of ers pass the ball around the edge the gym. The phenomenon is so of the three-point line. An equal remarkable that the team’s sucnumber of defenders guard them cess has taken on a nearly surreal with fervor -- and not just physical aura. fervor. In a twist almost perfectly “If you want to be successful fitting with the team’s communiat anything,” he says, “you have to cation-heavy style, all five defenget along with people, you have to sive players attempt to emulate communicate. It’s a team thing. crowd-like situations by yelling all That’s what we do, and we believe kinds of gibberish. it brings us success.” Brandon Staves, senior (#10), preHowever, Staves isn’t fazed. He In his debut season last win- pares to take a shot. “I think we’re swishes a three-point shot, then ter, Frazier led the Pride to a a pretty good team,” he says. PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN POPE
Sanders Rohs, senior, goes for a layup over an Apex defender (#44). Rohs is among four seniors on the 2013-14 Men’s Basketball team.
shrugs -- he wasn’t supposed to be shooting at all. “You practice like you play,” he says, “so we try to bring the same intensity from practice into the game.” The average practice, regardless of its lighthearted aura, packs two and a half hours with intense drill after intense drill. Each player is both engaged and worked to the fullest reasonable extent. Rather than tiring players with needless sprints and exercises, though, Frazier uses every ounce of energy to work on realistic situations. Nonetheless, the theme of communication is not lost. Every drill engages talking in some way
middling Smithfield-Selma. “We got into a track meet instead of a basketball game,” says a highly frustrated Frazier. That exasperation explodes in Thursday’s practice. The night begins and ends the same as always -- cheerful, talkative and sweaty -- but it takes only a moment of anger to convey the need for improvement. In the midst of a defensive guarding drill, Frazier erupts. “So here’s what’s happening, so you’re guarding him, blah blah blah...Why didn’t that happen last night?” he shouts. “There was a big crowd in [the paint] and no
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN POPE
Greyson Kelley, junior (white jersey, far right), looks to make a pass inside while Alex Hunter, freshman (#3, foreground) offers a secondary option. Leesville practices are fast, physical and remarkably game-like.
or another, whether to call for a “back pass” or to distract the player dribbling the ball. “So we’re ready for the game, we’re always talking,” says Kelley. “The game is upbeat -- you’re going back and forth, back and forth, you’re not stopping that much -- and that’s what we try to do in practice,” says Zemonek.
Th e Resu lts The ensuing week of games follows the tune of Monday’s practice: tiring, turbulent and largely positive. Thanks to 11 fourth-quarter free throws and Rohs’ team-leading 18 points -- including four threepointers -- Leesville rallies from a 10-point deficit with six minutes remaining to beat Apex, 47-43, in their home opener. It’s exactly the kind of defensive dogfight Frazier loves to see; “These kids flat-out played hard and everyone started pulling for us,” he says in recap. The next night, conversely, the fatigue of Tuesday shows through and a dagger of doubt is hurled towards the team. Leesville comes up short in the final minute and loses a 60-59 heartbreaker to
one wanted to get near them, and we didn’t play transition defense!” One minute later, everything is back to normal. Yet the point most certainly got across. That’s the second beauty of Frazier’s generally happy-golucky personality. The following night, Leesville makes the lengthy trip to Green Hope and trots out hours later with their confidence restored. Mebane tallies 13 points, Staves adds 12 more and the defense regains its impeccable form; the Pride defeat the Falcons, 54-41. The week concludes on a positive note for the team. They’re just 48 hours from starting the process all over again, though, and many would expect the excitement to soon die down when the prospect of hard work kicks in again. But that’s not the case. The following week begins just as playfully as the previous week did, and the Pride continue to build chemistry and experience for the season ahead. “It’s a kids’ game,” says Frazier, as full of enthusiasm as always. “If you’re not having fun, it’s not worth playing.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN POPE
Ben Zemonek, sophomore (#23), completes a pass to Jonathan Mebane, freshman (#24). Zemonek and Mebane add much-needed height to the roster.
Sports
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The Mycenaean, Leesville Road High School, December 16, 2013
THE MYCENAEAN
Gymnastics hoping to improve Cheerleading B :B P competes as family Junior Editor y
PHOTO COURTESY OF MS. REATHAFORD
en
ope
This winter is a new season and a new attitude for the Leesville gymnastics team, which has switched coaches and gyms in hopes of a more competitive campaign. “It’s a big improvement [over last year],” said Jami Bennett, senior. “We have a different gym now and better equipment, and it’s more...serious than last year, so hopefully we’ll do better.” The first meet of the season went well, as Leesville finished
Jami Bennett, senior, competes in a meet earlier this season. The team is hoping to place higher this year after struggling in the past.
in fourth place -- a great turnaround from prior years. However, the girls are also enjoying the time to grow closer together.
“We go to our meets and just... talk and laugh and support each other,” said Bennett, “so it’s a really good group of girls.”
Swimming starts season strong The 12 members of the Leesville Varsity Cheerleading team, with Coach Reathaford, pose with their second-place trophy after the state championships in November. Caitlyn Greene, senior (bottom row, third from right), feels that this year’s team is more of a family than in previous years.
By: Ben Pope Junior Editor
After placing second at the NCHSAA State Championship in November, Varsity Cheerleading is full of enthusiasm entering basketball cheer season. Caitlyn Greene, senior, captained the team’s terrific performance. “Afterwards, everybody was like ‘Oh my gosh, I feel like I’m going to cry,’” she said, “because everyone thought they did a really, really amazing job. Our
coaches and all of the parents said that it was one of the best routines we have ever done.” The squad kept the student section engaged for 12 football games in the fall, but have now shifted their full focus to basketball. They’ll use the experience to prepare for the Wake County tournament in February. “This year, the team has been a lot closer than in the past,” said Greene. “We try to do stuff as a team outside of practices...to get everyone more as a family.”
Wrestling pins down success
By: Ben Pope
PHOTO COURTESY OF MOLLIE JEWETT
Junior Editor
The Leesville swimming team began the winter with strong performances, raising expectations for the remaining season. “The team looks really good so far,” said Mollie Jewett, senior. “We’re working hard at practice to be the best we can be, and it’s definitely paying off at the meets.” Both the men and women sides of the team have already earned first-, second- and third-place finishes in non-conference meets. They won their most recent meet on Tuesday, Dec. 11. It’s a highly
By: Ben Pope Junior Editor
Junior Editor
The official Women’s Basketball team photo, taken at picture day two weeks ago. The team has more experience than in prior years.
cated to the team,” says Jewett, “so I know we will keep improving and do really well this season.”
For the Leesville Women’s Varsity Basketball team, the first weeks of the 2013-14 season have provided more satisfaction than the whole of 2012-13. The squad equaled last year’s wins with two victories in their first five games. “I think we’ve worked harder in practice, and I think we’re...closer together,” said Zaria Maynard, senior captain, “so it makes us playing on the court 10 times better
than it has in the past.” After losing two games against Apex, they finally broke through with a win over Smithfield-Selma and a victory against Green Hope. The leadership of Kelly Funderburk, sophomore, Anna Weeks, junior, Dana Worthy, senior and Maynard have helped the team improve tremendously. “I think we worked really hard over the summer...We’ve already had a good start,” said Maynard. “I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people.”
For more sports updates as the season progresses, visit lrhsnews.org A spectator watches with interest as the Leesville wrestling team competes at a meet.
Winter Track off to hot start By: JC Zargo Staff Writer
Nevada Mareno, freshman, competes at a Winter Track meet in early December. Thanks to an influx of new young runners, the team is experiencing a revival in 2013-14.
encouraging start to a squad who lost a number of seniors last year. “We have some great swimmers, and everyone is very dedi-
Women’s Basketball improves
By: Alex Stephens
Leesville’s wrestling team has kicked into high gear. So far, their record is 3-4; the boys, however, are not discouraged by the losses and continue to work hard. “This year we are hoping to win the conference definitely and just put as many individuals to states as possible,” said Tyler Ruff, senior and captain. The team looks forward to their future competitions, which will continue throughout the winter. “I’m just looking forward to all the huge tournaments and seeing everyone improve and get better everytime,” said Ruff.
A group of guys looks over the heat sheet prior to last Tuesday’s meet. Both the mens and womens teams claimed first place overall, their best performance of the year.
Winter track had their first meet on December 4. Many participating athletes use the season as preparation for spring track. Emmanuel Musa, junior, is in his first year of winter track. When asked about winter track, he said, “It’s fun, it’s hard running out there in the cold, but it will get me in shape for spring track.” Sean Nicol, sophomore, began winter track coming off a great cross country season. When asked why he liked track Nicol said, “It’s a family... there’s nothing else like it.” After the first meet, Leesville already has boys qualifying for states. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come for Leesville’s track team.