SPORTS
Sports Staff Tony Heim, ‘15 Alina Tashjian, ‘14
Kibret Alem and Kyren Palmer, Editors
Women’s tennis season comes to an end
MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
Varsity went on to finish their season with 14 wins and 5 losses. Tony Heim, ‘15 The end of the season is always melancholy, but the Lady Eagles finished with excitement when they won the league and conference tournament. The women came together and each singles and doubles team got second place in their branches. This is the ladies’ first Eastern Cincinnati Conference team title, and they look to add another title next year. In addition to a multitude of accomplishments is their win in the Coaches Classic, which included teams from St. Ursula, Sycamore and Mason, Lilly O’Toole, ‘17
is seeded fourth in the sectional tournament and is in line to play at districts. Doubles partners Ali Fisher, ‘15 and Katie Hanley, ‘15 look to move to the district tournament where Fisher has had previous experience. “Last year it was a huge accomplishment to make it to districts and it was for sure exciting! It showed how hard work pays off,” says Fisher. Sectionals and districts are individual competitions, but the state playoffs are a team tournament. The playoffs began earlier in the season when the Lady Eagles defeated Mount Notre Dame 3-2 in a dramatic match. The game was tied 2-2 and the last match was won by
injured SENIOR Alex Reblando. Reblando says this was a turning point for the team. Looking back, “it was extremely awkward because everyone was watching me at my weakest, but I knew I had to play the final game because I had [my opponent] in a tough spot and I was confident I could finish the match. In addition, I knew that our team would progress to the next round of the team state tournament, so it was a mind-over-matter sort of thing.” Afterward, the team rushed out to congratulate and massage Reblando, a sign of the amount of respect and love the teammates share. Looking to the future, the tennis team hopes to remain successful because of their coach, Steve Levine. Levine, a former tennis pro, is now teaching his talents to young budding stars. The team loves playing together. Fisher expands on this, saying, "We have an extremely tight team. After matches we go out to eat and just talk. I don't know what I would do without these girls." Once the season is over, coach and players keep in contact, making sure the girls are working on their skills. Megan Burke, ‘16 says that “our potential is endless. I think we have the tools to go far for years to come.”
Player profile: Jess Carr
RICK NEFF
Carr uncoils a kick against Fairfield. Walnut went on to win 2-0. in the city, maybe even the state: Alina Tashjian, ‘14 in the midfield we have Daniel Bundschuh, ‘15 and SENIOR He shoots, he scores! Jess Carr, Andrew Moore, so you can see ‘16 is lighting up the scoreboard how by the time the play gets to for the Walnut varsity boys soccer me, my job is easy.” team with nine goals so far this Carr adds that “the team has season and claiming the title of high-intensity practices every day leading goal scorer for his team. and the team chemistry is fantasHe shows that just because he’s tic. We are all friends… always young doesn’t mean that he can’t joking around and whatnot.” be a pivotal striker in the Eagles’ In the Eagles’ stats book, he sits offense. in the lead with nine goals, three Carr talks about his success on assists, 21 points total and two the field, saying that “[his success more games in the regular season is] because of the players I get to play with, starting with our goalie, to continue his run before tournament time. Logan Weidman, ‘15, who’s in Carr plays Club soccer for the state record books.” But he Cincinnati United Premier (CUP) doesn’t just stop with Weidmann: in the spring and hopes to play “Next, our defense, who I would soccer collegiately. say could be called one of the best
Women’s varsity cross country runs ahead of their competition
Kibret Alem, ‘14
Cross country is one of the sports that often gets overlooked, but this isn’t the case for Walnut Hills women’s varsity cross country. They are one of Walnut’s many teams that have shown success this season and has been a tough competitor to schools in the city: they are currently ranked second in Cincinnati’s Division I. The varsity team is led by captains Grace Kappers, ‘15; Collier Summay, ‘15 and SENIORS Grace O’Donnell and Heather Luken. This year’s team had big shoes to fill, left by last year’s record-breaking team. Last year’s runners won their conference and district and almost went to state, placing fifth at regionals. On top of that, alumna Maryn Lowry
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advanced to state individually. With last year’s impressive record, there were worries about how well this year’s team would do knowing that most of its top runners had graduated. “I was a little worried at first,” admits Luken. Head Coach Bill Valenzano had the same thought during preseason, stating that “during the summer, I was more focused about getting Olivia Connaughton to Walnut Hills.” Before coming to Walnut, Connaughton was already well-known in the cross country world for her speed and success in races. In late June, it was confirmed that Connaughton was going to attend Walnut. “Once I knew Olivia was coming,” says Valenzano, “I knew we were going to have a very talented team of runners.” His assumption proved
JOE LUKEN
The
women’s varsity cross country team poses with Olympian Duane Solomon (far left). currently the third fastest female true when the girls won their first runner in the school and seventh meet of the season, the Milford in all of the Eastern Cincinnati Invitational. They then went on to Conference. Luken was on varsity win the St. Xavier Invitational the in ninth grade and this year, after second year in a row, with Conenduring an injury for two years. naughton leading the team and “I’m really happy to be on varsity earning fifth spot overall. again,” says Luken. Unlike last year, when the team Reflecting on her last year runhad four SENIORS, this year the ning for Walnut, O’Donnell says only SENIORS are O’Donnell that “this season has been fun and and Luken. O’Donnell, who has I really enjoyed it. But postseason been on varsity for three years, is is what’s more important and we’ll
October 10, 2013
try to make it to state.” With the regular season over and the girls having won two of their five meets and placing four runners in the ECC’s top 10 all-time runners list, it seems like the ideal season that any SENIOR would want for their last year. The girls will be competing for the ECC Champions Title on October 12th and in the District Competition on October 19th. Valenzano is hoping for the team to make it to regionals on October 26th. If the girls do manage to go to regionals, it will be the fourth time in five years. If the girls end up being one of the top four teams at regionals, they’ll advance to state. “[The] State Championship is our World Series, our World Cup, and our Super Bowl,” says Valenzano.
Issue CVIII.2