New Oxford High School Football
by James Arrison
by James Arrison
Colonials Turn to the Triple-Option. “OX-HD”
After last season’s disappointing 1-9 finish, the Colonials look to Navy’s offense to spark a change
Week One: 1-0 The Ox vs. Waynesboro Indians
The Colonials open their season with an exciting win at home against the Indians of Waynesboro. Despite several fumbled snaps, the Ox was able to score two rushing touchdowns (Bivens 10yds, Hoffman 6yds) and recorded 115 yards on 33 attempts. At the beginning of the second half, Connor Neiman returned a kickoff 91yds for a touchdown. The Colonials’ defense looked strong forcing three fumbles and scored off an interception by Brandon Wilt. Final Score: 27-7
Week Two: 2-0 The Ox vs. Northern Lebanon Vikings
Colonials already surpass last season’s record with their second win. The Colonials’ running game looked unstoppable with 400 yards and five rushing touchdowns (Rebert-4,21,30yds) (Bivens-3yds) (Groft-31yds). Jimmy Eline also had a big game with 126 yards on 7 carries. The defense also contributed with one fumble recovery and an interception by Kyle Dettinburn. Final Score: 33-23
Week Three: 3-0 The Ox vs. York Tech Spartans
Colonials improve to 3-0 after Saturday morning’s win against the Spartans. The Colonials started the game slow, fumbling the ball twice which led to a Spartans’ touchdown. But the Colonials wouldn’t let that fly, unleashing their offensive powerhouse for a total of 497 yards over the course of the game.. Rushing touchdowns scored by (Bivens 40, 7,19yds, Rebert 1 yd, and Starner 15 yds). Bivens also threw a touchdown to Kuhn (4yds). Colonials’ defense also showed up to play, recording three sacks by Bunner, Dettinburn, and Young, and an interception by Wilt. Final Score 41-18
Week Four: 3-1 Dallastown Wildcats
The Colonials end their winning streak with a very disappointing loss in their division opener against Dallastown. The Colonials’ offense couldn’t seem to get anything going with only 153 yards offense. Colonials’ defense gave a huge effort, but was not able to contain the Wildcats. Penalties really hurt both teams, and when a 59 yard touchdown run by QB Bivens was called back because of a personal foul, it put a seemingly close game out of reach. Final Score 0-16
Week Five: 3-2 Central York Panthers
The Colonials are on a two game losing streak after an embarrassing meltdown in the second half against the Panthers of Central York. The first half looked promising after a touchdown drive by the Colonials with seconds remaining before halftime to cut Central lead in half 14-7. The Colonials came out in the second half with plenty of enthusiasm but riddled with miscues. Central took advantage and scored 20 points in a 3:19 second span, putting the Colonials out of reach. Final Score 7-34
Week Six: 3-3 York Bearcats
The Colonials continue their losing streak with a disappointing second half loss to the York Bearcats. The Colonials were playing spectacular in the first half going into halftime tied at 7. However, during the second half, the Colonials couldn’t get anything going,. But the Bearcats could, scoring four times before the final whistle. There were too many defensive lapses in the second half, and the offense was in too big of a hole--a tough loss for the OX after a promising start to the season. We are determined to finish the year strong, starting with our homecoming game against Spring Grove.
Final Score 7-35
Week 7: 3-4 Spring Grove Rockets
A chilly, wet rain did not deter fans from coming out to support the Colonials in their big Homecoming game with the tough Spring Grove Rockets. Both teams came in tied with a record of 3-3 and were pumped to come out on top with a winning record. The Colonials mounted a first quarter scoring drive that was highlighted by a 4th down rushing TD by Mike Bivens. Unfortunately, this would be the only score by the Colonials even though they dominated the game in the first half on both ends of the ball. The Rockets tied the game in the 3rd quarter with some impressive power running and the Colonials did not answer, thus requring the overtime period to settle the score. The Rockets took care of business in the overtime scoring first and then intercepting the potential tying TD pass to cinch the win by a score of 14 - 7.
Week Eight: 4-4 Red Lion Lions
The Colonials declawed Red Lion with a 14-0 shutout in the rain and mud. The Colonials' offense, despite a few fumbled snaps, ran all over Red Lion with 342 yards rushing. Rushing touchdowns were scored by great breakaway runs by Rebert (21 yards) and Eline (33 yards). The OX defense also made a stand all night, shutting down the Lions on every drive, keeping them scoreless. The Colonials are proving that they are strong "mudders" and kept their district hopes alive.
Week Nine: 5-4 Dover Eagles
The Colonials secure a district playoff spot with a highly motivated win over the Dover Eagles. The Colonials’ offense dominated the whole game with 322 total yards and 4 touchdowns (1 passing, 3 rushing). The Eagles’ offense couldn’t get anything started against the Colonials’ stout defense. Final Score: 28-7
The Colonials’ get ready for their toughest adversary yet next week against the South Western Mustangs. Let’s Go OX!!!
Great Start for 9th Grade Colonial Football Team
by Austin Rife
The Colonials played well on their first game of the season, bludgeoning the Spartans of York County School of Technology on their battlefield by the score of 45-0. The Colonial defense was very good in shutting out the Spartans. With two fumble recoveries by Ryan Sterner and Ron Wolford and three interceptions made by Nick Slusser, Ron Wolford, and Austin Rife, the defense was on a roll. The Spartans could not move the ball against the Colonials except for a couple of good plays.
The Colonials’ new offense, the triple option, worked very well. Scoring 26 points in the first half and 19 points in the second half, the new offense was a good fit for the Colonials apparently. Racking up 317 yards on mostly the run game worked very well for the Colonials. In fact, there was only one pass play in the game which went for a touchdown on a pass by Ross Starner to Ron Wolford. Scoring rushing touchdowns were Matt Staub, Ross Starner, Nick Slusser, John Wallace, and Dan Summers.
This game was a good one for the Colonials, but this would not be our toughest game of the season without a doubt.
The Colonials will be playing tough teams this year including Dallastown, Central York, William Penn, Spring Grove, Dover, Red Lion, and Southwestern which are all very good teams. The freshmen Colonials only had 3 wins last year and look to improve their record immensely. With a good start like this one, the freshmen Colonials expect greatness this year.
The coaches for the freshmen Colonials are head coach, Coach Darren Groft, and his assistant coaches, Coach Mike Swope and Coach Derek Groft who replace last year's freshmen coaches, Coach Jason Warner and Coach John Slagle both of whom got the opportunity to move up to help with the varsity and junior varsity Colonial football teams this year.
I got a chance to interview Coach Groft to see how he felt about taking over the head coaching job. He said that it would take a lot more responsibility on his part and that he had a good staff to back him up. When I asked Coach if the local Catholic school players transferring to New Oxford would help the team he said, “It is better to have a higher selection of players and higher numbers are definitely better.” When I asked Coach what his weaknesses were, he said that getting the players and coaches to learn the new offense was the team’s biggest weakness. This is Coach Groft’s fourth year coaching and when asked what he will do different than last year's freshmen coaches, he said that he would like to do more team drills on Fridays that separate the squad into mini teams and let them compete against the other teams with challenges like the obstacle course. By doing this, he hopes to develop the mentality it takes to ultimately pull together a crunch time and win the game.
The new freshmen team coaches have done their job so far and believe that their team can win a good many games this year if they continue to play like they played in their opener. Hopefully, the Colonials can continue their winning ways throughout this season and can be considered a force to be reckoned with through the years to come. With a new offense, a new head coach, and a new set of freshmen players, this could be a memorable season for the Colonials' 9th grade team this year.
Disappointment in Dallstown (9th Grade)
The Colonials did not have a good game against Dallastown, losing big to the Wildcats 6-46 on Wednesday, September 23. The Dallastown defense was almost unpenetrable, giving up only one touchdown to B back, Nick Slusser. The Colonials’ triple option was sniffed out by the Wildcats within a couple plays from the start of the game. The Wildcats were also relentless on offense, scoring 46 points with a mixture of passes and runs.
Among other things that hurt the Colonials’ chances were injuries. A-Back and linebacker, Ron Wolford, got taken out of the game running into Matt Staub while trying to block a kick. Also, B-Back and Corner, Jonathon Gianotto, got taken out on a collarbone injury. Ryan Sterner was also sick during this game, but played anyway. The last injury has been for a couple of weeks, but wide receiver and corner Kyle Cracium broke his arm in practice a few weeks ago which hurts the team as well. All these injuries have definitely hurt the Colonials' chances even though they still have good depth in the lineup.
The bright side for the Colonials was that they only held the Wildcats to 7 points in the second half. Overall, even though this was a bad game for the Colonials, they did not play horribly. They just were overmatched by the Wildcats. The team was disappointed in their loss but know that they can build on this loss. It’s just like Coach Groft said “This is when you need each other most.” The team felt that they were going to grow from this loss and benefit from it. With a tough schedule like the Colonials have, it is very hard to win games against powerful teams. Nevertheless, if the coaches and players keep their heads up and believe in themselves they can overcome this loss and come out and beat Central next week.
Defeated by Central (9th Grade)
Another loss for the Colonials, losing to Central 30-0 making their record 1-2. In a game after a bad defeat by Dallastown, the Colonials tried to make a comeback, but it did not work. The Colonials were shut out by the Panthers on a day when it seemed like an underdog win at first for New Oxford.
The Colonials started with the ball and drove down the field on some great runs off the triple option, iso, and midline. In fact, the Colonials got down within the Central five yard line where Matt Staub threw a touchdown pass to Ron Wolford which ended up being called back on an illegal shift penalty against the Colonials. New Oxford could not put it back in the end zone for that drive or the rest of the game. After that, the Panthers threw a long touchdown pass that started the scoring backlash for Central.
Simple mistakes caused the Colonials to lose this game. The Colonial offense moved the ball against the Panthers, but they could not help from giving the ball up. New Oxford gave up two fumbles, including one for a touchdown by Central. Penalties killed too many opportunities as well. Coach Groft calculated that without these simple mistakes, the score would have been 14-6, placing the Colonials in striking distance of the Panthers. The Colonials look to pick themselves up against William Penn and get their second win of the season.
Tough Game for the Colonials at William Penn (9th Grade)
The freshmen Colonials lost their third straight game against the William Penn Wildcats by the score of 6-22. There were too many bad plays in this game to overcome. There were missed calls, numerous missed tackles, and a lack of intensity throughout the game. The Colonials just did not seem to have it in this game.
Injuries have plagued New Oxford this year and just this week there was another tragic loss for the Colonials. John Wallace sustained an injury in gym class the day before the game. John went up to try to deflect a ball playing flag football when he hit his head hard on another student’s shoulder. John went down unconscious and was unable to move. He was taken to the York Hospital where he had tests to see whether he had any spinal injuries. The tests came back negative and John’s injury was proclaimed as a major concussion. He is OK but will be out for the remainder of the season but will be with the team at practice. Also, Jonathon Gianotto was injured during the game against the Bearcats when he was tackled on top of the ball. Giannotto did not return to the game but hopes to be ready by next week.
The bright side for the Colonials was that their second half was stronger than their first. The Colonials got a couple of fumble recoveries and scored a touchdown. The touchdown was scored by Matt Staub who lined up at A Back with Ross Starner giving him the handoff to the left side. Fumble recoveries were made by Coleman Kline and Luke Neiderer. The score in the second half was 6-8, but was a lot better than losing 0-16 in the first half.
The Colonials look to rebound next week at home against the Spring Grove Rockets on Wednesday, October 14 at 6pm. New Oxford feels they should have come away with a win against William Penn but are staying positive. They are not discouraged with their 1-3 record and believe they can get another win by next week’s end if they play with intensity and pride. The Colonials are ready to hit the field against the Rockets and not only play well, but win.
Close, But No Cigar Rocket (9th Grade)
A good game for the Colonials ends in another loss for the Colonials losing to the Spring Grove Rockets 24-38. The team played well but had trouble stopping the Rockets and could not convert on any two point conversions. Another loss for the Colonials drops their record to 1-4.
The main problem for the Colonials was stopping the Rockets' running game. They constantly would run the ball either up the middle or do sweeps to the outside which made it very tough on the Colonials to stop the Rockets. There were some unlucky plays on defense as well for the Colonials including a long pass to the Spring Grove receiver that safety Aaron Brown had in his hands but had taken away. Also, there were a lot of missed tackles for the Colonials which led to some big runs.
The offense did very well this game, scoring on their first drive with a run from Nick Slusser. Another score was made when Matt Staub ran to the left side and scored a touchdown. A tricky touchdown was scored by Ross Starner when he faked a midline run up the middle to Nick Slusser which resulted in a pile on Slusser but before the defense could close on Nick, Starner pulled the ball and went for a long touchdown run. The play was so confusing that even Coach Groft said, “I didn’t even know where the ball was.” The final touchdown of the game was made by Ross Starner near the goal line. The only problem with the offense was that they could not convert on a single two-point conversion. If New Oxford would have converted on all their two-point conversions, the score would have been 32-38, placing the Colonials in striking distance of winning the game.
Overall, this game was one of the better games for the Colonials this year. Hopefully, the Colonials can build on this game and bring a win home to New Oxford and can give the fans something to cheer about.
A Swarm of Plaid: Field Hockey
by Colby Scutta
This year’s field hockey season has started out strong. While the team this year is very young, they have already begun to make their mark against some much more experienced teams. Coach Mowery is confident of her team this year and plans for them to return to District III playoffs.
The Colonials' hockey team has been doing very well. Their current record is 6-3 overall with a a 4-3 record in league play.
The hockey team is big and there are many different positions to fill. Forwards from varsity are played by Carley Sehestedt (Jr), Sarah Kindschuh (Soph), Marcey Piper (Soph), Megan Renaut (Soph), Autumn Shank (Soph), Tarah-Lynn Smith (Soph), Summer Walter (Soph.), Carly Castle (Fresh), and Sarah Groft (Fresh). Also the midfields are played by Brittney Smith (Sr), Inge Van Lankveld (Sr. - Netherlands exchange student), and Lindsey Miller (Fresh). The team’s halfbacks are Lauren Markle (Sr), Caroline Brehm (Jr), Shawna Swope (Jr), Morgan Dutterer (Soph.), and Daniela Ildefonso (Soph), Krysten Dema (Fresh). And finally the last position to cover is played by Becky Brehm (Jr.) and she is goalie. The captains this season are both seniors--Lauren Markle and Brittney Smith.
Coach Mowery's name is synonymous with field hockey excellence in the local area. She first answered the call to become a field hockey coach in the fall of 1977, her first year as a teacher at New Oxford. At that time, the school needed an assistant field hockey coach. Coach Mowery said that she would help out and when the head coach moved away in 1978, she became the head coach and has been coaching ever since. She gets enjoyment out of coaching because she enjoys seeing every player improve as the season progresses.
When Coach Mowery was asked about how the team is doing thus far, she said, “Presently, we are doing well. Being a young team, with only 3 seniors, our current record is 4-3”. Coach also thinks that to make a team successful you need growth and improvement as the season progresses. She stressed the importance of teamwork along with the personal enjoyment and camaraderie among players.
Coach Lee is the assistant coach for the team and she was also questioned about why she got into coaching hockey. Coach Lee played volleyball and hockey in college and decided to coach hockey. She chose hockey over volleyball. She likes coaching because there are more girls on the field at a time, plus there is the added challenge of some physical contact. While she still loves the sport of volleyball, she likes the outdoor action during field hockey season. Coach Lee believes her team is very determined: "They all get along most of the time, they're hard workers, and they simply love playing. This is why I know they'll be so successful."
Coach Lee was asked how she thinks the hockey team is doing thus far. She said: “We are doing very well for having three out of eleven girls starting varsity as freshmen. They are working together and pushing each other very hard at games and during practice.”
The hockey team has already participated in a Spring Grove tournament, the only tournament they were scheduled this season. They lost the first game to Bermudian Springs and won the second game against Spring Grove, finishing in third place. They hope to make it to District III playoffs and participate in that tournament.
Update: Our field hockey team finished with a phenomenal record of 14-5, qualifying for district playoffs before falling to Cumberland Valley by the score of 2-0. All in all, it was a fantastic season for the girls.
With the guidance of the venerable Coach Mowery and the energy of Coach Lee to drive them, this year's field hockey team has accomplished great things. The team would like to thank all of the parents and fans who came out to show their support this year, and they look forward to continuing our winning tradition next season. Congratulations, girls, on a remarkable effort!
Starting Off Strong: Cross Country
by Allison Mack
With a legendary female runner in College and a new coach in place, the New Oxford Cross Country team began preparation for another winning season on August 17, summer of 2009.
Colby Frantz, a former wrestling coach who recently moved from Delaware, has been given the head coaching job for the Cross Country team. Although he has never coached Cross Country before, Frantz has experience as a runner.
When he was asked about the challenge of transitioning from coaching the sport of wrestling to Cross Country, Coach Frantz said that “the transition was and is a tough one. For one, in wrestling you are coaching boys, mostly, and they react differently to a certain type of motivation; that is, yelling. But in Cross Country, you are coaching boys and girls and yelling won't work the same, as a matter of fact it may work the opposite. However, coaching is coaching and there are many things that apply the same in both sports, such as pushing athletes to achieve things that they didn't believe they could achieve. The same amount of coaching preparation goes into both sports.”
Pushing his athletes to their highest possible achievements is just what he plans to do, hoping to set them on the track to improving their times. His plan for summer training was to “get the hard part out of the way” so that the rest of the season can be maintaining speed.
Coach Frantz said that his goals for the season are “to build at first, increasing the speed and distance, and then maintain with speed and rest for the duration of the competition season.”
Although the legendary Jordan Jenkins is gone, Coach Frantz still thinks highly of his team. When asked for his opinion, he says, “I think my new team is awesome! They are the best group of individuals with whom I have worked. And that is saying a lot because I have worked with many groups and teams in my life. These athletes and young adults are maturing everyday and they are working very hard. They have a goal and dream to improve at what they do. Their strength lies in their ability to work as a team and be there for each other. Their weakness lies in the lack of belief in themselves sometimes. The personalities run the spectrum and I enjoy talking to each one of them for different reasons.”
When speaking to his runners, Coach Frantz tells them that it isn’t where they place that matters, it’s how hard they try. He also tells them that he believes in every single runner, and that he never thought the runners couldn’t be good. He wants them all to have the “hearts of champions”.
As meets are underway for the school season, the Cross country team is still working to improve times. Through two meets, runners have not done as well as they have expected from themselves individually or as well as Coach Frantz hoped they would do. Coach Frantz says that the runners also need to remember not to be too hard on themselves. “The last two meets were tough ones, but there were a lot of positives that came out of those meets. Almost all runners had their personal best at the first race, and many improved by the second race as well. I think the most important thing is to let them know that they all did their best and that we will get back to work with new goals to meet.”
That is exactly what the team plans to do. With two meets behind them, the runners continue to target improvement of their times. Every competitive runner knows – each second counts.
Better Than Expected! An Insiders' View of Girls' Tennis
by Colby Scutta and Kelly McMaster
Many people thought the New Oxford tennis team was still rebuilding and that we wouldn’t have that good of a team this year. We were expected to have only three wins this year and already have beaten that with four. Also, two of the games that we are expected to win we have not played yet. The New Oxford Tennis team is proving everyone wrong with a record of 5-7.
A large turnout of players, twenty-nine in all, gives us the chance to practice and play at a high level of competition. The seniors this year are Andrea Hetrick, Jenna Nicholson, Samantha Hoff, Livy Long, Katie Degroft, Carrie Doron, Courtney Weibley, and Tiffany Strausbaugh. Juniors are Erin Luckenbaugh, Courtney Runk, Francesca Lindaw, Desha Hoffman, and Anna Thomas. The sophomores are Jess Caples, Miranda Stultz, Samantha Brzenk, Jordan Mlsna, Kim Delatorre, Kristin Reed, and Kelly McMaster. And finally the freshman players are Emily Groft, Sarah Rudasill, Colby Scutta, Rachel Storm, Ashley Norton, Kristi Teal, Brett Demi, Megan Wagaman, and Alyssa Martz.
Coach Martin believes that “this year's tennis team is doing way better than expected, especially, after losing our top six players from graduation. It made me less optimistic about this season until I saw the work ethic and determination of my team.”. Coach Martin also said that this season is one of his best seasons through the five years he has been coaching: "It is so much fun to watch our tennis team learn and grow as well as the reactions of other teams we are supposed to be underdogs to." His able assistant, Coach Kim Wilke, has proven invaluable in providing all of the girls with direction and encouragement. Coach Martin had this to say about Coach Wilke: “I think she has been a great extra hand and brings lots of knowledge and experience back to teach you. She has been a big help and is going to be missed in the years to come when she heads off to college in the spring”
Coach Martin had projected the tennis team to have two or three wins this year, but the team has already reached and beaten that goal. “I truly believe that we could end up around .500--which would be absolutely amazing.”
When he was asked about what makes a team successful, he stated that "respect of the coach, listening, and hard work are always big things in being successful. It's also important to have feeder programs so that a program can develop by starting at a younger age. That's how champions are made and we are finally starting to see that here. I've never never really had freshman out for the team, but I have ten freshman this year. This will make our team stronger in the next couple of years or throughout my coaching tenure at New Oxford. I would have to say having fun is by far the most important trait of a winning program. If you have fun and you do everything you can do to get better, then that will equal success."
The team also has some things to work on if they are to realize their full potential. According to the coach, they need to work on “foot work and consistency.” Coach Martin also has advice for those who want to try out for the tennis team; he suggests that if you would be interested, then you should work out during off season, and play in tournaments. When Coach was asked if anything need to be changed, he had this to say: “I would never change anything. You will have your ups and downs, but they are all learning experiences”.
Coach Martin was also asked about how he got into tennis and why he coaches it now. His response was that he believes that tennis is the greatest sport in the world because there is hardly another sport that allows people to play for a lifetime. Coach Martin started playing during his junior year year in high school. “I had a great coach and it really guided me to work hard and get better.” He ended up getting recruited to play college tennis for East Stroudsburg University. Coach Martin also received scholarships; many people are unaware that you can even receive them in tennis. “After four years playing varsity and being the number one spot during the majority of my tenure there, I had the opportunity to coach at the college level for a year while I did my student teaching.” He enjoyed his experience so much that he set a goal to get a coaching position as soon as possible. Luckily, he happened upon New Oxford soon after college graduation which had a program that was ready to rebuild. Coach Martin closed by saying that he most "enjoys working with kids... and it is so neat watching the kids get better every day.”
As the program surges ahead, Coach Martin spoke of some of the things that the team should work on to keep improving: "Foot work and consistency” are two things that he would like to see the team focus on in the off season. Coach Martin also has advice for those who want to try out for the tennis team. He suggests that if you would be interested then you should work out during off season, and play in tournaments. When Coach was asked if anything need to be changed, he had this to say, “I would never change anything. You will have your ups and downs but they are all learning experiences. This is the most improved team I have ever had from beginning to end. These girls have worked really hard and have the determination to get better. Usually I see one or two players regress, but this year I have seen all 30 girls get better. It is so much fun to see this happen.”
Everyone on the team wishes to thank Coach Martin and Coach Wilke for their dedication to help us become better players. Finally, a special thanks to everyone who has come out to support our team this year! The future looks very bright for our program..
by Corby Myers
The girls' volleyball team is working hard, striving for every ball that comes to them. Our varsity team has a record of 3 - 9 while our JVs are 8 - 4. The varsity team has already participated in three tournaments. The team recently came in second at the Dover tournament.
When we take the floor, spectators are going to recognize some familiar faces: our setter is Haley Livingston; the middles are Lyndsey Fuhrman and Tawny Hancock; outside hitters are Danielle Roche, Brooke Hall, and Brooke DeLollis, and Lacey Jacobs swings on the right side; Tessa Weishaar is our libero; and Jess Stevens and Tiff Smith rotate in to give the team a sudden spark.
The junior varsity team has recently lost in the quarter finals on Saturday at Gettysburg High School. Last weekend the JV's won seven games and only lost three. They made it to the semi-finals but lost a close game to North Eastern, finishing with a 2-2 record in tournament play.
Our Junior Varsity team consists of oursetter, Katie Amos; our middle hitters are Jess Stevens, Xiomara Castillo, and Brooke DeLollis; the outside hitters are Liz Perry, Logan Smith, Tiff Smith, and Kia Cook. Swinging on the right side is Danielle Crone. Also, our libero is Alisha Miller.
Both teams make use of a 5-1 scheme, which means we have one setter. The coaches decided to run a 5-1 because they only have two setters between both teams and a 5-1 has many benefits to the team. The biggest one is having more hitters. Also, the varsity coach decided to run a 5-1 offense because Haley Livingston is a consistent and hard working setter and using her allowed us to put other players in positions that will help the team the most. The captains for varsity are Haley Livingston and Tessa Weishaar and for the junior varsity are Tiffany Smith and Logan Smith.
The varsity coach, Coach Myers, said “this year’s volleyball team is holding their own, against challenging teams in our league.” While the junior varsity coach, Coach Thomas said, “this year’s volleyball team is doing very well, we are a skilled and talented team, and we just need to work on finishing games strong.”
Coach Myers also said that “hopefully by the end of the season, we’ll see ourselves with a much better record than last year’s team.” Coach Thomas said, “I see this team making a lot of improvement and boosting their knowledge of the game. I believe they will be able to read the floor better and make smarter plays.”
About our prospects for success, Coach Myers said, “I think a team is successful when all the players on the team work hard each day towards a common set of goals and push each other to continuously improve.” Coach Thomas added, “I think what makes a team successful is what they do with what they’ve got. This season, so far, we have had a lot of injuries and have had to put together several different line-ups. Girls were playing in positions they weren’t used to playing, but everyone stepped up to the challenge and handled it well.”
Both coaches have words of wisdom for our girls' volleyball team: "Keep your heads up and keep pushing. You are great volleyball players and just need to believe in yourselves. We believe that you can accomplish any thing you want to if you stick to it!"
Coach Myers specifically said that she challenges us "to play with confidence, earn respect from the other teams in our league, and to play with emotion. "
All of the girls are putting time and effort in to each practice and stepping up their game. When players get hurt, others are ready to push themselves even more.
by George Kitchen
It’s about mid-way through the high school soccer season, and the boys' soccer team is looking more towards the middle of the pack. New Oxford has the ability to win games and be consistently competitive. There have been five close contests so far in the season and the stats just are not there at the end whistle.
Justin Boston (L), Frank Rodemer (Keeper in green), Christian Campos (Middle), Moritz Bauer (R)
Led by captains Juan Sanchez, Josue Santoyo, and Casey Nicholson, New Oxford is a team with which to be reckoned.. Juan plays forward and defense and takes many free kicks well. Casey and Josue play midfield and have smart, quick touches.
The team has a lot of talent all over the field. In goal, Frank Rodemeyer provides a safety net for any broken defense. Speaking of defense, they’re led by the speedy Tim Baublitz in the middle and the aforementioned experienced captain, Juan Sanchez. The defense also has a solid rotation when Joe Menapace and Sherman Garcia are switched into the middle. Outside defenders include the aggressive Eddie Aguilar and a proficient Christian Campos. Yet another solid defender includes the sophomore Dylan Lawyer.
The mid-field consists of highly skilled players for the Colonials. A new foreign exchange student Moritz Bauer of Germany plays well up top for New Oxford; he handles the ball well and creates opportunities for the offensive attack. A returning star, Josue Santoyo, also plays in the middle and has quick touches and is better than most in the league. Yet another very talented center mid-fielder is the other captain, Casey Nicholson. The outside midfield position is locked down by the speedy Kenny Hanna and a very able Justin Boston. Other capable midfielders include Hector Bermudez, an experienced Andrew Kendris, and Miguel Mendez.
When Moritz is not playing midfield, he’s up top attacking and playing very well for the Colonials. The Colonials have other productive forwards, including the elusive Jose Aguilar and Luke McFalls.
In conclusion, New Oxford is a force that can come out near the top of the division. The talent is there, and the team is coming together as a unit; however, the Colonials are lacking that consistency to clinch decisons in the win column, and such lack of consistency is hurting them. They win games they should lose and lose games they should win.
Lately, they are looking good though, locking up a win against a tough Northeastern team by the score of 3-0.
Aiming for the Pin: Colonial Golf
Although the Colonials had a winless record, Coach O’Brien and his team emerged from their season with a positive outlook. With so many underclassmen this year, it is likely that the team will learn from their tough matches and go into next season with a lot more experience than in past years.
According to Coach O’Brien, the mark of this year's team is that they never gave up. They worked on improving their games and during the whole season had a blast learning the game of golf, getting to know one another and even forming friendships with some of their competitors. Coach O’Brien said, “We’ve had more fun and smiled more than any other school in the league. This season was only a losing season in the record books because many of the golfers grew as individuals. I am proud of all of them for keeping their heads up and smiling till the end.”
The team was led by senior captain Aaron Fuhrman. Fellow seniors are Jordan Foltz and Eric Rife.
This year’s juniors are already looking forward to next season. They are Andrew Collins, Colleen Quinn, Zach Myers, Austin Stormes, Carl “Buddy” Sehstedt, and Sierra Smith.
Robert Mackenzie was the only sophomore on the team this year (editor’s note: Come on, sophomore class, where are you?).
Three freshmen round out the club: Hunter Keech, Jacob Neiderer, and Maria Fasnacht.
Anyone who seriously participates in the sport of golf knows how it stays with a person for a lifetime, giving its enthusiasts a healthy outlet--anytime the weather co-operates. We’re certain that all of the members of the golf team will find a way to stay positive and keep playing the ancient game they’ve come to love.
by Devan Poist
Pedro Martinez waited all spring for the New York Mets to call him up from the Dominican Minors. That call never came; it did come, however, from a familiar foe, the Philadelphia Phillies.
At age 37, Martinez entered the Phillies rotation with the goal to help out and just add a couple of wins here and there, not start 5-1. In those six games, Pedro has maintained an ERA of 3.32 and 35 strikeouts. Though it’s obvious Martinez has had some run support from the Phillies stellar hitting attack, all the credit can’t go to them as Pedro's pitching has limited opponents' batting average to about .214.
The post season looms for the Phillies as they attempt to defend last year's World Series championship. Is Pedro's arm ready for the grueling haul of the playoffs when pitchers are sometimes called upon to pitch on three day's rest or starters are called out of the bullpen to clinch a decisive win? If his first performance against the LA Dodgers in the NL Championship Series is any indication, Pedro is more than up to the challenge. He made great hitters like Manny Ramiriez look like minor leaguers as he kept them off balance with his intelligent pitching--changing speeds, painting corners, and reading the hitters' bats. Unfortunately, the Phillies' bullpen could not hold the slim 1-0 lead and shoddy defense led to a no-decision for Pedro. But he will be back, and the Dodgers look overmatched by the wizardry of Pedro.
At the conclusion of the season, the waiting game begins again. Is Pedro a hired gun? Could he be replaced by rookie leftie J.A Happ in the off season, leaving one of the best off season pitchers of all time off of the mound?
In Pedro’s 18 years, the righty can proudly boast his three Cy Young’s, eight All Star Games-- one of which he was named MVP. He also led the the Major Leagues in win totals in 1999 with 23, led in ERA in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2003. In 2005, he won the MLB.com "Oddity of the Year" award. Although its obvious Petey (Pedro) isn’t as up to par from his dominating past, very few pitchers will ever live up to the legend of Martinez.
