November 17, 2006 Vol. 35 Issue 5
Boys ready for season
Dustin Corban, sr.
Graphics Editor
Now that the fall sports are over, basketball season is getting
ready to begin. Only one senior graduated last year, so there are many returning
players on the boys’ team this year.
“I am very excited,” said Brent Frederick, sr. “I have been
waiting for the season to start for a long time because I know it is my last
year. I know we are going to do well and go far in the playoffs.”
Many of the team members are looking forward to a successful year.
“I think that if we play together as a team, everybody does their job,
and we believe in each other, then we will be successful,” said Trey
Zartman, sr. “I am confident that we will do these things and be successful.”
This year the boys’ basketball team may have a good chance of making
the state playoffs.
Photo by Shaela Anderson
Flying high.
Josh Elder, so., goes up for a basket in Monday night’s
practice.
There are 28 boys participating in basketball this season.
“I feel like the team this year will be stronger than
last year, and we all want to win,” said Cliff Adams, sr.
This season there are seven seniors that are playing along with six juniors,
two sophomores, and 13 freshman.
“I feel that this year’s basketball team will be very good, better
than the past. We have many returning starters as well as underclassmen that
are stepping up. We have good senior leadership, and I think we will make
it to the state playoffs,” said Justin Kaufman, sr.
Many of the seniors feel that this is their year to make an impact on the
team.
“[Being a senior] feels good because we have been waiting for this year.
This is our year to make it to state and be remembered forever. I am really
confident in this team because I know everybody wants to go to state,”
said Tory Thomas, sr. “And there is no next year so this year has to
be the year we achieve our goals.”
New year, new coaches
By Daniel Weilert, jr.
News
Editor
The high school girls’ basketball team is preparing for
the upcoming games and is looking forward to a successful season. With last
year’s record of 9-12, the Lady Cubs are hoping to improve upon their
past efforts.
Last year’s basketball team had six starting senior players. This year,
however, the team has only one senior returning, Michele Rickner.
“We have a pretty small and young team, but a lot of the same girls
played volleyball and we worked well together,” said Rickner. “I
think we’ll have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we can get it done.”
This year’s coaches are Jeff Wilkerson and Sarah Cole, who are both
coaching the Lady Cubs for the first time. Wilkerson is taking over as head
coach and Cole will be the assistant coach. Both coaches a positive outlook
for the girls’ basketball team.
“As a first year coach with the Lady Cubs, I look forward to the upcoming
season and the energy that it brings with it,” said Wilkerson.
Photo by Tessa Coronado
One on one.
Adrienne Gutierrez, jr., and Lenzie
Boring, so., participate in a drill during
the basketball practice on Monday night as the team begins the season.
Wilkerson has been coaching one sport or another since 1996.
He has five years of basketball coaching experience.
“Since my first season as a basketball coach, I have always expected
my players to play with high intensity from start to finish and don’t
see this year as any different,” said Wilkerson.
Sixteen players are on the roster and some of the upperclassmen may have
to step up to lead several younger players. Overall, the Lady Cubs feel
that they will make a strong team.
“I have learned that no matter what happens you must keep a positive
attitude,” said Adrienne Gutierrez, jr.
The girls will play their first game against Neodesha on Dec.1, with both
the varsity and junior varsity teams playing.
Witherspoon plays first game as KU Jayhawk
By Michaela Myer
Sports
Editor
On November 2, Brad Witherspoon, a junior at Kansas University
and 2004 Humboldt graduate, continued to live his dream by playing his first
game as a Kansas Jayhawk.
“[The freshman and walk-ons are] a pretty loose group,” said Bill
Self, KU head coach. “I’ll admit they were really excited. I think
the whole team was, though. I think all the guys were real excited. They were
excited to get out there and play.”
Witherspoon came off the bench with 40 seconds left in the game. He helped
the team by adding one assist.
“I was a little nervous at first even though I wasn’t going to
get to play,” said Witherspoon. “[The other players] should be
nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. I was just speechless.”
Brandon Rush, a guard for the Jayhawks, was a new member of the team last
year and can relate to Witherspoon.
“I still get the little jitterbugs,” said Rush. “I still
get a little nervous now and then. When I start warming up, I calm down.”
Photo by Michaela Myer
Living a dream.
Brad Witherspoon, junior at Kansas University and former Humboldt
graduate, plays his first game as a Jayhawk. Kansas beat Washburn 99-69.
The freshman and walk-ons really impressed some of the other
players.
“The game got a little fast for them, but it slowed down toward the
end,” said Julian Wright, a KU forward. “I was impressed with
them and how they handled their first game.”
Mario Chalmers, a guard for the Jayhawks, thinks the freshmen and walk-ons
will help the team this year.
“I think they’re good,” said Chalmers. “They are really
going to help us practice.”
The Kansas Jayhawks went on to beat the Washburn Ichabods with a score of
99-69.
When asked what advice he would give to high school athletes, Rush said, “Just
push yourself and work on your game. Try to lay everything negative aside.
Just play hard every time you step on the court.”
Witherspoon truly did lay all the negative things aside when people doubted
that he would play for KU. As he thinks back about the things he went through
to get where he is now, he realizes everything was worth it.
“It was definitely worth it. If I got kicked off tomorrow, it really
would have been worth it,” said Witherspoon. “One night was worth
everything.”
Fans can watch for number 40 in upcoming KU games.
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