Mount Hood

Men’s Rugby’s hard work pays off

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

In the final match of fall term on Nov. 3, the Men’s Rugby team left the field after their lopsided victory over Willamette University unsure of the future. The team knew their only chance at playoffs was to win the bid for hosting the National Small College Rugby Organization’s Challenge Cup Pacific Coast Regional Championships. While they finished their fall season with back to back blow out wins, the loss in their first match on Oct. 7 against reigning conference champions Central Oregon Community College may have kept them out of the playoffs. But little did they know, massive news was in the making.

During the winter break, the national rankings were posted on the NSCRO website. Consisting of over 240 Men’s clubs, Western had never before found themselves ranked inside the top 40. However, due to their outstanding play, the Wolves were nationally placed at 30. This national ranking was especially notable as no varsity or other club sport team in the 2018-19 school year had been able to achieve an honor such as this.

But despite this historic achievement, the men of Western rugby remained fixated on the end goal of playoffs.

“We’re not trying to make it a big deal of it,” said head coach and Western alumni Sean Pomeroy. “We’re at the bottom of the rankings, we want to be up higher, so we’re trying to stay focused.”

This focus is of the utmost importance for the Wolves as alongside their news of a national ranking, it was announced that Monmouth would play host to the Challenge Cup Pacific Coast Regional Championships. Before leaving for winter break, the players and coaches were unsure if a post season would be in the picture due to only one team from the conference being invited to the challenge cup. But after the news that their bid to host was accepted, the playoffs would be be on the Wolves’s home turf, giving them an invitation to participate.

“If we didn’t host (the challenge cup) we wouldn’t have been in,” mentioned Pomeroy. “We started to hit our stride toward the end of the season… so we’re going to use this opportunity to turn some heads and show why we are nationally ranked.”

The NSCRO Challenge Cup Pacific Coast Regional Championships is set to be held March 30 and 31 on the intramural field on Western’s campus. With the winner of this tournament receiving an automatic bid to the National Championships, the Wolves are hoping they can use the home field edge for one last push.

“We want to see these stands filled. Our boys always play better with big crowds so we hope we can use the home field to our advantage,” finished Pomeroy.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Winter term sports preview

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

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[fruitful_tab title=”Lacrosse”]

Feb. 9 1 p.m. @ UC Davis

Feb. 10 1 p.m. @ University of Santa Cruz

Feb. 16 5 p.m. vs. Seattle University

Feb. 17 1 p.m. @ Humboldt State University

Feb. 24 1 p.m. @ Central Washington University

Mar. 9 6 p.m. vs. Western Washington University

Mar. 16 1 p.m. vs. University of Portland

Mar. 22 6 p.m. @ Pacific Lutheran University

Mar. 24 1 p.m. vs. CU Denver

[/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Men’s Rugby”]

Jan. 16 6 p.m. @ Oregon State University

Feb. 2 1 p.m. vs. University of Oregon

Feb. 9 3 p.m. @ Pacific University

Feb. 16 1 p.m. @ University of Washington

Mar. 2 11 a.m. vs. Eastern Washington University

Mar. 3 1 p.m. vs. Pacific University

Mar. 30-31 National Small College Rugby Organization Challenge Cup Pacific Coast Regional Championships in Monmouth, Oregon

[/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Women’s Soccer”] Feb. 9 1 p.m. vs. Portland State University [/fruitful_tab]
[/fruitful_tabs]

[fruitful_tabs type=”accordion” width=”100%” fit=”false”]
[fruitful_tab title=”Baseball”]

Feb. 8 2 p.m. @ Lewis and Clark State

Feb. 9 12 p.m. @ Lewis and Clark State

Feb. 9 3 p.m. @ Lewis and Clark State

Feb. 10 12 p.m. @ Lewis and Clark State

Feb. 14 12 p.m. @ Fresno Pacific

Feb. 15 3 p.m. @ Fresno Pacific

Feb. 15 6 p.m. @ Fresno Pacific

Feb. 16 11 a.m. @ Fresno Pacific

Mar. 2 12 p.m. vs. Montana State Billings

Mar. 2 3 p.m. vs. Montana State Billings

Mar. 3 12 p.m. vs. Montana State Billings

Mar. 3 3 p.m. vs. Montana State Billings

Mar. 9 12 p.m. @ Central Washington University

Mar. 9 3 p.m. @ Central Washington University

Mar. 10 12 p.m. @ Central Washington University

Mar. 10 3 p.m. @ Central Washington University

Mar. 16 1 p.m. vs. Concordia University

Mar. 16 4 p.m. vs. Concordia University

Mar. 17 1 p.m. vs. Concordia University

Mar. 17 4 p.m. vs. Concordia University

Mar. 22 3 p.m. @ Northwest Nazarene University

Mar. 22 6 p.m. @ Northwest Nazarene University

Mar. 23 1 p.m. @ Northwest Nazarene University

Mar. 23 4 p.m. @ Northwest Nazarene University

Mar. 27 2 p.m. vs. Lewis and Clark University

Mar. 30 1 p.m. vs. Saint Martin’s University

Mar. 30 4 p.m. vs. Saint Martin’s University

Mar. 31 12 p.m. vs. Saint Martin’s University

Mar. 31 3 p.m. vs. Saint Martin’s University [/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Softball”]

MSUB Desert Stinger Classic

Feb. 1  4:30 p.m. vs. Colorado Christian University

Feb. 1  7 p.m. vs. Cal State Monterey Bay University

Feb. 2  4:30 p.m. vs. UC San Diego University

Feb. 2  7 p.m. vs. Hawaii Pacific University

Feb. 3  11:30 a.m. vs. Chico State University

Dixie State Tournament

Feb. 15  3:30 p.m. vs. St. Edward’s University

Feb. 16  10 a.m. vs. Adelphi University

Feb. 16  12:30 p.m. vs. St. Edward’s University

Feb. 17  12:30 p.m. vs. Adelphi University

Feb. 17  3 p.m. vs. Dixie State University

PFX Athletics Tournament

Mar. 1  9:30 a.m. vs. Kentucky Wesleyan University

Mar. 1  11:45 a.m. vs. Missouri University St. Louis

Mar. 2  9 a.m. vs. Findlay University

Mar. 2  11:15 a.m. vs. Minnesota State University Mankato

Mar. 3  9 a.m. vs. Tiffin University

Mar. 3 11:15 a.m. vs. Malone University

Mar. 4 6:15 p.m. vs. The College of Saint Rose

Mar. 9  12 p.m. vs. Simon Fraser University

Mar. 9  2 p.m. vs. Simon Fraser University

Mar. 10  12 p.m. vs. Western Washington University

Mar. 10  2 p.m. vs. Western Washington University

Mar. 13  1 p.m. vs. Northwest Christian University

Mar. 13  3 p.m. vs. Northwest Christian University

Mar. 16  12 p.m. @ Montana State University Billings

Mar. 16  2 p.m. @ Montana State University Billings

Mar. 17  12 p.m. @ Montana State University Billings  

Mar. 17  2 p.m. @ Montana State University Billings

Mar. 23  1 p.m. @ Central Washington University

Mar. 23  3 p.m. @ Central Washington University

Mar. 24  12 p.m. @ Saint Martin’s University

Mar. 24  2 p.m. @ Saint Martin’s University

Tournament of Champions

Mar. 29  2 p.m. vs. Sonoma State University

Mar. 29  4:30 p.m. vs. Cal State East Bay University

Mar. 30  2 p.m. vs. San Francisco State University

Mar. 30  5:30 p.m. vs. Stanislaus State University

Mar. 31  9 a.m. vs. California State University, Dominguez Hills

[/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Track and Field”]

Jan. 12 @ UW Indoor Preview

Jan. 25 @ Husky Invitational

Jan. 26 @ Husky Invitational

Feb. 8 @ Husky Classic

Feb. 9 @ Husky Classic

Feb. 15 @ GNAC Championships

Feb. 16 @ GNAC Championships

Feb. 23 @ SPU Final Qualifier

Mar. 2 @ Willamette Opener

Mar. 8 @ NCAA Championships

Mar. 9 @ NCAA Championships

Mar. 9 @ Pacific Invitational

Mar. 17 @ Lewis & Clark Spring Break Open

Mar. 23 @ Willamette Invitational

Mar. 28 @ SF Distance Carnival

Mar. 29 @ SF Distance Carnival

Mar. 29 @ Stanford Invitational

Mar. 30 @ Stanford Invitational

Mar. 30 @ SF Distance Carnival

[/fruitful_tab]
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Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Western’s women are back on the rugby pitch

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Coming back from a very short fall season of only two games, the women’s rugby team hoped to start the new term off right with an exhibition match against Oregon State University on Jan. 12.

Western’s squad was short a few players but due to the large roster of the Beavers, some Beavers donned the red and black to field a complete team. With a full 15 player lineup taking the field for both sides, the game was set to start.

The Wolves’s roster is packed with young players, and many were stepping onto the pitch for one of their first games. This lack of experience started to show when Oregon State began with a strong offensive drive. Within a minute of kick off, the Beavers were on the board. After giving up a try early, the Wolves hoped to fight back.

Another quick break away by the Beavers brought them within ten yards of the goal line. However, the Wolves showed some promise by making an impressive goal line stand. Keeping Oregon State away from a score highlighted the potential of the younger players. But moments later, the Wolves surrendered another score.

Despite this match being a non-competitive match, the hard hitting nature of the sport took a toll on the players. Injuries riddled both teams, causing players to need to constantly switch between teams. The injuries kept piling up throughout the match, eventually resulting in the need to play 14 on 14 due to the lack of healthy players.

At the end of the match Western had been able to score twice but gave up a slew of points. While on paper the Wolves lost, the experience gained was very valuable to the young team. Being able to get back on the field for only their third official match hopes to prove positive for the future.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Western Women’s basketball stumbles to undefeated Northwest Nazarene

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

An undefeated and sixth ranked Northwest Nazarene University stood as the last opponent for the Wolves Women’s basketball before school came back in session for Winter Term. Since the beginning of break, Western had won two of the last three matches but the Nighthawks were a mighty opponent. Northwest Nazarene had won their last three matches by an average of 23 points.

In the first quarter, the Wolves looked up to the task against the Nighthawks. The relentless home court defense halted any attempt of an offensive run of more than just a couple of points. This flurry of defense was complemented by barrage of precise shooting. The unranked Wolves managed to find a multiple-score lead at the end of the first quarter.

Western’s women fought to hold this lead but after a three minute tug of war, the visitors showed why they are top ranked. The Nighthawks started firing on all cylinders to climb their way to a nine-point lead over Western. Their offense put up 16 points while their defense smothered the Wolves, giving up only a tight seven points.

After the half, the Wolves were in desperate need of something to slow the offensive momentum of Northwest Nazarene. Unfortunately for Western, the hopes of finding their way back into the game quickly grew to a much bigger task than they were ready for. Rebounds and steals by the Nighthawks helped extend their lead to 13 before the Wolves took a timeout to slow the momentum.

Halfway through the third the Wolves huddled together, looking for anyway to fight their way back into the game. Shortly after the timeout, Western saw a glimmer of hope. Back and forth steals between the teams followed with a couple of good layups for Western shrank the Wolves deficit to only nine before taking another team timeout.

Building off this small run, Western hoped to mount a comeback. The process of chipping away at the Nighthawks lead continued with a good three-pointer and a block for the Wolves. These brought the women to only eight points down. But another late quarter run smothered any hopes of a Wolves third quarter comeback.

The fourth quarter showcased a tremendous offensive effort by the Nighthawks. With a comfortable 16-point lead over the Wolves, all hopes of a comeback seemed like a longshot. Although the Wolves never stopped fighting, they never saw Northwest Nazarene’s lead shrink to less than 14 points. With only seconds left, the Wolves sank back to back free throws. The final score settled at 90-70.

Western heads up to British Columbia for their next match against in-conference opponents Simon Fraser University. While the Wolves have seen a slow start to their season up to this point, having four wins to their six losses, the next match with the Clan looks to be a big one for the Wolves. The 6-5 Clan sits directly above the Wolves in the GNAC rankings.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Winter break sports recap

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Dec.10 Western Men’s Rugby ranked 30 Nationally

After being named the Co-Champions of the Northwest Conference, Western Men’s Rugby obtains the national ranking of 30. This is the first time in program history they have been nationally ranked.

Dec.10 Women’s basketball cruises past Northwest Christian University 79-62

Dec.14 Bo Highburger of Western Football named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award

Senior economics major Bo Highburger was named a finalist for the award that recognizes defensive players achievements from schools in the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA. Highburger was one of two GNAC players to receive this honor after a record-breaking senior season for the Wolves.

Dec.14 Men’s basketball comfortably beats Hawaii University at Hilo 80-69

Dec.16 Men’s basketball continues streak in Hawaii against Emmanuel College 76-64

Dec.17 Men’s basketball member Riley Hawken named as GNAC Player of the Week

Junior business major Riley Hawken earned the title after his double double against Emmanuel College.

Dec.17 Men’s basketball team named as GNAC Team of the week

The Men’s basketball team earns the honor of GNAC Team of the week after they continue on a five game win streak in Hawaii.

Dec.17 Men’s basketball falls to #7 ranked University of California San Diego 73-63

Dec.18 Women’s Soccer names a new head coach for upcoming season

After a subpar season finishing at 5-9-3 the Women’s Soccer team named Kacey Bingham as the new head coach. Bingham has a total of 12 years experience as a collegiate head coach. She has a overall record of 219 wins, 53 losses and 13 ties at the head coach position.

Dec.18 Men’s basketball finale against Dallas Baptist University in Hawaii cancelled

The head coaches of Western and Dallas Baptist University mutually agreed to cancel their match scheduled for Dec.18. This cancellation was due to a medical emergency from the match prior to Western and Dallas Baptist’s game.

Dec.19 Women’s basketball earns big win over Notre Dame de Namur 79-60

Dec.19 Volleyball hires a new head coach for the upcoming season

After their sixth consecutive losing season, the Wolves’s volleyball program hired new head coach Stacy Metro. Metro is stepping up from coaching at the high school level to take the helm of Western’s program. She has 19 years of experience including several years as the assistant coach at the University of Oregon.

Dec.29 Men’s basketball massacres Portland Bible College 129-33

Jan. 3 Women’s basketball falls at home to Central Washington University 65-78

Jan. 3 Men’s basketball loses close match in Alaska to Alaska Anchorage 57-61

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Wolves Men’s Basketball bounce back against Nanooks

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

With a break full of up and down games, the Wolves were in need of another win to help climb the GNAC rankings. After a narrow loss to Alaska Anchorage University in the days leading up to their match with Alaska Fairbanks on Jan. 5, the Wolves hoped to end their trip up north with a win. The Nanooks had recently edged out Alaska Fairbanks in one of their previous games, showing the Wolves that this match shouldn’t be a walk in the park.

Right out of the gates, the Wolves established dominance over the Nanooks. Western quickly soared to a staggering double digit lead before Alaska Fairbanks scored a single point. Western’s offense had hit their stride before the Nanook’s defense had a chance to adjust. Just four short minutes into the game, the Wolves jumped to a 15 point lead.

While the Wolves started to run away with the game since the first whistle, Alaska Fairbanks didn’t just roll over. Halfway into the first half the immense lead owned by the Wolves had been cut to only seven. This may have looked like the beginning of a comeback, but minutes later showed it was anything but.

The Monmouth men’s lead never dipped that low for the rest of the half. Precision shooting resulted in another run for the Wolves midway through the half. With a 20 point lead, the Nanooks offense finally woke up and started fighting back. But another run took the lead back to 20 before settling at 18 at the end of the half.

The second half showed no signs of Western’s offensive momentum slowing. While Alaska Fairbanks was finally starting to establish an offensive presence, any hope of a comeback seemed squashed by the unrelenting offense of the Wolves. Western stretched their lead to massive 23 points. At the end of the match Western finished on top 97-80, never having trailed.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Flag football phenom

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Another year, another west coast region victory. For the second consecutive year Western fielded a sort of “Intramural All Star Team” to compete in the flag football western regional tournament held by the National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association. A group of seniors with a handful of juniors made their way to Arizona State University to defend their title of region champions from the previous year.

The 2018 team, headed by senior business major Matthew Cornish, had a large schedule ahead of them as they arrived in Tempe, Arizona.

Their first match of the day was against Dixie State University. After a hard fought match, the Wolves surcame to a six point loss. But the tournament was far from over. Game after game the Wolves obliterated their opponents. Several of the games were ended due to a mercy rule being called.

“(Our offense) played excellent. We had a three quarterback system… Nobody knew how to play defense against us,” said Cornish.

Paired with the Wolves’s high scoring offense was a fearsome defense.

“Our defense played great. We had…Andrew Valladares nominated to defensive MVP after the tournament, as well as Cody Chimienti nominated to Offensive (honors),” Cornish added.

Because of the Wolves’s dominance in the tournament, they won a bid to compete in the National Championship tournament in Florida. However, due to funding issues and the short turnaround time, the Wolves likely will not be able to travel to compete.

“I would have liked to have seen how we played this year… There’s a couple of guys who are disappointed (we can’t go). But a lot of guys are happy to end the season with a win,” mentioned Cornish.

Overall, Cornish and the team stayed very humble, even after winning the western regional tournament.

“I want to make sure to thank The Health and Wellness Center because this wouldn’t have been possible without them. They were a big help for us, as well as the school because funding-wise we wouldn’t have been able to do it without them,” said Cornish.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Cross Country competes in National Championship

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

After being named to All GNAC honors, two seniors, Justin Nading and Tyler Jones took their running talents to Pittsburgh, PA for the NCAA DII National Championships on Dec. 1.

Nading and Jones were the only Wolves to earn the bid into competing and hoped for a solid finish.

The trail was overtaken by a plague of bad weather leading up to the tournament. But nevertheless, the Wolves pushed forward.

After a brutal run in cold and rainy conditions, Jones had found himself finishing the 10,000 meter course in 60th place with a time of 33:56.8. Nading came in at a respectable 109th with a final time of 34:42.0.

Out of the GNAC runners in the race, Jones finished 5th and Nading in 11th.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Wolves take on Vikings in Monmouth

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

In their first major test of the season, the Wolves faced off at home with the 15th ranked Western Washington Vikings on Dec. 1. Coming into the match, Western had picked up an easy win against conference opponent Simon Fraser in the previous night. After the double digit home win, Western hoped to keep up their momentum with their next conference match.

Western Washington wasted no time jumping to a quick six point lead over the Wolves with back to back three pointers. But despite this early showing, the Wolves retook the lead and held a tight lead for the majority of the half.

As the seconds dwindled down in the first, the Wolves and Vikings continued to trade blows. With the game staying within a single score, the Wolves clung to the lead before a quick flurry of offense paved the way for Western to take a nine-point lead.

A strong push by the Wolves out of the gates in the second half helped Western reach a double digit lead early in the second, but this lead was soon swept away. Western Washington fought back to tie and eventually overtook the Wolves for the lead. With only a few minutes left in the half, the lead was traded back and forth before the buzzer sounded to a 70-70 tie.

This tight game play continued into overtime. Western jumped to a quick lead but the Vikings were never too far behind. This narrow lead stuck until only seven seconds were left on the clock. After a foul by the Wolves, Western Washington sank back to back free throws to tie the game back up at 80-80.

Neither team seemed to give an inch to each other in the second overtime period. The Vikings took the lead over the Wolves with less than two minutes left in the game, but this was the last lead they would see. One last offense push from the Wolves helped seal a win for Western at home.

The final score was 96-88 and the double overtime shootout came to a close with another Wolves win.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Western men’s basketball falls to Dixie State

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

The Wolves were a force to be reckoned with coming into their match-up with Dixie State University on Nov. 24. Western had had nothing but wins with three consecutive regular season victories prior to their game with the 1-1 Dixie State University Bison. Hoping to extend their undefeated season, the Wolves took the court ready for a battle.

The Bison overwhelmed the Wolves by their deadly offensive accuracy. Dixie State powered their way to a lead, managing over .400 in overall shooting percentage.

Western found themselves in a seven point hole coming into halftime. The Wolves were in desperate need of an offensive spark in order to close the gap.

As the clocked ticked closer to zero the Wolves chipped away at the Bison’s lead. Eventually, the Wolves brought their deficit down to a tight four points. But due to the efficient offense of the Bison, Western was unable to halt the momentum. Dixie State found the basket several times with under a minute to bring the final score to 80-70.

This loss is the first of the Wolves’s season bringing them to 3-1. The Wolves take on the Simon Fraser University Clan next for their first GNAC match of the season on Nov. 29.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

What’s what: Western’s women’s soccer club

Mikaela Wong | Freelancer

Freshly formed in 2017, the Western women’s soccer club has attracted some campus attention. The team has recently won the championship title for the Division 2/Division 3 league for Oregon’s Women’s Club Soccer Tournament.

Haylie Shinsato, a senior chemistry major, started the club in Winter term of 2017. After realizing that many girls who played in the spring intramurals soccer league were interested in playing year-round soccer at a higher competitive level, Shinsato looked into starting the club.

It seemed like the team was formed just in time as Shinsato explained.

“Actually, Oregon didn’t have a women’s (club) soccer league because there weren’t enough schools participating. But because we were one of the last clubs to be formed, we made that breaking point and were able to establish that league,” Shinsato said.

On Nov. 18, Western and the University of Oregon faced off for the overall championship title for all participating schools of Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3 levels. Although they had come up short of a win with a final score of 4-1, Shinsato said that she was not disappointed in the playing of her team.

“I think we did fairly well considering how new we are to the scene… we’re a newer team and probably needed to get used to playing with each other a little more to gain some more playing chemistry,” said Shinsato.

The women’s soccer club has seen immense support, especially for a team that has been around for less than a year. Although Shinsato is set to graduate this year, her hopes for the future of the club remains strong.

“Hopefully they will continue the competitive trend that was started and the league will grow into something even bigger. Hopefully we can get more funding from the school which could help us travel (further) to play more teams.”

Most of the girls on the team have had some sort of experience playing on competitive teams in the past, but it is not a requirement to join the club. Even though there is a higher level of commitment involved than intramurals, Shinsato was reassuring when it came to prioritizing responsibilities.

“We’re looking to go to the next level (of competition) but we understand that we’re students first and there’s work and class and other priorities. It’s also a good way to make friends and hang out,” Shinsato noted.

If you are interested in joining the women’s soccer club, go onto IMleagues to sign up or email Haylie Shinsato at hshinsato14@wou.edu.

 

Contact the author at mwong16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Lake Larsen

Wolves trounce Cougars in the second home match

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Coming off of a season and home-opening win against the Warner Pacific University, the Wolves looked the continue their defense of the home court. Prior to this game the Colorado Christian University Cougars had only found themselves in the winning column once while Western was far more dominant, being undefeated coming into the game.

The first minutes of action saw the Cougars jump to an early lead over the Wolves. Fouls by Western led to back to back successful free throws to put Colorado Christian on top. But the Wolves were just warming up.

After the early minutes deficit, Western came alive. The Wolves forced turnover after turnover to retake the lead over the Cougars. This lead stayed slim with the offense of Colorado Christian continuing to challenge Western, matching many of the shots the Wolves made. But as the end of the half approached, the Wolves went on a quick nine-point flury that the Cougars could not respond to.

After the half, the Wolves asserted their dominance over Colorado Christian. Western forced countless turnovers in which they capitalized on to widen the lead over the Cougars.

This lack of defensive showing by Colorado Christian allowed the offense the thrive. Junior business major Buster Souza led the offensive assault of the Wolves. Souza’s performance was increasingly notable due to his scoring a perfect seven of seven shots from the field. This made Souza the third player in the school’s history since joining the NCAA that had been perfect from the field totaling at least seven shots.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Wolves had beat Colorado Christian not just on the board but in nearly every statistical category. The second half saw the Wolves lead the Cougars by over 30 points several times and never saw Western fall behind. With the 29 point win in their past, the Wolves look forward to heading to Utah to play Westminster University Nov. 23.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Wolves women’s basketball outlast Mavericks in a road win

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Unable to find a win in their first match against Dixie State University on the previous day, the Wolves hoped for a different outcome against Colorado Mesa University on Nov. 17. Colorado Mesa had won their match the previous day setting up a challenging scenario for the Wolves coming into the game.

Coming out of the gates, the Wolves were ready for a fight. After a short stint in the lead the Wolves quickly jumped right back in front of the Maverick. An unstoppable Western offense pushed the Wolves to tripling the score of Colorado Mesa 24-8 by the end of the first quarter.

The lopsided score came to a quick end as Colorado Mesa took their turn controlling the game. Points were traded back and forth but the frequency of scores fell more in favor of the Mavericks. As the time left in the first half dwindled, Western barely clung onto their lead, going into halftime on top only by eight.

The score gap continued to narrow as both teams traded blows back and forth. An impressive offensive effort by Colorado Mesa was matched by an equally vicious defensive attack from Western. The game continued to close as Colorado Mesa claimed the third quarter but still trailed by six to the Wolves.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Wolves knew that if they wanted to win, they had to outlast the Mavericks final push. Colorado Mesa’s assault on the Wolves pushed the leading gap smaller and smaller. But the Wolves’s defense held off a late run, preventing a comeback.

The end of the game showed that Westerns first quarter lead was enough to eke out a win. The second, third, and fourth quarter all saw Colorado Mesa outscore the Wolves by varying amounts but never enough to overtake the Wolves’s lead. The Wolves picked up a crucial victory bringing them to .500 on the season.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Preview: Men’s Basketball

Mikaela Wong | Freelancer

Returning from a spectacular 2017-2018 season, the Western men’s basketball team is back and ready to fight for what they were so close to achieving last season. After losing to California Baptist University from a last-minute comeback that fell just short in the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball West Regional, the Wolves concluded their season at No. 3. Western’s 24-game win streak was ended and finished with a 31-2 record.

However, after having a less than ideal ending to their previous season, the mindsets of the players are now stronger than ever. Riley Hawken, a senior business major and a returning power forward, is confident that the team will carry over its success.

“This year’s going to be another phenomenal year and we’re going to have a lot of phenomenal players. A lot of the guys are hungry and we’re all just wanting to do the best we can to represent WOU as great as we can,” said Hawken.

The men’s basketball team has gained quite the following after their previous historic season and do not plan on slowing down any time soon.

“We have a winning culture,” stated Buster Souza, a senior majoring in business and also returning as a power forward, “and that is going to come not just this year and next year, but years and years after that.”

Many players were wondering how this year’s team would measure up to last season’s, especially having nine players graduate last year. But Souza was quite reassuring. “Something we had to work on (over the off-season) was our depth because we lost so many players last year, but we really corrected that just with our recruiting and our deep line-up. Our skillset is pretty even across the board…we have a lot of young talent coming in as well as veterans returning.”

Hawkens adds, “a lot of the (new recruits) have really good attitudes that are (just as) hungry and want to continue on the success that we’ve had. The coaches did a really good job of getting guys in here who could fill the spots (of the graduated players).”

Hawken was unanimously named to the 2018-19 GNAC Men’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team over the off-season. When asked about what things he is looking forward to most this season, Hawken said, “the biggest part of the journey is how you come together as a team. The thing I’m most excited for is the new team to come together…to see how all these new pieces are going to come together…and how well we are going to progress as a team…and it’s coming along really well right now.”

Western’s men’s basketball team’s first regular season game is against Warner Pacific University on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. in New PE.

 

Contact the author at mwong16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Women’s rugby overpowers Whitman

Lake Larsen | Sports editor

It was a still morning with a chilling breeze that cut through the air. All seemed calm as the Wolves took to the field to battle the Whitman Blues. This match was special for the women’s team as it marked their second and final match of the fall season as well as their only home game in the fall. Despite this, the Wolves were ready for a fight.

Within minutes, Western’s offense quickly took it to Whitman. Back to back scores with only one missed conversion rocketed Western to a quick 12-0 lead. But the slow start for the Blues came to an end as they scored back to back tries, missing both conversions to make it a 12-10 game.

In the second period the Wolves offense started to show their strength. Whitman was unable to handle the relentless Wolves as they powered their way down the field time and time again. The Blues were so far back on their heels, they couldn’t even advance the ball on offense, leading to Western growing their lead to 32-10.

“Communication was important. We weren’t tackling very well but I think our offense did a great job,” commented junior ASL/English interpreting major Lexi Osborn.

After some intermission adjustments, both teams took the field for the final period. Western’s defense was unable to contain the Blues as Whitman put up 19 points in a short nine minute window to start the period.

“We have a lot of rookies, so tackling is the scariest part. (They) just have to learn ‘it’s not going to hurt that bad, just get in there and tackle,’” said Osborn on the defense’s play.

After a quick meeting following the team’s giving up another try, the Wolves defense locked down Whitman. Their comeback attempt was cut short when the Wolves finally found their footing and scored a pair of tries. As the high scoring final period came to a close, the Wolves were victorious with a 42-29 win.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Cora McClain

Lighting issues put a quick end to Western lacrosse’s season

Lake Larsen | Sports editor

With gear bags slung over their shoulders and sticks in hand, Western lacrosse walked onto a pitch black field at the University of Oregon to take on the Ducks. Murmurs of what could be going on spread across the team as game-time ticked closer. Due to the adjacent Hayward Field being under construction, there were major lighting issues at the lacrosse field.

After a few pulls of a ripcord, a generator roared to life to finally light up the field on a cold Nov. 9 night. Western took the the field to start their warm ups for the final game of the fall season. They hoped to end the pre-season on a high note but a few passes into their warm up, the hum of the generator faded and so did the lights. Again, the Wolves and the Ducks were left in the dark.

The official game time came and went and the lights were unable to stay on for more than just a couple of minutes. Nearly 45 minutes after what should have been the start of the game, the Wolves and Ducks lined up for the faceoff.

Western had been unable to get a complete warm up due to the lighting issues. Because of this the Wolves quickly sank to a multiple goal deficit. Unable to set up their offense, the Wolves couldn’t seem to find a way to mount a comeback attempt.

This action didn’t last long however. After a short 30 minutes of play, again the teams found themselves engulfed in darkness. This was the final straw for the coaches. With the inconsistent lightning, the game was canceled. This delay and eventual cancelation left the Wolves very ill tempered.

“We were (very upset). We drove all the way to Eugene for a game time that was already late. Then, add on the 45 minutes we had to wait in the cold and the game was canceled. It really got under our skin,” said senior education major Bryce Hinkle.

After the official cancelation the game only lasted approximately 30 minutes. This short game with a lack of warm up ended the Wolves fall ball leaving them 3-5. Western packed up and got ready for the short off season with their first game only two months away.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Western’s fall sports wrap-up

Lake Larsen | Sports editor

[fruitful_tabs type=”accordion” width=”100%” fit=”false”]
[fruitful_tab title=”Lacrosse”]

Record: 3-5

Biggest win: In the Fall Tournament in Bend, Oregon the Wolves took on Humboldt State. While the game was shortened due to being a tournament game, the Wolves still overpowered the Lumberjacks to cruise to an easy 6-2 win.

[/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Men’s Rugby”]

Record: 4-1

Biggest win: On Nov. 3 the Wolves took on Willamette University. Even though the game was cut short at halftime due to the Bearcats losing too many players to injury, there was no shortage of scoring. The Wolves’s offense tore the bearcats to shreds, putting up 33 points. The defense mirrored the offense’s dominant performance by not giving up a single score.

[/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Women’s Rugby”]

Record: 1-1

Biggest win: Despite having only one home match, the Wolves did not hold back against Whitman University. The game was a tough defensive struggle for the first two periods. Whitman battled their way back into the game early in the final period but the lead was too much to overcome as the Wolves powered their way to a 42-29 win at home.

[/fruitful_tab][fruitful_tab title=”Men’s Soccer (Still competing)”]

Record: 3-4-1

Biggest win: On Nov. 11 the Wolves took on Reed College. From the first whistle it was evident that the Wolves were playing on a different level than the Griffins. By half the game was 3-0 in favor of the Wolves. After giving up a single point, Western was victorious with a score of 5-1.

[/fruitful_tab][fruitful_tab title=”Women’s Soccer (Still competing)”]

Record: 4-0

Biggest win: The Wolves took on the University of Oregon in their second match of their first official fall season as a club sport at Western. Stellar goalkeeping and a strong offensive drive helped the Wolves shutout the Ducks 2-0.

[/fruitful_tab]
[/fruitful_tabs]

[fruitful_tabs type=”accordion” width=”100%” fit=”false”]
[fruitful_tab title=”Football”]

Record: 5-6

Biggest win: The Wolves best game of the year came Sept. 29 against Simon Fraser University. Western’s offense, defense, and special teams all combined for a season high of 54 points. Meanwhile the defense held the Clan to only 13 points. The defense forced a school and GNAC record nine interceptions in this meet up.

[/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Volleyball”]

Record: 6-21

Biggest win: There are two games worth mentioning as the highlight of the year for the Wolves. On Sept. 1 the Wolves swept Hawaii Pacific University, winning each match by an average of five points. Later in the year, Western swept conference rival Montana State University Billings in three straight matches, winning each match by an average 4.66 points per match.

[/fruitful_tab]
[fruitful_tab title=”Women’s Soccer”]

Record: 5-9-3

Biggest win: One of the most exciting games this season came in their matchup on Sept. 10 against Pacific University. After Pacific jumped to an early 1-0 lead, the Wolves battled their way back into the game by burying a game-tying shot in the second half to force overtime. Western’s defense held strong, and the offense came up big to overcome Pacific 2-1 in overtime.

[/fruitful_tab][fruitful_tab title=”Cross Country”] Best finish: Prior to the start of the school year, the Wolves men and women teams ran the table in their first home meet at Ash Creek. Both the men and the women defended their home course with first place finishes. The women narrowly defeated their closest competitor by a slim two points. The men dominated the field, with their next closest team being over 20 points behind. [/fruitful_tab]
[/fruitful_tabs]

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis (Football), Ashlynn Norton (Soccer)

Western men’s soccer defeats Reed College

Lake Larsen | Sports editor

As the season draws closer to an end, the Wolves looked to pick up a much needed win against Reed College Griffins. In their last meeting on Nov. 3, the Wolves lost a very lopsided game to the Griffins 8-1. But now at home, Western took the field with revenge in mind.

The first 20 minutes of the half saw Western continually challenging the goalkeeper for the Griffins. Although the ball stayed glued to Reed’s side of the field, the Wolves couldn’t seem to find the back of the net.

After several saves from the Griffin’s goalkeeper, the Wolves offense still fought for points. With a deeply kicked ball, Western sprinted up the field to bury the first goal of the game. From this point, the Wolves took complete control of the Griffins.

Due to the relentless offense of the Wolves, the Griffins unable to clear the ball. Another break away lead to a high powered shot finding the back of the goal to make the score 2-0. Moments later, the Wolves scored yet another goal to finish off the first half of play.

The first half was an offensive firestorm with Western spending a vast majority on the attacking side of the field. Reed needed to find a way to slow down the offense of Western if they wanted any chance to win. But the Wolves had other plans.

The second half saw Western’s offense continuing with their momentum from the first half. Two more points from the Wolves was matched by only one from Reed. Western finished the game on top with a final score of 5-1.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Cross country meet displays men’s continued strength

Lake Larsen | Sports editor

The echo of the speakers could be heard shouting out the colors the runners were donning. The wind seemed to calm and the seconds counted down to the start of the men’s 8000-meter GNAC Cross Country Championship. A tight group of Wolves bunched together in their white tops and red shorts, ready to fight the rest of the GNAC for long distance running supremacy.

At the 1000-meter mark of the race, Western was spotted splitting into two packs of Wolves, one fighting for the top spots, the other falling just a few meters behind. A group of University of Alaska Anchorage runners led the charge but the Wolves were hot on their heels.

The 2000-meter mark saw several single racers sneak their way to the front of the pack. The Wolves’s male runners started to split up as the leading group shrank smaller and smaller. By 3000 meters only two Wolves were spotted toward the front, surrounded by a team of Seawolves.

With the race halfway over, the leading pack of runners had shrunk to just 10 athletes. The Wolves had a single runner in the mix, but Simon Fraser University and University of Alaska Anchorage both maintained groups of three and four runners respectively at the top.

After the 6000-meter mark, the group of leaders grew smaller with every stride. The Seawolves and Clan were all that was left with less than 1000 meters to go.

In the final push the Seawolves and Clan shot to the top, but a group of well-placed Wolves finished not too far behind. As the results were compiled, the Wolves hoped their final push was enough.

The women’s 6000-meter mirrored the men’s race with the leading runners being a team of Seawolves. Unlike the men’s race, the Wolves’s women were unable to challenge the leaders, falling into a pack in the middle of all the racers.  

At the 2000-meter mark the Seawolves maintained their dominating lead. The closest Wolf to the front was nearly 50 meters behind. As the runners neared the 3000-meter mark a pair of Seattle Pacific runners stole the lead away from the Alaska Anchorage runners.

As the runners took to the straight away of the course again, the leading pack of four runners were all but gone as the next closest runner was over 70 meters behind.

After 5000 meters of running, the race was nearly over and the Wolves women were falling further and further behind. Only two Western runners were spotted in the top 30 as the runners neared the finish.

As racers crossed the finish line not a Wolf was in sight. Only three Wolves finished inside the top 50. While the women’s race left more to be desired, ending with a 7th place overall finish, the official placing for the men’s race showed Western had captured a 4th place spot.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

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