Mount Hood

Strong showing at Charles Bowles

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Western cross country ran well at the Charles Bowles Invitational hosted by Willamette University in Salem. The men’s team finished fifth in scoring and the women’s team finished ninth.

Sophomore Dustin Nading finished in eighth place out of the 168 runners in the men’s race to help lead the team to its top five finish. Junior Kennedy Rufener came in sixteenth among the women, out of 189 runners.

The invitational hosted schools across NCAA Divisions I, II and III. The men’s team finished top among Division II schools.

Western Oregon hosts the next cross country meet on Oct. 7, in the second of the year’s two Ash Creek Invitationals. Wolves runner David Ribich won the first go-round, and both men’s and women’s team finished second overall.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Welcome to October

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Time’s relentless march now blows us into the cold days of autumn. Days that grow short as the nights grow cold. The leaves turn and the harvest comes in and frost thickens on fields laid bare. The fun of summer becomes as distant as the spring that preceded it.

We are now in the best month of the year for sports.

The story of the football season has begun to be told but every team still has a say in its destiny. Quarterbacks scramble like the black cats that dance along cemetery fences. Anything is still possible.

Baseball now gets very serious. The playoffs are upon us, and the end of the month will crown the World Series champion. For one month, America watches its national pastime. For one month, everyone cares about baseball.

Basketball and hockey enter the time of fresh beginnings. Fans recite contradicting prophecies in every town and city across the country, saying “This is our year.” Ultimately, the year only belongs to one team. But for the NHL and the NBA, this month belongs to all.

For rodeo fans, the PBR World Finals comes in November. Bull riders on the cusp fight to qualify for Vegas. The million-dollar, gold buckle payday is just beyond the wicked grin of the jack o’lantern.

Wolves howl and bats screech. Witches cackle and farmers buck hay. Students study and the ghosts rattle chains.

Welcome to October. Let’s play ball.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Hard times on the road

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Soccer was dismantled twice on the road as Central Washington took a 1-4 advantage and Simon Fraser won 0-6. The two game journey north saw first-year midfielder Kaili Brundage score the first goal of her Western career, while first-year keeper Caitlin Kastelic saved a combined 26 shots.

The Wolves were completely swarmed in their visit to CWU, having only three shots on goal and giving up a penalty that lead to CWU’s first goal.

Playing Simon Fraser in Canada found some more space for the Wolves, who pressured the keeper with four shots on goal in the first nine minutes of the second half. By that time, Western was already trailing 0-4. The Wolves were left unable to find the back of the net and unable to close the gap. Despite allowing 6 goals, Kastelic turned in the most noteworthy performance as she made 19 saves.

The Wolves close out their long road trip this week, against St. Martin’s.

Saturday, Oct. 9, Central Washington comes to Monmouth. Wolves soccer is currently undefeated at home. The match kicks off at noon.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Volleyball goes down fighting

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Wolves volleyball suffered two losses at home, including a nail-biting five sets against ranked Western Washington.

The Thursday match was against Simon Fraser, who came into the game with an 11-2 record. Wolves quickly shocked the visitors and surged to a 25-14 set. Simon Fraser regrouped and won the next three sets. Each set was competitive, as the Wolfpack lost by margins of 22-25, 19-25, 19-25.

Western Washington came into the game favored but Wolves put up a strong effort to force five sets. After losing a rough first set 13-25 the Wolves rallied. Momentum swung between sets, and within sets as well as the teams gained and lost leads on each other.

The Wolves faced five potential match points at the end of the fifth set before falling, 15-11.

Alisha Bettinson had a double-double, with 20 kills and 16 digs. Christie Colasudro had 22 digs as well. Colasudro was also the defensive star of the Simon Fraser game, putting up 29 digs, one of four Wolves to get double digit digs in the game. Bettinson also put up 16 while Makenna Bahrens had 11 digs and Libbie Hoene 10.

Volleyball goes on the road for the next two weeks but will be back on Oct. 20 to host St. Martin’s. The Wolves defeated St. Martin’s in their first matchup earlier this year.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Wolves beat themselves

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Wolves football got trounced 2-31 at home on Oct. 1 at the hands of Azusa Pacific University. The Wolves had more yards, more first downs and a greater time of possession but couldn’t finish against a tough APU team. Penalties and missed opportunities stacked up to keep Western from threatening in the game.

Quarterback Philip Fenumiai passed for 307 yards and rushed for another 72, emerging as the rushing leader of the game. He also took five sacks and threw two interceptions.

The game began with a promising start. APU came into the game ranked and undefeated, but were held scoreless through the first quarter. Rushes by Fenumiai and running back Malik Braxton, as well as pass completions to Keoni Piceno and Paul Revis, marched the Wolves down the field. In the opening drive, a 20-yard rush from Braxton and a 25-yard pass to Piceno were among the plays that put the Wolves into the red zone.

However, penalties pushed the Wolves back. Holding and false start calls put the Wolves out of range for kicker Jacob Bannister, whose kick went wide of the goalposts.

A forced fumble by linebacker Tafatolu Tafai, recovered by the Wolves on their own goalline, stopped APU’s first score threat and gave the ball back to the Wolves offense to start the second quarter.

Three and outs ended the half for the Wolves while the defense held APU to 10 points. The game was still in hand as the Wolves received to start the second half. A false start penalty added five yards to Bannister’s kick attempt, which went wide left.

APU piled on 14 points in a minute with a rushing touchdown and a pick six and began to pull away. The Wolves were then able to strike into the red zone before a sack, a tripping penalty and a false start lead to another long field goal try, this one missing from 42 yards.

Defensive back Austin Spencer and lineman George Swartzlander split a tackle for a safety in the fourth quarter to get the Wolves’ only points.

With the loss, the Wolves fall to 2-3 on the season. They host Simon Fraser for a chance to break .500 on Oct. 9. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

The New Year

By:Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Football

The football season began like popping a clutch. After surging forward with an upset win over Division I Sacramento State, the team stalled for two games.

The second of these losses came at the hands of FCS Montana State. Playing at an elevation 4,000 feet higher than Monmouth, against a school used to Big Sky Conference competition, the Wolves had the deck stacked against them.

“Being faced with that much adversity early in the season is great for us,” said Bo Highburger, the redshirt-sophomore linebacker who has notched 50 tackles. “It brought us closer together, but also adjusted us to compete at that higher level.”

This adjustment was evident as the Wolves came together to upset #24 Humboldt State.

At quarterback, Phillip Fenumiami and Nick Duckworth shared snaps and put up generally even passing numbers over the first three games. Both found reliable targets in wideouts Paul Revis and Wesley Gray. Fenumiami additionally rushed for 110 yards. He went solo under center in the win over Humboldt State.

Azusa Pacific comes to Monmouth on Saturday, Oct. 1. The Wolves won last year’s matchup thanks to a rushing touchdown from Fenumiami, a receiving touchdown from Revis, and a strong defensive showing. Kickoff time against the old foe is 1 p.m. at McArthur Field.

Cross Country 

With three cross country meets down, Western’s runners have found their pace with some impressive outings. David Ribich in particular has proven himself to be cut from the cloth of Philippides, as he has led the men’s team to two second-place showings.

The Junior Ribich opened the season with back-to-back first place finishes, at the John Frank Invitational and in Western’s hosted Ash Creek Invitational #1. These finishes lead the men’s team to second place finishes at both invitationals.

The women’s team finished third at John Frank and second at Ash Creek #1, with senior Nicole Maurmann finishing in the top 10 in both.

The Sundodger Invitational in Seattle hosted stiffer competition for the Wolves, as the men finished in seventh place and women finished 14th. Ribich came in second in Seattle, while senior runner Kennedy Rufener headed the women’s team finishing 37th. Rufener previously turned in good results at John Frank and Ash Creek, finishing in 15th and sixth place, respectively.

Ash Creek Invitational #2 will be hosted by Western on Oct. 7. The starting gun fires at 5 p.m.

Volleyball 

Volleyball opened with a rough showing at the Concordia Labor Day Tournament, losing three matches in three days. To look at this sweeping on face value would be a disservice, as most sets within these losses were kept very tight. Notably, the 0-3 loss to Embry-Riddle came with sets of 22-25, 23-25, 23-25.

Since regrouping, the Wolves have fared much better. At the D2 West Regional Volleyball Showcase, going 3-1, including two 3-0 sets, shutting out Hawaii Pacific and Chico State. GNAC competition has followed the showcase, and after falling to ranked Northwest Nazarene, the Wolves again brushed themselves off and went on to win two of their next three, rising to a 5-6 record.

Catch them in action this week, hosting Simon Fraser on Sept. 29, and be sure to wear red to the Red Out at Western Washington on Oct. 1. Both events held at the New PE Building with a 7 p.m. tipoff.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

 

High-scoring Higa leads the Wolves’ attack

By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

There is more to the “beautiful game” than just goal scoring. Passes, dribbles and tackles paint a moving picture from one touchline to the other. And yet, at the end of 90 minutes, goals are what it all comes down to.

Coming into her senior year, Taylor Higa felt driven to make her goals count. Hailing from Manoa, Hawaii, Higa said, “I knew that my previous years weren’t as successful, scoring wise, and didn’t want to end my competitive college career like that.”

She scored two goals a season in each of her past three years. This year it only took the first two games to match that number.

She now boasts four goals and two assists on the season. To put her contributions into perspective, the team holds a 4-4 record, but if you removed the points Higa’s been involved in, the record would only be 0-4-4.screen-shot-2016-09-28-at-7-22-44-pm

“I just want to make sure I do everything I can to be as successful as I can be for my team and then also for myself,” said Higa. She is also enjoying being positioned in the center of the field. “I feel like I’m more comfortable there. I’ve been feeling a lot more confident lately.”

In the 3-1 victory over Oregon Tech, Higa netted the first goal of gameplay and at the 87th minute linked junior Meli Cortez with a lobbing pass for an exclamation point ending. Mariah Konyn also scored an electrifying goal from outside of the box into the top corner.

Conference play opened with a home loss to Western Washington State University. The GNAC continued to stifle as MSU-Billings slowed the pace of the visiting Wolves.

“It’s still really early in the season so we’re not too worried. But we do know that we need to start getting some wins,” Higa said after the match.

They capitalized on their next chance for a win, 2-1 at home over Northwest Nazarene. Phoebe Hendry scored her first goal of the year off a Higa assist, and Konyn hit the game winner over the goalie.

Your next chance to cheer on the Wolves is on Oct. 9 against Central Washington on the WOU Soccer Field. The match will kick off at 12 p.m.\

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

 

Wolves take home the GNAC Men’s All-Sport Championship

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

The Western athletes of the 2015-16 school year have had a historically successful year, and for the first time in the school’s history, the men took home the GNAC Men’s All-Sport Championship. The honor is awarded at the end of each year to a school in the conference that demonstrates excellence throughout all three athletic seasons.

With a combined score of 92 points, the Wolves beat out Western Washington University, a team who won the prestigious award the last seven consecutive years. Western Washington tied with the University of Anchorage Alaska for second place, and each school had a combined total of 79 points.

The success of the men’s basketball team was just one of the reasons the Wolves took home the Men’s All-Sport Championship. After claiming the GNAC title, the Wolves surged into the NCAA Division II Playoffs and advanced all the way to the Final Four, just one benchmark the Wolves set in their historic season. Senior forward Andy Avgi was awarded the GNAC Player of the Year award, and head coach Jim Shaw was awarded the GNAC Coach of the Year award in his inaugural season at the helm.

Western’s football team defied the expectations placed on them before the start of the season and finished second place in the GNAC. The football team had an opportunity to take home the conference title on the last game of the season against Humboldt State University, but ultimately fell short in the second half of the matchup.

The men’s indoor track and field team also placed second in the conference, and the men’s outdoor track and field team finished in third place. A week before the GNAC Indoor Championships, sophomore Kaleb Dobson broke the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a blistering time of 8.30 seconds. In the same meet, sophomore David Ribich also bested the school record in the 400-meter with a time of 4:07.38.

The men’s baseball team finished the season in third place behind Northwest Nazarene University and Montana State University of Billings. Senior catcher/first baseman Trevor Podratz was awarded the ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-West Region award and the GNAC Newcomer of the Year award. Podratz led the Wolves in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, hits, runs batted in, and doubles.

Although Western only took home one conference title, the combined effort of all of the teams proved that Western is dedicated to success in their athletic program. Hopefully the Wolves can keep the momentum heading into next year, and this award is the first of many GNAC All-Sport Championships.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Idiot of the week

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

Never has a kick to the family jewels been more scrutinized than Draymond Green’s karate kick to the midsection of seven-footer Steven Adams.

The incident occurred in the middle of the second quarter in game three of the Western Conference Finals when Green, a third-year power forward with the Golden State Warriors, drove to the hoop to put up a shot but was met by Adams. In an attempt to draw a foul call, Green flailed his leg out and blasted Adams in the groin. The Oklahoma City center collapsed to the ground in pain, and Green walked away as if nothing happened.

Green was assessed a flagrant foul but the punishment was later upgraded to a flagrant two by NBA officials. Although Green was fined $25,000 for the play, he avoided a suspension that would have kept him out of the next game of the playoff series.
The kick led many sports analysis to debate whether Green kicked Adams on accident or on purpose.

Adams alluded to the fact that Green’s kick could have been intentional. “It’s happened before, mate,” Adams said in the post-game interview following the Thunders 133-105 beat down of the defending NBA champions. “He’s pretty accurate, that guy. It was straight to the jewels, you don’t think about any of that stuff. Yeah, it was rough.”

Green openly denied any wrongdoing. “I thought it would probably get rescinded,” he said in a post-game interview. “I followed through on a shot. I didn’t try to kick somebody in the midsection. I’m sure he wants to have kids one day. I’m not trying to end that on the basketball court.”

Whether or not Green had malicious intent when he booted Adams in the groin doesn’t justify his insensitive reaction. At the very least, Green should have apologized for the low blow. Instead he chose to play innocent, and even diverted the blame to Thunder point guard, Russell Westbrook, claiming he was one of the originators of flopping. One thing is for certain, opposing players better be cautious when going up against Green, at least if they don’t want to get scissor kicked in the family jewels.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Five offseason acquisitions the Blazers should pursue

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

After the Portland Trail Blazers were defeated by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs, it became clear that the Blazers are still one or two players away from becoming a championship caliber team.

Portland showed flashes of brilliance in the series, outscoring the defending champions in the majority of the quarters during the series. But the Warriors’ postseason success last year, combined with the Blazers’ young, inexperienced roster, gave Stephen Curry and the Warriors the edge at the end of games when it really mattered. Portland only got one win in the best of seven game series.

So, now that the offseason has officially begun for the young Blazer squad, it’s time to start thinking about what free agent acquisitions would help to elevate the Blazers to the next level.

Here’s a list of five free agents the Blazers should go after this offseason that would instantly make the team better.

  1. Dwight Howard
    Player Option / Center / 6-11 / Team: Houston
    13.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg
    Howard is the most controversial player on the list; some fans despise Screen Shot 2016-05-23 at 7.23.42 PMthe big man, and some fans absolutely love him. Those who hate Howard point to his bad attitude and unsuccessful tenures with the Los Angeles Lakers and his current team, the Houston Rockets. In his early years, Howard was easily the most dominant superstar on the court and had the ability to single-handedly take over games. Although Howard’s best years are behind him, Howard would provide the Blazers a double-double every night, while at the same time striking fear into opponents as an offensive and defensive threat.
  2. Hassan Whiteside
    Unrestricted / Center / 7-0 / Team: Miami
    14.2 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 3.7 bpg
    The young Blazers squad needs to add a big man this offScreen Shot 2016-05-23 at 7.23.58 PMseason, and Whiteside would be the perfect fit. Unlike Howard, Whiteside hasn’t reached the prime of his career yet. The 26-year-old does it all: he blocks shots, scores in bunches, and gobbles up rebounds. Though it is unlikely that Miami will let him walk away, the Blazers front office should do everything in their power to sign Whiteside.
  3. Nicolas Batum
    Unrestricted / Small Forward / 6-8 / Team: Charlotte
    14.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 5.8 apg
    Before Batum was traded from Portland to the Charlotte Hornets, he was one of the most beloved Blazers Screen Shot 2016-05-23 at 7.24.08 PMof all-time. The Blazers general manager Neil Olshey should wine and dine Batum, apologize for trading him, and do anything in his power to get the wingman back in red and black. All indications currently point to Batum resigning with the Hornets, but the free agent process is unpredictable.
  4. Al Horford
    Unrestricted / Power Forward / 6-10 / Team: Atlanta
    15.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg
    Horford is a nine-year NBA veteran who has played his entire career with the Atlanta Hawks. Since his inaugural season in the league, Horford has averaged double digits in scoring and has been one of the most Screen Shot 2016-05-23 at 7.19.15 PMconsistent big men in the NBA. Signing Horford this offseason, would give the young squad an experienced veteran who still has years of productivity ahead of him and would at the same time shore up the power forward position that currently lacks depth.
  5. Ryan Anderson
    Unrestricted / Power Forward / 6-10 / Team: New Orleans
    17.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg
    Anderson is the type of player who would have fit in perfectly with this year’s Blazer squad. He is a big man who is extremely talented at stretching the floor by draining threesScreen Shot 2016-05-23 at 7.24.19 PM. His average of 17 points a game would give Portland a definitive third offensive threat behind Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
    Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Idiot of the week

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

It is safe to say that the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays loathe each other. The two teams’ animosity for the other has been simmering since last year’s American League Playoff Series when Toronto outfielder, Jose Bautista, crushed a late game home run and threw his bat in celebration, a move which Rangers’ players and coaches deemed to be excessive and classless.

On Monday, May 15, all hell broke loose between the two teams in the top of the eighth inning after Bautista slid hard into the feet of the Rangers’ second baseman, Rougned Odor, during a double play. Odor immediately responded by shoving Bautista and then throwing a punch, but not just any punch; this was a punch that Mike Tyson would have been proud of.

Pandemonium ensued as players and coaches from both teams rushed the field. The scene was so chaotic that it took the umpires just over ten minutes to restore order and restart the game.

“I was pretty surprised,” Bautista said in an interview with ESPN. “I mean, obviously, that’s the only reason he got me, and he got me pretty good, so I have to give him that. It takes a little bigger man to knock me down.”

Odor was handed down an eight game suspension by the MLB brass, and Bautista was suspended one game for his hard slide and post-game comments. Both Odor and Bautista issued appeals and will play with their respected teams until a verdict is reached in the appeal process.

Although Odor’s haymaker and the resulting scuffle provided drama which is scarcely seen in MLB, Odor earns the idiot of the week award because he let his emotions get the best of him. Odor’s eight game suspension, which is very unlikely to be overturned or even lowered, will no doubt have a negative effect on his team who is currently in second place in the American League West division.

Odor should have taken his frustrations out on the field, and not on his opponent.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Wolves fall short at GNAC Championship

By: Jamal Smith
Sports editor

The Western Oregon baseball team has been a perennial powerhouse in the GNAC for over a decade, winning 13 consecutive GNAC titles. The trophy case in the New P.E. Building is loaded with hardware as a testament to their success.

Heading into the GNAC Championship game on May 13, the Wolves had all reason to believe that they could add yet another trophy into their case, but standing in their way was Northwest Nazarene University.

Prior to the championship game against the Crusaders, Western dropped their first game in the GNAC Championships on Thursday against Montana State Billings University, but then later in the day, in a do-or-die scenario, dominated Nazarene 14-3.

Then on Friday, the Wolves got revenge against Billings when they dominated every facet of the game and came away victorious with the score of 14-3. NNU won their game setting up an intriguing matchup between the Wolves and Crusaders with the winner taking home the coveted championship trophy.

The Crusaders struck first, and in the first inning, Northwest Nazarene came away with two runs. However, the determined Wolves responded by scoring a run in the second, third, and fourth inning, and then three runs in the fifth inning when senior infielder Marcus Madden doubled home two runs and then later scored himself on a throwing error from the Crusaders’ shortstop. The Wolves led 6-2 going into the bottom of the fifth.

Just when it appeared that all the momentum swung in the Wolves’ favor, the Crusaders started scoring runs in bunches. Northwest Nazarene added a run in the fifth inning and then scored six runs in the sixth inning to give them a 9-6 advantage.

Western showed their never-say-die attitude by scoring two runs in the seventh inning to close the gap to one run, but the Wolves were inevitably unable to overcome Nazarene’s late game flurry. The final score was 9-8.

Although the Wolves fell short in achieving their goal of winning 14 straight GNAC titles, they gave it everything they had until the final out, and they should be proud of their efforts.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Leicester defies 5,000 to 1 odds

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

Almost everyone can appreciate an underdog story in sports, whether it is a Cinderella team who defies all odds to upset the heavy favorite or a team that comes back from a seemingly insurmountable deficit to shock the world. On May 2, Leicester City F.C. pulled off one of the craziest upsets in sports history when they were crowned champions of the Barclays Premier League.

Before the start of the season, English sports bookies gave Leicester City 5000:1 odds of winning the championship. “This is a genuine black-swan event,” said a spokesman for Ladbrokes bookmakers in an interview with Bloomberg News. “If you simulated the Premier League 5,000 times, Leicester should win it once. We’re not going to be around for another 5,000 Premier Leagues to see if that’s the case.”

Although England’s Barclays Premier League is considered the most competitive soccer league in the world, there is a huge disparity between the teams normally at the top and the teams near the bottom. In fact, before Leicester City’s improbable victory, only four teams had won the league in the past two decades: Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal.

Then there is the fact that Leicester City has never in their club’s history finished in the top five teams of the league. In 2004, Leicester had a tough year and because of their poor record, they got regulated to England’s second-tier league, and then in 2008, Leicester was bad enough to get bumped down even further: to the third tier.

Leicester only spent one year in the England’s third-tier league, they finished the season at the top of the league and moved up. Then, after spending five years in the second-tier, in 2014 Leicester moved up to the Premier League and finished in 14th place, just six points away from moving back down again.

Even this season as Leicester began pulling off result after result, it seemed like nobody gave them a chance to win. So, when Leicester pulled off the incredible upset on Monday, the city of Leicester was in absolute jubilation. Fans hugged and kissed complete strangers in celebration.

Fans will never forget this incredible victory, and the improbable win goes to show that anything can happen in sports.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Idiot of the week

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

When Johnny Manziel was selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland fans celebrated like they had won the Super Bowl. Cleveland fans had good reason to be excited; Manziel electrified the college football world in his rookie season, becoming the first rookie quarterback in college football history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards on his way to becoming the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner.

Fast-forward two years and Johnny “Football” is making the headlines every week, but not for the right reasons. In this year’s NFL offseason, Manziel was released from the Browns, his agent, and his sponsors after weekly reports surfaced of Manziel’s excessive partying. Without an NFL team, Manziel’s life looks like a tragedy unfolding right before our eyes.

Manziel recently made the news yet again when the former Texas A&M star turned himself in on a domestic violence misdemeanor stemming from an incident in January involving his ex-girlfriend Colleen Crowley. Manziel was subsequently booked and released on a $1,500 bond.

Although Manziel’s stay in jail was brief, he left behind a mugshot that has gone viral. In the photo, Manziel is beaming with a smug, defiant grin. Then, shortly after his release, Manziel took to Twitter to show his defiance yet again by tweeting, “Just thankful I had a shirt this time.” The tweet was deleted shortly after it was posted to his account.

The tweet Manziel posted referenced a 2012 mug shot taken of a shirtless Manziel after he was arrested for disorderly conduct in a bar fight.

Manziel had the potential to be a great professional football player; however, his smug, defiant, and privileged attitude have attributed to his fall from grace. Stay tuned, this most likely isn’t the last time you will see Manziel in the news.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Wolves postseason run ends at GNAC Championships

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

Western’s softball team found their groove at the right time, finishing out the season with a string of victories that propelled them into the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships as the No. 2 seed. For the Wolves, every facet of the game seemed to be clicking: their pitching, offense, and defense.

So going into their opening game of the post-season in Lacey, Wash., on April 28, the Wolves had the momentum and the confidence that is needed for a team to win the championship. The Wolves’ first opponent in the opening round was Concordia University, a team Western beat three out of four times at the end of the regular season.

The same success Western found in the regular season against the Cavaliers continued into the postseason, as the Wolves came away with a 3-1 victory.

Junior infielder Kelsie Gardner had two hits and one RBI in three at-bats. Gardner, who is ranked third in the GNAC in batting percentage with a season average of .430, has been one of the Wolves most dangerous offensive weapons all year long.

In the fourth inning, junior catcher Mercedes Green belted her sixth home run of the season to put the Wolves up 2-0. Then later in the inning, Gardner connected for an infield single which stretched the Wolves’ advantage to 3-0.

Western’s starting pitcher, senior Alyson Boytz, had one of her best performances of the season, only allowing the Cavaliers’ offense four hits all game long. Boytz pitched from start to finish, and got herself out a bases loaded situation in the fifth inning on her way to the 3-1 victory.

Then on April 29, the Wolves blanked Saint Martin’s University (SMU) 4-0 in the second round of the playoffs and advanced to the Championship game.
In the second inning, junior infielder Ashlee Lynch crushed a two-out solo home run over the left field wall for her ninth home run of the season. Not to be outdone, in the fifth inning, junior infielder Destiny Kuehl connected on a fastball that went out of the park for her 13th home run of the season which gave the Wolves the 4-0 advantage over SMU.

Boytz followed up her incredible performance just the day before with an even more impressive outing. Boytz again went the distance and only allowed two hits in her shutout.

After the two decisive victories, Western advanced to the finals for a doubleheader against Central Washington University on April 30.

Central Washington clinched the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with a conference record of 18-10. In the regular season, the Wolves played the Wildcats four times and only came away with one victory. The Championship double header played out similar to the meetings between the two teams in the regular season, as the Wildcats stunned the Wolves 11-2 in their first matchup and then 9-3 in their second.

The Wolves finished the season with a record of 31-24 and 16-11 in conference play. Although the Wolves fell short on winning the GNAC Championship, the team gave it their all and proved that looking forward to next season, they are indeed a dangerous team.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Shaking off the rust

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports editor

It has been a little over five months since Western’s football team played their last game of the season. For fans and players alike, the offseason can be a difficult time, dealing with the symptoms of football withdrawals. Sure, one can find enjoyment in other sports, but there is nothing like the drama and excitement that a weekend football game provides.

Luckily, for all those suffering football withdrawals, spring ball is here to help ease the pain.

In the spring, Western holds three scrimmages open to the public. The second was on Saturday, April 30 at Central High School.

The scrimmages provide an opportunity for the coaches to evaluate their players in game-type scenarios.

“We’re trying to get our punt returners, our kick returners, our quarterbacks, and our offensive line all game type situations and still limit the true contact because we want to keep our guys Screen Shot 2016-05-01 at 8.56.24 PMhealthy,” said Wolves’ head coach, Arne Ferguson. “We are down 25 players from where we normally are so that is a little concerning to make sure that we don’t decrease our numbers for spring ball because of injuries.”

For Ferguson and the rest of the coaching staff, the balancing act of getting their players acclimated to game situations while protecting them from injuries is one of their main focuses this spring.

Another focus of the coaches is evaluating incoming freshman and walk-ons.
“We got about 16 players that just came in and won an opportunity to walk on, and they are doing awesome,” said Ferguson. “In our first scrimmage, all the kids did really well and it was probably the best scrimmage we have had since I have been here.”

The scrimmages also provide the coaches opportunities to better figure where players will fit into the depth chart.

“Our coaches all have a depth chart in mind,” said Ferguson. “What we think we have in mind is a daily process. We evaluate the kids’ work ethic, desire, non-football related things, and also we still remember what they have done in the past.”

“Once spring ball starts, it is a day-to-day operation where we go through all positions daily, and we’re looking for the improvements that they are making,” added Ferguson. “We are also looking for their growth and size potential for the future, but also, we are looking for guys with a tremendous desire and a thumb for the game. Those guys stand out and it’s contagious and it makes the team better.”

For fans dying to get a look at the team, all of the scrimmages are free and open to the public. Check www.wouwolves.com periodically for the updated information concerning the date and location of the last scrimmage.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Idiot of the week

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

Laremy Tunsil had a bad week. In a manner of minutes, the NFL prospect watched Screen Shot 2016-05-01 at 8.55.58 PMmillions of dollars blow away in a cloud of smoke, literally and figuratively.

Tunsil, a highly touted offensive lineman from Ole Miss, arrived at the NFL draft on April 28, expecting to hear his name called in the top six picks. However, just minutes before the draft was set to commence, a video surfaced on his social media account allegedly showing Tunsil smoking a substance out of a gas mask bong.

According to Tunsil’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, the video posted to Tunsil’s social media account was the work of a hacker.

The incriminating video made NFL teams hesitant to select the 6’ 5”, 305 pounder, and Tunsil’s draft stock plummeted. Tunsil was finally selected by the Miami Dolphins with the 13th pick; a fall from grace which ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter says cost Tunsil $7 million by falling seven spots in the draft.

Then in an even more bizarre twist, an image was posted on Tunsil’s Instagram account showing an alleged conversation between Tunsil and Ole Miss assistant athletic director, John Miller, about paying the electric bills and rent of Tunsil’s mother. Sexton also claimed that a hacker was behind the leak.

As an aspiring professional athlete, Tunsil should have taken better care on what he puts on his social media account, whether set on private or not. Sure, almost everyone has at least one skeleton in their closet, but Tunsil should have realized that every single one of his actions would be scrutinized under a microscope.

It is safe to assume that Tunsil is regretting that $7 million bong rip.
Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU

Blazers nip the Clip

Screen Shot 2016-05-01 at 8.55.46 PM

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

When the Portland Trail Blazers were down 0-2 in their best of seven first round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers, all hope seemed to be lost. The young Blazer squad appeared to be outmatched and seemed to lack the weapons to defeat the Clippers in four out of their final five games of the Western Conference series.

While many fans and sports analysts considered the series all but over, the underdog Blazers saw it as an opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong yet again. History was also against the Blazers, as only two out of 53 squads since 2009 have ever come back from a 0-2 deficit.

In their first two games against the Clippers in Los Angeles, the Blazers were absolutely dominated in every facet of the game, losing both games by at least 20 points. After going down 0-2, the Blazers hoped that they could feed off the energy from the Rose City crowd and make the series interesting, and that they did.

In game three, Portland came out with a sense of urgency and defeated the Clippers 96-88.

Then in game four, the Blazers took care of business and came away victorious with an assist from Clipper’s All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, who both had to leave the game with season-ending injuries. Paul fractured his hand and Griffin re-aggravated a quad injury that has plagued him all season long.

With the freak injuries to the Clippers’ best two players, Portland went from underdog to the favorite overnight. Being a favorite was an unfamiliar position for the Blazers who have embraced the underdog role all season long, which left many sports analysts wondering how each team would respond.

In game five back in L.A., the Clippers started the game with great energy, and outplayed the Blazers in the first half. However, the Clips ran out of gas and the Blazers took advantage and won the game 108-98.

With the advantage now going to the Blazers, Portland had a chance to finish off the fledgling Clippers back on their home court. Led by point guard Damian Lillard’s 28 points, the Blazers squeaked out a 106-103 victory taking the series 4-2, and the entire city of Portland celebrated as confetti fell from the ceiling of the Moda Center.

The Blazers will now play the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Golden State will be without their best player, Stephen Curry, who went out with a sprained knee in game four of the first round matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. Curry could come back as soon as May 9.

Portland has already defied expectations for the season. Although they are underdogs going into their matchup with Golden State, they are right where they want to be, so don’t be surprised if they find a way to shock the world yet again.

Contact the author at jsmith15@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalsportWOU.

Streaking Wolves earn playoff spot

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports editor

It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish. With a record that teetered near the .500 mark all season, Western’s softball team pulled together a string of victories at the end of the season, and was the first team in the conference to clinch a prized spot in the GNAC Championships.

The playoff-bound Wolves finished the last of their regular season matchups in blistering fashion with three double headers in three consecutive days. Out of the six games played, Western finished with five victories and only one loss.

The first double header was on April 19, when the Wolves hosted the Beacons of Northwest Christian University.

Junior catcher Mercedes Green was the hero of the first game, belting two home runs. Green’s first homer came in the sixth inning which evened the score at 2-2. With neither team able to score in regulation, the game went into extra innings.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Green stepped up to the plate and worked the count to her favor with three balls and one strike. On the next pitch, Green belted a shot to left field which bounced off the wall and careened out of the park to give the Wolves the 3-2 victory.

The Beacons looked for revenge in second matchup of the day, but the Wolves’ pitching was extraordinary. Between three Western pitchers (junior Sammi Cadwallader, senior Stephanie Morgan, and freshman Haley Favian) the Wolves pitched their first no-hitter in 14 years and easily defeated the Beacons 6-0.

Western looked to continue to ride their momentum from their two emotional victories when the Wolves hosted Concordia University on the following day. The Wolves had extra pressure to produce victories because the games marked the last home games of the season and the last home games for the team’s seniors.

In game one, Green continued right where she left off the day before, batting a perfect three for three. Junior Emma Alfonso had two hits and two RBI’s, and the Wolves went on to defeat the Cavaliers by a score of 4-3.

In the second matchup of the day and the score even at 1-1 going into the bottom of the eighth inning, junior infielder Kelsie Gardner had a chance to be the hero when she stepped up to the plate. Gardner hit a ground ball up the middle which brought the go-ahead run home and gave the Wolves the 2-1 lead.

Then on Thursday, Western traveled to Portland for a double header rematch against the Cavaliers. In game one, the Wolves scored in a flurry late in the game and came away with a 4-2 victory. The second game of the day however, went in the Cavaliers’ favor as they blanked the Wolves 5-0.

Western’s late season streak propelled them up in the standings and they currently sit in the third spot in the conference. With the five victories, the Wolves clinched a spot in the GNAC Tournament which is set to begin on April 28. Check www.wouwolves.com for the time and opponent.

Who is the better team?

By: Jamal Smith
Sports Editor

Prior to this year’s NBA season, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls were considered to be the greatest team in NBA history. Led by Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, the Bulls dominated the league and set the benchmark in regular season wins, finishing the season with the record of 73-9.

Most sports analysts considered the Bull’s record to be unbreakable, but the unfathomable has happened: the Golden State Warriors bested the Bull’s record by one game and put the team at the top of the record books.

The Warriors’ record is an incredible achievement especially in the current NBA landscape; however, many sports analysts still believe that the 95-96 Bulls would get the nod as the best of all-time. So, which team is better, Stephen Curry’s Warriors or Jordan’s Bulls?

Starting lineups:

1995-96 Bulls

Position Starting 5 PTS RB AST
SF Scottie Pippen 19.4 6.9 5.9
PF Dennis Rodman 5.5 15.6 2.5
C Luke Longley 9.1 5.1 1.9
PG Ron Harper 7.4 2.7 2.6
SG Michael Jordan 30.4 6.6 4.3

 

2015-16 Warriors

Position Starting 5 PTS RB AST
SF Harrison Barnes 11.7 4.9 1.8
PF Draymond Green 14.0 9.5 7.4
C Andrew Bogut 5.4 7.0 2.3
PG Stephen Curry 30.1 5.4 6.7
SG Klay Thompson 22.1 3.8 2.1

 

The statistics of both teams’ starters are almost identical. Jordan led the Bulls in scoring with 30.4 points per game, and the Warriors were led by last year’s MVP, Curry, who averaged 30.1 points per game.

Pippen and Clay Thompson, the second best players of two teams, both averaged near the 20 point mark per game. Golden State had four out of five starters averaging double figures in scoring, whereas the Bulls only had Jordan and Pippen.

The rebounding edge would go to the Bulls, but the Warriors would have the edge in assists.

Overall, the Bulls have the better starting lineup because, well, they had the greatest player of all-time in Jordan.

Winner: Bulls

Bench:

Bull’s Key Rotation Players: Steve Kerr (8.4 PPG), Tony Kukoc (13.1 PPG), Jack Haley (5.0 PPG).

Warriors’ Key Rotation Players: Marreese Speights (7.1 PPG), Shaun Livingston (6.3 PPG), Andre Iguodala (7.0 PPG), Festus Ezeli (7.0 PPG).

There is no denying how much of an impact the bench players had on the Bull’s record setting season. Kerr and Kukoc were often in the end of games when the game was on the line. Both of the role players seemed to come off the bench and hit huge shots when it mattered, but beyond the duo, the Bulls lacked depth.

The Warriors bench is loaded. Iguodala and Livingston were both key starters on other teams before coming to the Warriors. The Warriors bench has come in and played meaningful minutes in games were starters got bit by the injury bug.

Winner: Warriors

Coach:

Kerr, the Warriors head coach, can boast about being on both record setting teams. When he was hired on as the head coach before the start of last year’s NBA season, many sports analysts were left scratching their heads when the Warrior’s front office fired Mark Jackson after a highly successful season.

Kerr took over and lead the Warriors to the Championship in his first year at the helm. Follow that up with beating the record of his former team and no one can deny his ability to lead.

The Bull’s head coach of the 1995-96 season was Phil Jackson. Jackson is the most decorated head coach of all-time, winning 11 championships as a coach and two as a player with the New York Knicks. As a coach of the Bulls, Jackson was able to lead the Bulls to six championships.

Winner: Bulls

It is unfortunate that we will never truly know who the better team was. Although the Bulls had a better starting lineup and coach, the Warriors have better depth, but overall the deciding factor was Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson.

Overall Winner: Bulls

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