Mount Hood

Drama and excitement set to begin with NFL Playoffs

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports editor

The final day of the regular season in the NFL didn’t disappoint, and now after the dust has settled, all of the playoff matches are set in stone.

There are 32 teams in the NFL, and now, after waiting 11 months for the regular season to conclude, the remaining 12 playoff teams face a do-or-die, win-or-go home scenario.

The first two games, the AFC Wild-Card games, kick off on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016.

First, the No. 5 Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) travel to Texas to play the No. 4 Houston Texans (9-7). Kickoff is at 1:45 p.m. Then at 5:15 p.m., the No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6) travel to Ohio to play the No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals (12-4).

On the final day of the regular season, the Denver Broncos (12-4) seized the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC with a victory over the San Diego Chargers, and with a New England Patriot (12-4) loss to the Miami Dolphins which slid New England into the No. 2 seed.

Both Denver and New England earned a first week bye. Denver will host the lowest seeded victor from the Wild-Card matchups on Sunday, Jan. 17. New England will play the highest ranked victor on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016.

The NFC Wild Card games will kick off on Sunday, Jan. 10.

The red-hot No. 6 Seattle Seahawks (10-6) travel to the east coast to face the No. 3 Minnesota Vikings (11-5) at 10:05 a.m. Then at 1:40 p.m., the No. 4 Washington Redskins (9-7) host the No. 5 Green Bay Packers (10-6).

After a surprising season, the Carolina Panthers (15-1) dominated the regular season and look to continue their momentum into the playoffs. Because Carolina seized the No. 1 seed in the NFC, they got a first round bye and will host the lowest seed winner of the NFC Wild-Card games on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 10:05 p.m.

The No. 2 Arizona Cardinals (13-3) also earned a first round bye and will host the highest seeded winner from the Wild-Card games on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 5:15 p.m.

What makes this NFL Playoff so exiting is there is no clear-cut favorite. There will be drama and there will be excitement. Twelve teams remain but there will be only one winner.

Men back on track with victory over NNU

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

After back-to-back losses the Wolves got back on track with a decisive 75-53 victory against Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016.

Western dominated the game with a balanced attack. Five players scored in double figures with redshirt-sophomore Alex Roth (G) leading the way with 16 points.

Senior Julian Nichols (G), coming off a season-high 29 points against Central Washington University, tallied 13 points and had a game-high 8 assists. Senior Jordan Wiley (G) and redshirt-sophomore Tanner Omlid (G/F) each added 12 points, and redshirt-senior Andi Avgi (F) had 11 points.

NNU had a 3 point lead with 3:49 remaining in the first half, but the Wolves would buckle down on defense and hold NNU scoreless for the remainder of the half. Western would score the final 10 points of the first half to take a 34-27 lead into halftime.

The Wolves continued their stellar play in the beginning of the second half with stifling defense and ball control. After NNU cut the Wolves’ double digit lead to just 8 points with 13:32 remaining for the game, Western converted four unanswered buckets from beyond the arch; two from Roth, one from Nichols, and one from Omlid to increase the lead to 59-39.

The 12 point swing proved to be insurmountable for NNU and the Wolves cruised to a hard-fought victory. Western shot .476 from the floor, .462 from beyond the arch and held every statistical advantage over NNU.

With the victory, the Wolves improve their overall record to 10-2 and 4-1 in GNAC conference play.

Western Oregon currently sits in third place in the GNAC behind University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Alaska Fairbanks; however, the Wolves host both teams in two weeks.

Up next, the Wolves host Seattle Pacific University (9-3, 2-2 GNAC) on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building. Fans are asked to wear black to support the team. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office on game day.

Wolves fall to CWU in nail-biter

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

Coming off a tough loss to the University of Oregon just two days earlier, the men’s basketball team fell to Central Washington University (CWU) on New Year’s Eve in Ellensburg, Wash. The final score was 77-81.

Western Oregon was led by senior Julian Nichols (G) who had a game-high 29 points and also added 3 assists and 1 steal. Redshirt-senior Andy Avgi (F), the second leading scorer in the GNAC, added 16 points. Redshirt-sophomore Alex Roth (G), was the third player in double figures with 12 points.

The Wildcats jumped out to an early 10-5 lead but the Wolves would go on a 6-0 run thanks to multiple hustle plays from Avgi. The first half continued in this back-and-forth trend and there was eight lead changes in the first half alone.

The Wolves would hold a 40-39 advantage going into half time.

Western looked to put the pressure on CWU early in the second half. With stingy defense and cohesive play, the Wolves went on a 14-6 run to take a 9 point advantage with 14:47 remaining for the game.
CWU responded with an 11-2 run which included three shots from beyond the arch. The Wildcats went 6-10 from deep in the second half.

Western wouldn’t back down and, with 2:08 left for the game, the Wolves took their final lead on a step-back 3-pointer from Nichols. The Wolves, however, couldn’t get stops in the final minutes of the game and CWU scored 8 points from the free-throw line in their final four possessions.

The Wolves shot .455 from the floor and .364 from beyond the arch.

The tough loss marks the Wolves’ first GNAC conference loss and brought their record to 9-2 overall and 3-1 in GNAC conference play.

College Football National Championship

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

Alabama and Clemson have proved throughout the year that they are the two best teams in college football. We will find out which of the two is the very best when they face off on Monday, Jan. 11, 2016 for the most coveted prize, the Holy Grail in college football: the College Football National Championship.

Clemson’s football program is at an all-time high. Not only are the Tigers riding a school-record winning streak of 17 games (spanning from last season), but the Tigers are also looking to become the only team in FBS history to go 15-0 in a season.

Standing in Clemson’s way for their second National Championship is SEC powerhouse Alabama. The Crimson Tide have dominated the college football landscape in the past decade and have four National Championships to show for it.

“[Alabama] certainly [has] been the standard in college football for a long, long time,” said Clemson’s head coach Dabo Swinney in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “But especially since Coach Saban has been there.”

Alabama struggled in the beginning of the season but have won 11 straight games by an average of 23 points per game. One of the major reasons for the Crimson Tide’s late season success can be attributed to the 2015 Heisman winner, Alabama running back Derrick Henry.

Over the course of the season Henry has tallied 2,061 yards rushing and a staggering 25 touchdowns.

Although Clemson’s defense has excelled all year, the Tigers are not as good in defending the run as they are in defending the pass. Alabama on the other hand, is No. 1 in the FBS at stopping the run.

Clemson is, however, much better then Alabama in converting third downs. Clemson ranks 13th in the FBS with a third down conversion success rate of 47.69 percent. Alabama is ranked 96th with a third down conversion success rate of 36.22 percent.

Who is the best team? We will find out Monday when the champ will be crowned.

Kobe Bryant announces his last season

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

Hate him or love him, no one can deny that Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

On Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015 Bryant announced that this season, his 20th in the NBA, would be his last.

Bryant, 37, addressed the media after the Los Angeles Lakers 107-103 loss to the Indiana Pacers, saying that he had made his decision to step away from the game a while ago.

“I’ve known for a while. A decision like this, you can’t make that decision based on outside circumstances,” Bryant said at the post-game press conference.

“It has to be an internal decision, and finally I’ve decided to accept that I can’t actually do this anymore and I’m OK with that,” said Bryant.

Kobe may be an amazing player, but three injury-plagued seasons have held him back.

In the last two seasons, Bryant has only appeared in 41 of 164 Lakers’ games, and he exited last season early due to a torn right rotator cuff.

Since making his return this year to the purple and gold, he has had trouble shooting the ball. Through 15 games this year Bryant is averaging only 16.8 points while shooting .311 from the field and .222 from beyond the arch.

Just a day before his announcement, Stephen A. Smith, a popular sports analyst for ESPN, said that Bryant should retire immediately. Smith called Bryant a liability on the court, and said his dreadful season could damage his legacy.

Bryant’s accomplishments in the eyes of most sports fans will overcome his lackluster final season, and with only 15 games played in the season Bryant has the opportunity to turn it around.

“With 17 NBA All-Star selections, an NBA MVP, five NBA championships with the Lakers, two Olympic gold medals and a relentless work ethic, Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players in the history of our game,” said NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a statement. “Whether competing in the Finals or hoisting jump shots after midnight in an empty gym, Kobe has an unconditional love for the game.”

Fans and NBA players are still grappling with the news.

NBA superstar LeBron James was saddened that this is Bryant’s last season.

“I knew I had to be better because of Kobe Bryant. I knew he was in the gym and I knew he was working on his game. And I knew he was great,” said James in an interview with ESPN. “So every day that I didn’t want to work out or every day I felt like I couldn’t give more, I always thought of Kobe.”

No matter where you fall on the love-hate scale with Kobe, it will be sad to not see Bryant on the court.

Portland Timbers advance to the MLS Cup final

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Portland Timbers tied FC Dallas 2-2 on Sunday Nov. 30, 2015, but advanced to the MLS Cup Finals with a 5-3 aggregate goal victory.

The Timbers entered Sunday’s match against FC Dallas with a 3-1 goal advantage from the game played a week before in Portland.

Neither team could find the back of the net in the first half, but the second half was much different.

Portland scored first in the 54th minute when midfielder Diego Valeri flicked a ball into the box to a wide-open Fanendo Adi who slotted it past Dallas’s young goalkeeper.

Just when it looked like Portland would easily defeat Dallas up 3 goals, Dallas gained momentum after Striker Blas Perez was subbed into the game. Dallas defender Ryan Hollingshead scored a goal in the 68th minute to close the gap to 4-2.

Six minutes later, in the 73rd minute Perez added another Dallas goal on a header off of a free-kick from just outside of the 18 yard box. All of the momentum now belonged to Dallas and it looked like they might be able to pull off the impossible.

Dallas nearly evened things up when Perez took a wide open shot in the 18 yard box, but Portland defender Nat Borchers came out of nowhere to deflect the ball, saving an easy Dallas goal.

Portland survived wave after wave of Dallas attacks, but Portland fought back with counter-attacks.

In stoppage time and on a counter-attack, Valeri flicked the ball forward to striker Lucas Melano who dribbled the ball around the Dallas defense and slotted the ball into the back of the net with a cheeky finish, sealing Dallas’ fate.

“This is a great moment for this club,” Timber’s head coach Caleb Porter said after the game. “This is our first trophy, but we want the biggest trophy and we have one more game still to achieve that.”

Portland is the hottest team in the MLS and are unbeaten in their last eight games. The team is firing on all cylinders and their defense is coming up big like they have all year.

“I think sometimes it just felt like the only people that believed in our cause were us,” Borchers said after the match. “I’m just really proud to how we’ve responded to all that pressure. It’s not easy. We easily could have given up and called it a day in the game at Salt Lake, but we won that game. We continued to win and here we are now.”

Portland will face their toughest test yet, when they play the Columbus Crew in Columbus, OH for the biggest prize in MLS. The Crew beat out the New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win the Eastern Conference Championship and advance.

The game kicks off at 1 p.m., Sunday Dec. 6, 2015 on ESPN.

While you were away

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

Cross country:

On Saturday, Nov. 21, sophomore David Ribich competed in the 2015 NCAA Division 11 Championships in Joplin, MO.
Ribich finished 67th out of 246 runners in the 10K Individual Championships with a time of 30:58.

Men’s basketball:

On Friday, Nov. 27, WOU dominated Notre Dame de Namur University 81-51 in their first game of the NDNU Thanksgiving Classic in Belmont, Calif.
Senior Andy Avgi (F) made his season debut for the Wolves and had a game-high 24 points in only 22 minutes of play, also adding 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Three other Wolves finished the game in double figures; senior Jordan Wiley (G) had 15 points, redshirt-sophomore Alex Roth (G) had 14 points and first year Kadeem Strickland (G) had 11 points.
On Saturday, Nov. 28, WOU defeated Holy Names University 84-75 in their second and final game of the NDNU Thanksgiving Classic.
Avgi again had an outstanding game finishing with 29 points, shooting 10 for 16 from the floor. Senior Julian Nichols (G) added 16 points and 6 assists.
The back-to-back victories improves the Wolves’ record to 6-0. The Wolfpack’s jumped six spots in the National Basketball Coaches Association Poll from No. 10 in the country in Division 11 to No. 4.

Cross country:

On Saturday, Nov. 21, sophomore David Ribich competed in the 2015 NCAA Division 11 Championships in Joplin, MO.
Ribich finished 67th out of 246 runners in the 10K Individual Championships with a time of 30:58.

Men’s basketball:

On Friday, Nov. 27, WOU dominated Notre Dame de Namur University 81-51 in their first game of the NDNU Thanksgiving Classic in Belmont, Calif.
Senior Andy Avgi (F) made his season debut for the Wolves and had a game-high 24 points in only 22 minutes of play, also adding 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Three other Wolves finished the game in double figures; senior Jordan Wiley (G) had 15 points, redshirt-sophomore Alex Roth (G) had 14 points and first year Kadeem Strickland (G) had 11 points.
On Saturday, Nov. 28, WOU defeated Holy Names University 84-75 in their second and final game of the NDNU Thanksgiving Classic.
Avgi again had an outstanding game finishing with 29 points, shooting 10 for 16 from the floor. Senior Julian Nichols (G) added 16 points and 6 assists.
The back-to-back victories improves the Wolves’ record to 6-0. The Wolfpack’s jumped six spots in the National Basketball Coaches Association Poll from No. 10 in the country in Division 11 to No. 4.

Woman’s basketball:

On Friday, Nov. 27, Western fell to Regis University 53-74 in the Mines Thanksgiving Tournament in Golden, Colo.
Junior Launia Davis (G) had a season high 10 points and was the only Wolf to score in double figures. Sophomore Sydney Azorr (G) and junior Jordan Mottershaw (G) added 8 points each.
On Saturday, Nov. 28, WOU was defeated by Colorado School of Mines 47-62 in their second and final game of the Mines Thanksgiving Tournament.
Mottershaw led the Wolves with 9 points, and first year Natalie DeLong (C) posted season highs in points and rebounds, finishing with 8 points and 11 rebounds. The two losses in the tournament give the pack an overall record of 1-5.

Volleyball:

 

On Saturday, Nov. 21, the Wolves finished their season on a sour note with a three set loss to University of Alaska Anchorage in their season closer.

 

The set scores were 21-25, 16-25 and 11-25. The loss saw Western close out their year with an overall record of 8-21 and 5-15 in GNAC conference play which placed them tied for eighth in the GNAC.

On Friday, Nov. 27, Western fell to Regis University 53-74 in the Mines Thanksgiving Tournament in Golden, Colo.
Junior Launia Davis (G) had a season high 10 points and was the only Wolf to score in double figures. Sophomore Sydney Azorr (G) and junior Jordan Mottershaw (G) added 8 points each.
On Saturday, Nov. 28, WOU was defeated by Colorado School of Mines 47-62 in their second and final game of the Mines Thanksgiving Tournament.
Mottershaw led the Wolves with 9 points, and first year Natalie DeLong (C) posted season highs in points and rebounds, finishing with 8 points and 11 rebounds. The two losses in the tournament give the pack an overall record of 1-5.

Volleyball:

On Saturday, Nov. 21, the Wolves finished their season on a sour note with a three set loss to University of Alaska Anchorage in their season closer.
The set scores were 21-25, 16-25 and 11-25. The loss saw Western close out their year with an overall record of 8-21 and 5-15 in GNAC conference play which placed them tied for eighth in the GNAC.

Wolves dominate Concordia 92-59

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Western Oregon men’s basketball team crushed Concordia University (CU) 92-59 in their GNAC conference opener on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 in Portland, Ore.

This game was the first-ever meeting between the two schools in GNAC conference play. Concordia joined Division II and the GNAC conference earlier this year.

WOU took the lead before the ball was tossed up at midcourt due to an administrative technical foul called against CU. Senior Jordan Wiley (G) made the free throw to give the Wolves a 1-0 advantage.

The first five minutes of the game belonged to the Wolves who outscored the Cavaliers 17-3.

CU came within 9 points of lead on two occasions in the first half, but could not chip away at the lead any further thanks to Western’s stifling defense. The first half ended with the Wolves up on the Cavaliers 45-29.

In the second half, the Wolfpack continued their consistent play on both sides of the ball. WOU outscored the Cavs 47-30 in the half and kept a double-digit lead throughout.

Redshirt-senior Andy Avgi (F), the 2014-15 GNAC Player of the Year, led all scorers with 27 points on 10 for 16 shooting from the floor. Avgi excelled from distance, shooting 4 for 5 from the beyond the arch and also adding 6 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Wiley was one of three Wolves in double figures and had a season-best 21 points on 7 for 10 shots fired.
Freshman Kadeem Strickland (G) filled up the stat sheet tallying 13 points, 5 assists and 3 steals.

Defense and ball security played a key role in the Wolves’ victory.

WOU committed only 8 turnovers leading to only 4 points off of turnovers and created 22 Cavalier turnovers leading to 27 points. The Wolves also had a season high 13 steals and held the Cavaliers to just .420 shooting from the floor.

The 92 points scored for the Wolves was their high mark for the season. As a team, Western shot .507 from the floor and .464 from the three-point line. The Wolves held every possible statistical advantage.

With the decisive victory the No. 4 ranked Wolves improved to 7-0 overall and 1-0 in GNAC conference play.

Next up, the Wolves host Montana State University-Billings (2-4) on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015 at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building.

You can purchase tickets online or in person on game day at the box office.

Women’s basketball drops first two games of the season

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

WOU’s woman’s basketball team fell to California State East Bay University (CSEBU) 57-42 on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 in their first regular season game of the year.

The Wolves came out flat in the opening four minutes of the game until junior Jordan Mottershaw (G) would get on the scoreboard with a pair of free throws.

CSEBU’s defense held Western to only 14 first half points, and the Pioneers would maintain a 26-14 lead going into half time.

In the second half, the Wolfpack would come within six points of CSU on multiple occasions but the Pioneers would answer with mini scoring runs of their own.

Mottershaw led the Wolves in scoring with 15 points. Junior Kelsey Henry (F) and junior Launia Davis (G) each had eight points coming off the bench.

Then on the following day, Saturday, Nov. 14, WOU lost in a hotly contested game to California State Monterey Bay (CSMB) 59-50.

After the Wolves seized the lead in the first minutes of the game, the Otters took advantage of a WOU cold stretch and CSMB would outscore Western 13-5 to finish out the first quarter.
The Otters continued to build on their lead in the second quarter taking a 30-17 lead into half time.

Western showed grit and determination, chipping away at the Otters lead late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter.

The Wolves came within a basket of tying the game during this stretch, but CSMB would answer back with scoring runs to seal an Otters victory.

Western struggled from the field, making 17 of 54 field goal attempts and finished with a shooting percentage of 31.

Sophomore Sydney Azorr (G) was the only Wolf in double figures and finished with 10 points, four steals and two assists. Mottershaw and senior Emily Howey each had nine points.
The Wolves echelles heel so far for the season has been turnovers and free throw shooting. In the first two regular season games the Wolves have committed 38 turnovers and shot slightly above 50 percent from the stripe.

A bright spot for the Wolves is rebounding. In the first two games, Western has averaged 38 rebounds per game. They are also averaging 7.5 steals per game.
The Wolves next two games are back-to-back home games in the WOU/Hampton Inn D2 Shootout.

The first is on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. against California State University, Chico. The second is on Sunday, Nov. 22, also at 2 p.m. against The Evergreen State College.

Both games are to be held at the New P.E. Building. You can order tickets online and pick them up at will call, or purchase them from the box office on game day.

Volleyball snatches comeback victory in final home game

By: Grace Knapp Staff Writer

Emotions ran high as Western’s volleyball team fought to stay alive against Montana State Billings (MSB) in their final home game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.

With an incredible comeback victory, the Wolves overcame a two set deficit to surpass MSB in three straight sets.

The set scores were 15-25, 18-25, 26-24, 25-22 and 15-9.

The narrow victory over MSB (6-21, 5-13) boosted WOU’s ranking three spots in the GNAC, taking the Wolves (8-19, 5-13) from tenth to a 4-way tie for seventh with Seattle Pacific University, Montana State Billings and University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The Wolves started slowly and found themselves with their backs against the wall as they were down two sets.

Redshirt-freshman Amanda Short (OH) shifted the momentum of the game by blasting a kill to win the intense rally. Western would come out victorious in the third set to stay alive in the match.

Starting slow once again, WOU trailed MSU by five points for the majority of the fourth set.

However, two huge outside blocks and a kill by redshirt-sophomore Sydney Blankinship (MB) during a four-point scoring streak, led the Wolves to claim the set and even the overall match score 2-2.

The final set was crucial, and the Wolves brought their A-game. Short secured WOU’s victory by securing four straight points during a rally of eight straight points.

MSB fought back, closing the gap to 12-9, but ultimately could not compete. The Wolves finished the set with three straight points to win the overall match.

Head coach Brad Saindon is proud of the team’s performance against MSB. “In this match we really showed our true colors and showed what we’re made of,” said Saindon. “The girls fought hard and persevered.”

The volleyball team concludes their season on the road against Alaska Anchorage (24-2 overall, 16-2 GNAC) on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015.

Men’s Basketball gets back-to-back wins

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The Western men’s basketball team defeated Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU) 82-76 on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 in their first game of the regular season.

The first half was back-and-forth, and there were eight ties and six lead changes. With the score tied at 38-38 with 2:15 remaining till half time, the Sea Lions outscored the Wolves 10-4 to take a 48-42 lead into the break.

PLNU, with the momentum carrying over from the first half, continued to build on their lead until the Sea Lions had an 11 point advantage with the score at 61-50.

The Wolves would claw their way back into the game and go on a 7-0 run with a three-pointer from senior Devon Alexander (G) and a tip from Sophomore Tanner Omlid (F).

WOU would take the lead with a little over five minutes to play and never look back.

Omlid, who made his WOU debut, led all scorers with 28 points and shot an amazing 93 percent from the field, making 13 of 14 shots. Omlid also added eight rebounds and six steals.
Western had three other players beside Omlid that cracked double digits in scoring. Senior Julian Nichols (G) had 14 points, sophomore Alex Roth (G) had 13 points and Devon Alexander had 11 points.

Then on Saturday, Nov. 14, the Wolves defeated Fresno Pacific University (FPU) 82-73 to improve to 2-0 on the season.

The Sunbirds jumped out to an early lead in the first half with an 11-8 margin. The Wolves would buckle down and tie the score at 11-11 with a Kadeem Strickland (G) 3-pointer.

After taking the lead on the next possession, WOU would not look back, and kept the lead for the rest of the game.

Although FPU would finish the game with a higher shooting percentage of 48 percent from the field compared with Western’s 42 percent, the Wolves won the turnover battle 12 to 18. WOU also had 13 steals compared with FPU’s five.

Winning the turnover battle has been key for the Wolves in the first two regulation games. In both games, the Wolves have had a total of 21 turnovers and created 39 turnovers off of their opponents.

Alexander led Western in scoring with 17 points and also added four assists. The Wolves had three other players in double digits for scoring; Roth and Nichols both had 16 points and Omlid had 12 points.

The No. 21 ranked Wolves’ next two games are back-to-back home games. The first is against California State Monterey Bay University on Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. The second is on Saturday, Nov. 21 against Warner Pacific College also at 7 p.m.

2014-15 GNAC Player of the Year Andy Agvi (F) will make his season debut for Western, after sitting out the start of the season due to NCAA regulations as he was also playing on the football team.

Both games are held at the New P.E. Building. You can purchase tickets online or on game day at the box office.

Heartbreak for football

By: Jamal Smith Sports Editor

Western Football dropped their last game of the season 29-13 to Humboldt State University (HSU) on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 at McArthur Field.

The Wolves came into the game with the hopes of reaching the NCAA Division II Playoffs with a win against HSU.

The Wolves were ranked No. 10 in the region and Humboldt was ranked No. 3 prior to the game; the top eight teams in the region would qualify for the playoffs.

The Wolves struck first on their second drive of the game when redshirt-sophomore Phillip Fenumiai (QB) connected with sophomore Maurice McSwain (WR) for a 71-yard strike, giving the Wolves an early 7-0 lead and sending the Western faithful into a jubilant frenzy.

McSwain finished the game with a season-high 129 yards on five catches.

The Jacks would even up the score a few minutes later after the GNAC’s leading rusher Ja’Quan Gardner found a hole in the Wolves’ defense and broke away for a 43-yard touchdown run.

WOU’s running game, which has been a staple of the offense all season, had trouble establishing a rhythm. Leading rusher and true-freshman Malik Braxton was held to only 26 yards on 11 carries.

To make matters worse, the Wolves were stung by the injury bug. In the second quarter, senior defensive play maker Jonathan Breland (LB) had to leave the game after an apparent knee injury.

Then early in the second half, Fenumiai sustained an injury which took him out of the competition. Both players would not return.

HSU showed why they are at the top of the GNAC ladder in the second quarter, stopping the Wolves from scoring and then adding a field goal and a touchdown. The Jacks took a 17-7 lead going into half time.

Senior Trey Shimabukuro (QB) took over for Fenumiai early in the third quarter, but HSU’s defense held Western scoreless in the quarter. The Jacks would again add to their lead, scoring another field goal and a touchdown in the quarter to take a 26-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

After HSU kicked another field goal and went ahead 29-7 early in the fourth quarter, it seemed like the game could get out of hand. But the Wolves showed their never-say-die attitude and stepped up the defense.

Last weeks’ GNAC Defensive Player of the Week junior George Swartzlender (DL) continued his impressive play with a career-best 11 tackles for the game.

The Wolves’ leading tackler senior Shane Kuenzi (LB) had 8 tackles and also saved a touchdown with a key interception in the first half.

With just seconds left in the game and Western on the HSU 1-yard line, senior Joe Harris (RB) punched his way into the end zone. Although the score was insurmountable, scoring the last touchdown was a matter of pride for the Wolves.

“Getting in was the only way. I had to score,” said Harris after the game. “Not getting in wasn’t an option. We had to go out with a touchdown. That was the only way to go out.”
With the victory, the Jacks became 2015 GNAC champions, guaranteeing their spot in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

“We couldn’t get enough on offense, and defensively we allowed them to run the ball and they wore us down,” said head coach Arne Ferguson after the game. “We knew we were going to play a really good Humboldt team; they are number three in the region. With their strength in schedule they should be number one in the region.”

Although the Wolves’ concluded their season on a sour note, Ferguson was optimistic about the future of the program.

“First of all we want all of our players to do well in school. We want them to be disciplined. We want them to develop as football players. Throughout the season our players continued to get better,” said Ferguson. “We aren’t where we would have liked to be, but the progress we made finishing 7-4, there’s a really good opportunity to build on that.”

The 7-4 season marks the tenth consecutive winning season for the Wolf Pack.

“We are fortunate to have most of our d-line coming back and they are the staple of our defense. Replacing seniors and that experience is so hard to do and [so is] the physicality they bring,” added Ferguson.

WOU hosts XC Regionals

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

Western played host to the 2015 NCAA Cross-Country Regionals on Saturday Nov. 7, 2015 at Ash Creek Preserve in Monmouth, Oregon.

The men’s team finished 12th out of 23 teams. Sophomore David Ribich was the first to cross the finish-line for the Wolves, and placed 11th individually, earning him All-West honors and also qualifying him for the NCAA individual championships.

“As a team we came a long way from last year. We wanted everyone on the team to run the best race they could to give back to the seniors who deserved a good last race and to go out on a high note,” said Ribich.

“[The team] fell short on making nationals, but I qualified as an individual which will take place next Saturday on the 21st in Joplin, Missouri,” Ribich said.

Ribich became the first WOU cross-country athlete to qualify for the NCAA individual Championships since Connor Kasler succeeded back in 2011.

Ribich finished the 10K race with a blazing time of 30:11.95.

“During the race I felt pretty good. I was expecting the Anchorage, Alaska competitors and the Chico competitors and Oliver Jorgensen from Simon Frasier to go straight to the front, and that’s where I wanted to be,” said Ribich.

Ribich continued, “The race was really packed up and I couldn’t get my full stride because of how close everyone was to each other.”

“At about 6K, Chico and Alaska started picking up the pace so at that point I had to give it my all because if I dropped off from the lead group there would have been no way to catch back up,” added Ribich.

“So I hung on till about 8500 meters and then I started struggling. But with the support of the fans, community and my family; when I heard the cheering, it gave me a second wind,” Ribich concluded.

The Wolves had three other male athletes place in the top 100. Senior Zach Hollaway placed 43rd with a time of 31:23. Junior David Cornish finished in 67th place and freshman Tyler Jones finished 91st.

The women’s team placed 15th out of 28 total teams.

Junior Nichole Maurmann had the Wolves’ best time of the day, finishing the 6,000-meter race in 37th place with a time of 22:07. Senior Stephanie Stuckey finished the race three seconds later to place 40th.

“We were all really excited that it was a home meet for regionals. We had so much support from the track team and the other sports teams,” said Stuckey.

Stuckey added, “As a team we went out and did our best, but we didn’t finish exactly where we wanted to be. But at the end of the day, we ran the best race we could. I had a lot of fun and was able to run with Nichole and it was really cool that we got to work together.”

The 2015 NCAA Championships is on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 at 11 a.m. in Joplin, Missouri. Ribich looks to build on his successful season and accomplish is macro and micro goals.

“My focus goal is to place in the top 40 to gain an All-American medal,” said Ribich, “My macro goal is to just go out there and run the best race I possibly can and represent the GNAC and Western Oregon.”

Women’s basketball drops opening exhibition games

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team opened up their exhibition schedule on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015 on the road against Weber State University. The Wolves were out-matched and lost to the Wildcats 42-71.

Redshirt-junior Kelsey Henry (F) led the Wolves in scoring and finished with 14 points and 4 rebounds.

Senior Emily Howey (C), junior Jordan Mottershaw (G) and first year Kaylie Boschma (G) each finished with 6 points for the Wolves.

Both teams shot 48 percent from the field, but the score discrepancy came down to turnovers and missed free-throws.

WOU racked up a total of 31 turnovers which led to 41 Wildcat points, giving Weber State an extra 25 field goal opportunities.

Two days later, the women’s basketball team concluded their exhibition schedule in a tough fought 56-73 loss to Idaho State University Saturday Nov. 7, 2015.

Sophomore Jasmine Miller (G/F) led the way for the Wolves, finishing the game with 16 points while shooting 6-of-9 from the field.
Miller also tallied 8 rebounds. WOU’s center Howey continued to play solid, tallying 10 points and 5 rebounds.

The Wolves shot a respectable 40 percent from the field, but just like in Thursday’s game, they struggled from the free-throw line, converting just 12 of 27 from the charity stripe. Idaho State also held the rebound advantage of 45-38, and outscored the Wolves 40-24 in the paint.

It is worth noting that exhibition results do not impact the team’s record.

The Wolfpack look to rebound in Western’s first regular season game on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 at 4 p.m. against California State University Easy Bay in Hayward, California.

Their first home game is on Saturday Nov. 21, 2015 against California State University, Chico at 2 p.m. in the New P.E. Building.

For tickets and game information, visit the ticket office during regular business hours in the New P.E. Building, or call 503-838–8917.

Men’s basketball posts loss to Oregon State

By: Jamal Smith Sports Editor

The men’s basketball team lost their first exhibition game 76-57 in Corvallis on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015, to Oregon State University (OSU).

Senior Devon Alexander (G) led the wolves in scoring with 16 points. Alexander hit a game-best five shots from beyond the arch.

Jefferson High School product Kadeem Strickland (G) had 14 points in his collegiate debut while sophomore Oregon State transfer Alex Roth, had 14 points and five rebounds against his former team.

Oregon State got off to a quick start, scoring the game’s first 14 points, but Western would grind their way back into the game. With 5:27 left in the first half and Western down 29-19, the Wolves hit four unanswered shots from beyond the three-point line to take the lead 30-29.

The Beavers would answer with a run of their own, scoring the final eight points of the half to take the lead 37-30 going into half time.

In the second half, after OSU increased their lead by 14 points, Alexander would keep the Wolves in the game when he hit two consecutive three-pointers, cutting the lead to 59-53.

After it looked as though Western could challenge the Beavers for the upset, the Wolves went cold from the floor. OSU would outscore the Wolves 17-4 in the final minutes sealing the victory.

The Wolves were without last year’s leading scorer and 2014-15 GNAC Player of the Year, senior Andy Agvi (F). Agvi was inactive for the game due to NCAA regulations because he is currently playing on the football team.

Next up the Wolves play Point Loma Nazarene University in the GNAC/PACWEST challenge on Friday, Nov. 13 2015 in Olympia, Washington at 5 p.m.

Tough loss for a young team Simon Frasier edges out Western in four nail-biting sets

By: Grace Knapp 
Freelance Writer

The young WOU volleyball team faced Simon Frasier University on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015.

Battling for every point, the 7-18 Wolves eventually succumbed to the 12-12 Clan after four hotly contested sets. The set scores were 26-24, 25-23, 25-15, and 25-22.

In the opening set, the score difference between the teams never exceeded three points, and the Wolves secured four aces.

However, this wasn’t enough to win the set, and WOU fell to SFU 26-24.

Motivated by the close set, the Wolves rallied their efforts in the second. Although the Clan took an early lead of 20-15, the pack overtook the five point deficit and tied the score 22-22, eventually winning the set with a kill by Sydney Blankinship (MB).

Western quickly fell behind, leading to a disappointing set loss of 25-15. Fighting to stay in the game, WOU secured an early lead of 15-20 in the final set, but ultimately fell to SFU 25-22.

Head coach Brad Saindon feels like the close battle with SFU shows the true potential of the Wolves.

“Our team continues to improve daily. We put ourselves in position to win regularly, and I believe if we continue to work and stay on course that the wins will start coming,” Saindon said. “We are so close, and our games show that.”

A strong contributor to the team’s potential is junior Christie Colasurdo (L) who leads the GNAC in digs, and is currently ranked fourth in the nation in digs per set.

Colasurdo does everything she can to help her team on defense in the hope that they can finish out the season with some wins.

Next up, the Wolves face Montana State-Billings at home on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. For tickets and game information, visit the ticket office during regular business hours in the New P.E. Building, or call 503-838–8917.

Update: On Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015 the Wolves lost in three sets to Concordia University at home. The set scores were 25-23, 26-24 and 25-21.

Fenumiai’s four touchdowns lead Wolf Pack to victory

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

It was a cold, wet, and windy night at McArthur Field, but the Wolves got their seventh consecutive victory on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 against South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SD). The final score was 37-26.

The victory improves the Wolves overall record to 7-3 and 5-1 in GNAC play.

Redshirt-sophomore Phillip Fenumiai (QB) led Western downfield on their first drive of the game, connecting with senior Daniel Thomas (WR) for a 26-yard touchdown pass.

Fenumiai would finish the game with 168-yards through the air, four passing touchdowns and tack on 55-yards rushing.

Fenumiai, who is known for his ability to run the ball, showed that he is not just a one trick pony, connecting with sophomore Maurice McSwain (WR) for a 16-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter.

The Wolves led 12-0 after the first quarter.

SD would score the only points in the second quarter after the Hardrockers started their drive on the Western Oregon 17-yard line. SD would convert on a two-point attempt to tighten the score to 12-8 going into half time.

Fenumiai picked up right where he left off on the Wolves’ first drive of the second half, throwing his second touchdown pass to McSwain, his third TD pass of the game.

Five minutes later, Fenumiai would connect with sophomore Paul Revis (WR) for a 15-yard touchdown, giving Fenumiai four total passing touchdowns for the game. The third quarter would end with the Western leading 26-8.

“Phillip threw a pass up the middle, and once I made the catch I just followed my blockers,” said Revis. “There just happened to be no one in front of me and I just walked into the end zone.”

In the fourth quarter, with just minutes remaining in the game, first year Malik Braxton (RB) would break way for 57-yard run, but was stopped at the SD 4-yard line.

He finished the drive by bullying his way into the end zone. Braxton would finish the game with 136-yards rushing.

“Every week the offensive line keeps doing what they’re doing, and I just had to get a touchdown for them,” said Braxton after the game.
Junior George Swartzlender (DL) led the defense with 10 total stops and four tackles for a loss which included a 10-yard sack.

Swartzlender was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week.

“We felt positive about the way we played on defense. We made a lot of defensive stands, and we have been doing that all year,” said head coach Arne Ferguson. “Offensively, our offensive line took some time to wear them down. Malik had a big run, Phillip played well and we were getting the ball to Paul.”

Next up, the Wolves finish out the regular season at home against Humboldt State University (HSU) on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 at 1 p.m. With a win against HSU, the Wolf Pack has a good chance at improving their regional ranking to keep their post-season hopes alive.

“We’re 10th in the region, Humboldt is second. The top seven go to the NCAA playoffs,” said Ferguson. “We feel really good about beating Northern Alabama and if we are able to beat Humboldt the last game of the season, with winning seven in a row, there is a really good chance we can make it.”

“They are a really good team; they’re coached really well and they are on fire, so it’s going to be a really tough task,” added Ferguson.

Portland Timber defeat Sporting Kansas City in 22 round shootout

By: Jamal Smith 
sports editor

In what is being heralded as one of the greatest Major League Soccer (MLS) playoff games of all time, the Portland Timbers, with a little bit of luck, came out victorious in the knockout round against Sporting Kansas City (SKC) on Thursday Oct. 26, 2015.

The sold out crowd at Providence Park got their money’s worth; the atmosphere was insane, there were ups and downs, phenomenal last minute goals, and one of the craziest double goal post penalty misses of all time.

It would take 90 minutes of regulation, two 15 minute overtime periods and 22 penalty kicks for the Timbers to become victorious and advance to the Western Conference Semifinals. The game was a draw at 2-2 with Portland winning the penalty shootout 7-6.

Portland came out firing on all cylinders in the opening minutes of the first half, but was unable to capitalize with a goal, and the first half ended with the score tied at 0-0.

Timber’s midfielder Rodney Wallace would find the back net in the 57th minute after a beautiful juggling flick pass from Timber’s midfielder Diego Valeri inside of SKC’s 18-yard box.

In the 87th minute, with just 3 minutes to play in regulation, SKC evened the score at 1-1 off a cross into the Timber’s 18-yard box which was headed in by SKC’s defender Kevin Ellis, causing the match to continue with two 15 minute overtime periods.

SKC ripped the heart out of the Timber’s faithful in the 97th minute when forward Krisztian Nemeth’s hit a ridiculous top-corner goal which Timber’s keeper Adam Kwarasey had no chance at saving.

In the second overtime period, with just two minutes remaining, Portland super-sub Maximiliano Urruti (F) tied the game at 2-2 after a Wallace cross found its way to Urruti and he calmly blasted it past SPC’s goalkeeper Jon Kempin.

Still, even after the overtime periods, the match would be decided with penalty kicks. The team with the most goals after five rounds would be crowned the victor, but even still, the match would continue into sudden-death.

After Portland failed to covert in the 8th round, SKC’s defender Saad Abdul-Salaam’s shot on goal unbelievably bounced off both goal posts and somehow didn’t go in.

“Our crowd, our fans, our supporters, the Timbers Army, I think they were the ones who kept that last ball out of the net,” said head coach Caleb Porter at the postgame press conference. “It was either them or God because the thing bounced twice, and I don’t know how it didn’t go in. But it didn’t.”

“Something kept that goal out. I don’t know what it was; maybe it was them from them yelling so much,” added Porter. “Something did, something kept it out. So I’m going to credit the Timbers Army.”

With every penalty make from the Timbers, the crowd went into a frenzy, but SKC would answer every time. With every miss, the crowd collectively held their breath, but SKC would fail to convert.

The eleventh round pitted Timber’s keeper Kwarasey against SKC keeper Kempin. Kwarasey would convert on his penalty kick, and then make the save against Kempin to the estatic delight of the Timber’s Army.

“It was like a movie,” said Kwarasey after the game. “I didn’t expect it to go to penalties. I didn’t expect to take a penalty. I’m still a little bit exhausted. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

With the incredible victory, the Timbers advanced to Western Conference Semifinals against no. 2 seed Vancouver Whitecaps, a two-leg series with the first game played in Portland and the second in Vancouver, B.C.

Note: On Sunday Nov. 1, 2015, the Timbers finished the match with a 0-0 draw against the Vancouver White Caps. The decisive next match will be played in Vancouver, B.C. on Sunday Nov. 8, 2015. With a victory, the Timbers would advance into the Western Conference Finals against the winner of Seattle vs. Dallas.

Soccer finishes the season with double overtime thriller

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

The woman’s soccer team wrapped up their season with a 2-1 overtime victory on the road against Simon Fraser University (SFU) on Saturday Oct. 31.

The Wolves spoiled SFU’s post-season aspirations, which with a victory the Clan would have finished in fourth place in the conference ensuring a berth in the GNAC Woman’s Soccer Championship.

SFU came out determined in the first half, and put pressure on Western’s defense. The Wolves survived a barrage of 14 first half shots. Despite SFU’s offensive flurry, the match was scoreless going into half time.

In the 54th minute, WOU senior Brooke Steinberg (D) scored her first goal of the season with a free kick to the near post.

Western would only have the lead for 34 seconds, though, as the Clan would equalize the score at 1-1 after a loose ball found its way into the back of the net.

After 90 minutes and the score still even, the match would continue into overtime. The Wolves had a chance to win just two minutes into overtime when senior Vicky Cruz Rosales (M) took a shot that went just over the top of the crossbar.

Still scoreless after the first overtime period, the match would continue to a second. In the 107th minute, the Wolves were rewarded a penalty kick from just outside the 18-yard box. Junior Taylor Higa (F/M) stepped up to take the penalty kick and sent it past SFU’s goalkeeper. Higa’s game winning goal was her second of the season.

Rosales and junior Dani Payne (M) led the Wolves with three shots on goal. SFU outshot WOU 25-19.
With the victory, the Wolves concluded their season with an overall record of 8-8-1 and 4-7-1 in GNAC play and finished in 7th place in the conference.

Running game and stingy defense key to victory over Azusa Pacific

By: Jamal Smith 
Sports Editor

WOU Football hosted Azusa Pacific University (APU) on Saturday, Oct. 31 at McArthur Field, and defeated the Cougars 17-14.

The victory marks the fifth consecutive win for the Wolves and improved their overall record to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in GNAC play.

Both teams were held scoreless in the first quarter.

APU failed to convert two field goals in the first 17 minutes of the game. The first field goal bounced off of the left upright, narrowly missing three points by a matter of centimeters, and the second careened to the far right after catching a gust of wind.

WOU established their running game in the late first quarter and redshirt-sophomore Phillip Fenumiai (QB) lead the Wolves downfield and into the Cougars’ red zone.

After failing to convert a touchdown, senior Jesse Correa (K) kicked a 21-yard field goal to give the Wolves a 3-0 lead, just minutes into the second quarter.

After stopping APU on their next two drives, the Wolves raced downfield with runs from Fenumiai and from first year Malik Braxton (RB), who was excellent at grinding for extra yards after contact.

Braxton, who was awarded last week’s GNAC offensive player of the week, finished the game with 105 yards rushing.

Fenumiai would cap off the 12 play 59-yard drive with a 1-yard rush on a quarterback sneak, increasing Westerns’ lead to 10-0.

“The offensive line gives us everything they have every play, and we needed to give back,” said Braxton after the game. “Between me, Ambrose and Joe, we just want to get in there and hit the hole that the O-Line gives us.”

After the Wolves’ defense forced a three-and-out on APU’s ensuing possession, the Wolves would start their drive with great field position near midfield.

In his second game back from injury, senior Trey Shimabukuro (QB) would step in for Fenumiai and show his abilities at throwing the ball. Shimabukuro connected with redshirt-sophomore Paul Revis (WR) for a 16-yard touchdown, which increased the Wolves’ lead to 17-0 going into half time.

“Our offense controlled the clock in the first half,” said head coach Arne Ferguson. “We had the ball for twenty minutes which allowed our defense to make some key three-and-outs and play very aggressive.
In the third quarter, the Cougars showed grit and determination, scoring two unanswered touchdowns to tighten the score to 14-17. But the Wolves’ defense refused to give up.

Senior Breeon Moreno (DB) made an incredible play in the fourth quarter, breaking up a third down pass attempt in the secondary. Moreno would finish the game with two pass breakups and nearly come down with an interception.

¬¬“As a senior, I had to come out and make big plays for our defense and for our team to help us win,” said Moreno after the game. “Last year they beat us because of one big play and we came into the game wanting to stop them from converting on the big play, and make some ourselves.”

After failing to score in the fourth quarter, the Wolves found themselves in a familiar situation: just minutes left in the game and the ball in the hands of APU with a chance to even the score with a field goal or go ahead with a touchdown.

APU would start their final drive at their own 18-yard line.

With a balanced attack of passing and rushing, the Cougars marched downfield and into WOU territory. The Wolves’ defense held the line and forced APU into a fourth down with 4-yards to keep their drive alive. On fourth down, APU handed the ball off to their running back and he was stopped 3-yards short of the first down marker by senior Jonathan Breland (LB).

The Wolves would take over on downs and finish the game in the victory formation.

“I’m very proud of our defense. It has been a few weeks in a row making those plays in the fourth quarter,” Ferguson added.

WOU’s final two games of the season are both home games played at McArthur Field.

First, Western hosts South Dakota School of Mines & Technology on Saturday Nov. 7 at 3:30 p.m. The last game features Humboldt State University, the first place team in the GNAC, on Saturday Nov. 14 at 1 p.m.

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