Mount Hood

Tough stuff at Powder Tuff

TUFFPUFFSTUFFPUFF

By: Rachael Jackson 
Freelancer

The third day of Homecoming Week, Wednesday Oct. 14, 2015 hit a peak with the boys’ Powder Tuff volleyball game.

Sharing the day with Pink Out, most players and spectators wore pink garments, such as shirts, socks, and bandanas, in order to raise breast cancer awareness.

The game began with a huddle around the Assistant Director of Intramural and Club Sports, Ben Prahl. Normally the game is broken up between teams of those who live on- or off-campus, but low attendance meant teams were mixed this year.

The audience sat attentive as the first plays were set in motion, the first points garnering excited whoops and cheers.

Watching from the sidelines and nearly hit by a wayward ball, Shay Guyton, a senior and Community Health major, surveyed the game with a watchful eye.

“It’s really great that there is so much spirit displayed,” Guyton said, “I’m loving that people are wearing pink, the students, the players, even Wolfie.”

Though they did not practice beforehand, most players seemed to come prepared with a working knowledge of the game.

One player, Reece Blatch, a junior American Sign Language Interpreting and American Sign Language Studies double major, mentioned he plays volleyball at both Seaside and Corvallis. A source from the crowd pointed out several of the players that take part in intramural and open gym volleyball. Their skill showed as both sides held their own during the game.

The boys played a series of rounds, the game ending with the home team taking the win with a final score of 25-20.

Don’t miss the Powderpuff game, taking place Friday Oct. 16, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. The game will take place on the turf field. Show up early for a tailgate at 5:30 p.m. and stick around after the game for a fireworks show.

Upset

By: Jamal Smith 
Staff Writer

The Wolves football team edged out undefeated University of Northern Alabama (UNA), winning at home 24-22 Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, at McArthur Field.

The Wolves were considered massive underdogs against UNA, who came into the game as the no. 6 ranked team in the country in Division II football.

Throughout the game, the Wolves defense was spectacular. On Northern Alabama’s first drive, junior Danny Hankins (DB) intercepted UNA’s Luke Wingo (QB).

After the Lions forced a punt on Western’s next possession, the Wolves created another turnover when senior Jonathan Breland (LB) got to Wingo and forced a fumble. The Wolves capitalized and went ahead 3-0 on a 39 yard Jesse Correa (K) field goal.

Northern Alabama’s next drive was cut short after yet another turnover; this time an interception by Breland who would have a total of two interceptions for the game and one forced fumble.

Junior David Sowards (QB) would lead the Wolves downfield on the next possession, but UNA stopped the offense in the red zone, setting up an apparent 4th down field goal.

Western had other plans and faked the field goal. Sophomore Paul Revis (WR) threw a touchdown pass to sophomore Devin Williams (DL). WOU would go up on Northern Alabama 10-0 going into the second quarter.
The Wolves’ defense continued their outstanding form in the second quarter, forcing UNA to punt twice, and adding another forced fumble, this time by junior Jeremy Moore (DL).

The only blemish in the first half for WOU’s defense came late in the second quarter when Wingo would connect with one of his wide receivers for a 60-yard touchdown. The Wolves led the Lions 10-7 at the half.

Just a few minutes into the third quarter, Wolves quarterback Sowards limped off the field after being hit on a pass attempt. He was replaced with third-string sophomore Phillip Fenumiai (QB).

“You just have to wait for your time to get in there and just go to work, and everything that you prepare for in the offseason just makes its way into the game,” said Fenumiai after the game.

The Lions would score the only points of the third quarter on a field goal, and then score another field goal early in the fourth quarter, taking the lead 16-10.

Fenumiai led the Wolves to two unanswered fourth quarter touchdown drives; the first ended when Fenumiai scrambled for a 13-yard touchdown, and the second on a Fenumiai 8-yard pass to junior Andy Avgi (TE) which increased the Wolves lead to 24-16.

The Lions would show why they were ranked the number six team in the country on their next drive, answering the Wolves touchdowns with an 11 play, 68-yard touchdown drive of their own.
However, with the score 24-22, WOU’s defense stopped the Lions from converting on the 2 point conversion. With 1:24 remaining in the game, the Lion’s kicked an onside kick, which Northern Alabama recovered near midfield.

Lions quarterback Wingo marched Northern Alabama downfield with a five play, 42-yard drive that put the Lions in field goal position on Western Oregon’s 23 yard line with just seconds remaining in the game.
On 2nd down and 10, Wingo dropped back to pass, but Wolves’ linebacker Breland jumped the rout and got his second interception of the game, sealing the victory for the Wolves.

“To put the game away against the number six team in Division 2 football, it is a great feeling for me personally but I just love my team,” stated an exuberant Breland after the game. “My defense, my offense, I love playing with these guys and I was just glad to make a play for them.”

“I’m really proud of our defense stepping up in a big way and getting the ball to our offense,” said Wolves’ head coach Arne Ferguson. “We capitalized in the fourth quarter when we needed to.”

The win against UNA brings the Wolves’ record to 3-3 overall, and 1-1 in GNAC conference play.

“Western Oregon, we’re here to play,” stated Breland. “We had it a little bit rough in the beginning of the season, but we feel like right now were we are at, we will just keep climbing from here.”
The Wolfpack’s next game is against Central Washington University on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at 1:05 p.m. on McArthur Field.

For more information or ticket sales, please contact the ticket office at 503-838–8917, or stop by the New P.E. Building, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Men’s club rugby eyes national championship

By: Jack Armstrong 
Copy Editor

The Western men’s rugby club is looking forward to their most successful season yet.
On the back of returning seniors and an injection of fresh blood underclassmen, the prospect for a winning run at the USA National Rugby Championship is starting to seem more and more plausible.

“We actually made the Varsity cup last year,” said Sean Pomeroy, a Prop at the club, and a senior education major. “We hosted Montana State and won, but due to unforeseen circumstances, we couldn’t progress on to the finals.”

Pomeroy was hopeful saying, “with the Squad we’ve put together this year, I really think we have a shot at the National Championship.”

According to Pomeroy, there were enough interested players to form a secondary squad this season.

“We have around 40 players total in the club,” he said, “some play on b-side, and we have people who swing between a-side and b-side, but we try to take as many people with us to games as possible. It helps to learn the game and get questions answered.”
Questions like: what exactly does a prop do in rugby?

“A prop acts like a guard on a football team,” said Pomeroy, “we do a similar job to an offensive lineman.”

There is a wide range of positions with lots of different play styles offered for students interested in joining the team.

Rugby season is year-round, and students wanting to try out can stop by any team practice. The club meets every Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. on the turf field next to the softball diamond.

“We’ll take anybody we can get who has a love for big hits and tough play,” Pomeroy said.

The Wolves face a tough challenge in their next game in the NCRC 7’s Championship hosted in Ellensburg, Wash. on Oct. 17, 2015.

A full schedule of matches and a contact page for interested students can be found on wourugby.org, and on the WOU Men’s Rugby Facebook page.

Women’s soccer triumphs in conference game

By: Jamal Smith 
Freelancer

WOU vs. Central Washington University (CWU) – Oct. 3, 2015

The Wolves women’s soccer team got their first conference win at home on Sat., Oct. 3, 2015 over Central Washington University with a final score of 2-1.

Senior Makana Pundyke (CF) scored two second-half goals which secured the WOU’s comeback victory.

CWU took the lead after a goal in the 20th minute when the ball bounced around in the box and found its way into the back of the net.

Although the Wolves had multiple opportunities to score in the first half, they were left empty handed going into halftime.

In the second half, Western had better ball control and more energy which put pressure on CWU’s defense.

The Wolves first goal came in the 56th minute on a Brooke Steinberg (D) free kick just outside of the 18-yard box. The free kick was headed off the top of the crossbar by senior Dana Goularte (D), and after a scramble, Pundyke put the ball past CWU’s goalkeeper.

Pundyke got her second goal in the 63rd minute when a scrum in the box saw the ball fall to her from a corner kick from junior Kealakekua Makekau (CM).

Western’s head coach Steve Ancheta attributed the Wolves’ second half success to half-time adjustments. “In the second half we pressed a little bit higher which caused them a little bit of stress and it led to free kicks and penalty kicks,” Ancheta said.
The Wolves improved their overall record to 5-3-1 for the season, and 1-2-1 in GNAC conference play.

WOU vs. Concordia University (CU) – Oct. 5, 2015

The team lost 2-0 at home on Tuesday against Concordia University. The loss brings the overall record to 5-4-1 and 1-3-1 in GNAC conference play.

Concordia got their first goal in the 20th minute on a free kick at the top of the goal box. Although Western’s goalkeeper, Lindsey Mabinuori, was able to make the save, she couldn’t get both hands on the ball and a Concordia player took advantage by finding the back of the net.

In the second half, the Wolves applied the pressure and had great ball control but couldn’t conceive a goal. Western had multiple chances to score that saw the ball go just wide of the goal posts on multiple occasions.

Concordia’s second goal came in the 59th minute on a thru ball on a counter-attack.
The loss to Concordia was the second game in the Wolves’ three game home stand. The next home game is on Saturday October 10th at 11 a.m. against Seattle Pacific University before they hit road to take on Saint Martin’s University on Saturday, Oct. 17th.

Women’s volleyball falls to Northwest Nazarene

By: Jamal Smith 
Freelancer

The Western Oregon women’s volleyball team lost at home in three sets on Sat., Oct. 3, 2015 to Northwest Nazarene University (NNU). The set scores were 15-25, 20-25 and 17-25, all in NNU’s favor.

NNU pulled away from the Wolves in the first set, accumulating a lead that Western couldn’t claw back from.

The second set was much closer and went back and forth until the Wolves found themselves even with NNU with a score of 20-20. However, NNU would score the next 5 unanswered points to win the second set.

Western showed determination in the third set, but they were out matched again and lost the set with a score of 17-25.

Sophomore Alisha Bettinson had 10 kills, 1 block, and 1 ace. First-year Amanda Short and Mariella Vandenkooy both had 8 kills for the Wolves.

The conference loss gives Western Oregon an overall record of 4-11, and 1-5 in GNAC conference play.

The next two games for the Wolves are on the road when they play Simon Fraser University on Oct. 8, 2015, and then Western Washington University on Oct. 10, 2015. The next home game is against Concordia on Tuesday Oct. 13, 2015 at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. building.
The Concordia test is also a “Red Out!” game, so be sure to dress in red. For more information please contact WOU Athletics at 503-838-9030.

Wolves athlete finds drive to play two sports

By: Alvin Wilson 
Freelancer

The phrase “go hard or go home” may be the most accurate way to describe Andy Avgi, a junior athlete who has a strong desire to compete.

While most athletes’ thirst for competition and victory would be quenched by one sport, Avgi thirsts for more. And at 6’6“ and 270 lbs., Avgi is built well to play a wide variety of competitive sports.

Avgi has been playing basketball for three years at Western, and, on his final stretch toward graduation, he decided to try for football.

“When I decided to play basketball in college, I knew there would be some point in my life that I would want to play [football] again,” said Avgi.

Avgi mentioned a talk with Kevin Boss, NFL tight end and Western alumnus, that influenced his decision.

“I talked with Kevin Boss, who used to play football and basketball here, about the opportunity of playing after college,” Avgi said, “I really do want to play after college, potentially the NFL. I think that’s really what pushed me to do it.”

Although Avgi sees football in his future, he said basketball was his first passion.

“In high school I played a lot of sports, the main ones being basketball and football, and honestly I enjoyed basketball more,” he said. “I think a big part of that was that we were better in basketball than we were in football. In football we were kind of at the bottom of the pack.”

Avgi has been a competitive person for as long as he can remember. This drive for competition fuels his desire to perform to his full potential.

“When I was growing up, I was really competitive,” said Avgi. “I want to be the best at whatever I do. It’s just kind of ingrained in my brain. Whatever I’m doing, I’m going to do it to my fullest.”

Playing two sports at a time sounds like a difficult task, but Avgi is handling it well.

“It’s actually not too bad,’ he said, “Basketball season doesn’t officially start until November. Right now I’m just focused on football until football season is over. When it’s basketball season I’ll focus just on that. I’ll probably start shooting with the coach within a week or so, but it works out pretty well. “

Loyalty to the team is highly valued in sports, but Avgi said his teams understand his decision to play both sports.

“There’s always a lot of joking around, like, ‘oh come on, just play basketball,’ or, ‘just play football,’ but they know it’s in my best interest to play both. I can actually help out on both teams.”

Avgi is enjoying his experience so far, especially because it is something new.

“It’s definitely fun. I like it because it’s different. It’s something I’m not used to,” said Avgi. “It’s re-learning something I haven’t done in a while. I’ve been doing the same things in basketball, so it’s nice learning different things and things I never knew about football when I was in high school.”

Cross-country starts new season with a strong showing.

By:Grace Knapp
Staff Writer

Motivated by last year’s poor performance at the regional meet, the men’s and women’s cross-country (XC) team have been training harder than ever for the start of the 2015-2016 season and head coach Mark Johnson believes their rigorous preparation shows.

“There is some tough talent to compete with in our league, but we have the potential to run with them,” Johnson said.

So far this season, sophomore David Ribich has already distinguished himself as a top competitor in the GNAC. Ribich placed 10th out of 280 runners at the Sundodger Invitational in Seattle, WA, helping the men’s team secure eighth place out of twenty-six teams.

The women placed 16th overall at Sundodger, lead by transfer student Nichole Maurmann who posted a 6-kilometer time of 22 minutes 59.64 seconds earning her 59th, and senior Stephanie Stuckey who also competed in the 6km finished slightly behind Maurmann at 80th with a time of 23 minutes 15.16 seconds.

Western also hosted the Ash Creek XC Festival on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015. The annual event is a chance to preview the GNAC cross-country field. With respectable showings for both men and women, the Wolves coasted to fourth and eighth respectively.

The runners’ ambitions now turn to the Willamette Invitational at Bush’s Pasture Park in Salem, Ore., Saturday Oct. 10, 2015. – Grace Knapp (Staff Writer)

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