Athlete of the Month: Sean Mills

Written by: Elizabeth Prieskorn '14           
          After swimming for only two years, Sean Mills has gained the reputation of being a phenomenal swimmer and an asset to the team. During Sean’s junior year, his friends Robert Baker and Andrew Benkovsky convinced him to join the swim team. Realizing the talent he had with the sport, he stuck with it for his senior year. Sean participated in the 100 breaststroke, 200 Individual Medley, and any relays that needed people to fill in. Sean was more than happy to step in. He helped out in any event that needed a swimmer. “Sean was an asset to the team and knew all the strokes. Whenever I needed a swimmer for something, whether it be a relay or not, Sean would step up”, says Mr. Jackson.

Mr. Jackson has coached Sean for the two years that he’s swam, and has always thought of him has a committed, thorough, hard worker. Sean’s favorite event to swim is the breaststroke, simply for the fact that he excels in it. Personally, his season went extremely well for him. Sean’s times dropped throughout the season and he kept progressing rapidly. Sean’s greatest accomplishment in swimming was coming in fourth at leagues in the breaststroke.

He’s made many memories with his team this year. “Sean was always fun to be around at practice. He was awesome to have on the team. Sean is a great swimmer and he contributed a lot of points to the team”, comments Kendall Wright ’13. At the beginning of the season the team was very optimistic and had high expectations. Unfortunately, as time progressed, the team lost more and more swimmers. Sean stayed until the very end and was always there throughout the season. “In the future I see Sean succeeding in whatever he chooses to pursue. He’s a committed and thorough individual. He was one of the most committed swimmers. He’s always trying to better himself and is open to trying new things. Sean’s very friendly to everyone. Especially to the ladies”, says Mr. Jackson on Sean’s qualities.

In the upcoming future Sean plans to attend Michigan State University. He’s not sure on what he’s going to be yet, but going in to medical field is a possibility. Sean’s time here at Eaton Rapids High School has been great. He’s made some memories and friends that he will never forget. He appreciates the support and encouragement from his parents. They always pushed him to be the best he could be and succeed in whatever he set his mind too.

Having two older brothers, Sean had expectations to surpass, and continues to strive to do so. Being Athlete of the Month was unexpected to Sean. But now he can match his sister, Kathryn Mills. Many would think that having a State-Champion High-Jumper as a sister that Sean would have to compete with Kathryn, in more ways than one. But to Sean that’s not the case. Sean says,” I’m just better than Kathryn”.

Spring Sports Preview

Baseball
Written by: Kasidy Coats '12

The Eaton Rapids baseball team is looking forward to improving their record from last year. Only losing two starters from last year gives them a great start to accomplishing their goals this season.

The baseball team ended their season last year with an 18-15 record. They lost in the district finals to Portland High School. “I think if we didn’t win districts this year it would be disappointing,” said Coach Jey Zubal. The team has nine top returners including senior Jeremy West and juniors Mike Kitsmiller, Jacob Oberlin-Scott, Colton Wolfe, and Tommy Hollandsworth. “Tanner Jones will also be a contributor,” said Zubal.

The players have high expectations for this season as well. “I expect to win districts and do well in regionals,” said Mike Kitsmiller.

Tommy Hollandsworth also hopes to win districts this season. “I’m looking forward to all the fun times we have in practice and winning districts,” said Hollandsworth.

If you’re looking for something to do this spring, make sure you come out and support the hounds throughout their season. The first game of the season will be at home on Tuesday, March 27^th at 4:00 pm.

Softball
Written by: Kasidy Coats '12

Once again it is softball season.  Our softball team always brings out a large crowd to cheer on our Lady Greyhounds, who always seem to have successful seasons. This year the Lady Greyhounds will certainly not be anything shy of worth watching. The varsity softball team has been practicing intently, focusing on improving their weaknesses, as well as getting back into the daily workout routines and conditioning.

Last year the softball team ended their season with a record of 36-6. They lost in the regional championship game by three runs against Grand Rapids South Christian.

[Senior] Kasidy Coats has high expectations of this softball season. “There’s no doubt that we should win districts, and we definitely have a shot at winning regionals!”  

By returning most of their starting lineup from last yeat, the team expects to be superior this season. They have many top returners and many incoming players who will all contribute to the team.

Make sure to come out and support the lady greyhounds throughout their season. The first game of the season will be at home on Tuesday, March 27^th at 4:00 pm.

Girls Soccer
Written by: Kendall Wright '13

Last year the Eaton Rapids Girls Varsity soccer team finished with an 11-8 record, and 2^nd in the league. They changed some things around at the end of the season to produce in big games, and do well against opponents that beat them handily in the beginning of the season.

Over all Jason Zeller, the head coach, was happy with their performance. “How will they do this year?” is the question. Coach Zeller seems to expect great things from them this season. They do have a tough schedule, but they also have 11 returning starters from last season. Also they picked up junior, Cassie McManus for this upcoming season, “Having Cassie back will be a plus,” according to 3^rd year varsity player, goalkeeper, and captain: Leah Fast.

Though they did lose three current year seniors for the upcoming season, a solution was already found and three juniors were brought up to fill in those holes.

One goal that Coach Zeller has in mind is to finish in the top have of teams in the league tournament. A district championship is one thing all players and coaches want to top off, what should be a stellar season.

Girls Tennis
Written by: Carly Darrow '12

Spring season is in full swing, as well as the Eaton Rapids girl’s tennis team, ready for another year on the courts.

Beginning in January the girls tennis team conditioned in preparation for their season. Three times a week for 11 weeks the girls got together, Coach Ryan Anderson broke out his stopwatch, and the girls proved their dedication to the sport.

"The girl’s tennis team should perform well in the CAAC Gold Division this year. Mason will be our team to beat," says Mr. Anderson. "Overall we have a great core group of returning athletes, including four very experienced seniors. The door is also open for some new recruits to step up and fill the void left by the five seniors who graduated last year."

Returning seniors hitting the courts this year include Sarah Stewart, Devin Davies, Carly Darrow, and Monica Kidd. Come out and support your tennis girls at their first home match on April 10^th vs. Corunna!

Track & Field

Boys
Written by: Jacqueline Mills '12

            Spring sports are here and for the boys track team things are looking good. Every year the team prepares for the season in multiple ways. This season is no exception.

            For track conditioning the boys did a lot of winter running. They came into the school and ran. Also they would stay after school and run around the hallways to prepare themselves for the track season. “I have been running four times a week and I even ran with my dog a few times”, said Shea McKenzie.

            Shea also stated, “This season, I think we will do well because we have some good people on the team this year.” After long preparation and hard determination, the boys track team is sure to do great this season.

           

Girls
Written by: Allison Saint Aubin '14

After going undefeated in the season, being League champions, and placing second in Regionals last year, the girl’s track team has high expectations for this year. They have many returning runners that will make the core of the team, and then many freshmen that will step up. “Everybody contributes equally, we win together and lose together,” Coach Ribby believes.

Everyone has their own goals, but they all have one team goal; to reach their full potential. Much is expected from the girls this year. Come out and support them on April 11^th at their first home meet against Waverly.

Boys Golf
Written by: Blake Johnson '13

With goals of improvement in mind, the Eaton Rapids boy’s golf team takes the course for the 2012 season.  While accomplishing a lot in the past few years, head coach Jim Bullinger is always looking for ways to better the squad.  He began the search last week, getting the team up into the wrestling room to examine their swing form and to see where everybody was coming along from the offseason, he then continued this by getting the guys out to Fox Woods in town and letting them get a round in before the final cut was made. 

The team luckily returns key varsity players such as Ryan Tomlinson, Gavin Crawford, Shane Zimmer, and Jacob Malcongi, who are sure to continue scoring well.  This still leaves the door open for a few new varsity athletes who will have to prove themselves in the coming weeks to earn their spot on the team. 

A successful season would be to finish near the top of the league and to score well in post-season play.  If you are interested in stopping by to watch this dog-eat-dog sport in action, check out the match schedule and stop by Branson Bay. 

The season is sure to be successful for the Hounds, just how successful?  That answer lies beyond the fairway.

The hard nosed truth with Garrett Dubya

Written by: Garrett Johnson '12

In 1998 the Indianapolis Colts selected Peyton Manning as their first round draft pick. Ever since that day Peyton Manning has been number one on the Colts depth chart. Peyton has been a true definition of a franchise quarterback setting records, and winning four MVP awards, truly putting the Colts on the map.

During the 2011 season Peyton sustained a neck injury with his only option to undergo surgery called single level anterior fusion to fix the pinched nerve in his neck. This surgery would set Peyton out for a minimal of two to three months.

Well in recovery from the surgery Peyton was sat and forced to watch helplessly as his team, that he built from the ground up, come crumbling down. Slowly but surely talk of Manning’s career came into question, people began wondering if he’d ever play again, or maybe even be forced to watch a new young gun such as Andrew Luck come in and take over what in my opinion was rightfully Manning’s team.

On March 8^th, 2012 Peyton Manning was released the by Colts effective immediately. Since that day Peyton has been exploring his options of where he will soon be signing on as a free agent, something no one ever thought they would hear. Jim Irsay in my eyes could be the most irresponsible GM in the NFL. How could you let go of one of the greatest players of this decade? Even if Peyton was not unable to play, you keep him around, and pay him whatever he wants for it.

Manning is a natural born leader, morale booster, and most of all a mentor. Andrew Luck may be an amazing football player, but Manning could teach him so much more. That to me is worth the 28 million dollar bonus that is owed to Peyton.

 Instead the possibility of Peyton’s comeback is likely, and if Manning is forced to play his old team, you can guarantee he’ll be playing with a chip on his shoulder.  So to Jim Irsay I suggest you watch your back.

The hard nosed truth with Garrett Dubya

Written by: Garrett W. Johnson '12

      Tim Tebow, or as I like too call him Tim Tebow-verated, is the starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos. Since Tebow took the reigns of the starting job in Denver the Broncos turned there season around from starting out at 1-4 to ending with an 8-8 record and a .500 season.

      Many people immediately hopped on to the Tebow bandwagon as he led the Broncos to four straight wins while trailing in the fourth quarter. I won’t deny him that this is an impressive feat, but I have news for you Tebow-maniacs there are 21 other players helping to get the ‘W’.

       Tim Tebow is a great and very modest man never skipping a beat to compliment a teammate, saying he didn’t do it himself. While this is a great attitude to have in any professional organization it doesn’t make you a great quarterback, or a great athlete. Honestly Tim Tebow reminds me a lot of the oh so famous Joe Namath, another one hit wonder. Although Joe Namath won Super Bowl III over the Baltimore Colts who were heavily favored by 17 points, Joe had the worst Touchdown to interception ratio in the NFL. Much like Timmy T who threw for 46.5 passing completion percentage in regular season making him the lowest of 34 qualifying QB’s in the 2011 regular season.

      So although Tim Tebow has an amazing ability to make a seemingly impossible play, reality is he has no consistency and in the NFL, or any Professional sport alike, that is a key feature to hold in order to become a legend. So to say "he’s the next John Elway", is either a bit premature, or a dream that may never be fulfilled.

Greyhound basketball girls triumph in their 2011-2012 season

Written by: Jessica Allen '13

      The Eaton Rapids High School Varsity Girls Basketball team has been doing extremely well this season. Their record is 15-3 so far this season, and they are hungry for many more. They are a very young team with only three seniors and one junior, with the rest of the team consisting of sophomores.

      Under Coach Willis Whitmyer, the girls have won one a league championship, three district championships, and have gone as far as the regional finals. The leading scorer on the team is Allie Dittmer, who happens to also be the team’s leading rebounder. She is also the second leading scorer in the league, only behind one other girl from Waverly.

      The girls only losses have been to teams ranked in the Class A division. They are second in their league, and continue to grow as a team. Whitmyer does not believe having a young team is a disadvantage in any way. Even though the team is young, it doesn’t stop the girls from scaring the other schools and coming out with wins.

      Coach Whitmyer believes the key to the girls’ success this year has been, "reducing the amount of turnovers from last year, staying healthy, and the amount of commitment out of the girls, especially in the off-season."

      He believes that the team, "works well together most games, and they definitely work better together than the girls did last year. We still have a long way to go, but they all work toward our common goal, and that is to win."

      Whitmyer remembers one moment in Williamston as the funniest so far this season. "We were in the middle of a game in the huddle, and Allie Dittmer wasn’t paying attention, so I asked her to repeat back what I just said. She tried to ad-lib and was way off, so I just replied with a bunch of jibberish which made everyone laugh.’"

      The coach loves that his team is so unselfish and that their best player is one of the humblest in the area. He’s glad that everyone cares about winning and getting better as a team, rather than individual glory.

He is definitely sad to lose his seniors, as he says, "It’s like losing a daughter." He is very hopeful that at least two of his current seniors will be playing college ball and that many more in the years to come will too.

      Coach Whitmyer greatly believes in the quote by Henry Ward Beecher that you have to, "Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself."

Good luck to our girls in the rest of their season and go cheer them on at the next basketball game!

Superbowl XLVI commercials proves to be less than adequate

Written by: Jacqueline Mills '12

      The first television commercial was broadcasted in 1941. Ever since then they have been around for years. Some are funny, some are sad, and others are just simply boring. Of course commercial producers want to promote their product so they pick a show or channel that would have an abundance of viewers. There is not a better place to go for a lot of viewers than the Super Bowl.

      In 2011, the Super Bowl was the most watched program to ever be shown on television. In 2011 alone, 111 million people sat down on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the Packers and the Steelers fight for the title of Super Bowl Champion 2011. 111 million viewers blew away the 106.5 viewers that had watched the Super Bowl in 2010.

      The commercials were ready to be aired on February 4, 2012. They went on all night long. Some would blow people’s mind and others would walk away for a bathroom break or to get some food.

There were four commercials that stood out over all the others. They were the Chrysler Clint Eastwood Commercial, both of the Doritos commercials, and the LMFAO M&M’s commercial.

      The Clint Eastwood commercial was very serious. It pulled in everyone’s attention really quickly. Chrysler knew what they wanted to show in the commercial and they got it. The commercial was a big hit and a lot of people really like it.

      One of the Doritos commercials had a baby that was flung at a little boy and the baby stole the Doritos. It was very humors and made multiple people laugh. The other Doritos commercial had a dog and a lost cat. The dog kept giving his owner Doritos so he would say he didn’t see anything involving the cat. It was a big hit.

      The last commercial was the M&M’s commercial. They had an M&M dance to LMFAO’s song "I’m sexy and I know it". It was a really funny commercial and numerous people really enjoyed it.

Overall the commercials of Super Bowl XLVI were pretty good. The company’s worked really hard on producing the commercials and it really shows.

Athlete of the Month: Leighann Thilo

Written by: Elizabeth Prieskorn '14

       If you play a sport, think of how many years you’ve played that sport. How about thirteen? Leighann Thilo has been playing basketball since she was just a little kindergartener. She started playing as soon as she could dribble and fell in love with the game immediately. Her parents have always been there supporting her, sacrificing their time every summer for basketball.

       Mr. Whitmyer and former Greyhound basketball player Danielle Large have had the most influence on Leighann’s basketball career throughout her life. Danielle Large played here and was the reason Leighann decided to become a point guard.

       Her freshmen year of high school Leighann started out playing JV basketball. Through hard work and dedication by the end of the year she was pulled up to Varsity to play in Districts. All of the girls Leighann’s played basketball with during her time here at Eaton Rapids High School and all of the teams have had something in common. They were all a family. Even as people came and went, the team would always grow as a family as the season went on.

      Leighann’s favorite year was when she was a sophomore. She played with Dani Crandall and the two became very close during the season. The team Leighann had her sophomore year was the closest team she’s had throughout high school. Unfortunately she missed her entire junior season with a knee injury. Still, nothing will top high school basketball for Leighann. She’s made numerous memories and friends during every season.

      Missing out on last season was hard for Leighann. Watching everyone being able to play when she couldn’t was hard to overcome. She tried to be a part of the team as much as she could. Always cheering from the bench and giving her teammates tips when they were needed. "Last year was rough. We struggled with ball pressure," says Kathryn Mills ’14 about losing Leighann last season. As well as this year is going, if the girls keep improving and working hard Leighann expects them to go on and win Districts.

      "Leighann is a great basketball player. She can handle the ball well and works fine under pressure. I wouldn’t trade her for anyone, even when she’s grumpy. I see her playing at a D2 college in the future," comments Mr. Whitmyer on Leighann. Mr. Whitmyer has known Leighann for most of her life and has influenced her greatly. He’s been a great coach and has always pushed her to do her best. "Mr. Whitmyer is a tough coach. He will always work you hard and never let up. He knows the game and I’m glad he’s been my coach throughout high school," says Leighann about Whitmyer.

      Leighann’s role model is Kristen Hayne. She played at Mason high school and then went on to play at MSU. In the future Leighann hopes to play college basketball. She wants to stay in Michigan and play at a D2 college. Leighann will be a definite loss when she leaves us. Kathryn Mills ‘14 says, "We are all going to have to grow as players to replace her."

Laverty decides to play softball at Hope College

Written by: Kasidy Coats '12 

    

      How many high school athletes can say they are going to become a college athlete? Kate Laverty can. On January 25, 2012, Kate Laverty committed to Hope College’s softball team. Kate could not be more thrilled about her commitment. "I’m not nervous. I’m excited more than anything and look forward to playing at Hope," says Kate.

      Kate will be a four year varsity softball player this year here at Eaton Rapids. Kate is a three time League and District champion. She has received many honors throughout her years. Kate has received All-League, All-District and All-Region for three straight years. As a junior she received All-State Honorable Mention.

      Kate has dedicated her time and herself to softball ever since she was old enough to play. For four years Kate played travel softball for the Adrian Lookouts. Last year herself, along with Kelsey Spencer and Erin Binkowski played on Hangtuf. This year she will be playing for Ann Arbor Gold.

      Whether it’s a personal pitching lesson or personalized workout with a trainer, Kate has always worked to better herself as a player and as an overall athlete. Kate will do what ever she can to help out her team. "Kate is very dedicated to our team," says Coach Warriner. "She is a hard worker and a great role model for other players."

      Kate plans on finishing off her senior year strong. "I hope we’ll be League and District champions, just like the past years," says Kate. "We have the ability to win Regionals and take ourselves to States. I would like to see our team get there this season." Coach Warriner also has high expectations for Kate’s upcoming season with the team. "We all look forward to an outstanding season from Kate," says Warriner. "She will contribute a lot towards a great softball season for our softball team in 2012."

      "Kate’s speed will really help Hope’s team, she fits their style of play very well," says Coach Warriner. "Her versatility will allow her coaches to utilize her in many different ways." Kate is a coachable player and will easily contribute a lot to Hope’s team, as well as our own Eaton Rapids team this year.

Athlete of the Month: Jaedin Sklapsky

Written by: Elizabeth Prieskorn '14

           

           How many freshmen wrestlers have a record of 26-1? One: Jaedin Sklapsky. Jaedin Sklapsky is a 15 year old freshman on the varsity wrestling team. He’s been wrestling since he was five. For ten years straight wrestling has been Jaedin’s number one sport, although he also plays football. Throughout Jaedin’s wrestling career he’s had four coaches; Mr. Warriner, Troy Nault, Dave Milheim, and Bill Dorner. The one coach that has stuck with him has been Troy Nault.

Troy Nault has coached Jaedin for seven years and is part of the reason why Jaedin is as successful as he is now. “Troy has been the most fun coach I’ve had. He’s been with me the longest and he’s just fun to be around,” says Jaedin. Another factor to Jaedin’s success is his family. His parents have always supported him in anything he does and his brothers, being wrestlers themselves, always set high expectations for him. Jaedin looks up to them and sees them as his role models. They inspire him to do more. He hopes that soon he’ll be better than both of them.

The two main differences between middle school wrestling and high school wrestling are coaching, and talent. “The talent and competition is at a lot level in high school. The coaches work you harder and push you to be your best”, says Jaedin. Jaedin’s transition into high school was fairly easy. Balancing school and sports is no obstacle for him. He works diligently in class to get his work done. Like many of us, Jaedin enjoys high school more than middle school. Jaedin says, “Yeah high school is way more fun than middle school, even though the classes are stricter.” During his free time Jaedin likes to do the same things as many high school boys do. Eat, sleep, and hangout with friends.

Jaedin has many goals for his wresting career. The goals that he has set for himself for this year are to beast the Most Wins record. The goals that Jaedin has for his full high school wrestling career are to win leagues all four years, break all of the wrestling records, and to win states his junior and senior year. After high school Jaedin would like to attend a Division-one college and wrestle. After college Jaedin would like to become a wrestling coach at a high school.

Jaedin’s favorite wrestler is Anthony Robles. He’s a graduate from Arizona State University and is one of the most accomplished wrestlers in Arizona State history. His interests are in Michigan State University, Iowa University, and Penn State University. They all have extremely good programs and Jaedin plans to work hard during high school to reach his goals. Jaedin’s greatest accomplishment in wrestling was when he was in seventh grade. Jaedin went down to Orem, Utah and won his weight class at Nationals. Jaedin is very excited for the rest of his high school wrestling career and beyond. In his future he hopes to reach all of his goals.

30% of athletes overcome debilitating condition to compete

Written by: Carly Darrow '12

                The statistics aren’t good; as an extensive amount of people are affected by asthma, make that 18.7 million people. It also accounts for an ample amount of hospitalizations for kids and kills nearly 5,000 people every year.

You would think a condition that includes the symptoms of chest pains, shortness of breath, fatigue, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and breathlessness wouldn’t exactly coincide with sports. In actuality, many athletes deal with this disease on a day to day basis. Medically known as “exercise-induced asthma”, it occurs when people typically breathe through their mouths, inhaling colder and drier air. The muscle bands around the airways contract due to the changes in temperature and humidity.

Although asthma restricts those who suffer from it, it does not mean that people or athletes should stop physical activity. In fact, physical activity when done right with medications and inhalers can help those with exercise induced asthma. The fitter someone is, the less air they need for a physical task, because your cardio respiratory system grows more efficient resulting in less strain on your bronchial tubes.

Precautions while exercising are always necessary. Inhalers should only be used before exercise but always on hand while exercising. Not only are attacks random and potentially deadly, but nothing can really be done to help someone with an asthma attack other than an inhaler or medical personnel.

                Despite this many athletes, famous Olympians even, have not let asthma keep them from competing. NBA basketball player Dennis Rodman, Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, NFL Pro Bowl running back Emmitt Smith, and Olympic medalist swimmer Amy VanDyken, are all examples of athletes who don’t let asthma run their lives.

“Having a full on asthma attack is something that you can never imagine without having experienced one,” states senior athlete Anna Archey. “It is like drowning with air all around you that you just can’t breathe in. When I was first diagnosed with asthma in middle school, I didn’t work hard enough to control it and that showed in my athletic performance up until last year.”

                Many people are still undiagnosed of asthma; and most athletes will not even display signs of asthma or symptoms. Athletes can help counteract the effects of asthma by working with medical personnel, taking an inhaler 15-30 minutes before sports, and making sure to do a warm up and cool down with stretching before and after working out.

                “It’s wonderful when my asthma isn’t acting up and I can perform to my full potential,” says Archey. “It takes a lot of medications, exercises, shots, and doctor’s appointments to make it there. When I do jump my furthest and run my fastest, it just makes the moment that much better knowing what I overcame to make it there.”

The hard nosed truth with Garrett Dubya

Written by: Garrett Johnson '12

        On December 8^th 2011 James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers laid a controversial helmet to helmet hit on quarterback Colt McCoy of the Cleveland Browns. The National Football League suspended Harrison from the Steelers game against the San Francisco 49ers.

        Harrison was not fined for the hit, but was docked one game check, which amounts to roughly $73,500.

        This is not Harrison’s first tangle up with fines and penalties due too flagrant head to head collisions. But honestly what is the game that we have all grown up watching and loving coming to? It’s the hits that people like James Harrison have on opposing players that fill the stands; the same hits that are shown over and over again on shows like NFL’s top 20 players to highlight the talents of previous great NFL players.

        Sure I will agree concussions are a major issue involving the sport, but then again doesn’t everyone know the risks when they step onto the grid iron?

        These are men ranging from the ages of twenty to almost forty years old. Can they not comprehend the dangers of the game of Football? I’m not going to knock the league but honestly let men be men.

        “Football is a sport of collision, emotion, and ferocity.” - Kanon McVicker. Not a game to limit the brutality of one player to another. In my opinion James Harrison was in the right and always has been. Let men be men and let the men try to prove dominance on the grid iron without a bunch of spectators crying about the dangers of the game.

         If you don’t like what you’re seeing… don’t watch, because when you cringe I smile.