NEWPORT SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW
2B
| April 17, 2013
Meet Your Grizzlies
TOP RETURNEES: Among the returning players is senior Erik Person, who was one of the team’s top scorers and was named to the all league team last year. Playing keeper for the Grizzlies, sophomore Matthew Solis is back, as is senior Jake Morse, who played keeper the year before. Alex Young, a junior sweeper will be back too. Other returnees include juniors: defenders Nathan Larson and Allan Thompson and midfielders Jordan Hoadley and Daniel Foust; and sophomores: midfielder Todd Balentine, defender Douglas Behrend, midfielder Erik Naccarato, midfielder/forward Josh Smith, defender David Quandt, forward Thomas Cass and defender Ben Simila. Junior Kade Barranco is on the roster, but will be out on injury for the season after breaking his collarbone while snowboarding. TOP PROSPECTS: Coach Person expects good things from some of the new players. Exchange students on the team include Riccardo Moro from Italy and Hamza Hassan from Pakistan. Other new faces include junior defender Tyler Ringgenberg, defender Aaron Santee, a very athletic midfielder Cody Smith, and Greg Vaughn, who had played soccer since he was a kid. Person said he will add some strength to the team.
SOCCER
TRACK AND FIELD
Riccardo Moro Senior #7
Jake Morse Senior #22
Andrew Thompson Senior #18
Erik Person Senior #10
Daniel Foust Junior #5
Hamza Hassan Junior #12
Nathan Larson Junior #21
Tyler Ringgenberg Junior #16
Allan Thompson Junior #3
Jordan Hoadley Junior #8
Aaron Santee Junior #14
Cody Smith Junior #16
Greg Vaughn Junior #11
Alex Young Junior #17
Todd Balentine Sophomore #22
Douglas Behrend Sophomore #13
Erik Naccarato Sophomore #20
Matthew Solis Sophomore #23
Josh Smith Sophomore #9
David Quandt Sophomore #4
James Goodwin Freshman #15
Thomas Cass Sophomore #9
Ben Simila Sophomore
Kris Mitchell Freshman
Nicholas Graham Freshman #4
Jerry Person Head Coach
Michael Person Assistant Coach
KEY LOSSES: A few seniors graduated, including Philip Behrend, who was all-league last year, and Ryun Boyles, who was with the team from its beginning. STRENGTHS: Coach Person said the team has good depth. The juniors have gained some experience, and this is the first year they’re returning some really good, skilled players. Person said they are all pulling in the same direction now, and he expects they will gel well as a team. “If that’s the case, then I think our chances are pretty good,” he said. WEAKNESSES: The coach said they lag in skills a bit. Other teams can trap the ball and pass better, he said. But he feels the Grizzlies are good athletes, they’re quick and they listen well. He said their strategy is to play a strong defense and try to frustrate the other team. Chances in the Northeast A League: Lakeside had the league title last year, but they lost to 2B Manson already this season. Person is hoping that’s a sign the Eagles are a bit weaker this year. Colville was runner up in the league last year, but they have moved up to the 2A class and are no longer in
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Newport’s league. Instead, Medical Lake moved down to 1A. Newport kept up with the Cardinals in their first game against them, but a pair of late goals put Newport at a 4-2 loss. Riverside has a small team this year after losing a lot of seniors. Newport has won two games against them so far this season. Lakeside dominated with a 7-1 win over Newport this past week.
the year in 2011. OCCUPATION: Electrical engineer
HEAD COACH: Jerry Person AGE: 56 COACHING EXPERIENCE: This is Person’s fourth year coaching the high school team, but he had more than 20 years experience coaching soccer and baseball. He was named the Northeast A League coach of
THE MINER
ATHLETIC EXPERIENCE: Snow skiing, waterskiing, windsurfing and adult soccer ASSISTANT COACH: Person’s older son, Michael Person is assistant coach this year. He lives in England where he coaches a semi pro lacrosse team.
at Riverside 4 p.m. vs. Medical Lake 4 p.m. vs. Lakeside 4 p.m. at Districts Round 1 TBA Northeast A League Boys Soccer at Districts TBA Northeast A League at Bi-Districts Round 1 TBA Northeast A League at Bi-Districts Round 2 TBA Northeast A League at Bi-Districts Round 3 TBA Northeast A League at Regionals TBA Northeast A League at Regionals TBA Northeast A League at Regionals TBA Northeast A League at Regionals TBA Northeast A League at Regionals TBA Northeast A League at Regionals TBA Washington State 1A Championships Sumner
TOP RETURNEES: The Newport track team will be returning state champion Areille Walden, who is a senior this year. Walden has held the 100-meter high hurdle 1A title for the last two years. She was second in the triple jump. With a new jumps coach, Pat Stahl, she’s working out some technical flaws and hoping to go over 18 inches in the long jump and 40 in triple jump. Junior Braden Barranco took state gold in the pole vault last year, but he tore his shoulder in football this past fall and it’s questionable how he will do at vaulting. Coach Axel said he intends to vault if he’s cleared to do so, and he’s working hard. Senior distance runners Scott McMeen and Chris Nichols have been working in the off season. McMeen just missed making the regional in the 800 last year. His goal is to break two minutes. TOP PROSPECTS: Senior Alex Brewster is another vaulter who went 12 feet last year. With Mick Ratcliff as coach, Brewster and the new vaulters are expected to do well. Junior Eric Cunningham threw 125 feet in javelin at the end of last season. With new throws coach Morgan Johnson, he’s become a student of javelin, Axel said, and he’s working toward a goal of 150 feet this year. Freshman Ty McDaniel is coming up from the junior high team in throws. Axel said he’s bigger than throws star Aaron Castle was as a freshman, and McDaniel has been getting into shape in the off season and working on nuances of the throws. Senior Daisy Hester threw javelin as a freshman, but wasn’t out the last two years. “It’s flying perfectly,” Axel said. She’s marking 100 feet and eyeing the school record of 138-09 feet from 2001. “This girl has innate, natural ability. She’s a person that’s going to burst on the scene this year,” Axel said. The Grizzlies picked up junior Josh Truitt from California, who is already placing high in sprints and hurdles. Senior Coltin Worley is back on the team after playing soccer last year. He’ll be doing triple jump and the four-by-100 relay. Three foreign exchange students are on the team and finding where they fit in: Carol Sperling and Johanna Lucas from Germany, and Phi Sricharoenrat from Thailand. KEY LOSSES: Throws champ Aaron Castle graduated last spring after taking state titles in shot put and discus and breaking state records. He now throws for the University of Arizona. Along with him, throws partner Don Burns Jr. graduated, as did Jake Wiley, after dominating the sprint events for one season. Amongst the other graduates were javelin thrower Kayora Bailey, pole vaulter Branden Cass, distance runner Jake Zickler and thrower Adrienne Seger. Chances in the Northeast A League: Lakeside, Riverside and Medical Lake all have strong distance programs because they have junior high cross country, something Axel is trying to start at Newport. “We’ve got to have it to compete. We’ve got to develop these younger distance runners,” he said. Lakeside and Riverside have been the top teams at districts,
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Areille Walden Senior
Margarita Bolter Junior
Jazmin Hester Sophomore
Kamber Norris Junior
Hanna Seiler Junior
Marissa Hofstee Sophomore
Haley Braun Sophomore
Phi Sricharoenrat Junior
Kayla Warner Freshman
Carol Sperling Junior
Melyssa Carlson Sophomore
Johanna Lucas Junior
Sara Tompkins Sophomore
Erin Rednour Junior
Kylee Brown Freshman
Emma Waterman Freshman
Emma Houck Freshman
Daisy Hester Senior
Chris Stroup Junior
Allen Walden Sophomore
Coltin Worley Senior
Scott McMeen Senior
Alex Brewster Senior
Eric Cunningham Junior
Carter Shutz Junior
Levi Litowitz Freshman
Curtis Phillips Sophomore
Rocky McDaniel Freshman
Jordan McGhee Sophomore
Braden Barranco Junior
Cole Morse Sophomore
Corey Wylie Freshman
Kaben Hastings Freshman
Chris Nichols Senior
Ty McDaniel Sophomore
Brendan Geary Freshman
Joe Weltzin Sophomore
Zack Chantry Senior
Mick Ratcliff Pole Vaulting Coach
Rory Axel Head Coach
but Newport and Freeman bypass them at state meets. “We do better at bigger meets because points are more diversified,” Axel said. Lakeside and Riverside have big teams that are tough to Morgan Pat Kaprina beat at dual meets. Johnson Stahl Goodwin “Freeman and us will alThrows Coach Jumps Coach Sprints, Hurdles Coach ways be scrappy,” Axel said. which boosts the relay team. STRENGTHS: For the girls team, For the boys, Barranco has potential to do well in pole vault if he Walden will be strong in her two recovers. Truitt in the sprint relays hurdle races and the jumps, Hester will do well at throws, Axel Not pictured: predicts. The sprint relay teams Josh Truitt, Junior are young, but fast. They picked up Haley Braun from softball and Marissa Hofstee is returning, SEE TRACK, 7B
vs. Chewelah and Kettle Falls 3:30 p.m. - Colville at Priest River Invite 10 a.m. vs. Riverside 3:30 p.m. at Riverside Invitational 10 a.m. vs. Lakeside 3:30 p.m. at Districts 11 a.m. - Newport at Regionals TBA - Riverside Washington State Championships EWU, Cheney Washington State Championships EWU, Cheney