8sports The junior varsity men’s basketball team ended the season with a record of 5-13 (3-9 in Western North Carolina Athletic Conference.) The team started the season off with tough nonconference losses T.C. Roberson and Hendersonville. “This season we have done pretty well, considering that we were very inexperienced, and there were some people on the team that didn’t have a lot of game time,” sophomore Adam Greer said. “We’ve worked through a lot of that at practices to make everyone more experienced and ready for next season. It was kind of different because I started off the season up on varsity, and then got the chance to play JV. I hadn’t played a lot with those guys, so I had to put in some extra practice time with them and get the connection going, and we started to win games. The recent game against Tuscola stands out to me. They beat us by about 20 points the first time, and then we came in with a lot of toughness and hit big shots in clutch moments. We played tough defense the whole game and ended up pulling out the victory.”
JV women’s team improves record over last season The junior varsity women’s basketball team finished the season with a record of 6-9 (4-6 in WNCAC play). Early in the season, the team struggled with losing four sophomores that went to play on the varsity team. However, the remaining sophomores on the team stepped up. “It’s been pretty tough without the sophomores that moved up to varsity,” sophomore Kayla Walker said. “At the beginning of the season, we had trouble adjusting and finding a leader for the team. After the first several games, the remaining sophomores and freshmen stepped up to make up for it.” Along with new leadership, the team also made changes in practice. “We conditioned a lot at the end of practices by running for all the mistakes we had made that practice and the free throws we had missed,” Walker said. “We really improved our free throws from the beginning of the season because of that, and we just continued to get better all around.”
W
Natalie Rice
Kevin Robinson Sports Editor
Junior Editor
ith West down by six facing Smoky Mountain, the top-ranked team in the state, senior Jordan Bell fired away a three-point shot that was almost from the volleyball line. As it fell through the basket, the crowd rose to its feet in applause. That shot not only brought the Falcons closer to an upset, but it was Bell’s seventh three-pointer of the game, setting a new school record. “Coming into the season, I knew the record was six, and it was my goal to tie or break that record. I knew after I hit my third one that I was on that night and that it could happen,” Bell said. While the Falcons ended up losing the game by two points, Bell finished with eight three-pointers and 34 points. Bell enjoyed a strong senior season and broke the record for most three-point shots in a season with 70. “The entire team played well that night; our defense was really good to hold that team to so few points. That’s the reason we were so close all game,” Bell said The Falcons managed seven wins during the season. Three sophomores on the team stepped up during the season, two as starters. Lane Grant and Stephen Cole made up the post for the Falcons, and although they were young they made an impact for the team. “He (Cole) has been huge for us. He is our tallest player and one of our hardest workers. He is going to be a dominant player when he is a senior,” Bell said. The Falcons were able to stay close in games because of their accuracy from the three-point line. Bell, seniors Colby Drake and Karl Bernadas and sophomore Zach Bell were threats from beyond the line. “I think it gave us an advantage against bigger teams. They had to pound it inside to get two points, and we were able to fire it up without having to drive and get three. It has been the reason we have been close. It seemed like everyone on the team can make them,” Bernadas said. The biggest win of the season came at East Henderson when the Falcons won by 30 points in a blow out victory that was a confidence booster for the team. “We were starting to get down on ourselves a little; a win like that did a lot for us and got us back playing the way we wanted to. Jordan (Bell) had 29 points, and Colby (Drake) had a good number, too. Our team was tough to stop when both of them stepped up like that,” Bernadas said. Inconsistent play worked against the Falcons, some of the players said. ‑“If I can play well every night it gives us a chance against anyone. I think that’s true with everyone on the team. We are all very good but never play as well as we can (on the same night). If one of us can step up every game like
B
Free Throw
At an away game at Hendersonville, senior Jordan Bell prepares to shoot a free throw. The Falcons lost the game, 55-61. that, we can beat any team we play,” Bell said. Losing close games gave the team some hope as they headed toward the Western North Carolina Athletic Conference tournament and the state playoffs. Losses to Brevard by one and Smoky Mountain by two proved that the Falcons could be a dangerous team to play. In the first round of the conference tournament, the seventh-seeded Falcons faced Pisgah, the number two seed. Head Coach Rob Bliss started four sophomores, Zach Bell, Cole, Grant and Kaleb Schuller, and one senior, Jordan Bell. His team led by 11 points at halftime, but Pisgah came back and took the lead in the fourth quarter, going 9-10 from the free throw line. The Falcons’ had a big challenge in the first round of the state playoffs. The team lost, 100-52, to Hunter Huss, one of the top-ranked 3A teams in the state. “We were fortunate enough to make the playoffs and play against the number one team in the state. We tried our best, but they were a very talented team,” Bernadas said. “It was not the way I wanted to end our season.” Bell was also saddened by the loss.“I really wanted to make the playoffs my senior year, and we did. It has been hard this season, but I knew we were good enough to make it,” he said. The team will lose several seniors to Record: graduation, but the sophomores and juniors on the team have all had a playing time, an advantage for the 2011-12 season.
7-18
ursting through a cloud of powder, senior Audrey Huff races down the slopes of Cataloochee Ski-Resort. Huff carves back and forth kicking up sheets of white fluff from the back of her board while she passes her competition and speeds toward the finish line. Huff finished third at the premier race of the ski and snowboard season. As a second year program at West, the ski and snowboard team expanded from its first year of four skiers and snowboarders to 14 this season. “This year we had a much bigger turnout. Last year some people didn’t even know we had a team. Robert Purcell even raced for a home school team. Since this is our second year, we’ve planned more and it’s not as last minute as last year, ” Huff said. The eight-week ski and snow team season started at Cataloochee Ski Resort in Maggie Valley on Jan. 5. West competed in Cataloochee’s Interscholastic Race program every Wednesday along with 15 other schools from Henderson County west to Tennessee. Members of the team placed well in their first few races of the season. Huff, the only female snowboarder on the team, placed third, second, fifth and third in her races during the first four weeks of competition. Purcell, a sophomore skier, placed first, fourth, first and first. Haakon Mathison, home school skier for West placed 10th, second, 10th and eighth. Currently the team as a whole is in a three-way tie for seventh place, and the ski team is in a two-way tie for second place. “My favorite thing about this season is that on the first race you might come in first but as the season progresses it gets more difficult to place as well because the competition gets better. It feels great to have placed well in all of my races so far, and I hope that I can continue to do just as well in the races that are left,” Purcell said. Any student who wishes to join the ski or snowboard team next year can receive a discount package from Catalooche on the designated Wednesdays. The regular season ended Wednesday, Feb. 23 and finals will be held tomorrow, Feb. 26. “To us, where we place in the competitions isn’t our main goal. While it’s a plus to place well, we compete for the fun of it,” Huff said.
Women’s basketball team loses in first round of state playoffs Zac Cole
W
Feature Writer
atching and waiting as North’s women’s basketball team ran out, the hearts of the girls on the basketball team raced. The gym was packed with fans. The crowd was going wild for the other team as they made their entrance. Knowing they were the under dogs in someone else’s gym made the Lady Falcons want this win. “Our second game against North, which was away at North, was our best game this season. We were ahead the whole game, and we came out with a win,” senior Torrie Minick said. “The whole team wanted to win that game more than anything.” The women’s basketball team also had a succesful Christmas tournament in December before conference play began. The tournament was held at West, but due to cancellations and schedule changes the team played one game at West and another at Carolina Day School. “We played really well over Christmas break. The first night we played Enka at home and beat them, and then went on to beat Rosman the next night. Also, before the tournament started we won against Hendersonville in a regular nonconference game,” Minick said. Three players for the women’s basketball team received player of the game awards during the season. Sophomore Nicole Miller received the award in the first game against East Henderson, senior Ashley Rog-
ers received it in the team’s second game against East Henderson and freshman Rachel Hyatt received the award when the team played North Henderson. “It was awesome to get player of the game. The entire team played together the whole night, so it was nice to help the team get a win,” Hyatt said. In the team’s final conference game of the season the Lady Falcons faced East Henderson. To add to the excitement of senior night, the Lady Falcons won the game and Rogers was recognized for her accomplishment of scoring a 1,000 career points. “Scoring 1,000 points was a wonderful achievement for me. Accomplishing this goal this season and being recognized for it on senior night was really exciting. Getting the win that night made things even better,” Rogers said. The Lady Falcons finished the regular season at 8-15 overall. During the Western North Carolina Athletic Conference tournament, the Lady Falcons lost to Franklin, 60-72. During the first round of 3A state playoffs the team lost to Forestview, 44-78. Minick said the playoff loss was disappointing, but the season was a good one overall. “Our season didn’t turn out quite as well as we would have liked, but we played our hardest every game,” Minick said “We were a really young team, so we had to adjust to playing with new teammates. But, by Record: the end of the season we became really close as a team and never gave up.”
Photo used by permission of Lifetouch
JV men’s team finishes season
Ski and snowboard team taking off
Senior guard sets new school records
Phoro used by permission of Lifetouch
JV Briefs
wingspan • february 25, 2011
8-17
Quick Glance Sophomore Nicole MIller looks to pass the ball into the post at an away game against Hendersonville. The Lady Falcons won the game, 64-42.
CALADESI TRAVEL “Your Wings & Waves to the World!” Family owned and operated since 1976 ENHANCE YOUR EDUCATION THROUGH TRAVEL! * CRUISES * TOURS * ALL INCLUSIVE FAMILY RESORTS * VACATION PACKAGES * GROUP TRAVEL 217 Duncan Hill Road Robin Smith (828) 233-0575 Hendersonville, NC 28792 Owner, Travel Consultant
SALON 104 World Class Haircolor
PAWN OUTLET
104 South Main Street Hendersonville, NC 28792
Henderson County’s Oldest & Largest
SERVICE IS OUR SPECIALTY 136 Henderson Crossing Hendersonville, NC 28792 (828) 696-9636
Tues-Sat 9am-8pm
salon / 828-692-8411
goldwell, phyto, redken, framesi, bedhead makeup line
BIG O SIGNS SIGNS, SCREEN PRINTING EMBROIDERY, TROPHIES & MORE!! 40 Etowah Town Square Etowah, NC 28729 Phone: 828-891-4479
TERRY A. BAKER, N.C. PLS 3107 (828) 890-3507 Email: als88@mchsi.com Website: als88.com P.O. BOX 578 HORSE SHOE, NC 28742