Knowledge Bowl takes third

Knowledge bowl team

Erin Roetker
Editor-n-Chief

Believe the rumors. It is true that Knowledge Bowl has recently taken third place at regional’s in Longview. The competitions consist of teams completing three rounds, two oral and one written. There are sixty total questions in the oral round and the teams have to buzz in to answer. Imagine that pressure. The team has had their ups and downs throughout the year during competitions but there is no doubt that practices have been successful.

“We are strong like a covalent bond.” Said Elizabeth Pring. The team is constantly having positive practices while enjoying each others company, displaying their knowledge but most importantly the candy the Mr. Messer provides. Mr. Messer is not forgiven when he forgets the candy. It is a big deal. Practice usually consists of (besides the candy) the students quizzing each other on facts from a packet of relevant information. Mr. Messer has done a tremendous job taking on the lead role with this group. “As a first year Knowledge Bowl advisor, it has been an honor and a pleasure to get to know and work with these students.

I admire them for their resilience and camaraderie, and for keeping it fun and positive-even at the expense of victory.” Mr. Messer stated. Congratulations Knowledge Bowl for your high achievements and keep up the hard work.

Female athlete of the issue: Hunter Armstrong

Hunter Armstrong, lacrosse

Justine Schoolfield
Circulation Manager

The female athlete of the issue is Senior Lacrosse player, Hunter Armstrong. The lacrosse team for the Evergreen School District is a combination of all four high schools.

Armstrong has been playing Lacrosse all four years of her high school career, starting as a freshman in 2009. She didn’t know what Lacrosse was when it was first introduced to her, but Armstrong to a shot and now she hopes to pursue the sport after high school. As a senior she plays starting Varsity.
This season Armstrong is looking forward to teaching all the new girls. “I’m really excited about the turnout of girls this year. It’s the most it’s ever been,” Armstrong exclaimed.

After high school she plans to study at Clark College her first two years then transfer to Michigan State. Michigan State has a girls Lacrosse team, which Armstrong hopes to join.
As an athlete, she likes how physical the sport is and enjoys the running, contact and challenge that playing Lacrosse brings.

Armstrong’s favorite moment in Lacrosse was during a game when the team was running a practice play and someone did a cartwheel on the field, caught the ball and made a goal.

Male athlete of the issue: Chris Stansberry

Chris Stansberry, baseball

Justine Schoolfield
Circulation Manager

This month, varsity baseball player, Senior Christopher Stansberry was recognized as male athlete of the issue. Baseball has been a part of Stansberry’s life since he was five. “It’s my outlet in life,” he claims.

This season he is looking forward to winning league and districts then going to state. “Or new coach is from Arizona and he lead his team to state taking second, we’re hoping for a repeat up here,” said Stansberry.

After high school Stansberry plans to go to Washington State University Vancouver and study computer science. When asked if he was going to continue baseball after high school he replied with: “Only if I get offers but for now it’s the end of the road.”

Stansberry is a pitcher for the Heritage team. He likes pitching because he feels in control. But when he’s not pitching he also plays center field.

When it comes to baseball one of Stansberry’s favorite moments was a game when he was 12. In that game he pitched his first no hitter and ran his first home run- running nine more after that. All-in-all it was a
triumphant game.

As for high school baseball- he is hoping this year will be his favorite, seeing as last year was such a disappointment.

Baseball

Tyler Moulton
Reporter

Once you hear the thunder of a ball being hit, you know it’s time for baseball. It takes time and patience to hit the ball at the right moment, but it also takes accuracy and strength to throw the ball into the strike zone.

People can get really fit from baseball by the running, hitting, and pitching.
Heritage has a new head baseball coach this year named Mitchell Ratigan who has coached baseball for twenty years. The last ten were at high schools in Arizona.

Although quite a few people made the team, unfortunately a lot were cut.

This year there are a lot of juniors that made the team with very few freshmen and sophomores.
Returning players from last year are Michael Youngs, Chris Stansberry, Tyler Raskins, and Dakota Clevidence. “Our goal is to improve every day. We have set a team goal to make the playoffs and represent our school in a positive manner,” says Coach Ratigan.

The starting players are Marcus Mason, Chris Stansberry, Dakota Clevidence, Tyler Raskins, Jared Luedecker, Eric Lovingood, Hunter Lewis, Dakota Kerns, Michael Youngs, Bryce Hendy, and Tim Hergert.

On Saturday, March 24th, the Timberwolves headed to Evergreen High School to play against the Plainsmen. Heritage ended the game with a 12-3 win making it the first win of the season! All of the players were excited that their hard work had paid off.

“It was an honest team effort,” said senior Chris Stansberry. “Everyone did something right that game, and Raskin had a great game.”

Heritage has won two league titles and one district title, but has never competed in a state championship game.

“If we play disciplined baseball and make routine plays, we could make a post-season appearance,” says Coach Ratigan. “To make a good baseball team, you need a group of athletes who have the ability to work together to achieve great things. We will be a good baseball team if we work together as one unit,” continues Coach Ratigan. “It takes athletic skills but also a strong work ethic and character to make the team.”

So the baseball players have their goals set for this season and are ready to win some games and win titles.

Girl’s Tennis

Marina Gephart
Editor-n-Cheif

The spring sports season has definitely been a wet one and, at times, a snowy one. Vancouver’s out-of-the-ordinary weather really puts a damper on the Girls’ Tennis team, a team who eventually gets to enjoy the sunshine of early spring. “The weather has been a factor this season—a negative factor. It has been moist. That is bad,” says Coach Joel Bieker. Rainwater makes the tennis courts especially slippery, eliminating any chance for the girls to play on them. Their only options are postponement or to manually dry the courts, which is a particularly unpleasant experience.

But the team has been managing well, especially with returning players: seniors Teresa Makar, Kristine Madsen, Erin Roetker, Cheyenne Sutcliffe, and Captain Anna Stice. All four-year, varsity players, these girls lead the team in various ways. “Kristine and Anna are providing traditional team leadership (leading cheers, running fast, offering encouragement) while Erin, Cheyenne, and the rest made us a sweatshirt design,”Coach Bieker explained.

Their season hasn’t quite picked up yet, with only a few matches under their belt, but Captain Anna Stice is optimistic, “We have a solid team and once we get some more practice time in, we should do great. We have a lot of heart.” To keep the mood up, the team uses a beat-up, mismatched radio aptly titled “Ghetto Blaster” during the scant sunny day. All of the team can agree that they all can pull in some wins this season. “We’ve only been on the court seven times this season, but I think we can win a number of maches,” Coach Bieker offers.

The saddest part of the upcoming season is the departure of Stice, Madsen, Roetker, and Sutcliffe, who were friends before tennis and have grown closer because of it. “The four of us came out our freshmen year not really knowing what we were doing but we’ve really grown as players and now it’s a big part of our lives,” Stice says. Coach Bieker feels the same way. “It has been really fun just to play tennis together and start the season, but also time is slipping away. Kind of like the way you feel on the Friday of Spring Break: you still have a weekend, but you also wonder where the week went (and wish you could get it back). I guess I’m just sorry for myself because I will miss them.” But all in all, Girls’ Tennis 2012 should be a pleasant experience for all involved, despite the shuffling of the team.

Lacrosse

By: Tyler Moulton
Reporter

Spring time is lacrosse time, so get ready to play. This year, instead of Heritage just playing, all four of the high schools have combined and are practicing at Frontier Middle School. Lacrosse is not a single person sport but a team sport, indicative through the communication and teamwork they use in order to make a good pass and score some points. Luckily for the girls, everybody who got cleared was able to be on the team. “At least a few people from every school joined; there were twenty- five from Heritage, one from Evergreen, eight from Mountain View, and twenty from Union, so with an overall of fifty- four players,” says Shawn Perez, five year head coach for lacrosse. Some returning players are Senior Jocelyn Cole, Junior Dawn Lumen, Junior Emily McCoy, and Senior Hunter Armstrong.

This year, the lacrosse team is in the Varsity Nisqually league. “We have a very talented team this year. I think we will do very well,” says Coach Perez. “There is no state competition for lacrosse. Instead, it just goes to a playoff system and Heritage has not gone to playoffs,” continues Coach Perez. Their goal this year is to mainly win games at the varsity level. But also, to win 4 games at the JV level so their program will continue to grow. “Practice, practice is the key. The game of lacrosse is so new to everyone, they just need to practice cradling, throwing, and catching,” says Coach Perez.

If the team continues to practice on their techniques, they should be as good as they plan to be, for their goal is pretty big.

Easter: Then vs. Now

By: Marisa Love
Online Editior

As a child, you would wake up on Easter morning, excited to get an Easter basket and go out searching for Easter eggs with your family. It was a day to look forward to; you would get so much candy, a giant chocolate Easter bunny that would take you hours to eat.

For most of us, as teenagers, it’s just not as exciting. Some of us still get Easter baskets, and candy and get to enjoy dying eggs. But for most of us, it’s nothing to look forward to. Sophomore Camper Ruybal said, “Now we don’t do anything. It like any other day,” compared to as a child he would color eggs and go on Easter egg hunts. Easter just isn’t the same anymore, as kids it was so much better.
Freshman Rebecca Aguayo disagrees though. In her family things haven’t changed that much. “As kids, for Easter we would make confetti eggs. We would smash them on people’s heads and they would get confetti in their hair,” and now, traditions have remained the same.

Instead of Easter baskets, more often you hear about people getting money or jewelry or video games, or just something rather than candy. “Now if we do Easter hunts it’s usually for money,” said junior Emilee Winfield. Some people might like this better as not everyone is a big fan of candy, but other people would rather stick to the Easter tradition, of candy and a giant chocolate Easter bunny.

Freshman Yana Zaytseva said, “I like my childhood Easter better than my now Easter because it was more fun and I got presents.” Although presents are good, Keirstyn Obermiller has a different view on Easter now, instead of getting presents or candy she just has a nice dinner with her family. “I like Easter now better because I like food better than eggs,” she said.

So whether your Easter has changed drastically or stayed practically the same, Easter is a day to look back on all the memories you have made throughout the past years with your family. Enjoy Easter, and make more memories for and your family to look back on and remember because you never know, one day you might not have the same traditions anymore.

New social networking sites

By: Anna Tomlinson
News Editor

When we hear the phrase ‘Social Networking’, many instantly think of Facebook. There’s no denying its popularity, but other sites have recently begun rising from the shadows, gaining attention, and recognition as well. Two of these sites are Pinterest and Tumblr, both allowing users to post their own interests for a multitude of followers to enjoy.

Tumblr has become the online posting board of today’s youth. Users have the ability to create a page all their own, and follow others whose posts fall into their category of interest, as well as upload their own pictures, videos, messages, etc. Pinterest, on the other hand, has become greatly valued by those of all ages as it has relatively similar qualities to Tumblr, however, the additional organization, sophisticated layout, and searching ease has drawn the attention of a vast crowd.

Senior Bevin Madden has had mixed feelings about Tumblr while managing to put it to good use. “Tumblr is the best and worst thing to ever happen to me. It’s provided me hours of entertainment, but it’s made me the biggest procrastinator in the world.” This theme seems to show true of late as students use social sites to vent the massive amounts of work they have yet to complete, though Madden managed to add a unique spin to a class presentation by ‘blogging’ her research along with classmate and fellow senior, Elizabeth Pring.

Pinterest, being the more recently created of the two sites is little known, but those in the loop have much to say about it. “It opens your eyes to new things that you’ve never seen before; new and exciting and creative things! For example, an old light bulb used for porch flower planters,” said junior Payton Bryant.

It is clear that social networking sites won’t be fading away anytime soon, and embracing their unique offerings allows us the benefit of utilizing what they have to offer to our best abilities.