The Bluffer - Red Bluff, CA
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/65294
Varsity Softball aims for Sections Sports Laura Defonte Staff Writer The Red Bluff softball team is doing quite well this season. The team's overall ranking is 17-3-2, and their league ranking is 6-1-0. They are ranked 58 in the state. "We are kicking butt, but we are struggling against Pleasant Valley," said junior Bryce Etzler. "Our team goal is to win league and win sections. We also want revenge against Pleasant Valley since they are the only team to beat us twice," Etzler added. "The positives of the season are that we fight through all seven innings and stay focused. The negatives are when we play the weaker teams and we aren't as focused and struggle because we think we are going to beat them," said sophomore, Tayler Zazueta. The varsity team this year is solid on defense, besides a few things that they need to tweak. They also want to improve on hitting the ball low and trying to not get it in the air so much says junior, Haley Harris. The team most recently won the tournament at Shasta. "It felt good to win the Shasta tourney because we kept our energy high and we were all focused and wanting to win. We played teams that we normally don't play, but really wanted to beat," said Zazueta. Page 9 "It could be better. Usually we have the Lassen tourney earlier in the season which gives us time to bond, but this year it got rescheduled to a later date so we haven't had much bonding time. After the Lassen tourney, I think we will be closer, according to Harris. Since the season is coming to an end, the chemistry connected to the seniors and the team will be different . "These team members have been playing softball together for almost 8 years and it will be weird to not play with the newly graduating seniors," said Etzler. The team's next game will be at Chico on Friday, May 4. May 3, 2012 S Shantell Estrada/BLUFFER Haley Harris swings at a pitch in last Tuesdayʼs game against Paradise. JV Softball hopes to win league by end of season Veronica Smith Staff Writer With the season starting to close, the Junior Varsity softball team is ending this season on a good note, with their record, as of last week, 6-1 in the league. Their goal that they think V. Soccer prepares for a tough match they can achieve for the end of the season is to win league Ryan Fisher Staff Writer The Red Bluff High School varsity girls soccer team is getting ready to face one of their biggest match ups this season against Pleasant Valley. "I don't know how we will do against PV, but it will be a very challenging game that I hope we will, as a team, pull through and win," said freshman Alyssa Mena. "We have lost " ...I really want to beat P.V. " to them last year and this year so I really want to beat PV," said Junior Lauren McFarlen. Rachel Ward also added, "It -Lauren McFarlen title. They started off their season with a very easy win against Central Valley. They easily had gotten 10 runs within the first inning, and kept it on a roll. Not letting Central Valley get a chance to get one run in, Red Bluff won 19-0. The softball team works together very well during practices and also during games, their communication skills are one of their strengths within the team. The team says that they work very well together and they all get along with each and every individual. "Our team has very great intensity for softball," Sophomore Grannes, said. The team said they always Cheyenne have high hopes going into a game, and even throughout their game they have each others' backs and they are always positive on and off the field. "Our team works together well and we work very hard," Sophomore Amber Harms, explained. As the team starts to wrap up their season the JV girls are working at their hardest to win the league championships. All week the JV softball team has had games so the past few weeks they have been working very hard so they can reach their goal of winning league title this year. "Swimming because itʼs fun and I get to do it with friends." Lauren Bramhall (9) partan ound off What is your favorite summer activity and why? Tennis maintains record The girls have a league record of 3 wins, 4 ties, and 2 losses and an overall record of 3 wins, 6 ties, and 2 losses. The girls' only two losses were against PV and Chico, which was a recent loss that ended in a shutout. "We tried our hardest but in the long run we weren't communicating as much as we could have, and Chico took advantage of it," said Mena. Lauren added that Chico had a lucky outing. "We weren't doing as good as we could have. [It was] a pretty bad loss for us there." Alyssa added that they were would be awesome if we beat them. If we stay focused, we shouldn't have a problem." They lost their first game against PV five to zero, on April 5, due to lack of communication. "We weren't on our game that day. We weren't communicating with each other ," said Ward. the toughest team they had played so far that season. "PV's mid-fielders are very agressive and better compared to some that we have played against," said Ward. The varsity girls next game is May 8 against Pleasant Valley, and it will be at home at 3:30. Spartans Carson Dunbar Staff Writer The tennis team, back from what they call their favorite match and a victorious one at that, is getting ready for their next meet against Oroville. The team has no doubts that they will continue to succeed even through this next match at Oroville. "We will definitely prosper in the game of tennis," said Thunder Shafer. While the team's success has been noted in every news update since the beginning of the season, a few members felt that it should be made clear that all of them still have room to improve. This is yet another reason why the team has continued to excel this season. Even through their many successes, the team still tries to find ways to improve. "Each player has something as an individual they could improve on," said Curtis Twitchell Even though there may be individual short falls, the team itself, feels that it couldn't be more united. With many inside jokes and confidence in the abilities of each other, the team manages to pull win after win out of the bag. "We are the best there will ever be in Red Bluff," said Shafer boldly. I asked the players what they thought their coaches advice for them would be before this next match, and they both agreed that as a team the coach felt that their one short coming isthat they need to learn better focus at matches. Getting further into the season now, the team has many matches to look back on, but still their favorite match was Shasta. "We won 5-4 against them but CJ's match saved us," said Twitchell Within the team there is great confidence in their ability to achieve another success at this meet to come. With so much of the season left the fans can only ask "Will their winning streak continue," and if you ask any team member, their answer would be, "Spar-tennis is the best, no question." JV Soccer attempts to break Season Record tie with Pleasant Valley Rebecca Blanchard Staff Writer On May 8, the Red Bluff High Laird Richards Throwing Coach Coach of the issue School junior varsity soccer team will have a match against Pleasant Valley. This will be the last game of the season as well as a home game at 5:30 PM. The Spartans are currently tied 2-2 against Pleasant Valley for season records. "We're definitely confident, but we also know that we have to perform to beat Pleasant Valley," said Coach Carreras. According to Carreras, this is the deciding game of the season and it will determine who the best team in league is. The team's center midfield, Hannah Woodall, feels very confident that they will play well against them and she agrees that it "What I feel is the most important thing (for work you put in is better than the outcome," -Laird Egan Meagher/BLUFFER Player of the Issue/Egan Meagher & Nick Reinhardt Egan Meagher/BLUFFER meaning the is the most important game of the season. "I am super excited to meet up with our rivals. To win, our team has to keep up a lot of communication and not get distracted," said Jane Kinner, defense. Woodall agrees in saying the team needs to communicate. According to Kinner, as [we've] grown as a family, our communication has improved on and off the field. Along with communication, the team needs to be aggressive, according to Woodall. "We definitely need to be aggressive, they are a very aggressive team and we can't let them push us around," said Woodall. According to Carreras, the team just needs to keep on doing what [we] do in practice, on the match field, and play our style Spartans athletes) is investing into the process, of soccer and we'll be fine. The team also had a match on May 1 against Foothill. "I don't think it will be that competitive, but it will help us prepare for our upcoming PV game," said Woodall. There are a lot of very talented girls on this team with great attitudes on and off the field and this has overall been a great season and I have no doubts that the rest of it will be just as amazing according to goalie Maryn Spangler. "I am not looking forward to the season ending, because this group of girls is the best group of student athletes I have ever coached. They are hungry to learn the game of soccer," said Carraras. The teams final game of the season is May 8 at 5:30 PM against Pleasant Valley. "Going to lake Tahoe with my family because we do a lot of water sports." Mrs. Hassay (Teacher) Player of the issue Varsity Track & Field Jonah McInnis "Sportsmanship, to me, is very important. It is what makes the games fun to play. It also helps create friendships between players, teams, and coaches" -Jonah McInnis Player of the Issue/Egan Meagher & Nick Reinhardt "I like to watch sports because I enjoy taking time for family." Hilario Madrigal (Custodian) Sound Off/Nick Reinhardt "I like to swim to help me prepare for the Olympics." Jacobe Conrad (12) "Going on a summer houseboat trip to fail backflips off the top of it." Sean Freeny (10) "Playing soccer and hanging out with my friends because crazy stuff happens." Chelsey Jauregui (11)