Sports – Page 19 – Green and Gold

Running Wolves Have High Hopes

Published on March 23, 2016 in Sports by Emma Parrish

The 2016 Track & Field Team. Brian Morgan
Head coaches Chris Yoder, Candler Baxley, Justin Kruger and Chad McDaniel. Brian Morgan

Sprinting, jumping, throwing, vaulting, the Wesleyan Track & Field team is off to a great start for the 2016 season. Head coaches Candler Baxley, Chad McDaniel and Chris Yoder are training athletes to reach both their personal and team goals. With Greater Atlanta Christian School, Lovett and Holy Innocents being their toughest opponents, Baxley said their main goal for the season is “to have fun, see all of our athletes improve, and be competitive in the region and state meats at the end of the season.”

These coaches also infiltrate a sense of community into practices and serve as constant encouragers to help students succeed and build each other up. Senior Sheridan Davenport said, “I would describe this year’s team dynamic as very exciting. Everyone is willing to try new things and uncover their talents in the tracks and the fields. It’s great to see everyone growing athletically and developing in character.”

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Baseball Team Off to Hot Start

Published on March 23, 2016 in Sports by Grayson Blount

Junior Jordan Ward takes the mound

The Wesleyan Wolves are stepping up to the plate for another run at a state title. So far this season, the Wolves have played some formidable out of region opponents and fared quite well, only losing three games, while winning twelve.

Junior Colin Hall is excited about the season and said, “We have performed really well this season thus far against opponents that have done well in the past. We have a long way to go, but it is looking good so far.”

Things have indeed gone well thus far, as the Wolves have been gaining momentum every game, correcting errors that would haunt them in a state playoff game. In the upcoming months, the baseball team will face many strong opponents such as North Gwinnett and Greater Atlanta Christian.

Pitching has been living up to the hype this season. Due to solid performances by seniors Andy Archer and Alex Thompson, the Wolves have been stellar in the field. On paper, the pitching has been great, but in the game, it has been all the more valuable. The leadership and clutch performances are something that must be seen to fully appreciate.

Hitting has also been phenomenal. Led by Colin Hall, Cole Mannion, Mikey Olsen, Ryan Weed and Michael Payne, the Wolves have been off to a hot start at the plate. With a handful of come-from-behind wins, the Wolves have been hitting when they are needed most.

On another note, Senior Mikey Olsen hit his first career home run against Benedictine on the road trip the team took the weekend of March 5^th. On that trip, the Wolves played South Effingham and Benedictine, beating both. Benedictine, the state champions from two seasons ago, and the Wolves, the reigning state champions, went toe to toe on a beautiful Saturday morning in Savannah. The Wolves not only walked away with a victory, but also with a preview of an opponent they may face in the state playoffs.

The Wolves are in need of support, as the region schedule is about to begin. Make sure to make it to a game or two as the games are about to become very important for the Wolves and their berth in the playoffs. Region play begins March 15^th.

The Wesleyan Wolves are also on Twitter now, so follow their account. Their “handle” is: @_WolvesBaseball. Updates, scores and inside information will be tweeted out by “GameChanger manager,” Alex Burke.

Tennis Teams Start the Season Off Right

Published on March 23, 2016 in Sports by Ellie Hall

Roger Federer and Serena Williams have nothing on Sophia Strickland, Cullen Davis and the rest of our tennis all-stars. The Wesleyan girls and boys tennis teams are working hard this year to make a good run in the State Championship.

After coming off a win in the State Championship last year, the girls tennis team is putting in time and effort in order to once again get their shot at state. Junior, Lauren Alexander, said that her favorite part about playing tennis at Wesleyan is spending time with the team and being able to grow closer.

“My personal goal is to consistently perform for my team so that they can have confidence during their matches,” Alexander said.

Senior, Sophia Strickland, said that Lovett is going to be their toughest opponent this year, but they have already beaten Lovett 3-2, so that is a good sign for the rest of the season. Strickland has been playing tennis for ten years, and this fall, she will be continuing her tennis career at Johns Hopkins University.

The boys tennis team is also working hard to be a contender in the State Championship this year. Junior, Cullen Davis, said that his favorite part about playing tennis at Wesleyan is all of the great facilities that Wesleyan offers for the sport.

Like Strickland, Davis also said that the team’s toughest opponent this year will be Lovett. When asked about a team goal for this year, Davis said, “I would say that a good team goal for this season would be to make the state tournament. Our region is very tough this year and to make the state tournament after coming out of this region would be a very big accomplishment.”

Madness Ensues as Bracketology Begins

Published on March 23, 2016 in News/Sports by Grayson Blount

Cadet Plumlee, Duke's Center, is off to a hot start. CBS Sports

How does one billion dollars sound? The prize for the perfect bracket is worth exactly that, according to Warren Buffet. March Madness, also known as the NCAA tournament, is gearing up to take place and create a stir among the student body.

Grades are already forming their bracket leagues, testing to see who may pick the most accurate bracket for this year’s tournament.

This NCAA tournament is a 64 team bracket that also includes a four team play in bracket. Overall, there are 65 games that are played to determine which team will outlast the rest and claim their place in the history books as the 2016 NCAA tournament champion.

This year, Warren Buffet has put his money on the line again with the Billion Dollar Bracket, sponsored by Quicken Loans. If anyone in the world achieves a perfect bracket, they will win the money. Sadly for those who are full believers in their bracket, there have approximatley 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 chances in a perfect bracket, so the chances are slim. For any Wesleyan student looking for a quick penny, filling out a bracket may be worth your while.

March Madness brings out the best in some faculty members as well. Faculty member Candler Baxley has a tradition in his March habits. He said, “I am giddy. I have been listening to the Luther Vandross version of “One Shining Moment” for a week now.” He also talked about his bracket, although it is still a secret since it will win. He said, “I actually don’t watch a lot of college basketball until the tournament, so I’ll just go with Kansas.” Clearly, Candler Baxley is ready for the games to begin. Senior Jordan Mack is also excited for the games to begin. He said, “I’m excited. It will be fun to see if my picks are right or not.” Get ready people of Wesleyan, the games are about to begin and chaos will follow.

The Wesleyan community, as well as the sports loving community around the country, are ready for another crazy month full of Cinderella stories and powerhouse beat-downs. Tune in to watch the Madness, as it will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Wrestling Team Powers Through

Published on February 26, 2016 in Sports by Grayson Blount

Head Coach Dennis Stromie talks at a team meeting. Brian Morgan
Callen Davidson dominated an opponant at a match this season. Brian Morgan

The Wesleyan Wrestling team worked hard in the shadows in Hoover this winter. With many improvements throughout all weight classes, the group was powerful from front to back. Led by Senior Captain Haydon Koch, the Wolves qualified many athletes into the Sectionals meet and a few more to the State meet.

Koch said, “We had a good season. Throughout the year, everyone continued to get better and grow up mentally. Wrestling is a different sport because and takes mental toughness and strength.” Throughout the season, there was adversity and injuries, but the team overcame it all in order to reach the common goal of making a deep run into the state playoffs.

The regular season went well for the Wolves as well. With big wins at invitationals, as well as beating GAC, the Wolves worked with a “Carpe Diem” like attitude and focused throughout the season. The practices were grueling. Koch said, “Practices are the hardest part about the season. We worked hard every day and focused on what we wanted to achieve.”

Koch also said that it is necessary to have “a day-to-day mentality when wrestling” due to the rigor and grit required. The Wolves had a great mentality this season, with performances that shocked everyone from seniors and freshmen alike.

Overall, the wrestling team exceeded their own expectations on the mats this winter and look to improve even further next season. A big congratulations to Head Coach Dennis Stromie for yet another successful season!

Sports - page 19

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