February 2011 Chatterbox - Ruston High School

S
ports
Chatterbox
Ruston High School February 14, 2010 Page 28
RHS Track Preview
by Keekee Williams
Sports Reporter
As the weather changes and the
seasons shift, there are also other
seasons that change, sports seasons.
When spring comes around,
it‘s time to hang up those football
jerseys and put away those swimming
caps.
Track and Field
is all about
strength and
speed. If you work
hard and do what
RHS track coach
Dave Anderson
advises you to do,
you will be a winner
and if you don‘t you‘ll find out
what else he‘s good at besides
coaching. The track team‘s first
meet will be an indoor qualifying
meet on February 8. If they qualify
in that division, then the runners
will advance to the Indoor State
meet on February 19.
The outdoor season starts on
March 4. The key athletes and
events that everyone should be on
the watch for will be the boy‘s pole
Tennis Ready to Rally
by Keekee Williams
Sports Reporter
-vaulters, Nick Richardson and
Daveon Jones; the distant runners,
Chase Millien and Dominique
Cheffin; the girls relay teams, javelin
throwers and distant races.
There are an estimated 75 members
currently on the track team and
with both the boys
and girls finishing
in second last year
at the state meet,
Coach Anderson
says there‘s only
one way to improve
and that‘s to
go up.
While Ruston will be moving
up from classification 4-A to a 5-A
redistricting, to Ruston‘s Coach
Anderson that change will not
change the competition. ―It wouldn‘t
make a difference because it‘s
still very competitive in either
class‖, says Anderson.
His favorite aspect about
coaching track should be so obvious,
WINNING, which his teams
are known for!
The Lady Bearcats Are a Strong Team
submitted by Coach David Aguilar
Girls’ Basketball Head Coach
It is hard to determine when a team comes
together and begins working as one. Sometimes
it happens after a particularly hard practice
or after a tough loss. Some teams never get
there and are labeled as "coulda- wouldashoulda-
teams." The Lady Bearcats are a group
of diverse young ladies that came together
every day attempting to better themselves and
play together and win. The seniors on the team
are a perfect mix of
talent.
Byronesha Santiago
and Chelsea
Rogers played key
roles in last year‘s
team that played in the
quarter finals and lost
to the eventual state
champions. Three
other seniors stand out
as well. Taylor Kaufman,
a state ranked
swimmer, and highly
skilled student, raises
the level of the teams play. Jasmine White
played point guard for three years and this year
she has accepted the role of sixth man. For us
that is a defensive stopper, rebounder and offensive
threat to the opposing team. Amber Sanders
is a striking singer and multi-talented
The Lady Bearcats vs. the Lady Rams
player. She came to Ruston as a point guard
and evolved into a strong presence at the block.
All five seniors have various skill levels and
diverse backgrounds. They also have one goal
to bring a championship to Ruston, the Bearcat
Nation. For this team which has a record of 21
- 4 as this article goes to print, we are not sure if
they have completely come together. "There are
moments that these girls put it all together and
get close to reaching
their potential" Coach
Amanda Aguilar
thinks. "Potential is
such a double edged
sword, it can be your
crutch or the challenge
you need to push
through."
As these young ladies
grow each day and
build on their experiences,
the Bearcat Nation
waits for Tuesday
and Friday nights to see
what new challenges these girls will defeat and
what new skills they will display. The coaches
are proud of what they have accomplished and
are hoping that someday soon they will evolve
into becoming the best they can be as individuals
and as a team.
As tennis season bounces
around again, the players
start to make a racket during
practice sessions. Led by
assistant coach, Mallory
Smith and head coach Gavin
McKinney (currently on
leave), the RHS tennis team
are getting ready to start the
season with their first match.
Head varsity coach
Gavin McKinney is a United
States Professional Tennis
Association instructor and
he promotes the sport of
tennis in Ruston and the
surrounding areas. The tryout
for the Bearcat Tennis
team was held on November
17 and they currently hold
practice from 7 th period to
4:30. The girls that made the
team were Jordan Crume,
Dinah Diaz, Mary Hollis
Graham, Kaitlyn Heiden,
Abbie King, Mary-Kyle
McDonald, Courtney
McKinney, Kellen Skains,
and Heather Tanner. The
males that joined the squad
were: Jonathan Abernathy,
Phillip Alva, Spencer Berry,
Kyle Carter, Matt Oaks,
Nathan Parks, Nick Parks,
Cody Sanderson, Hayden
Smithey, Chris Taylor,
Caleb White, and Jack
Woods.
Coach McKinney says, ―I
am very pleased with the
quality of players that participated
in try-outs this
year.‖ ―The great thing
about tennis is that there are
opportunities to participate
in groups and play tournaments
year round.‖ Last year
the Bearcat tennis team
made it to state but didn‘t
quite make it all the way.
―This year we plan on going
back to state taking the boys
with us and winning‖, says
Coach Smith. The first
match is February 22 at
Neville High School and as
the season gets ready to roll,
we will show our support for
the Bearcat tennis team in
every possible way. Go
‗Cats!