More senior athletes

Interviews by: Logan Jennings, staff writer

Girls Soccer
Hannah Whitaker
Struggle: Being confident to take shots
Favorite: Winning conference junior year
Future: Attending Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee to major in nursing

Boys Tennis
Warren Gamblin
Struggle: Having the confidence to jump up and hit through my serve in big situations
Favorite: Playing (number) 3 singles in sectionals versus New Pal
Future: Go to the University of Southern Indiana to study political science and history and econ. Play college tennis

Girls Cross Country
Morgan Hayse
Struggle: The biggest struggle is mentally, you always need to be confident and not be afraid of the challenge and obstacles that lie ahead
Favorite: When I won the county (race) my senior year at our home course,…(when) the girls and boys won county as a team
Future: I plan to attend Marian University, I plan to run cross country and track. I plan to major in exercise science

Boys Swimming
Cole Case
Struggle: Going as hard as you can every single time
Favorite: Breaking four school records, three sectional records, and going to state
Future: Go to SIU(Southern Illinois University) to study architecture and (to) swim

Volleyball
Shelby Blair
Struggle: My back
Favorite: I knocked down a libero
Future:  (I plan on being an) American Sign Language Interpreter

Girls Track and Field
Savannah Ballard
Struggle: Running the 400, because it’s hard
Favorite: Hanging out with my friends
Future: (Go to) IUPUI for nursing

 

Senior Athletes

Interviews by: Logan Jennings, staff writer

Boys Soccer
Dylan Griffey
Struggle: It was tough to keep a high head after multiple consecutive losses, and it was hard to stay motivated during practice
Favorite:When Coach Britt thought Helen Keller was a Jewish girl that hid from Nazis (Anne Frank)
Future: Go to IU and get a degree in biology then get accepted to the School of Optometry so I can become an optometrist

Girls Basketball
Shaely Duff
Struggle: Having to adjust to a new coaching style my senior year
Favorite: Winning state and playing my senior year with Hannah (Jones) and Olivia (Coleman)
Future: Play basketball at Trine University and major in chemical engineering

Baseball
Zach Spears
Struggle: The mental game in controlling all my pitches
Favorite: Going to Semi State in basketball and sweeping Greenfield Central in baseball this season
Future: Going to Miami of Ohio to play baseball

Girls Golf
Bailey Fleming
Struggle: My freshman year as a whole
Favorite: Winning sectionals sophomore and junior year
Future: Go play golf at Olivet Nazarene University and major in biology with emphasis in pre-med

Baseball tryouts

Story by: Logan Jennings
Photo by: Ashley Vega

A crack of the bat, players arguing over balls and strikes, and the whistling sound that the baseball makes when it is thrown perfectly. These are the sounds that were heard during Mt. Vernon High School’s baseball tryouts. Basketball may have ended, but baseball is just warming up.

One excited player, Mason Rapp, 12, said,”There is a buzz around having a new coach, and the program is going in a new direction.”

The baseball tryouts went smoothly. The tryouts were basically like a regular practice. The catchers and pitchers worked on throwing. Everybody else worked on defensive work and batting. They all also had to go through conditioning at the end of the tryout.

The tryouts were held March 16- 18. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors were competing to get a spot on the team. Thankfully, there were no cuts this year.

According to Mason Rapp, there were several players who seem likely to breakout this year like junior Noah Powell, sophomore Ryan Beck, and senior Zach Spears.

Now it’s time for the boys to get to work.

Managing life: an interview with basketball manager Jonathan Taylor

By Logan Jennings, staff writer

LJ: What are your duties?

JT: Mopping the floors, filling the water tank and getting the scoreboard ready

LJ: What is your favorite part?

JT: I like the overall experience, sitting on the bench is a lot of fun.

LJ: What is your least favorite part?

JT: The long days

LJ: Who is the nicest player on the team?

JT: Michael Ertel

LJ: What is your pet peeve?

JT: They [the players] make a mess out of the water tank and when [they]don’t bring out the warm up balls for games.

LJ: If you are on a 2-on-2 tournament, what player would you take with you?

JT: Michael Thompson

LJ: What is the best part of the games?

JT: When we win the grinders.

LJ: What does Coach Daugherty talk about in the huddles?

JT: He is telling us to execute our plays and [telling us to] playing defense.

LJ: Do you like those suits?

JT: I definitely do. I like changing the part.

LJ: What would be you nickname, if you could have one?

JT: JT or Jonny Basketball

LJ: Anything to add?

JT: Stay classy [and] I’m just here so I won’t get fined.

Basketball interviews

By Logan Jennings, staff writer

Questions	Head Coach Daugherty	Shooting Guard  Miles Wayer, 11	Point Guard Michael Ertel, 10
If you could improve one part of your team, what would it be?	D(efense) is good at times but areas need work	Executing offense	Defense
What is the goal for your team?	Maximize our potential	Win conference and bring home a sectional title	To win the conference, to win sectionals, go deep in the tournament
What team do you like beating the most?	Rivalry games are the most fun. New Pal and Greenfield	New Pal	New Pal
If there is two seconds left on the clock, who gets the last shot?	Who has been the hottest that night.	Whoever has the hot hand.	Miles
If you could emulate any player, or coach, who would it be?	Tom Izzo Michigan State Head Coach	Jordan Hulls Former Indiana University Point Guard	Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers Point Guard
Who is the funniest person on the team?	Stricker	Strickpiece (Stricker)	Mike Thompson
If you could play one on one with anyone, who would you play?	Jordan Former Bulls Great, considered the best player ever	Larry Bird Former Celtic Great, considered one of the best shooter of all time	Steve Nash Los Angeles Point Guard

 

What gives a team more momentum: a 3 pointer or a dunk?

Dunk, happens less often.

Dunk

Dunk