Grip It and Rip It

OCHS golf team seeks success despite low numbers

Article by Hannah Mondragon

The golf season has finally come again. This year the boys’ golf team only has six members, but their hunger for success is not affected by low numbers.

Golf is normally seen as an individual sport, but in high school it’s also a team sport. At competitions golfers perform individually but add up all the scores to get a team score. The OCHS golf team is hoping that they can receive a good enough team score at regionals to advance them on to the state tournament.

Freshman Brayden McDowell was asked if he thinks they have a chance to make it to state and what could get them there, and McDowell replied, “I think we have a chance to make it to state. Our team has enough integrity and respect to make this the best year we possibly can. We practice well together and we joke around so it’s definitely been a different experience.” Being the only freshman may be a little rough, but so is dual sporting.

Junior Ryan Haskins is also a part of the golf team even though he’s in baseball as well. He was asked about what made him want to dual sport and he replied, “I really like both sports so I chose to do both because I know I have the ability to do it. It also gave me another opportunity to try to make it to state.” Haskins was then asked about how he manages to practice for both and he replied, “I practice golf on weekends with my dad and my friends. Then I go to baseball after school.”

This year the boys may have a small team but they are hoping to have a successful season. From the sound of it, they are optimistic about their chances.  The Indian golfers will next be playing on Monday, April 27 at Shawnee Lake, so feel free to go out and support them as they swing their way to success.

Together as One

OCHS baseball focuses on working as a team

Article by Aundrea Koger

Much like every other sports team, the OCHS baseball team aspires to make it to the state competition.  “My ultimate goal is to go to state, because [OCHS] baseball has never gone to state,” said first year head coach, Mr. Bryan Sage, when asked about the team’s goals for the season.

In order to fulfill their aspirations of reaching the state tournament, the boys will have to compete.  It’s imperative that they win games, and lots of games at that.  However, Sage is tolerant of a loss every now and again as long as the boys play well.  “I’d rather lose playing well than be playing badly,” noted Sage.  It’s all about development, and learning to play as a team, and sometimes a loss is necessary for that growth.  Sage seems to be aware of this, ergo his primary goal, besides making it to state, is to have his budding boys of summer come together as one.  He would like to see them improve on playing with each other, not just individually. And he is not alone in these thoughts either.

When asked about the plan for reaching the state level, senior Lance Hultgren stressed the importance of playing as a team.  “We all need to come together as one,” said Hultgren, who is a four year veteran on the OCHS baseball team.  He’d like to see his teammates get on the same page, so that they can make the best use of their abundance of talent.

The 2015 OCHS baseball team is not short on talent.  A few of the boys will even continue pursuing baseball in college.  Hultgren, who signed with Independence Community College, and senior Jake Butterfield, who will be pitching for the Allen County Red Devils next year, are prime examples of the team’s depth.  Hultgren and Butterfield are team leaders too, and leadership and experience is commonplace amongst the rest of the team as well.  “I think we’ve got a good core of returning kids that baseball is their passion, and, ultimately, a good core of kids who know the game,” expressed Sage when talking about his team’s strengths.

An abundance of passion and experience will take this year’s baseball team very far when coupled with refined focus on coming together as one.  And no one knows this better than Sage, who, with an air of sapience, said, “Once we learn how to play together as a team, and play on the same page, we’re going to be lights out.”

Pitching for the Win

A young OCHS softball team strives for success

Article by Sarah Thompson

Sharing qualities with baseball, softball is a girls dominant sport. Typically played in the spring, the girls are already headlong into the season.

The OCHS girls practice diligently every day to, as Coach Tammy Serna wishes, get a win-loss record of .500. “We’re young and still learning so we’re struggling a bit right now, but we’re practicing hard everyday to try and turn it around,” says Coach Serna.  Her goal for the team, along with getting the win-loss of .500, is to get stronger for the future. Despite being young, Coach Serna acknowledges that her returning players have improved from where they started.

Sophomore Kelsy Orender, who has been playing softball for eight years, has a similar view of the team. “We are young, a majority of our team is freshman. We have a lot to work on, but we can do it,” says Orender.

Beyond team goals, each player should have her own individual aspirations. Orender’s personal goal is to be a leader and help out the girls with anything. Another goal she has is to get better as a pitcher.

Through continued hard work, the team has a very good chance of improving and being the best it can be.