Sports
License to Blog
By Quinn Casteel (December 16, 2008)
The only thing arousing more excitement than the arrival of the holiday season is the launch of Lasso’s newest feature-- my sports blog. It’s the only place on the web Mason sports fans (or just curious readers) can talk about anything and everything going on in the world of sports.
Just follow the link below, and check out the good stuff that’s been posted already. I’ll continue to post regularly, discussing anything sports related that I feel strongly about at the moment. I’ll cover a wide range of pro and college sports; feel free to send me any suggestions for discussion topics.
While you’re there, make sure to keep the discussion going by leaving lots of comments; tell me whether you agree or disagree, if you think I’m right or wrong, but keep it clean. Remember, it’s a school related blog so keep it clean; very clean. The Lasso staff and myself reserve the right to edit comments for brevity and content. However, we will not change the basic integrity of comments.
The link: http://lassosportsblog.blogspot.com/
All-Met Cross Country Found Here At Mason
By Carlos Clark (December 16, 2008)
.jpg)
The 2008 Mustang Cross Country season is one that the runners and the school will never forget. The boys’ team placed very well, earning sixth place at the state tournament. The girls for the first time in Mason history took first place in a close and very challenging race. A few weeks later the announcement rang through the school that Coach Julie Bravin had become the 2008 All Met Coach of the Year.
Coach Bravin has been coaching at George Mason for ten years. She is also a French teacher at Mason. Although she struggles to balance her teaching and coaching schedules, she clearly finds it rewarding. Coming from a coaching family, with a mother, father, and sister who all coach cross country or track, Julie Bravin knew she would have to learn to balance the two activities that are so important to her. “My runners and my students keep me coaching and teaching, and I enjoy doing it because I love the rewards of faster runners, and better French speakers” commented Julie Bravin when asked about her rewards.
Coach Bravin is determined to coach as long as she teaches. She does know that there are some other things that could slow down her coaching, but as of now she is a strong coach that has athletes performing at their best.
Coach Bravin finds her coaching at Mason to be unique and different experience. Long bus rides bring athletes and coaches closer together, and strong competition from some of Virginia’s lesser known schools keeps races interesting.
“I have been honored to run for Coach Bravin for so many years, my running has improved greatly, and I have developed a love for the sport,” said Captain Daniel Benn when he was asked about his experience on the cross country. Maggie Fortenberry, a long time Mason runner, said Julie Bravin “is an awesome coach, and I am so glad to see her getting the recognition she deserves.” George Mason is honored to have a great coach who, along with her talented assistant coaches, turns casual runners into competitive athletes.
Mason Alum Wins Collegiate Soccer Championship
By Rebecca Gomez (December 10, 2008)
George Mason alumna Olivia Scott and her soccer team, Messiah College, have won the collegiate Division III championship. Olivia graduated last year in 2008 and helped bring the George Mason varsity soccer to win District, Region, and State Championships. During that season she was named First Team All State as well as District and Region B player of the year.
Jennifer Parsons, a chemistry teacher here at Mason and the George Mason girls varsity soccer coach, attended the quarterfinal game. “It was exciting and really cold,” she says, “The day after the game they had to clear the snow off the field so the players could practice. They played against their rivals Eastern College for their place among the final four, the rivalry was intense; its much like the rivalry here between George Mason and Clarke County so it was really exciting. Olivia played hard and even had an assist. It was a big deal.”
Olivia Scott and her team went on to win the rest of the games and the Championship title. “Olivia played in both those games as well,” says Ms. Parsons.
This success story is even more monumental when the difficulty of transition between high school and collegiate soccer is taken into consideration. “Collegiate soccer is a lot different than high school; it’s a faster, more physical game with smaller margins for error and consequences for mistakes,” says Ms. Parsons who played collegiate soccer at VCU. Not only did Olivia transition to a higher level of competition, but she also changed positions on the field. “She played midfield throughout most of last season [at Mason] and didn’t begin playing forward until States last year and she has continued playing forward with Messiah,” says Ms. Parsons.
“Olivia and her team are having an awesome season. The team is 23-0-2 and Olivia has had 9 goals and 2 assists. She has played in all 25 games and has started in four of them; which is a pretty huge deal for a freshman. I’m really proud of her,” says Ms. Parsons.
Nova Classic Brings Success
By Joy Nystrom (December 8, 2008)
The Nova Classic, traditionally a tournament in which Mason has always suffered, brought victory to Mason wrestlers this past Saturday. With two competitors who ranked in finals, Mason placed 19th out of 34 teams. “It’s the best we’ve done since I can remember,” commented Coach Bryan Harris after the tournament.
Senior David Ray won the tournament, beating a Triple A student who was ranked third in the state. “I feel pretty ecstatic after beating this guy, he was ranked third in state and I beat him. I was also really surprised when I found out the team had gotten ranked so high; with two people in the finals.”
After a meet and a tournament, Mason wrestling has been doing very well with a mix of young and returning wrestlers. The hopes that Mason will return to the state competition are high.
On December 13 the wrestling team will travel to Warren County High School to compete again.
Five and Five
By Joy Nystrom( December 8, 2008)
With five matches and five members of the wrestling team to show their skills, they look good for the 2008-2009 season.
On Saturday November 29, the wrestling team had five matches in one meet; competing against Loudon County, Warren County, Woodbridge, George Marshall, and Briar Woods high schools. “The team was pathetic, but it was only our first meet against double A and triple A schools,” David Ray stated after the meet.
Though the team was “pathetic” there were five members of the team who did exceptionally well. Senior David Ray walked out 5-0 with 3 pins and a tech fall (which is where you win by 15 points or more). Senior Jake Schwind was 4-1; though his one loss was very close, he also had three pins. Also senior Tim Hillegass was 3-2 losing only by two points for both matches; he also had two pins. Along with the very experienced wrestlers on the team, a first time wrestler senior Benson Ting got a pin along with freshman Alborz Alaedini.
The outlook for wrestling this year looks good. Even though the competition is tough, the boys are working hard in order to beat the double A and triple A schools such as the ones they wrestled on Saturday. “Though we are only a single A school, we wrestle double A and triple A, because competition is tougher and it makes us better,” Coach Bryan Harris said in response to the meet. The team is starting out strong with young wrestlers and veteran wrestlers both competing well.
Winning Streak Starts Here
By Gabby Mikiewicz (December 4, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Gabriella Mikiewicz)
Last night, George Mason High School swimmers met up to take an hour long bus ride to Strasburg for the first swim meet of the season. Students new to the swim team, and new to competitive swimming, were shaking in their black and red swim suits as they climbed onto the blocks and waited for the “Take Your Marks…” and that very loud, unmistakable BEEEEEP!
I honestly cannot say that the water was the cleanest, nor the pool the biggest, but the atmosphere was memorable, the level of noise was deafening, and the competitors were friendly.
George Mason swimmers left the pool around 10:30 pm and upon entering the bus, Mrs. Nette, the assistant coach, had the results. The bus exploded with roars and screams when news of our undeniably excellent scores were revealed. “Our winning streak starts here!” exclaimed Ms. Nette and the students, already hoarse from cheering on their teammates, screamed and pounded their seats with happiness. The bus shook with excitement.
At the meet, GM Mustangs faced swimmers from Broadway, Clarke County, and Strasburg. George Mason came in First Place.
After returning to the school after midnight (12:30 to be exact), everyone was relieved when Coach Jon-Michael announced that swimmers would be allowed to arrive at school an hour late the next morning. Overall, it was a very enjoyable swim meet and the turnout was amazing. Swimmers are already preparing for our next meet, Friday, December 12 at Wakefield High.
Mason Basketball Looks Sharp in First Scrimmage
By Quinn Casteel (November 25, 2008)
The George Mason boys varsity basketball team handled Falls Church High School in their first action of the season on Friday evening, outscoring the Jaguars in five of the six periods.
The Mustangs played an up tempo, scrappy game in which the offense was raw but aggressive while the defense picked up the slack by swarming Falls Church shooters and cutting off passing lanes. The team overcame inconsistent outside shooting and a lack of an out of bounce play by hustling and playing a physical game on defense and in transitions.
Head Coach Chris Capannola explained that the inconsistent shooting was the result of a few butterflies due to the fact that it was their first time facing off against another team and because they only had two prior weeks to practice.
“The shooting was expected, but not acceptable,” said Capannola. “But [the shooting] will get better, they were all a little antsy.”
The normally sharp-shooting Josh Brew never got in a rhythm offensively but played a tenacious defensive game, coming up with several takeaways and barely allowing any open shot attempts.
“Josh is a high energy guy” said Capannola of his point guard. “When he’s shooting well while also looking to pass first he’s great.”
Brew, a senior, was selected as a member of the preseason All-Region team; an honor given to players who are projected to have standout seasons.
Another player expected to have a big season is 6’7” center Jordan Cheney. Cheney, a junior, showcased his new and improved down low game in the scrimmage. He was one of the team’s leading scorers as the offense seemed to also go through him. He was also a major presence on defense, showing that he has gotten stronger as well as gained confidence since last winter.
“[Jordan] really needed to show he could be the man down there, and he really was,” said Capannola.
Junior Yates Jordan, another preseason selection for All-Region saw his first live action in a full year after suffering a foot injury during the summer, preventing him from taking part in any basketball activity. In limited action, Jordan did not seem to be completely back to his old self, though he noted that he felt he had not lost anything on his vertical jump.
Probably the most memorable moment of the evening was when 250+lb senior center Andrew Lieber soared through the air to make an acrobatic block on a Falls Church forward.
“He rose up like a bird in the sky and landed a punishing blow to the ball. Oh, and the guy’s face,” joked junior guard Michael Wolfe on his teammate’s play.
Overall, Capannola and the players were content with their effort and aggressiveness on defense, but remained focused on getting their outside shooting game back on track before the start of the season.
“We did a lot of things well, and I think we did an okay job executing some of our plays,” noted the aforementioned Lieber. “This team has some high expectations, and moving forward I think we can fulfill them if we put our minds to it.”
After a promising showing against Falls Church, Mason looked to build on their success in their second and final scrimmage against Thomas Jefferson High School on Tuesday, but results were too late for press time.
Printed here with permission from the Falls Church News Press.
Girls Dust Off Their Shoes And Get The Season Moving
By Rebecca Gomez and Brianna Diffie (November 21, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Rebecca Gomez)
Falls sports are officially over and the Mason girl’s varsity basketball team eagerly hits the court in anticipation of the beginning of their season; and boy is there a lot to prepare for.
This past year the team has undergone major changes. The team graduated eight seniors, including three starters and lost their Regional Coach of the Year, Coach Broderick, who had been with the team for several years and brought the team all the way to play in the State Championship this past year. Former junior varsity head coach, Coach Thomas, has moved up with a large number of his former players from last year, and has now assumed the role of head coach.
According to Thomas, “This season will go fine, all the foundations have been made within the team. Coach B. left a good organization for me to work with,” he says. Despite the change in pace, the team expects nothing but the best from themselves.
Seniors Kim Kenny, Mayssa Chehata, Abby Stroup, and Paige Kerrigan are leaders in fulfilling those large expectations for this season and are taking huge strides to guide the team to be FEARLESS, which is the team’s new motto for the year. “It’s going to be tough to begin with because new people have new roles to fill and the younger girls are going to have to learn how to fill these roles,” says Coach Thomas.
Problems have arisen early this year already; junior point guard and varsity returner Chantal Thomas has suffered a knee injury, as has talented freshman guard and point guard Lauren Kane. This leaves on out of two out of the three possible point gaurds inured. Until the two heal, freshman Leah Roth is being forced to step up to the plate. “I have faith,” says Coach Thomas, “These girls are good.”
After practicing for this entire past week, the team has finally started getting back their game. They have been practicing hard. “We’ll have learned what we need to come districts,” Coach Thomas confirms. Their first scrimmage is an away game against Heritage High School on Saturday, November 22 and may be a predictor for how the rest of the season will play out. Keep posted for further girl’s varsity basketball updates.
Winter Cheerleading
By Jordie Franklin (November 17, 2008)
Cheerleading tryouts kick started on Saturday the 8th where 13 girls came along and gave their best to try and earn a spot on the winter cheer team. Coach Bird, the new cheer coach along with four others judges, evaluated the participants.
“I am really hoping for a good turn out this year,” said Coach Bird early last week. “My focus for the whole year is to try and rebuild the cheer squad and help Mason cheer get back on its feet again.”
After a long and tiring day, all 13 girls came back at 4:00pm to find out whether all their hard work and preparation had worked off to earn a spot io the winter cheer squad. In total, ten girls succeeded and have already been hard at work all week practicing and preparing for their first basketball game which will be held at George Mason in the main gym on Tuesday 2nd December – Varsity boys team vs. Marshall High School.
We would like to congratulate the following girls on making the winter cheer squad: Nicole Mahzoun, Catherine Camp, Kaelin Seitz, Ellen Francis, Molly Mcgehee, Jordan Franklin, Katie Devereaux, Sarah Sarkar, Vanessa Mann, and Laura Peppe.
Kaleyin Seitz, eighth grader, says, “Our team has some great new additions to it as well as girls who did spring cheer or have participated in Mason cheer in the past.” New comers have also raved about the amount of support they get from everyone. “We are all really great friends and we really support each other and work as a team,” states Katie Deveraux, freshmen.
Basketball Is Here Again
By Derek Driggers (November 14, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Derek Driggers)
Winter season sports are here, and everyone is putting forth great effort during basketball try-outs with intentions of making the team. Numerous individuals tried out this week for both Junior Varsity and Varsity squads.
They began Monday, November 10 and ended on Wednesday where final cuts were made. “Wednesday is going to be tough for me,” stated coach Cap (the Varsity head coach) earlier this week. “It’s always difficult for a coach to make cuts, especially when there are a group of kids putting forth great effort and busting there butts to do so.”
When cuts are made, the team will finally be established with their first scrimmage just a week away. The basketball team will take on Falls Church High School here at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, in the Mustang gym. Although cuts have yet to be made, the team is anxious for their final day of try-outs and anticipate the news on whether or not they’ll make the squad and will be able to participate in next week’s scrimmage.
Cross Country Teams Advance to States
By Rosalyn Kaddache (November 14, 2008)
October 29, 2008 proved to be a proud moment for the Mason Cross Country team as they qualified for states with their teamwork and fast running in Charlottesville. In fact, the Mason XC girls were declared Regional champions while the boys placed third overall.
Natalie Young (3rd), Eva Estrada (8th), Mollie Breen (9th), Leah Roth (12th) Brandy Arredondo, (14th) and Courtney Ready (15th) were declared All-Regional runners for girls and Jordan Robarge (15th) for boys.
The Mason girls ran fast at this course, overcoming hills and winding terrains. The first Mason girl to cross the finish line, in third place, was Natalie Young with a time of 19:42. Closely pushing herself was Eva Estrada, placing eighth overall, with a time of 20:31. Up next ran Mollie Breen in ninth place, running a 20:40 race. Leah Roth attacked the course and finished with a 21:08 time, placing twelfth while Brandy Arredondo came shortly afterwards. She placed fourteenth overall with a 21:12 time. Sprinting to fifteenth place was Courtney Ready, only three seconds behind with a time of 21:15.
The Mason girls awarded their team with 46 points, in first place. Clark Country came next, with a total of 56 points. In third place was Altavista, with 179 points.
As the girls bathed in their victory, it was time for the Mason boys to run. First to cross the finish line for Mason was All-Regional runner Jordan Robarge, with a time of 17:53, placing fifteenth overall. Miles Butler followed, coming in nineteenth place, finishing with an 18:14 time. Daniel Benn was up next, twenty-fifth overall, with a time of 18:22. Up next was Matt Baker, sprinting an 18:32 time in 33rd place and Teddy Rueckert, in 38th place, with a fast time of 18:48. Lewis Henninger crossed the finish with a 19 flat, placing 45th and Kassim Rahawi, in 59th place, with a time of 19:29.
The Mason boys achieved 121 points, placing third place. The Boys Regional champions were Clark County, with at total of 18 points. Altavista came in second place, with a total of 101 points.
Mason Ends Season On Sour Note
By Jack Selby (November 10, 2008)
The George Mason Mustangs capped off a disappointing season with their ninth consecutive loss, falling to the Strasburg Rams by a score of 20-6. This game also marks the third consecutive game where the Mustangs managed to score only 6 points, which in each game has been a single touchdown in the third quarter.
The Mustangs entered the game hoping to not allow the disappointment of their loss to Clarke a week prior define the team’s character. While there was nothing left to ply for in terms of a successful record or a playoff opportunity, the Mustangs did have a tremendous amount of pride at stake in the game. Numerous seniors on the team had played for the George Mason organization for five years, and having experienced a District Championship just two years earlier, the last image they wanted in people’s head about the class of 2009 was that of an unsuccessful group.
Unlike previous weeks where anything and everything seemed to go wrong, both the Mustangs offense and defense played strong throughout the game. The trio of senior captain Charlie Mann and juniors Ben Taylor and Chris Saraus provided a consistent running threat to the Rams throughout the night, all three having their best statistical games of the season. The Mason offense was also able to drastically reduce the number of fumbles, a detriment that had plagued the team in each of their previous nine games. Penalties, however, continued to cause problems for the offense, and often halted potential scoring drives.
Even though Mason trailed going into halftime 13-0, they held the advantage in terms of consistency. An opening drive touchdown in the third quarter that left the score at 13-6 seemed to point towards a Mason victory. But all of that changed with one, major mental lapse towards the end of the quarter when a punt by junior Misael Benitez was returned by the Rams near midfield. When the Rams receiver caught the ball, he handed the ball off to a teammate running the other way, a seldom seen reverse kick-return. The misdirection caught the Mason specialteamers off guard as the Rams ran the punt back 50 yards for a touchdown. The play derailed every ounce of momentum that George Mason had fought so valiantly for over the course of thirty minutes. It forced the Mason offense, one that had struggled to put points on the board throughout the entire season, to face the daunting task of scoring 14 points in just under 16 minutes, barring another Strasburg score.
The defense held up their end of the bargain, not allowing anything after the punt return touchdown. This included a gutsy goal line stand in the fourth quarter, where the defense held their ground despite being inside their own five yard line. The offense failed to capitalize on the valiant effort of the defense, turning the ball over on each of their final three possessions.
The game ended with a final score of 20-6, with George Mason ending up on the short end of the stick, suffering another heartbreaking loss.
Mason Blown Out by Clarke County, Suffer Eighth Straight Loss
By Jack Selby (November 7, 2008)
The George Mason Mustangs were thoroughly embarrassed by the Clarke County Eagles this past Friday, losing by a score of 40-6. The loss now leaves the Mustangs with a record of 1-8, a far cry away from last year’s team that went 7-3, narrowly missing the Bull Run District Playoffs.
The Mustangs defense proved to be no match for the Eagles running game. Clarke’s running backs scored five touchdowns in the first half alone, and were scored on every Clarke possession in those first 24 minutes. A three minute opening drive which resulted in a score set the tone for the remainder of the game and gave the Eagles a lead that they would not relinquish.
On the other side of the ball, the Mason offense was also ineffective. As has been the case all season, a lack of cohesiveness and numerous fumbles derailed any possible scoring opportunities for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs have only been able to produce more then 21 points on two occasions this year, with one being their double overtime Homecoming loss. This is in stark contrast to last year’s team, who eclipsed 21 points in eight of their ten games.
With a halftime score of 34-0, Clarke, subbed-in reserves on both sides of the ball. Clarke was still able to muster another touchdown though, and only gave up one touchdown to Mason’s first team.
Mason hopes to end a disappointing season on a high note, and play their final game of the season this coming Friday at Strasburg.
Now To Top It Off
By Reid Mene (November 6, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Reid Mene)
The Mustang golf team just finished up the Regional tournament two weeks ago, capping off the last match of the season. The Mustangs finished sixth in the tournament, with a score of 357. The top six players were seniors Drew Davies, Tim Hillegass, Chris An, and juniors Michael Dunning, Michael Wolf, and Evans Mandes. Drew Davies finished the tournament, and his last golf match ever, with the low for the team with an 87.
“This was a great season, I feel lucky to have played with everyone who was on the team, and I want to thank Coach Carrico for making the season as best he could,” explains Davies. Mandes shot an 89, Wolf came in with a 91, and Dunning finished his season off with a 90 in the Region B Tournament.
The Mustangs went undefeated in the regular season, going 12-0. Davies, Dunning, and Wolf led the team with the most overall low scores for the season.
The Mustangs also were able to make it the District Tournament this year. They automatically qualified for Districts and Regionals for winning the regular season. They finished second in the Districts, topping the day off with a 339, which was upsetting for the players, but they kept their heads up, and played the best they could in their regional match the next week.
The Mustangs had four All-District players: senior Tim Hillegass and juniors Michael Wolf, Michael Dunning, and Evans Mandes.
Coach Carrico said at the beginning of the season his goal was to continue the Mustang golf three-season winning streak and qualify for Districts, and Regionals. He is pleased to be able to say that he accomplished his goals, and can’t wait for next year’s season to start. “The Seniors were able to uphold there standards, and lead the team, not just through success, but by their guidance to the underclassmen. I’m also very excited about next year and hope that we can build on our winning streak and continue our success. Returning players will give leadership necessary to help continue the programs strong tradition,” Carrico explains.
What a great season it was for our Mustang golfers, and good work to their new coach this year, Chris Carrico, for everything he has done for the team.
After Historical Season, Baseball Ends on a Memorable Note
By Jack Selby (October 31, 2008)
After months of anticipation, the world now knows Major League Baseball’s 2008 World Champions. And for the first time in 28 years, that team is the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays, a team picked by virtually no one to even have a winning record, 3-2 in the fifth game of the series on Wednesday.
While the official time for the game itself was three hours and twenty-three minutes, the game took about 50 hours to complete. Game 5 started at 8:30 on Monday night in Philadelphia, and by the fourth inning, a rainstorm combined with 40° weather made for sloppy baseball conditions. Unfortunately, the Phillies were winning the game when the rain started, and Major League Baseball did not want to stop the game. Under MLB rules, once a game has gone on for at least five innings, a game called for weather is an official win for the team winning at the time of the stoppage. The last thing that MLB Commissioner Bud Selig wanted to see was a team celebrate a World Series title under those types of conditions. However, the Rays were able to tie the game in the sixth inning, eliminating any potential controversy, and the game was suspended almost immediately afterwards.
With even worse conditions for Philadelphia on Tuesday, MLB announced they would not even attempt to play that day, instead moving the game back to Wednesday. The Phillies and the Rays would begin playing under the same game conditions that had been in place when the game was called, which essentially meant playing a three inning game. Philadelphia was able to score one run in the bottom of the seventh inning, and held on to win the game, and the World Series.
In their 125 year history, the Phillies had won only one World Series title, which they won 28 years prior to Wednesday. The city of Philadelphia also had a similar drought: The city had not won a major (meaning the National Basketball Association, MLB, the National Football League, or the National Hockey League) sports title since 1983, when the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA Championship. After waiting a quarter-century for a title of any kind, the Philadelphia fans were more then willing to bear the harsh weather conditions to witness a championship for their team.
The Rays, on the other hand, were a major disappointment down the stretch. After hitting and pitching phenomenally throughout the regular season and playoffs, Tampa Bay was not able to do either during the World Series. The best hitters for the Rays had an abysmal batting average, and the pitching staff was not able to shut down Philadelphia’s batters. It was an upsetting end to what had been a triumphant season.
With the World Series now officially over, Major League Baseball will go into hibernation until April, when 30 teams play for the chance to win the big one once again. Until then, fans will have more then enough memories to take away from this season of surprises, disappointments, and historical firsts.
Mason Loses Final Home Game, Seventh Consecutive Loss Overall
By Jack Selby (October 27, 2008)
.jpg)
(Photo Credit: Alex Ferry)
The George Mason varsity football team concluded their home season with yet another disappointing loss, this time at the hands of Madison County by a score of 16-6. The defeat not only extends Mason’s losing streak to seven, but also knocks the Mustangs out of contention for the postseason.
Once again, unforced errors and mental lapses led to self-defeat. Mason running backs fumbled the ball seven times throughout the game, each time derailing a potentially point-scoring drive.
In fact, Mason’s lone touchdown did not even come on offense; it was the result of an 80 yard interception return by junior cornerback Ben Taylor midway through the third quarter. Taylor also provided a rare highlight for the Mason offense towards the end of the second quarter, with a run that spanned nearly the length of the field, before being stopped inside Madison’s 10 yard line. Unfortunately for Mason, they were not able to convert the run into points. This was also the source of some controversy, as junior running back Chris Saraus appeared to reach the endzone on third down before being pushed out by Madison defenders. The referees, however, recognized Madison’s second effort as part of the play and declared Saraus short of the goal line.
The Mustang defense did improve in the second half, shutting the Mountaineer offense out for the final 24 minutes. However, the struggle to hold on to the football continued, and Mason was never able to get any sort of rhythm on offense.
The 16-6 loss also crippled the Mustangs even further for their final two games. Two starters, senior John Mann and junior Matt Palmeiri, suffered major injuries during the course of the game. In both cases, ambulances were called to attend to the players. Mann will be out for the remainder of the season, a truly disappointing end to what has been a stellar High School career. Palmeiri’s injury, combined with fact that there are only two weeks remaining in the season, will almost surely end his season as well.
With little left to play for but pride, Mason’s penultimate game will be this Friday at 7:30 at Clark County.
Glory Run
By Rosalyn Kaddache (October 27, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Leidy Baldwin)
The Mason cross country team was up and ready for the Glory Days Grill Invitational in Centerville, Virginia, on Saturday, October 11th, the same day as Homecoming 2008. With high spirits and fast sprints, many Masonites achieved personal records. What a great day!
The first race was the freshman boys. Paul Henninger, gaining a personal record, or P.R, led the team with a 19:25. Up next was Danny Sedita, who also got a PR with the time of 19:27. Close at his heels, Tak Nemec crossed the finish line with a PR of 20 minutes flat. Ze'ev Lailari attacked the course and got a 21:36. Up next was Marek Wojtala who achieved a 21:46. Overall, the freshmen boys placed 18th out of 33 competitive schools.
The next race was run by the freshmen girls. This race only had three Mason runners, so they didn't have a team score. However, these girls pushed through the race. Emma Vieillescazes ran a 23:11 at the Glory Days course, arriving first in the race. Up next was Emily Rueckert, who finished with a 24:33. Hadleigh Rhodes started the race, but was unable to finish. All girls put their heart and spirit in this race.
Erik Nelson led the JV boys with a 19:47, another PR, closely followed by Natan Lailari who obtained a PR of 20:08. Jesse S also obtained a PR with a time of 20:20. Brendon Patierno and Jeremy Brown joined the bandwagon of PRs with a time of 20:24 and 20:31 respectively. Patrick Lee attacked the Glory Days course with a time of 20:41, and close behind, yet with another PR was Blake Hauter, who also achieved a time of 21:10 . The next group of runners, 3 seconds apart where Drew Garrison, Matt Sese and Ismael Campero, with the times of 21:44, 21:45 and 21:47. Up next was Brian Highnam, sprinting up hills and dodging fellow competitors, with a time of 22:36. John Glover was close behind with a time of 22:36. Overall, the Mason JV boys placed 18th out of 28.
The next race was the JV girls, finishing second overall as a team. This is due to the girl's excellent times and effort throughout the tough course. Julia Estrada led the Mason team with a time of 21:03, placing third overall. Hailey Thomas. and Kelly Ready passed competitors with times of 22:12 and 22:14. Nicole Peyton was next, running an excellent time of 23:12. Hannah Beaman ran a 23:18, followed by Rosalyn Kaddache, obtaining a PR of 23:38. Up next was Brittany Rorrer with a time of 23:56, closely followed by MC Glover with a PR of 25:20. Amanda Rolander sprinted close by, obtaining a time of 25:31.
First up for the Varsity team was Carlos Clark who led the boys with a time of 18:21, also a season PR. Daniel Benn followed close behind with a time of 19:06. Kassim Rahawi sped through competitors with a time of 19:19. Up next was a new member, Tyler Roth, with a time of 19:33. Jeff Ralph ran a time of 19:38, while Sam Parker finished with a time of 20:49.
Following this race was the Varsity B girls race. The combination of their excellent time placed them seventeenth out of 34. First crossing the finish line for the Mason ladies was Abby Perez, with a time of 21:51. Taylor Moot ran aggressively to closely follow with a time of 22:02. Karen Hamill was up next, with a fast time of 22:40. Claire Constance kept her determination of finishing the race with a wonderful time of 22:52, followed by Kelley Frank, with a time of 23:20 and Annie Geren with a 24:01. Maggie Fortenberry, however, was not able to finish the race.
Next up were the Varisity A races. First, came the boys Varisty A, lead by Jordan Robarge who obtained a season PR of 17:48. Sprinting professionally through the finish line then came Teddy Rueckert with a time of 18:02, also a season PR. Miles Butler ran an impressive race with 18:27. Louis Henninger closely followed, with a time of 18:46. Dane Warner snuck through the finish line with a fast time of 18:58.
The last race of the day, was the Varsity A girls. Natalie Young got her season PR of 18:46, followed by Eva Estrada with a time of 19:20, who also achieved a PR, finishing in sixteenth place. Mollie Breen closely followed with a time of 20:43, working off of support from her teammate that followed, Leah Roth, who obtained a PR of 21:02. Michele De Mars and Courtney Ready also worked off each other, supporting each other through the tough course and obtained the same time of 21:12. Brandy Arredondo followed with a time of 22:10. This group of girls, with their teamwork and determination, placed seventh overall.
And so the Glory Days Invitational ended. A hot race, a tough course, and eager runners combined together made this a meet Cross Country-ers will never forget. And to top it all off, following the race was the Homecoming Dance, which everyone looked forward to.
Lady Mustangs Lose To Clarke County
By Sally Blakemore (October 27, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Joy Nystrom)
Last Thursday, Mason’s Junior Varsity and Varsity volleyball teams both suffered losses to district rival, Clarke County.
The first JV game was lost 15 to 25 and the second game was lost 25 to 2. Freshman Joy Nystrom, played an exceptionally good game as the middle hitter. Freshman Rachel Bell played a great game as well. Unfortunately the efforts of every member on the JV team weren’t enough to defeat Clarke.
The Varsity lost three games in a row to Clarke. The first game was lost 25 to 21. The second game seemed to be quite rough, with an end score of 25 to 7. In the last game though, Mason rebounded, but still lost, with a final score of 25 to 18.
Unfortunately, this was the last home game for the volleyball team. On Tuesday, the girls will take on Madison. Good luck ladies!
Three Cheers for Coach Bird!
By Becca Ward (October 27, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Becca Ward)
Many Mason parents, faculty members, students, and athletes were exposed to a wretched disease last year: lack-of-cheerleaders-itis.
But with a new year come fresh opportunities, and an innovative coach. Coach Beth Bird, a cheerleader since the age of eight, has stepped onto the field, making a new name for fall and winter cheerleading.
Coach Bird explains, “My primary plan is to re-build; to ensure a strong foundation for the future, as well as a positive image for the squad. My hope is that all the cheerleaders will have fun cheering, stand proud for what and who they are cheering for, and to be strong role-models for their school and community.”
Some goals she has for this season and next are to increase the squad size and have at least 8-10 individuals for the winter (including guys), to have the Fall ’09 tryouts at the end of this year so they can participate in summer camps and start practicing earlier, to have a minimum of eight people on the varsity squad, and to increase crowd participation at games.
These are only a few things that Coach Bird has in store for GM cheerleading. For more information, email Coach Bird at beth_y@hotmail.com, or check out the many posters placed around the school.
The interest meeting is on Saturday, October 25 at 12:00 p.m. in the cafeteria for any Masonites interested!
Girls Cross Country Team Wins Districts
By Louis Henninger (October 23, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Leidy Baldwin)
On October 22, the George Mason High School cross country team went out to Rappahannock County for the districts meet. The girls were the first to run and came out with an impressive first-place finish. Placing third overall and leading the Mason girls was freshman Natalie Young with a stellar time of 19:17. Following close behind and in fourth-place was freshman Eva Estrada with a time of 19:40.
The boys managed a solid second place finish while facing small minor setbacks. Sophomore Dane Warner was quickly switched to the varsity team after senior Louis Henninger was sent to the ER after suffering minor eye injuries. Senior Daniel Benn suffered from head pain and was not able to finish the race. Yet despite the unfortunate events, the varsity managed to keep itself together and run with convincing strength. Sophomore Jordan Robarge placed seventh overall with a time of 17:57 while junior Miles Butler and sophomore Matt Baker came close behind with times of 18:12 and 18:18 respectively.
But districts also marks a day of sadness when the season ends for the 43 members of the JV team. Junior Tyler Roth recalled the season by saying, “It was great and the team did exceptionally well this year; I will miss everyone very much.”
Although the varsity team mourns the loss of their beloved JV team with great sadness, they are also very excited for next week’s regional race. “We can’t stop and we won’t stop,” said varsity alternate Jeff Ralph and by the looks of the both girls and boys, the team has no plans on slowing down.
After Seven Months of Playing, Baseball is Down to Final Two Teams
By Jack Selby (October 21, 2008)
After seven long months of playing, Major League Baseball will finally know who its champion will be in mere days. The season that started in Japan on March 25, will end in either Philadelphia or Tampa Bay, a mere 13,000 mile difference.
And so is the story of our Nation’s pastime. With every season comes success, failure, triumph, adversity, and surprise, both good and bad. This season has certainly not been an exception. The local Washington Nationals continue to, in baseball terminology, “suck.” The New York Yankees played their final game at historic Yankee Stadium after 85 years of play.
And in the biggest surprise of the season, the previously pitiful Tampa Bay Rays emerged to become the champions in the American League, a prediction made in the off-season by approximately zero fans, experts, or statisticians. The Rays were able to beat the reigning champion Boston Red Sox in seven games, with Boston’s normally powerful hitters had an abysmal series.
In the World Series, the Rays will face off against the National League Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies. Not as surprising as the Rays, though still overlooked by many, the Phillies became the last team standing in an otherwise mediocre National League.
Looking back to the article written about the League Championship Series, it was correctly predicted that the Rays would win the series, although they won in seven games, not six. And I correctly predicted the Phillies would beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games (The article may say that the Dodgers would win in five games, but I can assure you that is just a typo). Now, with a looming best-of-seven series on the horizon, it is time to predict the winner of the World Series.
The wave of momentum that young Tampa Bay is currently riding is too strong to be stopped, and in a season were many experts predicted their eventual demise, Tampa Bay’s hitting and pitching have continued to produce in the pressure of the playoffs. Prediction: A Tampa Bay Rays World Series victory, something I never thought I would ever say, in six games.
Mason Suffers Sixth Straight Loss
By Jack Selby (October 21, 2008)
The George Mason Mustangs added another chapter to their so far disappointing season, losing to the Eastern View Cyclones, 47-28.
In a turn of events for Mason, the defense wound up being the team’s downfall. The Mustang defense was no match for Cyclone Running Back Stevie Strother, who gained over 250 yards rushing, and was responsible for almost all of the team’s points. It seemed that on every play where Strother got the ball, the defense either stopped him completely, or he was able to juke around them and score.
Still, Mason’s offense was far from perfect. Despite only having to punt the ball on one occasion, the Mustangs suffered from large amounts of turnovers, including fumbles that either gave the ball to the Cyclones, or stopped the play, derailing any momentum.
During the Mustang’s second drive of the game, running back John Mann fumbled the ball on three consecutive plays, a combination of miscommunication and bad snaps. As has been the story all season, even when the offense was clicking, there was seldom a play for a large gain. The majority of Mason’s drives ate up a lot of the clock, and would go on for ten plays or more.
Despite the disappointing score, there was light at the end of the tunnel for the Mustangs. Mason was able to score three of their four touchdowns in the second half, outscoring the Cyclones in the final 24 minutes. Junior kicker Manuel Viega-Diaz successfully converted on all four extra point attempts, and made a perfect onside kick attempt that led to a Mason recovery. And Junior Corner Back Yates Jordan provided a couple of highlights as well. Jordan, who had missed a significant chunk of the season with various injuries, nearly returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, narrowly being tackled by the final defender in sight at the 50 yard line. Jordan also had a majestic interception in the third quarter, jumping high in the air, and returning the ball nearly the entire length of the field, before being stopped inside the Cyclones 20 yard line.
George Mason’s record now stands at 1-6, having not won a game since their season opener against J.E.B. Stuart in late August. Mason hopes to finish strong in their remaining district games, where they stand at 0-1 after their heartbreaking Homecoming loss. The Mustangs will play Madison County this coming Friday in their final home game of the season.
PE Student Of The Month
The New Face of Physical Education
By Carlos Clark (October 21, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Rebecca Gomez)
Many students do not take PE very seriously and just think of it as a break in their school day. There are some students, though, who take their team building activities and strength training routines in the class to another level. These are students like freshman Eva Estrada, this year’s first ever, PE Student of the Month.
A strong and powerful cross-country runner, swimmer, and an excellent student, Eva enjoys participating in all aspects of school, including PE. With Pin-Dodge being her favorite PE activity, she shows her strength and bravery when running up to the line against the bigger male students at the sound of the whistle.
When not in her favorite class, Eva enjoys being in her second favorite class, lunch. Her favorite lunch is the glorious spaghetti meal. She never eats on the day of a race, though, because it is in cross country where she strives for her biggest physical accomplishments. Eva considers breaking twenty minutes in a 5k cross country race to be one of her great accomplishments.
Eva credits much of her determination and attitude in sports and academics to her mother, who was a competitive athlete at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “Just always try your best, and one day you will make it,” Eva stated during an interview following the announcement of her award. From working hard in all her classes, to being a leader, Eva Estrada has proven her talents in the classroom, in the pool, on a cross-country course in Strasburg, or on the basketball court in the pit. Eva will receive two different prizes in recognition for this award and will be joined by eight other stand-out PE students by the end of the year.
Lady Mustangs Seem To Lose Hope
By Joy Nystrom (October 17, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Joy Nystrom)
After a long chain of kills, the ladies seemed to lose their team spirit and their longing for a win.
The Strausburg Rams held the lead on the Mustangs for three games with the outcome loss of 3-0. “After the first loss they looked as if they had lost interest in the game and given up,” eighth grader Maddie Johnson commented. It was clear to see frustration and mistrust on the players faces, but also the excitement and laughter that came with a point.
Despite the fact that the Mustangs seemed to give up hope, they hustled and dove a lot. Sophomore Katie Breen was really aggressive on the court. She not only dove for balls that were thought to be dead, but she was also forceful at the net, with successful blocks and five kills.
The night brought sorrow to the courts of George Mason; however, the ladies are determined to prevail at Madison County High School on Tuesday October 21.
Mason Suffers Devastating Homecoming Loss In Double Overtime
By Jack Selby (October 15, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Shelbi Aris Taylor)
The George Mason Mustangs suffered a demoralizing loss this past Friday, losing to the Manassas Park Cougars by a score of 27-21 in double overtime. Mason not only lost their Homecoming game, but lost their first district game of the season, making any hope for a district title highly unlikely.
Unlike previous games in which numerous crippling issues resulted in Mason being blown out, the Mustangs showed no glaring weakness on either side of the ball. The offense, which had severely struggled all season, finally clicked, as junior quarterback George Kalantzis kept the offense on the field for the majority of the game. In fact, after a quick opening stop by the defense, the Mustangs held the ball on offense from the ten minute mark, all the way to the end of the quarter.
The main issue for the Mustangs on Friday was that they held the ball for so long, there were fewer total possessions, which meant fewer opportunities to score. The aforementioned drive may have taken ten minutes, but it ended in a turnover-on-downs.
Regardless, it appeared that the Mustangs were going to hold on and win, with the score 14-7 with under two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Cougars, however, were able to pull a miracle from out of nowhere, with a Hail Mary pass that would lead to a touchdown, forcing overtime.
In high school football overtime, both teams start on the opponent’s ten yard line, and have four plays to score. In the first overtime, both teams scored a touchdown and the ensuing extra point, leading to a second overtime. In the second overtime, the Cougars scored a touchdown, but had the ensuing extra point kick-blocked, meaning that if Mason could just score one more touchdown, they would likely win the game.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, this did not come to fruition. After getting the ball down to the two yard line, a run for a loss brought up a Fourth-and-Seven for Mason. Kalantzis was forced to throw up a rushed pass due to pressure from the defense, and the ball was intercepted.
The loss was a particularly bitter pill to swallow for the Mustangs. Ignoring the fact that it was a home game, or that it was district play, George Mason had never lost a Homecoming game under the reign of coach Tom Horn, winning their previous eleven. And being so close to a victory made it all the more painful to experience.
Now at 1-5, George Mason hopes to rebound from tough string of consecutive losses this coming Friday at Eastern View.
Rappahannock Tips More Than Cows
By Joy Nystrom and Becca Ward (October 15, 2008)
While on Rappahannock County’s steaming court, the Mustangs stepped up, but not enough to win.
A rowdy crowd and a plethora of tips from Rappahanock led the opposition to their victory.
Once the Lady Mustangs realized just how tough this competition was going to be, they were able to step up and read where the ball would land. Unfortunately, a lack of availability to get to these balls helped Rappahanock skyrocket.
Even with the loss, Rappahannock’s coach remarked, “I was particularly impressed with number ten, the freshman on your team. I was also really impressed that you guys never gave up, that you kept trying and you guys really hustled after every ball. It takes a long time to build a program in this crazy district. It all comes with your experience. I have three seniors on my team who have made it all the way to state finals” commented Rappahannock coach Scott Wilde after the matches.
Freshman Bria Platenburg led the team in aces and kills. The front row players were able to stay strong, but the serve receive suffered with the loss of morale.
Though the Lady Mustangs lost 3-0, they fought throughout the trio of matches.
The Mustangs will play at home on Thursday October 16 at 7:00 p.m.
Mustang Drama On The Court
By: Joy Nystrom and Becca Ward (October 10, 2008)
The Lady Mustangs suffered in their game on October 9, due to problems that should have been left off the court.
With another loss for the Lady Mustangs, it was not their skills that kept them from achieving a victory, but their own problems that got in the way of the game. “From afar the team looks like they have the skills to beat anyone. When up close you can see a look of dissatisfaction on all their faces,” Joy Nystrom reports after the game.
The Cougars beat out the Mustangs 3-0; though it was an intense game, it was indeed a loss. Spectator Rita Nystrom said, “The game was a nail biter. I couldn’t even watch all the plays.”
It is not quite clear what has happened to the Lady Mustangs these past couple of games but if they all pull together as a team, they can achieve success.
In Cool Autumn Weather, Major League Baseball Heats Up
By Jack Selby (October 10, 2008)
It’s October, and that can only mean two things:
1) Halloween is fast approaching.
2) The Major League Baseball playoffs are unfolding.
With Halloween not taking place for another three weeks, everyone’s attention is placed squarely on baseball. And rightly so.
Each year, the playoffs provide fans of all kinds with countless memories. Even the new millennium has given us numerous moments that will be permanently etched in our memories:
There was President Bush throwing out the first pitch of game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks. The deafening chants of “U.S.A.!; U.S.A.!” from the New York crowd provided one of the most bone-chilling experiences for television viewers of all time (and for the record, the President threw a perfect strike).
In 2004, after 86 years of not winning a World Series, the Boston Red Sox finally broke the Curse of the Bambino. The story of the Curse arises from the folk lore that the owner of the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in exchange for some money to fund a Broadway musical [Note: The actual story is not quite as true, but for the purpose of the story, let’s pretend that it is.]. The Red Sox then went on to have 86 failed World Series attempts, while the Yankees went on to win 26.
Ironically, the next season, the Chicago White Sox won their first World Series in 88 years. However, this story did not receive nearly as much attention, because the White Sox had no silly curse attached to their failure.
The 2008 Playoffs have been underway for over a week now, and while there have not been any memorable moments so far, it has been chocked full of surprises. The heavily favored Chicago Cubs, who have not won a World Series since 1908 (that is not a typo) were dominated in a three game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that few experts picked to win any games at all, much less the series. And the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (again, not a typo), who had the best record in baseball, were beaten in the first round by the aforementioned Boston Red Sox.
Now, the League Championship Series are underway in both the American League and the National League, with the winners of the series advancing to the World Series. In the American League, two division rivals will square off in a best-of-seven series, with the Boston Red Sox facing off against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rays are perhaps the most surprising playoff team of all time in any sport. Entering the season, the Rays (formerly the “Devil Rays”) had been the laughing stock of the baseball world, finishing in last place all but one year since their inception in 1998. However, with a new name, new talent, and a new determination, the Rays shocked the world by storming out of the gate, staying in first place for almost the entire season. The Rays further proved that they were for real by beating the Chicago White Sox in the first round of the playoffs.
The Rays and Red Sox played each other eighteen times during the regular season, with the Rays winning ten. In the series, the Red Sox have the better hitting team, while the Rays have the advantage in pitching. While the Red Sox certainly have more experience than the young Tampa team, I think that the Rays’ young, fresh legs will come in handy in a potential seven game series. I predict the Rays to win the series in six games.
In the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies are squaring off against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers received a much needed offensive boost in a mid season trade to acquire All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox. Ramirez has been on an offensive tear in the two months playing for Los Angeles, and he will prove to be too much for the Phillies pitching staff to handle. I predict a Dodgers victory in five games.
Who will win the World Series? Stay tuned to find out.
Homecoming Football Game
By Derek Driggers (October 9, 2008)
On Friday, October 10 our Mason Mustangs are taking on Manassas Park at our own Moore-Cadillac Stadium. It will be Mason’s Homecoming game, and our first district game. Although our team plays hard each week, we can not seem to pull off a win as our record remains 1-4. Mason’s offense is looking to improve and perform significantly better than previous games. Hopefully we can pull off a win and celebrate a victory over the Cougars this Friday night-- with your support, maybe we can.
Powder-Puff: Seniors Win 6-0
By: Rebecca Gomez (October 8, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Sally Blakemore)
For the past month, girls of the junior and senior class have been taking part in an extracurricular activity that may surprise the average person; football practice, otherwise known as Powder-puff football.
Both teams began holding weekly practice within the first few weeks of the school year, prepping for the one and only game where the have get their chance to shine. “They take it so seriously!” laughs senior Karla Torres.
Their hard work paid off this past Monday, October 6, when black and white filled the Moore Cadillac Stadium for the annual Powder-Puff football game. Junior and senior players and coaches enthusiastically revved up for the game, and the excitement was palpable. Senior girls had the first play, and while they came close to the end-zone twice, the half time score still came out to be 0-0.
Not far into second half, senior Virginia Frense flew by the juniors nearly 15 yards, scoring the first an only touchdown of the game. The juniors made a valiant attempt for a comeback, and had a clutch 25 yard catch thrown by junior quarterback, Nicole Mitchell, to junior running back, Karen Hamill. However, with under a minute left on the 15-yard line, juniors made two incompletions while going for a touchdown, giving the win to the seniors.
Despite the rivalry between the seniors and juniors, both teams went out with grace, each team congratulating the other on a game well played.
“I like that we practiced several times a week. We really got to bond as a team, and as a class really. It gave us a good opportunity to do another sport, too,” says junior, Becca Ward.
Senior Shelbi Taylor agrees, saying, “Powder-puff is a really good opportunity for me to hang out with girls I normally wouldn’t. It’s really fun, the leadership is great. Our coaches work really well with us to teach us the techniques of football. It’s a great bonding experience playing something girls normally wouldn’t play.”
While both grades may agree that Powder-puff is a fun bonding experience all in the name of that foreign sport called football, but they will never agree on one thing. Who will win spirit week? “SENIORS DOMINATE,” professes senior coach, Andrew Lieber. “JUNIORS ARE SUPERIOR!” cries junior Nicole Mitchell. Who is right? With just two days left in spirit week, time will shortly tell.
Eagles Swoop Down on Mustangs
By Joy Nystrom and Becca Ward (October 8, 2008)
The Tuesday volleyball game against rivals Clarke County brought confusion and complexity to the court.
Sophomore Katie Breen and freshman Bria Platenburg led the mustangs with strong serves, but that wasn’t enough.
Out of their normal rotation, the front and back row players would often look to Coach Rizzi for some form of verification of their place on the court. Five points were lost to misplacement of the players.
Although the serve receive was suffering, juniors Becca Ward and Christina Perez pulled together with their spikes to account for some of their team’s lost points. “We didn’t play our best, but we expect to step it up on Thursday,” explains Becca Ward.
Thursday, October 9 is the homecoming volleyball game against the Manassas Park Cougars. Spirit points will be awarded to fans that arrive for either the JV or varsity game. JV kicks off at 5 p.m., with a follow up of varsity at 6.
Many Personal Records At Octoberfest Invitational
By Leidy Baldwin (October 7, 2008)
(Photo credit: Louis Henninger)
Watch out because the Mason Cross Country team destroyed the Great Meadows course with PRs this weekend. In other words, more than half the members of the team finished with personal records. The combined efforts of the boys and girls team were displayed this weekend at Saturday's Octoberfest Invitational. Legs were moving, arms were pumping, and hearts were beating faster than ever before.
The vigor of the boys’ team placed them 29th out of 47 teams. Freshman Jordan Robarge and Junior Miles Butler led them with times of 17:51 and 17:53. More of the varsity team was pushed by juniors Matt Baker and Teddy Rueckert who finished with an 18:08 and18:26. Closing the varsity's endless determination was senior Louis Henninger in 18:37, sophomore Dane Warner in 18:53, and sophomore Daniel Drawbaugh with a 19:03.
The girls’ team sped past their competition and placed 6th out of 38 teams. Freshman Natalie Young received a medal for finishing 6th out of 273 competitors. Freshman Eva Estrada and sophomore Mollie Breen swiftly ran times of 20:18 and 20:51. The following pack of motivated freshmen includes Michele De Mars, Leah Roth, and Claire Constance. They pushed their limits in 21:08, 21:10, and 22:15. More top 7 runners include Courtney Ready, Karen Hamill, Taylor Moot, and Abby Perez.
The Invitational was an overall success, and as Coach Herrington excitedly stated, "It was a day of Prrring!"
Mason Offense Continues To Struggle In Fourth Straight Loss
By Jack Selby (October 6, 2008)
After yet another lackluster performance by their offense, the George Mason Mustangs head into their Homecoming game against Manassas Park with a record of 1-4. This comes on the heels of a 31-14 defeat at the hand of the Goochland Bulldogs.
But the outcome was not a complete surprise; the Mustangs did not practice on Monday and for most of Tuesday due to player-related issues. This meant that the Mustangs had only two days to learn and install an entirely new offensive formation. Coach Tom Horn put a quarterback back under center, abandoning the practice of directly snapping the football to the running back. Horn also moved the entire offensive line, save for one tight-end, on either the right or the left side of the center.
A combination of lacking time to properly learn the offense, combined with costly turnovers early in the game, resulted in just 14 points on the scoreboard for George Mason, with seven of those coming late in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of hand.
Goochland came into the game with the same 1-3 record as the Mustangs, having lost many senior starters, including star wide receiver D.J. Coles. After years of being a local powerhouse, the Bulldogs came into Friday’s game just looking for a win of any sort. The mission was a success, with the Bulldogs scoring on the opening drive and never looking back. The win came at price, though-- senior wide receiver Chris Osborne suffered a devastating leg injury after a 40 yard catch on the second drive of the game. The injury was so severe that the game was delayed for approximantly 25 minutes while an ambulance was attending to Osborne.
The Mustangs were not able to capitalize on the situation though, as the Bulldogs scored on the following play with a run up the middle. And after scoring on their first possession, the Mustangs were not able to garner any more points until late in the fourth quarter, with running back Charlie Mann scoring the game’s final touchdown.
The Mustangs look to end their so-far-disappointing non-district play with a bang, with their Homecoming game this Friday at 7:30 pm against Manassas Park.
Talk, Talk, Talk
By Joy Nystrom (October 3, 2008)
.jpg)
(Photo Credit: Joy Nystrom)
The Lady Mustangs volleyball team took on two teams last week, gained two losses, and took a big step away from each other.
“The team fought, but we were able to bring it together in the end,” stated sophomore Katie Breen after the game against Madison County High School. The team did not work to their regular standard; they had a lot of miscommunications, drop balls, and a lot of frustration. But when it came down to the last few points of the third game, they stepped up and took charge the Mason way. Junior Taylor Bottock had a great rally of serves towards the end with two aces and three other great serves, and sophomore Rachel Hassan had three aces and her other serves were very consistent.
Having team spirit and communication is usually what these girls are all about. They know how to take something bad and make the best of it; they can take two points and turn it into twelve with focus and determination. “Our team is good. I think they were focused and they did want to win. They just didn’t come out fired up and when we don’t come out swinging and fighting we have a hard time,” Coach Rizzi explained.
On Tuesday, the ladies played Strausburg High School and lost 3-0. This game also had a lot of miscommunication and mistakes. The lady mustangs have three games next week against Potomac Falls High School, Manassas Park High school and will then venture to Clarke County to face the school rivals.
Mustangs Fall To 1-3 After Shutout
By Jack Selby (September 30, 2008)
The George Mason Mustang football team suffered their third consecutive loss of the season, losing to the Luray Bulldogs 16-0 last Friday night. The loss comes after a bye week, meaning that the Mustangs have not won a game since their season opener at home against J.E.B. Stuart over a month prior, a game that was won with a touchdown with less than a minute left to play.
Despite a strong showing from the defense, Mason’s offense continued their struggles to create any type of rhythm, resulting in being shutout for the first time in nearly two years.
The Bulldogs began the game strong, scoring on the opening drive of the game on a 20 yard touchdown pass. Despite many Mustang drives that ended up in Bulldog territory, none of them were successful in putting points on the board.
The game remained 7-0 for the remainder of the first half, and for much of the second one as well. However, a touchdown and a field goal late in the game proved to be the dagger in Mason’s heart.
After a disappointing 1-3 start, George Mason looks to rally back at home this Friday against winless Goochland High School, a team that the Mustangs have faced seven times in the previous five seasons.
With a Trio of Losses, Mason Volleyball Only Gets Stronger
By: Joy Nystrom and Becca Ward (September 26, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Joy Nystrom)
This week was especially tough on the Lady Mustangs. With a discouraging defeat to Briar Woods High School at home on Monday, the away game at Manassas Park on Tuesday was taken as a challenge.
With the loss of the starting outside hitter and captain, Gwen Edwards, junior, morale was low. Players Becca Ward and Christel De Ocampo had to step up and try to make up for the absence. The Manassas Park Cougars’ starting line-up consisted of all seniors, whereas the Mustangs were lead by their four juniors. “It was complicated playing out of rotation and having big shoes to fill. Even though we lost, we walked away knowing we played our best,” said Becca Ward, junior.
The first home district game against the Rappahannock Panthers on Thursday brought a new sense of family to the team. “Watching the third varsity game in one week, it was easy for me to tell how much they’ve grown as a team, in spirit and in unity,” reports freshman JV captain Joy Nystrom.
The next game is Tuesday, September 30 at Strausburg High School at 7:15. Fans are encouraged to go and support the Lady Mustangs!
Champions Return from Pennsylvania
By Carlos Clark ( September 24, 2008 )
Over September 19 and 20, the top seven varsity boys and top eight girls of the Mustang’s cross country teams spent their time up in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Being from out of state, the Mustangs needed to prove the skill of Virginian running. The boy’s team started the show with impressive races by all of its runners.
Leading the boys was junior Miles Butler with a time of 17:44.9 and an overall place of thirty eighth. Right behind Miles was Jordan Robarge, a sophomore, who posted a time of 17:52.6 and an overall placement of forty first. Daniel Benn (18.01.4), Matt Baker (18.08.3), Nick Smriniotopolous (18.26.6), Louis Henninger (18.30.5), and Kassim Rahawi (19.00.4) followed with just over a minute spread between Miles and Kassim.
Rahawi stated after returning from the trip, “I was glad to be there and proud of how we finished and raced.” The team celebrated an overall placement of eighth and proved the skill of Virginian running.
Taking the Pennsylvanian invitational by placing first overall, the ladies also had the individual runner-up leading their team. Natalie Young, a young freshman, led the Mustangs with a time of 19:07.2 and was only three seconds behind the meet’s champion from a different school. Eva Estrada, another fast freshman, ran a 20:19.4 and placed eleventh overall. Following Eva was Mollie Breen (20:36.9), Brandy Arredondo (21:07.3), Michele de Mars (21:31.7), Karen Hamill (22:17.1), and Leah Roth (22.20.1). With four of the top seven girls being freshman, and two being sophomores and no seniors, the Lady Mustangs have a young, fast team with many years of success ahead of them.
“We have this year to do great things, and the following year to do even better,” commented junior Karen Hamill. Claire Constance, another freshman, currently eighth on the girls team, ran in the Junior Varsity race and took fifth place overall with a time of 22:05.1 and will be a helping member of the varsity girls team.
Mustangs Go 11-0 Wrapping Up Regular Season
By Reid Mene (September 24, 2008)
On Wednesday, September, 23, the Mason golf team finished up their regular season undefeated. They went 11-0 for the third year in a row. The Mustangs played Manassas Park, and the win was a breeze for these Mason golfers. The Mustangs finished up with a total of 176, and Manassas Park ended the day with a total of 198.
The team was yet again led by junior Michael Wolf with a low of 40 for the day. Senior Michael Ward finished the day with his carrier low of a 44, and Ward was followed up by Seniors Tim Hillegass and Chris Ann coming in with a 46.
The Mustangs will begin the District Tournament where they will play at Jackson Chase golf course on Monday, September 29, with tee times starting as early as 10 am.
Since the team went undefeated, they will automatically be going to Regionals. Let’s hope the best for our Mustang golfers in their matches to come.
Setting The Standard
By Joy Nystrom (September 24, 2008)
(Photo credit: Joy Nystrom)
Fourteen years of volleyball can come in handy when you are the new varsity volleyball coach at Mason. During the day at school she is known as Mrs. Rizzi, but on the court she is known as Coach or Coach Rizzle.
Being a new coach can be hard; not knowing any of the players, not knowing how they do things, if they are good etc, but from the first moment that she was introduced to the players of George Mason, she had an instant connection with them all. They all loved her fun-loving personality and her love for the game.
“My goal for this team is that they all become aggressive players, have a passion to play, and create life long volleyball players, not just seasonal players,” Coach Rizzi explains.
Her love for the game and her passion to coach is exactly what this team needs. “She has sparked a sense of productivity and revived the struggling volleyball team. She has been an influence on grades communication, and hard work,” Becca Ward stated.
After coming to Mason last year, she saw the school’s need for a coach and she figured her life long experience in volleyball and her previous two years of coaching at Trinity University would come in handy. Coach Rizzi believes that the best way to inspire a team is to lead by example and be passionate about what it is she is doing. “Preseason. The teambuilding, unity, and the first win, that is my favorite part of coaching,” she explains.
After playing for such a long time, it is assumed that Coach Rizzi would have a lot of favorite memories, but her favorite memory of all that time was when she played for Catholic University of America and her team made it to the NCAA championship for the first time in the history of her school. Her favorite Mason memory so far is when she went to camp with the team preseason and was presented with her Coach Rizzle t-shirt and the amazing play that Rachel Hassan had in the team’s game on September 8, 2008.
She gets her inspiration from Jason Lezak who is an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist. As coach Rizzi would say “Leave it to Lezak.”
Fantasy Land: First Installment
By Quinn Casteel (September 18, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Quinn Casteel)
Every year, millions of people worldwide take part in the gridiron dream world known as fantasy football. Fantasy games have evolved into a cornerstone of the professional sports world, and generate vast amounts of interest in regular season games that may not otherwise attract viewers.
The objective of fantasy football is to compose a virtual team of NFL offensive players as well as a team defense who are projected to compile statistically successful seasons. Fantasy players take part in a draft to acquire players, and create a starting lineup with players they think will perform the best on a given week. Trading, free agents, and waiver wire are the post-draft methods of player acquisitions. Weekly head-to-head match ups help create a more competitive atmosphere. All of the stats and standings are automatically updated on hosting websites such as Yahoo and ESPN.
At Mason, fantasy football is something that has caught on over the past few years as several leagues have sprouted up among NFL fans. It provides some friendly, yet intense competition that encourages trash talking and negotiating, as well as giving wannabe general managers something to talk about on Monday mornings.
Probably the most prominent fantasy league at Mason is among some high rolling juniors. The league is entering its third season with nine returning players. Seven of these players go to Mason, and were kind enough to answer the following questions regarding the league:
- What is your team name and why?
- What was your strategy entering the draft?
- Who are your favorite picks at this point in the season?
- Who will be your best sleepers this season?
- Who is your least favorite pick right now?
- How do you think your team will fare this season?
- In your opinion, who has the worst team?
|
1. My team name is the Hogettes because I am a die hard ‘Skins fan and there are no bigger skins fans than the Hogettes. |
|
1. Note: Team name was not deemed appropriate for this story |
|
1. Arcade Fire because I always name my team after a band that I'm currently obsessed with, and this year it turned out to be a pretty nasty team name. |
|
1. Note: Team name was not deemed appropriate for this story. |
|
1. Immortality. It suits my confidence level and hopefully be a prediction of my team's record. |
|
1. My team name is Victory. That pretty much says it all for how I’m going to do this year. |
|
1. My team name is Chain Gang. I don't really have a reason for picking it, I just thought it was kind of clever. |
Football
Mustangs Fall For Second Week In A Row
Jack Selby (September 18, 2008)
For the second consecutive week, the George Mason Mustangs suffered a disappointing loss, this time to Generals of Stonewall Jackson, by a score of 28-13.
After suffering a loss at Page County in their first road game of the season, the Mustangs continued to show any type of flow on the offensive end. While the Mustangs had a handful of large pass gains that led to scores, they were not enough to put a dent in the General’s defense.
After being shut out in the first half, junior Ben Taylor provided the Mustangs with their two biggest gains, both of which set up Mason touchdowns. The first play was a 35 yard pass to Senior Joel Chandler. The other play was a nearly 60 yard run up the sideline that bought the Mustangs a chance to tie the game at 14 near the end of the third quarter.
However, the ensuing extra point attempt by Junior Manuel Viega-Diaz was blocked, leaving the score at 14-13, and derailing Mason’s momentum. The loss of Chandler to a left knee injury at the end of the third quarter severely hurt Mason’s running game. The Generals put the game away in the fourth quarter, scoring two more touchdowns to put the final score at
George Mason receives a much needed bye week this week, followed by a non-district road game against the Luray Bulldogs on the 28th.
Volleyball
Sophomore Power
By Joy Nystrom (September 16, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Joy Nystrom)
At last Monday night’s volleyball game, sophomore Rachel Hassan stole the court with sets, serves, and passes.
The sophomore thundered across the court leading the team with great sets and exceptional serves. Though the mustangs lost the game against Briar Woods High School 0-3, they put up a great fight. Hassan, stealing the crowd and points, was fired up for a win.
Though Rachel had an amazing night there were others on the team who excelled. Freshman Bria Platenburg had four kills throughout all the games. However it was truly the sophomores who stepped up to the plate. Sophomore Katie Breen also led the team with three kills.
“We really worked together as a team and tried our hardest, which was really tough considering everything we've been through these past couple weeks,” Rachel Hassan stated after the game. Losing three players can be hard on a team but these girls knew how to handle it; by playing their game.
The next game will be at Park View High School on Friday September 18, 2008.
Golf Greatness
By Reid Mene (September 16, 2008)
(Photo Credit: Reid Mene)
It’s been over two years since the Mason golf team has lost a match. During this time they have had two coaches and three different number-one players. The team has won the district tournament the past two seasons, and they are 8-0 this season under new head coach Chris Carrico.
It’s no surprise this year that the Mustangs are expected to win the district. They field six golfers who can shoot in the low 80s. No Mason golf team has ever advanced beyond the regionals. “Maybe they will make it to states this year. Anything is possible,” says coach Carrico.
In their last match, the Mustangs played Madison County High School, winning handily. The match score for Mason’s was 175 to Madison’s 196. (In golf you want the lower score.) Senior Drew Davies and Junior Michael Wolf tied for the best rounds of the day, both shooting 42. Senior Chris An shot a 46, and Junior Evans Mandes rounded out the top four scorers for Mason with a 45. If you didn’t know, golf team match play, each team plays six golfers, counting the four lowest scores of each team to determine the winning team. The Madison County top scores were 45, 48, 51, and 52.
The Mustangs have two more Bull Run District matches to finish league play before the District Tournament. "I'm very proud to be a part of the Mason golf team. We have formed a sense of brotherhood among each other, and it’s also a plus that we are amazing," coach Carrico says.
The Mustangs will play Clark County on Tuesday. They play a non-district match against Washington and Lee on Thursday, and then finish the regular season against Manassas Park next Tuesday.