By: Dallas Moyes The state wrestling tournament was held on February 14 and the 15 and, as always, many wrestlers from Bear River High School made their competitive presence known. Each year, the wrestling team shows up to the tournament meaning business.The school’s reputation for wrestling is like none other. Other schools and coaches know what Bear River Wrestling is capable of. People expect greatness from Bear River every year and the team always delivers. This year the team took third overall out of every 4A school in Utah. With no surprise, Bear River had three state champions this year: Maverik Skinner, Jeshua Koch, and Trenton Ward.
Trenton Ward explained what it takes to become a state champ: “For me to become a state champ it took so much practice and a lot of extra work put in over summertime, at home, and even after practices.” Ward took the title this year at the state wrestling tournament. It has been Ward’s goal to become a state champion since he started wrestling. Though it would be easy to, Ward doesn’t give all the credit to himself. He gives credit to Coach Jason Bingham for pushing him to be the wrestler he is today. Ward said that becoming a state champion was no easy task and the hardest part of the grind was keeping track of and cutting his weight. Most wrestlers agree that this is the most difficult part of wrestling. Wrestlers go on a crazy diet and arguably the worst part of the diet is the low amount of water wrestlers are permitted to consume. Being a wrestler is not an easy way to live. Although it seems like being a state champion wrestler is too difficult, Ward explains that everything came together perfectly in order for him to win his final match.
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By: Jacob Jensen It’s always a big deal to our community when students from Bear River High School excel in a sport or activity. It’s an even bigger deal when they are recognized enough to have the opportunity to display their talents at a post high school institution. Caeden Miller, a Bear River senior, has earned a spot on William Penn University’s lacrosse team through his hard work. William Penn is a University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and they recently added lacrosse to their list of sports they endorse.
Caeden Miller has been playing lacrosse for nine years now and was part of the Bear River lacrosse team when they were founded, and was one of the captains during his sophomore and junior year. Miller chose to play for William Penn for many reasons: they have great facilities, they also have a good coach. Miller stated about the coach, “He grew up in Utah too, so he is super relatable.” Miller also liked the fact that William Penn has a newly sanctioned lacrosse team like Bear River. William Penn also has one of the best programs that Miller wants to major in: digital communications. Caeden knows many people at William Penn which will help with the transition. He has many former teammates who are on the team and an old neighbor who plays for their baseball team. Miller expects a lot of hard work to be put into the season: “It’ll be a grind for sure. The team is in its first year this season, so when I go there it’ll be their second, so it’ll be interesting to watch and gain experience”. Miller is excited for the season, “I am just grateful to get to play the game I love so much.” He plans on going straight to William Penn this coming fall. By: Rheagen Hartfiel Bailey Theurer recently recovered from a torn ACL and is ready more than ever to make a comeback her senior year. During her junior year, Theurer tore her ACL while participating in the flag football game. However, she has always had knee problems. In consequence of this accident, she was out for quite awhile with a long recovery ahead of her. She was also part of the basketball team in her junior year, but was physically unable to play.
Theurer was out for a little over six months, but she was able to come back to the last few softball games and pitched. She was supposed to be the starting pitcher, but with her torn ACL, she wasn't able to start until she was completely healed. Although it was difficult, Theurer remarked how she has “learned a lot of patience from not being able to play.” Sitting on the bench was very different from actually being on the field: she noticed different details of the game. So with this experience, she was able to see things that she wasn't able to ever see while she was playing. In the last two weeks of her junior year, she was able to pitch a little; she pitched at region and at state. Thuerer said her emotions were like a roller coaster and she recalled how scared she was to go to state, but as soon as she got out on that field, she did what was needed. Last year, the team exceeded people’s expectations and Thuerer is hoping to accomplish that again this year. In the summertime, she started traveling again with her competitive team. She said it was kind of hard when she first started because of her physical barriers. Theurer has pitching lessons two to three times a week and also pitches every day on her own to increase her strength and prepare for the upcoming season. She's most excited to be able to finally play her original position. This year she is still wary about her team placing at region and state, but she believes that the younger ages will have a positive effect. Her final year, Theurer has been through a lot and has had such a positive attitude through it all. She is excited to see what her senior year of softball has for her. By: Braxton Cunningham Photo Credit: BRHS Admin. Sky View student body wearing red (their opponents' school color) to support Coach Reggie Shaw. On Friday, January 31, the Bear River boys basketball team went to go play against Sky View and ended up getting a surprise from Sky View’s student section. The student section decided to wear red to support Coach Shaw and his journey with the recent discovery of a brain tumor. They also gave Coach Shaw a shout out after the Bear River starting five was introduced. This was a very generous gesture from Sky View and was proof that sportsmanship and respect is not lost among student athletes and their schools.
Competition can be used as motivation to go out there and perform successfully, but sometimes that can get in the way of being a good teammate or a respectable opponent. The tribute Sky View paid to Coach Shaw and Bear River was impressively considerate for being an opponent. Bear River Junior, Trevin Toone, who is part of the team, witnessed the event and remarked, “I think it’s cool to see the region come together like how they did. It’s nice to see them as friends and not just opponents.” Unfortunately for Bear River, they did end up losing to Sky View by a score of 89-57, but this did not lessen the impact of what Sky View did for Coach Shaw. What’s even cooler about this gesture is that Coach Shaw is new to Bear River: this is his first year coaching here. Other schools in this region have performed very sportsmanship actions including the poster that Ridgeline brought and the check Mountain Crest gave Coach Shaw to help with medical expenses. Toone responded to these actions saying that “it kind of adds onto the pride that’s already there because it’s a tough region and all the teams are tough and respectable. Seeing these actions that the schools in the region are taking is pretty cool and something that I think we should take to heart.” We need to remember to be grateful for this great school we have and the great region we live in and always exemplify good sportsmanship. By: Dallas Moyes It’s always exciting when new activities or sports are added to Bear River High School. This school year, one of the biggest additions is the newly sanctioned sport of lacrosse. Lacrosse has always been played in the valley, but it was never considered a high school sport until now. Many girls and boys play this springtime sport but they all play on club teams, or at least they used to.
There are many benefits to having lacrosse become a high school sport. Students can have absences for games become school excused, they can receive school transportation, and generally receive school support and recognition. Within the past few years, there has been a significant push to make lacrosse a sanctioned sport and supported by the school. All of the hard work that came from parents and players has paid off and now lacrosse is sanctioned. Easton Eggli, a well respected player on the high school lacrosse team, has seen the process of the Bear River Lacrosse team from its small beginnings.. He was overjoyed when lacrosse became a high school sanctioned sport. When asked what the biggest benefit of becoming sanctioned he said, “Being able to have busses take us to our games.” With the lacrosse team being sanctioned, it will bring a sense of belonging to the players that they have sought after for years. Eggli confidently explained that this year the team will be very strong and they are ready to represent Bear River High School. With six seniors in the squad, the first year of high school lacrosse is sure to be a good one. Tryouts are February 24 and all are welcome to come. It’s a new sport that is drawing a lot of boys and girls in because of the friendships and bonds it offers. The coaches and players are trying to build the organization so come out and give lacrosse a try. A new sport is in town and it looks like it’s going to make a big impact. By: Rheagen Hartfiel Photo Credit: Taylie Nessen Brooklyn Stevenson, a senior, is one of the top varsity golfers on the girls’ golf team. She is predicting a regional title this upcoming season. The head golf coach is Jimmy Thomas; he’s been head coach for six years and coached Stevenson since she was a freshman. To make her prediction a reality, Stevenson has been attending open gyms to get ready for the tryouts, and their first tournament which is coming up in March.
Stevenson's favorite part of golf this year is the opportunity she has to end her senior year with a bang. This year, Stevenson believes that their biggest competition is going to be Ridgeline. Because Ridgeline lost a lot of seniors last year, Stevenson said, “I think we're going to be the top dogs of the region.” The girls’ golf team has four strong seniors that have been golfing as part of the varsity team since freshman year. Stevenson also has confidence that Andi Gardner, a sophomore, has really improved personally, which in turn helps the team out. She has been getting lessons all summer and has seen improvement in her golf game. Stevenson herself has been seeing a swing coach this past summer and has been doing more summer tournaments to try and advance her techniques. From practicing this summer, Stevenson has seen progress in her score and is hoping to keep growing for the upcoming season. Upcoming tournaments are on Mondays and Thursdays. They only have eight tournaments this year, and only one or two preseason tournaments. The weather has a big affect on how Stevenson performs. She said that when it's snowing and cold she doesn't play as well. She also said that her golf opponent affects her strategies. The hardest part about golf is staying mentally positive and having a good attitude. If you don’t have any of those two you won't perform to the best of your ability. Golf is such a mental game and that's why some may struggle to play because it's so mental that they can't handle it. In golf, there are so many strategies and you have to be on your toes and know what you will be doing next. By: Jacob Jensen On Sunday, January 26th, it seemed as if the world stopped with the death of the legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant. Kobe died alongside his 13 year old daughter, Gianna, and seven other passengers in a helicopter crash. Typically, a helicopter crash in Calabasas California wouldn’t make it in a school newspaper in Garland, Utah, but Kobe was no typical person. Kobe (also known as the Black Mamba) had millions of fans who absolutely adored his competitive attitude, his work ethic, and the passion he showed every time he was on the basketball court. Many students here at Bear River grew up watching Kobe play and idolized him.
Anthony Wong is a senior who loved watching Kobe Bryant play, even to the point where he enjoyed watching Kobe beat his favorite teams. When asked about what made him a Kobe fan, Anthony said, “His mentality and love for the game was what initially drew me to him.” Anthony’s favorite memory of Kobe is when he tore his Achilles tendon but still went on to shoot his free throws. Anthony said that when he found out about Kobe’s accident he could not believe it saying, “Kobe’s a legend; he can’t be dead.” Senior Keaten Berret is also a die-hard Kobe fan. Keaten’s family has always watched Kobe’s games, making him very familiar with his game. Keaten even went as far to say, “If I could be any basketball player, I’d be Kobe.” At the time of Kobe’s death, Keaten said that he was so shocked he couldn’t think straight for days. “It was hard to comprehend what happened,” says Keaten. Tragedies are a common thing in life, and sadly not even our favorite heroes can escape them. Kobe Bryant wouldn’t want his fans to get hung up on his death, though. The best way to honor his memory would be to show passion and competitiveness in everything we do like the Black Mamba would’ve done. By: Jacob Jensen We are less than one month away from the State Wrestling Tournament and things are looking bright for Bear River. The past decade, Bear River Wrestling has performed well at state, and it appears the same will hold true this year. The team is feeling confident with a record of 15 wins and 2 losses. Bear River was last ranked 17th in the whole state, and that was before they dominated in Vegas. After coming up third in last year's state tournament, the wrestling team is hoping to bring the title back to Garland.
Paxton Smith is a senior varsity wrestler who competes in the 195 pound weight class. Smith has wrestled with the team all four years of high school, and has seen many teams come and go. Every year that Smith has been on the team, they have done generally well in the tournament, but they haven’t won. When asked if the team’s mentality or game plan has changed throughout the years, Smith said, “We’ve been about the same every year, it's just a matter of whether we can step it up.” This year, Bear River’s biggest threat is going to be Mountain Crest. Mountain Crest is one of the top teams in the entire state and will be the team to beat. According to Smith, Bear River is going to have to improve their physicality if they are going to be able to topple Mountain Crest: “We have the talent we just need to keep working hard,'' says Smith. With the tournament coming up on February 15th, it is time to get excited for Bear River Wrestling. Although the competition is going to be a challenge this year, it looks like the Bears have what it takes to move to the next level. By: Dallas Moyes Junior Jazz is an organization designed to teach the concepts and techniques of the game to adolescents. Rather than learning the game of basketball, high school age boys and girls play Jr. Jazz primarily to have fun and goof off. Emilio Mendoza, a senior here at Bear River High School, loves Jr. Jazz for that reason. Here in the Bear River Valley, Jr. Jazz is taken both seriously and as a joke. Athletes who want to play basketball, but don’t have the time, commitment, or skill to play high school ball usually play Jr. Jazz basketball. Jr. Jazz is so appealing because it has a reputation of being pretty low key.
Student athletes playing Jr. Jazz come up with fun ways to make playing more enjoyable. In addition, it is really convenient to play Jr. Jazz because games are on Saturday mornings. Contrary to most people’s beliefs, most players do not mind sacrificing their day to sleep in on Saturday mornings. They plan fun things to do in order to take their mind off how early it is. Each and every week, players plan what the dress-up is to wear at the game. This year, Jr. Jazz players have not only gone all out for their pregame attire, but also for their in-game attire. Most players have bought headbands and unnecessary accessories. With the players dressing this way every week, it helps players cope with nervousness and gives everyone a laugh before game time. With that being said, players still want to win. Sometimes things get heated and tensions rise, but that is expected. Mendoza, a Jr. Jazz enthusiast, said that he loves the competitiveness Jr. Jazz basketball has to offer. He started playing Jr. Jazz last year because everyone made it sound so enjoyable. Every week without fail, he finds a way to make everyone smile with what he wears to his games. When asked about his favorite part of Jr. Jazz, he immediately said, “Playing with my friends and the fun competition that comes with [it].” Mendoza loves improving his skills and the memories that come with being in Jr. Jazz. Mendoza encourages all to take part in the amazing experience of playing Jr. Jazz. By: Rheagen Hartfiel The Dance Company, coached by Anna Jorgenson, is a new activity offered this year at Bear River High School. Kinley Richards, a member of the cheer team, is a member of the new dance company. Unlike cheer and drill, Dancey Company is not competitive; they simply practice and enjoy performing for audiences. Otherwise, Dance Company is just like any other sport: they have a class hour dedicated to their dance team for practices.
Richards is super excited to be a part of a dance team. Because Dance Company is not competitive, she is also able to be on cheer which is. This newly created class/group will give students the opportunity to try something different. Richards said that Dance Company has been able to bring her out of her comfort zone because she really had to open up with the other girls. She really likes the creative side of the Dance Company. Richards said, “Cheer and drill are more strict [than Dance Company] because they’re more competitive and the teachers are choreographing dances for them.” Jorgenson is teaching the students in Dance Company to choreograph their own dances, and allows them to be creative with their style of dances. With it being the Dance Company’s first year, Richards has felt a lot of pressure to be able to do well in order to make sure she can come back next year. Richards said that she has really liked it and so have the other girls. They are hoping to get more girls to tryout next year so they can expand the team. Richards said that she has talked to younger girls and encouraged them to join. Overall, the Dance Company is improving each day and they are having a lot of fun. By: Braxton Cunningham It is football fans’ favorite time of the year: the Super Bowl. This game crowns the best team in the National Football League with the Lombardi Trophy.
The two teams that will be going head to head in the Super Bowl this year is the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. They are both incredibly talented and tough teams so it is expected that this game will be intense and well remembered. To figure out who Bear River thinks will win, a poll of 180 students was taken and Coach Park and Coach Rasmussen were also interviewed. 57% of school thinks that the 49ers will win it all but Coach Park chose Andy Reid and the Chiefs. Coach Park reasoned that “they have a good coach, and one of the best quarterbacks in the game [Patrick Mahomes] who is a versatile player and has a very good passer rating. They also have a very tough defense.” Coach Rasmussen also thinks that the Chiefs will win because “they beat the hottest team in the NFL [Tennessee Titans],... they have a cooler story...I think the AFC as a conference is stronger than the NFC.” Both coaches think that it will be a good game because, as Coach Park said, “The 49ers have all feature backs who are really good.” Coach Rasmussen also said, “the 49ers have a tough defensive line.” Both coaches want the Chiefs to win because they both like Andy Reid and the fact that he is from Utah. Coach Rasmussen believes that Andy Reid has never quite gotten the credit that he deserves. When asked what their favorite part of the Super Bowl they both said that they love to be able to spend time with their families and able to have some good food. Coach Park is excited for the Super Bowl commercials and Coach Rasmussen is hopeful that the commercials this year will be better than they have in years past. On Sunday, kick back and relax, spend time with your family, and enjoy the game. |
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