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Staff Editorial:
Athletes spring into success
Congratulations are in order for the Saints spring sports teams. All three groups have dominated their respective arenas and have come out on top.
The women’s softball team launched as a fourth seed in the NWAACCs last weekend and yet finished in the top spot overall. With the help of sophomore pitching ace and NWAACC MVP Lauren Hadenfeld, who went 5-0 in the tournament and pitched a perfect game against the defending NWAACC champion Lower Columbia Red Devils, the women were able to overcome their up-and-down season and win it all for the first time in school history.
The Saints track and field teams have had stellar seasons this year, especially on the women’s side of the spectrum. Sophomores Crystal and Catherine Sims have dominated the track this season, taking first place in nearly every running category. Sophomore Terra Schumacher has also proven to be a driving force on the squad, easily surpassing the school record in the pole vault and finishing high above other athletes on the field during the regular season. As a whole, the women were able to take it to the next level, eclipsing the rest of the Southern Region teams May 9, earning themselves a first place ride into the NWAACCs, which began Thursday in Spokane.
The men also experienced a great regular season, with the help of consistent performances by freshmen Nathan Hope and Jr. Velasquez, among others. The team finished second in the Southern Region and went into the NWAACC championships with high confidence this weekend.
Finally, the men’s baseball team has experienced another top season, taking the lead spot in the Southern Region for the fifth consecutive year and moving into the NWAACC championship tournament for the tenth season in a row. With the aid of pitching ace Nick Struck, who finished the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record, and a major emphasis on “small ball” play, led by Grant Glover, who was 19 for 19 in stolen bases, the men once again, shimmered in the legacy of Saints baseball. Head Coach Bryan Donohue was named Southern Region Coach of the Year, Taylor Ard was named Player of the Year, eight men were named to the Southern Region first team and four other athletes were named to the second team. They began their battle for the NWAACC title Thursday in Longview, Wash.
Mt. Hood spring teams have had a long history of doing well, but it is not often that all three excel in their respective sports at the same time. For all of the Saints athletes and coaches, congratulations go out to you for your accomplishments in 2009. Confidence and skill have made all the difference.