Girls Soccer: You've Got an Assist-er in Me
Tuesday, 13 April 2010 12:39
Joyce Liao
Teamwork—the foundation of any sport, it finds particular importance on the soccer field. Games can be determined by the ability of each player to cooperate and work together towards a common goal – the one on the other side of the field, that is.An assist is defined as a player who passes the ball to another player, who in turn scores a goal for the team. A sister, on the other hand, is someone you joke with, tease, and act silly around. And both aspects have significantly contributed to the success of the Girls Varsity Soccer team.After hours of practice, nerve-wracking final minutes of an important game, team dinners and off-campus lunches, and a shared sense of commitment to the sport, the hard-working ladies of the varsity soccer team have developed into more than just a team. They’ve become a family.The team’s cooperation and compatibility enables them to help each other on the field. “[We] learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so that we could all work to make each other look good and work well,” said senior Alex Dreves.Along with good teamwork, an exceptional team is marked by a positive attitude and fierce determination. With their optimism, unity, and sheer talent, the Apaches were victorious in five of their games in January, but came out short in the other four.But these losses have not kept them down. Rather, the girls are using them as motivation to continue training as hard as possible.“We did lose but we all kept fighting until the end,” commented junior Pamela Joseph, reflecting the girls’ relentless efforts even in loss.“Whether we win or lose, we learn something new, something we need to work on as a team,” added freshman Shelby Dreves.In a game against Hoover on Jan. 22, the team showed their dominance, sweeping the game 8-1. The other team was just no match for the speed and teamwork of the Apaches. The girls then proceeded to crush Muir 8-0 on Jan. 13. Other major highlights of Arcadia’s season include Aliso Niguel and the Mater Dei Soccer Invitational during the winter break. According to Coach Paul Myles, “Mater Dei, the school that hosts the tournament, is the Megan Fox of girls soccer so tying them is quite an accomplishment and a testimony of this year’s soccer team.”Even heavy rain cannot dampen the girls’ spirits, nor can it curb their natural competitive edge. Rather, they made the best of their situation,whether it be having fun in a light drizzle, or pushing their tired bodies to perform in the pouring rain. Each time, they have proved themselves not only physically, but mentally strong.On Feb. 5, the girls played against Burroughs, victorious with a final score of 2-1. Their season is drawing to a close, but none of them were looking to the end just yet.By beating out Glendale on Feb. 9, the girls took one step closer to their ultimate goal—to advance to CIF. Going into the game against Crescenta Valley that took place on Feb. 11, the girls were ready to defend their spot in CIF playoffs. In the end, the rival Falcons were no match against the talented —and very determined—Apaches, despite the fact that they have often edged the girls by a few points in matches of previous years.Their victorious streak continued straight into the first round of CIF, beating Palmdale 2-0 on Feb. 17. It seems like their positive attitudes and incredible dedication have carried them far. But their optimistic outlook ended, during the second round of CIF when they lost to Saugus on Feb. 19, the defending champions, 1-6. “Even though it has been tough, I never lose faith in my team and what they are capable of,” added junior Captain Sydney Dreves.
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Boys Soccer Learns from Mistakes to Dominate Next Year
Tuesday, 13 April 2010 12:37
Katherine Bay
Soccer isn’t all about winning, scoring goals, or even kicking a ball around; it’s about teamwork, stamina, and improvement. The Boys Varsity Soccer team exemplified all of this during its past season as they kicked off to a fresh year but regrettably ended off on a disappointing note. With an overall record of 4-10-5, the team had an inconsistent season, teeter-tottering from winning to tying with some losing thrown into the mix. The team’s inability to consistently play up to par against their opponents yielded undesirable results. Though this was definitely a roller coaster of a season for these athletes, this means that they will not advance to CIF, and for the seniors on the team, they will not have one last chance to prove themselves to the school. However, as long as the team improved and accomplished their goals, no loss, or even a tie for that matter, can stand in between them and their ambitions.The Boys Varsity Soccer team started off their season against La Salle on Dec. 3, tying 0-0. It was hard to tell whether the season ahead of them was going to be dim or bright based on their unanimous score but it was not time to give up just yet. Soon after the La Salle game, the team was given an oppurtunity to attend Camp Pendelton so they could take part in a program called Camp Goalz, an overnight camp focusing on teamwork, leadership, and communication.Senior Tyler Chan said, “[The camp] was meant to form bonds between our teammates, as we worked together to meet our common goal [of qualifying for CIF playoffs]. The camp made our team stronger and more cohesive.” On Dec. 7, the team showcased what they learned at the camp, defeating Maranatha 3-0. One day later, the team traveled to La Cañada, hoping to beat the Spartans and continue their winning streak. Sadly, their ends just didn’t meet when they brutally lost 1-5. Their next competitor was Bishop Amat, and they tied 1-1. The team then had a tied game of 2-2 against Hoover and had a loss of 0-1 against Pasadena. Up until this point into the season, their scores had been fluctuating greatly as their results rolled back and forth on a scale of wins, losses, and ties. Junior Andrew Chin said that he “expects to win their conference next year” with a optimistic attitude.On Dec. 21, the boys participated in a Monrovia tournament against Gladstone and had yet another loss of 1-2. That same day, they had a game against Rowland and continued their losing streak when they only scored two goals to Rowland’s four. Rejuvenated, the team reutrned the next day, regained their strength, and won 3-0 against Ontario Christian.The team took winter break as a time to recuperate and collect themselves after the first half of the season. After winter break was over, they were welcomed back by a 3-0 win against Burbank. Unfortunately, their scores went downhill from there. On Jan. 11, the team played against John Burroughs which they tied 4-4. The team then lost 0-1 against Muir, 1-3 loss against Glendale, and 1-2 loss against Crescenta Valley. The team didn’t have such great hopes for their game against Hoover, where they took another tough loss of 0-1. Pasadena was their next competitor on Jan. 27 where they tied 2-2. Two days later, the team finally had a triumphant win against Burbank with a score of 4-1. On Feb. 3, the team played against Burroughs and lost 0-3 while their game against Muir resulted in yet another loss of 1-3.The recent rain storm took its toll by putting the team down in the dumps for their game against Glendale. With that said, their accounted loss of 1-4 certainly brought the team’s self-esteem and willpower even lower. Their last game of the season was against CV and the team tied 2-2. “This was a tough season with a lot of close games. Those games were the most frustrating, because we started out in the lead and lost it at the very end of the game. But we played very well, even though we didn’t get the results we wanted. Overall it was still a great season,” said junior Daniel Ortiz.Although this wasn’t their best season, their effort and great strides definitely counted, perhaps not in a literal sense, but more as a spiritual, bonding moment. Hopefully, next year the team will get its act together and make our school proud. As of now, the team stands proud and looks past their mistakes because all they can do is look at the bright future ahead of them.next year.
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Boys Basketmall Finally Make it to CIF Again
Tuesday, 13 April 2010 12:33
Regina Liu
Led by the two senior point guards, Franky Yan and Jonathan Tom, the Boys Varsity Basketball team worked hard as the season wound down with an overall record of 15-13. Everyone was able to contribute to the team effort, and together, they worked hard to do well this year. They have all gained valuable experience against great competition and fulfilled their one goal from the beginning of the year of making it into CIF, which they have been unable to do for many years.The team was falling short in the beginning of the season, but members turned their game up a notch during the middle of the season. They were able to win their second-round game against Muir 64-51, which helped them earn their coveted spot in CIF Playoffs. Their rank as the fourth place team in the very competitive Pacific League also helped them gain the opportunity to play competitively in CIF Playoffs and accomplish what they set out to do this season. Before the game against Muir, the team was looking to avenge its earlier one-point defeat during the first round against them and promised that the game would be a hard-fought and physical one. And they carried through their promise; through junior Kiran Koneru’s continuous three-pointers and the boys’ strong defensive tactics, they were able to defeat Muir during their second-to-last home game. This triumphant victory helped them jump back into the competition. Their journey in earning their spot in CIF was not an easy road. The team practiced hard on a daily basis and focused on one game at a time as the boys worked to solidify their rank in Pacific League standings. Their strong determination of achieving their goal in making the CIF playoffs for the first time in four years gave them the drive to persevere and put their whole effort into each game, leaving everything on the court. The bleachers were packed with both students and parents, capturing school spirit together on the day of the first away game against Crescenta Valley. With cohesive teamwork and great plays, Arcadia was able to keep up with their school rivals, the Falcons. Although the Apaches gave it their all, the boys just didn’t have enough at the end, scoring only 55 points as opposed to CV’s 66. “That was the end of the first round and we [were] coming off an exiting double overtime game against Burbank that [had] put us in great position for a playoff spot for the first time in four years,” Coach Ryan said. The following home game against their rivals during the second round was just as heated and difficult as the previous game; the intensity of the game kept the audience at the edge of their seats. The boys started out strong and quickly captured the lead, trying to avenge their eleven point loss against CV during the first round.However they started to fall short as the game progressed. Although they gave it their all and tried their best to defeat their rivals, CV’s strong defensive strategy overcame, and the team once again lost 52-60.Despite the loss, junior CJ Perez said, “We fought hard and played well together. The game was able really showcase our improvement this season as individuals and as a team.”Their first CIF game started on Wednesday, Feb. 17 against Pacifica. Pacifica’s offense was strong and by half-time they were leading, 42-21. The players of Pacifica towered over the Apaches and therefore had an immense advantage, their frontline consisted two 6’4” forwards and a 6’6” center. The team could not trump over the physical disadvantage and unfortunately failed to win, losing 34-67.“They got us out of our rhythm and we never really recovered,” said Coach Jay Ryan, “We played hard, but it just wasn’t our night,” he concluded.“We weren’t ready for the game because we were on a bus for two hours and we didn’t have any information on the other team so we weren’t prepared. They came out with a quick start and it was too hard to come back,” said junior Kiran Koneru.Although the boys suffered some losses, there were also some memorable games this season. “Some of the highlights include sweeping Burbank which we had not done since they joined our league several years ago,” Coach Ryan reflected, “We swept Muir and Burbank as well. We also were able to beat Burroughs this year which we haven’t been able to beat the last four years.” Support from AHS students is one of the key inspirations when they are on the court. “I would want the students of AHS to know that they have an exciting, hard working team,” said Coach Ryan, “We would like to encourage everyone to come out and support our basketball team. The boys work extremely hard and the crowd’s motivation really elevates the game.”This season, the team gained some much needed experience to improve even more next year. From the overall record of 8-19 in the 2005-2006 season, to 15-13 this season, Boys Varsity Basketball team has really improved and made strides in the right direction.
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Boys Basketball Finally Makes It to CIF Again
Monday, 08 March 2010 13:50
by Rebecca Lu
Led by the two senior point guards, Franky Yan and Jonathan Tom, the Boys Varsity Basketball team worked hard as the season wound down with an overall record of 15-13. Everyone was able to contribute to the team effort, and together, they worked hard to do well this year. They have all gained valuable experience against great competition and fulfilled their one goal from the beginning of the year of making it into CIF, which they have been unable to do for many years.
The team was falling short in the beginning of the season, but members turned their game up a notch during the middle of the season. They were able to win their second-round game against Muir 64-51, which helped them earn their coveted spot in CIF Playoffs. Their rank as the fourth place team in the very competitive Pacific League also helped them gain the opportunity to play competitively in CIF Playoffs and accomplish what they set out to do this season.
Before the game against Muir, the team was looking to avenge its earlier one-point defeat during the first round against them and promised that the game would be a hard-fought and physical one. And they carried through their promise; through junior Kiran Koneru’s continuous three-pointers and the boys’ strong defensive tactics, they were able to defeat Muir during their second-to-last home game. This triumphant victory helped them jump back into the competition.
Their journey in earning their spot in CIF was not an easy road. The team practiced hard on a daily basis and focused on one game at a time as the boys worked to solidify their rank in Pacific League standings. Their strong determination of achieving their goal in making the CIF playoffs for the first time in four years gave them the drive to persevere and put their whole effort into each game, leaving everything on the court.
The bleachers were packed with both students and parents, capturing school spirit together on the day of the first away game against Crescenta Valley. With cohesive teamwork and great plays, Arcadia was able to keep up with their school rivals, the Falcons. Although the Apaches gave it their all, the boys just didn’t have enough at the end, scoring only 55 points as opposed to CV’s 66.
“That was the end of the first round and we [were] coming off an exiting double overtime game against Burbank that [had] put us in great position for a playoff spot for the first time in four years,” Coach Ryan said.
The following home game against their rivals during the second round was just as heated and difficult as the previous game; the intensity of the game kept the audience at the edge of their seats. The boys started out strong and quickly captured the lead, trying to avenge their eleven point loss against CV during the first round.
However they started to fall short as the game progressed. Although they gave it their all and tried their best to defeat their rivals, CV’s strong defensive strategy overcame, and the team once again lost 52-60.
Despite the loss, junior CJ Perez said, “We fought hard and played well together. The game was able really showcase our improvement this season as individuals and as a team.”
Their first CIF game started on Wednesday, Feb. 17 against Pacifica. Pacifica’s offense was strong and by half-time they were leading, 42-21. The players of Pacifica towered over the Apaches and therefore had an immense advantage, their frontline consisted two 6’4” forwards and a 6’6” center. The team could not trump over the physical disadvantage and unfortunately failed to win, losing 34-67.
“They got us out of our rhythm and we never really recovered,” said Coach Jay Ryan, “We played hard, but it just wasn’t our night,” he concluded.
“We weren’t ready for the game because we were on a bus for two hours and we didn’t have any information on the other team so we weren’t prepared. They came out with a quick start and it was too hard to come back,” said junior Kiran Koneru.
Although the boys suffered some losses, there were also some memorable games this season. “Some of the highlights include sweeping Burbank which we had not done since they joined our league several years ago,” Coach Ryan reflected, “We swept Muir and Burbank as well. We also were able to beat Burroughs this year which we haven’t been able to beat the last four years.”
Support from AHS students is one of the key inspirations when they are on the court. “I would want the students of AHS to know that they have an exciting, hard working team,” said Coach Ryan, “We would like to encourage everyone to come out and support our basketball team. The boys work extremely hard and the crowd’s motivation really elevates the game.”
This season, the team gained some much needed experience to improve even more next year. From the overall record of 8-19 in the 2005-2006 season, to 15-13 this season, Boys Varsity Basketball team has really improved and made strides in the right direction.
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