Senior Michala Ruder and juniors Grace Morgan and Gavin Fischer competed in the state cross country races Saturday, Oct. 29.

Helen Hawkins – Ballet and Jazz for 15 years

• Would you ever join the school’s pom squad? “I’m not into competitive dance. I want people to come see me dance, not to judge me. It’s an art that should be enjoyed.”
• How does dance affect your homework time? “I don’t like doing homework right after school, and my classes usually go late so I just stay up later finishing school stuff.”
• What’s your favorite part about dance? “The feeling I get when I dance is indescribable.”

Mo Mason – Tae Kwon Do for 4 years

• What do you do during practice?  “We practice our forms and work a lot. We do a lot of practical application.”
• If there were a Tae Kwon Do demo team at LHS, would you join?  “Heck yeah!”
• How does Tae Kwon Do affect your homework time?  “I bring my homework there sometimes if I’m behind or have a lot, and my instructors even help me with my Pre-Calc when I need it.”

Ami Harvey – Competitive Cheer for 11 years

• What are cheer competitions like?  “Pretty much like the ones you see on ESPN. Busy, very loud, usually in a big arena, and tons of sparkles and hairspray.”
• How does cheer affect your homework time?  “Usually practice doesn’t get over till 8 or 8:30 so if I don’t have time to do it before 5 I have to do it after.”
• What’s your favorite part about cheer?  “Spending time with all my friends, we are all really just a family. Or the adrenaline rush you get performing in front of thousands of people.”

Dallas Conway – Rugby for 1 year

• How often do you practice a week  “I go to one, but we’re suppose to go to two.”
• Does rugby affect your homework time  “Yes, completely.”
• What is your your favorite part about playing rugby?  “Being able to say I play rugby.”

Boys cross country started off the season with a first place win at the Manhattan Invitational Tournament Sept. 3.

“We’re looking about the same as last year, if not just a little bit better at this point,” coach Brian Anderson said.

Seniors Zach Andregg, Reid Hildenbrand and Simon Fangman have been on the team for three past trips to state.

“They already have two [first place] state titles under their belt,” Anderson said. “Their goal is to get a third.”

All seniors have shown leadership abilities this year.

“Zach Andregg is very talented and can push us a lot in practice,” Hildenbrand said. “Simon Fangman is good at pumping us up and working hard. Nathan Stringer and Dylan Orth [too] — everyone pushes each other.”

Competing against Free State doesn’t bother Anderson or Hildenbrand.

“We will beat Free State,” Hildenbrand said. “We haven’t lost to Free State, and we won’t this year. They’re looking better, but so are we.”

Girls Cross Country

“We haven’t looked this good since 2007,” coach Brian Anderson said. “There are 10 girls ahead of where our fourth girl was last year.”

Junior Grace Morgan agrees.

“It looks good, there’s a lot more people coming out, so it’s kind of exciting,” she said.

The girls team also started the season well at the Manhattan Invitational. The varsity team finished fifth place out of 10 teams and JV took third.

When the girls compete against Free State, the team is unsure of what the outcome will be.

“I heard they practice a lot, but we’ve been working really hard,” Morgan said.

As a result of injuries, Anderson said the outcome will depend on “how long we can keep everybody healthy.”

Football

After a summer of hard work, the football team kicked off the season with a win of 35-12 against Shawnee Mission West.

“We’re looking really good,” junior Kharon Brown said. “The defense is getting better, and the offense is figuring it out.”

According to Brown, seniors Sean Thomas, Garret Cleavinger and Charles Jackson have been stepping up as leaders.

“All the seniors have done an outstanding job of leading this team so far,” coach Dirk Wedd said. “As a group they are not loud, but they lead by example, which I prefer.”

As for the big game against Free State this year, Brown said the team will “whoop” the Firebirds. Wedd, on the other hand, isn’t yet focused on the cross-town rivalry.

“When we play them in week nine, which is our last scheduled game, we will worry about them,” Wedd said.

Volleyball

The volleyball team looks strong and focused for this season. Players hope to make it to state.

“If we work really hard, we can do it,” senior Kelsey Kilburn said. The three seniors, Kaley Wingert, Christina Haswood and Kilburn are stepping up in many ways.

“Our seniors are incredible leaders,” coach Stephanie Magnuson said. “They put everything on the court every day and have set the bar high for the underclassmen.”

The nine returners for varsity are anxious to face Free State once again.

“It will be a close match, but we can pull out a victory because we have a student section behind us,” Kilburn said.

Magnuson shares the same opinion.

“We have come out on top the last four times we have met them, so we have every intention of keeping that winning streak,” Magnuson said.

Boys Soccer

“This will be our best year,” junior Dalen Reed said.

Coach Mike Murphy is also optimistic about this season.

“I think the team will be fun to watch this year,” Murphy said. “They are working hard and learning from their mistakes. We should continue to improve as the season progresses.”

Senior Tanner Click is highly respected by both coach and players for his ability to lead the team by example.

“He has been pushing everyone to do their best,” junior Dalen Reed said.

Click is only one of the eight seniors on the team this year.

“The senior class as a whole is a talented group, and I expect all of them to contribute as leaders,” Murphy said.

Junior Justin Riley, one of the key players, is captain as an underclassman, a rare sight in some sports.

“He had a good year in 2010, and we expect another fine season from him,” Murphy said.

The game against Free State is expected to be interesting this year.

“We’re going to destroy Free State this year,” Reed said.

Girls Tennis

Although the girls tennis team is still adjusting to a season with new coach Chris Marshall, he is happy about the season so far.

“I have been very impressed with our numbers and skill set this year,” Marshall said.

Senior Taylor Eubanks is optimistic as well.

“We have a very strong JV,” Eubanks said. “Our tennis bond is stronger than ever.”

Eubanks is valued as one of the few seniors on the team.

“Taylor Eubanks has stepped up in several ways,” Marshall said. “She helped organize and was in charge of getting all the players their dresses and shirts for matches. She has organized the snacks for all matches, which has been a big help.”

While Marshall has never played Free State before, Eubanks knows their skill.

“Free State has a very good team, but they are missing key players and that will get us our edge,” Eubanks said.

Marshall looks forward to the challenge and is optimistic about the outcome as long as hard work is put in.

“If we all improve and play to our abilities, I think we should be able to compete and win our matches against them,” Marshall said.

The tennis team is expected to have a successful season.

“We are very deep and competitive team,” Marshall said. “We have several players that are going to help us at varsity and JV this year. It looks like a lot of players worked hard over the summer which has helped a bunch.”

Gymnastics

After almost being cut and getting a coach at last minute, gymnastics has been doing surprisingly well so far.

“We’re looking good,” junior Lindsey Fangman said. “Better than last year, we have some pretty good girls.”

The team practices with Free State every day and has an accurate image of their competition.

When the Lions take on the Firebirds, “It will be interesting,” Fangman said. “Free State is definitely better.”

Despite the odds, Fangman believes in the strength of the team.

“We work good as a team this year,” Fangman said. “There’s not one specific [standout] person.”

Girls Golf

For the first time in 11 years, the 2011 girls golf team got first at a varsity tournament.

“Every year we are improving,” senior Anna Koppes said. “This year is even better than the last.”

Senior Payton Covert has been standing out as a leader and golfer.

“She is very encouraging and good at organizing team bonding outside of school,” senior Alyssa Crider said.

The team is confident in their abilities to beat Free State.

“At the first varsity tournament, we beat Free State by 76 strokes,” Covert said. “At the second, we got first, and they got last.”

Senior Katie Reynolds agrees with Covert.

“We’re going to be better,” Reynolds said. “We’re LHS, and you know, that’s just us.”

Attention to athlete safety is increasing in the wake of the high-profile deaths of athletes in Kansas and beyond.

The attention extends from the field where coaches take precautions to ensure athletes are hydrated and doctors orders are followed to the Kansas Legislature where lawmakers this year have debated a bill that aims to provide additional protections to athletes.

Male and female athletes are being pushed to their limits, Bart Grelinger this year told a House committee considering legislation related to high school athletes.

“With this push to make our athletes stronger, faster and more aggressive, higher rates of collisions and concussions will certainly follow,” said Grelinger, a physician speaking for the Medical Society of Sedgwick County.

One of the most recent student athlete deaths occurred March 3 when Wes Leonard, a junior at Fennville High School in Michigan, collapsed after making the game-winning shot during a basketball game. The death of Leonard, who died of an undiagnosed heart condition, hit close to home. Leonard previously went to school in Baldwin and had friends in Lawrence.

“I found out about Wes’ death during fourth hour,” sophomore Daniel Vineyard said. “My mom pulled me out of class to tell me what had happened, and I just went to the gym so I could clear my mind. I was very sad.”

Earlier this school year, Spring Hill High School senior Nathan Stiles died from a football injury. The star running back, linebacker and homecoming king suffered a traumatic head injury during a football game Oct. 28. Stiles reportedly intercepted a pass, walked to the sideline and collapsed shortly after the play. He died the next morning.

With the spotlight on athlete safety, lawmakers this year debated legislation that aimed to improve safety. The bill, currently Senate Bill 33, hasn’t yet been approved. If it was, it would add steps before athletes who had suffered head injuries could return to competition, including requiring a physician to sign off on the athlete’s return.

“If the bill is passed, then a head injury information release form would have to be signed by the athlete and parents and returned to the school before they could participate in any competition or practice,” said Sen. Vicki Schmidt, a Topeka Republican who chairs the committee that debated the bill.

Advocates of the legislation said Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) guidelines are a good start but don’t go far enough.

“Ultimately our number one goal is to keep our athletes safe so they can go on to lead happy, healthy, productive lives,” Grelinger said in testimony to state lawmakers.

Others are more cautious about putting additional, potentially costly, requirements in place.

“One mandatory physical is enough,” said Gary Musselman, KSHSAA executive director. “It’s not always easy for families to get to a doctor, depending on where they live, and some families can’t afford it.”

LHS Athletic Director Ron Commons agreed that increasing requirements could cost families.

”It would probably be nice,” Commons said, “but it will cost the majority of students more money than the Kansas sports association intends.”

Meanwhile, many coaches are changing the way they push and pressure their athletes. That includes taking more safety precautions, encouraging students to get more frequent check ups, and prompting students to let coaches know if they have been injured or don’t feel good.

“We’re always cognizant of the hydration levels of our athletes, and we follow doctors orders specifically when athletes get physicals and visit doctors during the season,” said Jason Lichte, an assistant football coach.

But some athletes don’t let a lack of attention keep them from joining the team. This is true of the students who spend their afternoons in a dark bowling alley listening to tumbling pins.

“(I enjoy) getting to come out here to watch everyone in grades below me improve so much,” senior Delaney Dieker said.

Bowling has been a varsity sport since 2004 when bowling centers throughout the state rallied behind the sport being in high schools. Since the very first day, bowling has attracted many people, despite the lack of attention. Often, these teammates have little in common, other than their love of bowling. And really, they don’t need much more.

“The reason I bowl is the camaraderie and anyone can do it,” coach Paula Bastemeyer said.

While some bowl for fun, others take it more seriously.

“It’s a family tradition,” Central freshman Kierstan Warren said. “It’s fun to do a sport that I love to death, it’s everything to me.”

Regardless of why players joined the team, they said being on the bowling team is anything but boring.

“You get to get out of school to go bowl — what’s better than that?” junior Pace Leggins said.

Dieker agrees: “I get to come out here everyday and bowl with my friends.”

Although being on the bowling team may seem not so serious during practice, things heat up during competition.

“Practice is fun, but meets are serious,” Leggins said.

Bowlers said there’s no downside to being on the team.

“It’s not that challenging,” Leggins said. “It’s easy and fun to do.”

Warren said teammates are a big part of the draw.

“You get to experience something great with new people every time,” Warren said.

• 100-meter butterfly with a time of 1.00.08
• 200-meter individual medley relay with a time of 1.17.00    

 The swim team this year was small, with only 14 members.

     Even though this is the end of the road for her high school swimming, Boyer plans on attending Drury University (Springfield, Missouri).