Star Valley High School

---

updated May 7, 2008 by the Star Valley Independent in Sports

Llama Tracks - Ramblin’ Regional Ruckus

The three sports programs that compete at this time of year will all be in action in various parts of the Cowboy State Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

I’ve got quite a few thoughts as the athletes head out on those beautiful yellow buses with green seats. Who came up with that combo by the way? Here are some things to watch for as the Braves and Lady Braves take on their respective opponents.

- The Girl’s Soccer team collected their first shutout since 2006 with their 2-0 win over Rock Springs last weekend. The program actually collected three shutouts that year, their first as a varsity squad. This team is a wonderful blend of seniors who have played for four years, (although there could be a few more) and young, fast, enthusiastic underclassmen. In fact, this team will look very similar next season and that bodes well for the future. Becca Sangster, the keeper, is a question mark right now due to a shoulder injury. Hopefully she can play, but if not, the defense has shown they’re up to the task of limiting good shot attempts. The ladies are aggressive, tough and despite a couple of wins, are using the underdog status to it’s limit. A birth in the state tournament would be an ideal next step for a program on the rise. Don’t be at all surprised if the Lady Braves kick their way to the next round.

- The match between the Braves and the Rock Springs Tigers was the best match I’ve seen the program play. Period. The guys are having fun and are genuinely disappointed to come up short. They’re ready to take that next step, and it’s the same team that will be standing in their way. The goal scored by Jon Scherbel on a full-speed header from Igor Dugat was stunning. If you feel that soccer can’t entertain, or will fail to do so, you’ve missed out this season. Sure it’s been cold, and some programs are just awesome (Kelly Walsh springs to mind) but this has been a very gutsy team this season. The Tigers will be at full strength and won’t be overlooking Star Valley this time. The big wild card for the Braves will be their ability to capitalize on good opportunities. No fewer than four shots had a great chance of going in in Afton that didn’t. Thus the loss. If Star Valley can convert those same opportunities into goals, they will be moving on. Defensively, the Braves have really stepped it up, and they’ll have their hands full with an incredibly quick Tiger squad. If you’ve got some time, this one should be very entertaining.

- So, the Independent had a few records that might be in danger of being broken this week or next week for the Track program. I wanted to expound a bit on a few of them after talking with Coach Brandon Sanchez. The girl’s 800 Meter record is the most intriguing to me. I had a very interesting conversation with sophomore Kirsten McKen, and I hope she won’t be embarrassed that I share it. In the Rock Springs Invite, my results of this event were wrong, but I didn’t know that as of yet. I mentioned to her that was only six seconds off the record which is 2:21. Her time from the Tiger Invite came back as a 2:27. She only laughed and said that the numbers were wrong and that she had run a 2:37, still good enough for the event title. She added: ” I wish I could run a 2:27″. There was not a hint of guile in her voice. Well, you know what they say about wishing, but McKen has put in the work. In a discussion with Sanchez and Coach Ty Draney who handles Cross-Country duties with McKen, they estimate she’s run over 1,200 miles this year and has been fortunate that her body has handled well. The result? McKen ran a 2:26 at the BYU Invitational just a few weeks later. I’m not going to pretend I ran the 800 Meter in high school, heck I was a thrower, and not a very good one. But even I know that cutting nearly 12 seconds on any event in that amount of time is amazing.

-Another discussion centered on Kevin Brough who became the first Wyoming boy to break the 50 second barrier this season. Sanchez, a former 400 runner himself, states that cutting off another six tenths is very difficult, but something he’s confident Brough will accomplish either this year or next. Hopefully conditions will be good in Casper like they were in Provo. If so who knows what will happen.

- One more track thing that involves the jumpers - Mitch Schwab and Tyler Skinner finished 1 and 4 in their respective leaps at the Track Classic. Skinner jumped even higher last week in Jackson, easily outdistancing the field with a jump of 6′ 4″ that he didn’t even come close to touching. What does this mean? The High Jumpers from Star Valley could very well go 1-2 in Casper. Both of these guys can clear 6′ 6″ and I hope for clear minds and performances over the weekend.

Well, who did I miss? Be sure to check out the May 8, 2008 edition of the Independent for more records poised to fall and also check back over the weekend for updates from the 4A West Regional Meet in Casper. Use the comment section and good luck everyone!

---