Last Updated: 7:28 am, August 27, 2010

Tag Archives: Sports

Published:

5/14
2010

Tagged:





No Comments

Girls Soccer

By Madeline Bullard

The girls’ soccer team has experienced some ups and downs throughout their season this spring. With a record of 8-9, the girls have continued to build on their team’s talent and aspire to achieve their goals as the season draws to a close.

“We have been through a lot of trials, but I hope that they will make us much stronger next year and that we can pick up where we left off this season,” junior wide midfielder Helen Wiley said.

This season has been full of triumphs and tough, hard-fought losses.

“I think that we have had ups and downs,” junior midfielder Alison Bayly said. “There have been exciting goals and frustrating losses. All of the games have been really close this year.”

The team’s best moments have come when they work cohesively and put forth admirable effort during games.

“My favorite memory from the season so far was the Rosati-Kain game because we played with so much energy and everyone was clearly having a lot of fun,” Bayly said.

Wiley agrees that, even with such a demanding season and an exhausting sport, soccer can be intense and fun at the same time.

“I think my favorite memories of soccer are always when we manage to have fun while playing the game,” Wiley said.

The team has been led by junior captain Alison Bayly and senior captain Sonja Petermann.  The two have proved extremely valuable to this young, growing team. In fact, Petermann is the only senior on the team this year.

“This team is much younger than teams in the past have been,” Bayly said.

Last year’s graduating class left the team with many important spots to fill.

“In fact, half of the girls were seniors,” Wiley said. “This year we have a very young team that is generally quiet but has a lot of developing talent.”

This team has carried over some aspects from last year’s team, which played in the district championship game, but has also developed a unique identity.

“I think that a lot of the culture of last year’s team has tied over to this year but we still have a very different group of girls,” Wiley said. “Last year’s team was very vocal with many dominating personalities.”

The girls remain confident and driven, even as the season’s final games approach.

“I think that the team has developed quite a bit over the course of the season, but that our real success will come when we outwork a team for an entire game,” Wiley said.

The team also continues to set goals, which they hope to achieve by the end of this season.

“I think the team needs to work on communication and keeping up the intensity level in games,” Wiley said.

One strength of this year’s girls’ soccer team is the versatility and talent of its athletes.

“Although we are a young team, we have a lot of depth in a lot of positions,” Bayly said.

The team has relied on several strong talents to carry them through this season, including forwards Meg Sutter and Karley Woods, midfielder Alison Bayly, defenders Allison O’Neal and Katie Marvel, and goalie Bree Northern, among other skilled athletes.

“I think that there are a lot of great natural athletes on the team,” Bayly said.

Fortunately, many of these players are juniors and sophomores, and will continue to play next year.

“With the exception of Sonja’s leaving and a few new additions next year, the team will be comprised of a very similar group of people,” Wiley said. “This has been a growing year for our team.”

Bayly also cites the youth of the team as a potential asset, rather than a drawback.

“We are only losing one player, so hopefully our team will be able to grow even more as a unit,” Bayly said. “It will only be to our advantage that we are keeping a similar team, because we are really improving together.”

Several sophomores on the team have been particularly helpful, and have stepped up into significant roles as the season has progressed.  One example is sophomore Karley Woods, who stands out as a dominant force on the soccer field.  Her ability to maneuver the ball and her inexhaustible energy have brought intensity and talent to the team.

“Everyone has their individual strengths on the team but Karley Woods is one of the strongest players on the team,” Wiley said.

With this wide base of talent, the team is beginning to anticipate the end of the season, particularly district play.

“Most of the teams that we have played so far this year and that we will see again in districts are at a similar level,” Bayly said.

However, the team is still focused on the present, and will continue to take a measured approach as the end of the season draws near.

“Right now we are concentrating on making it through the regular season by being successful in our final games,” Wiley said. “We are really taking things one step at a time.”

Published:

5/14
2010

Tagged:



No Comments

Golfers swing towards state

By Sam Jacus

To many people, golf is a game for the elderly or those willing to throw their time away, but for some students at Clayton High School golf is much more than that. Without scandals like Tiger Woods’ adultery, golf would go unnoticed by those who are not true fans. At Clayton High School this is no different, except for the fact that there are no scandals or at least ones that have been leaked.
The golf team; however, should be making noise, for, just as they were last year the team is in contention for a run at state.
“We lost a few key players from last year’s team,” senior Corbin Holtzman said. “We have a solid top five though, so hopefully we’ll go to state as a team.”
The top five for this year’s team consists of players spread throughout the years, but has a concentration in the seniors. The players are senior Corbin Holtzman, senior Daniel Walsh, senior Eiton Kantor, sophomore Will Rosenfeld, and junior Will Hayes.
However, the team doesn’t consist of merely five players. Many of the new additions to the team seem to be showing real promise.
“Chris Cho has a lot of potential and could make a big splash this year,” senior Tommy Hummel said. “We also have a decent amount of new players that have shown real dedication.”
With all the new additions to the team, the Hounds are looking strong as a whole.
“Our team is strong overall,” Hummel said.
One reason that the team is looking strong overall is because everyone on the team is looking forward to the chance to improve his game.
“I slowed my swing speed down so now I am hitting the ball with a lot more accuracy and confidence,” Hummel said. “I hope to be able to shoot around 5 or 6 over par by the end of the season.”
However, achieving such a goal such as Hummel’s is easier said than done.
The team plays at Gateway National Golf Links in Belleville, Illinois, which for many spectators is a long drive. However, many of the CHS players like the course including those new to the sport.
“I really like where we play,” freshman Josh Becker said. “The grounds are well kept and there is good staff there.”
Hummel and Holtzman agree with Becker.
After all is said and done, the team hopes that they will be making news not with scandals but with their superior play in the future. Their high hopes have kept them motivated and looking forward to the fruits of their labor.

Published:

4/14
2010

Tagged:






No Comments

Gold leads Hounds in box, on mound and behind plate

By Evan Green

Senior catcher and pitcher Graham Gold has gotten off to a torrid start to the baseball season.
Gold has helped the team to a 7-5 start while catching, pitching, and batting in the cleanup spot in the order.
“Coming in to this season, we had a clean-up hitter in Matt Militello who we really wanted to be our number three hitter so the other team had to pitch to him in the first inning,” varsity head coach Craig Sucher said.  “We tried some different things, and knew we had to find somebody hit behind Matt [Militello] that people would take seriously.  In a sense, Graham has become our Matt Holliday but we pay him much less.  As Graham has emerged as a legitimate threat, our team got much better, not just from his production but because people are more compelled to pitch to Matt and help his production as well.”
At the plate, Gold is hitting a team-high .500 with two home runs and 15 RBI’s.  One of Gold’s two home runs was a grand slam against Affton on March 31.  In that game, Gold finished four for four with six RBI’s to lead the Hounds to a 14-7 win.  Gold’s .778 slugging percentage also leads the team.  Gold’s numbers are a drastic improvement over last season, when he batted in the seventh hole for the most part.
“I really like hitting fourth, right behind Matt, because by the time I come up, someone is on-base almost every time,” Gold said.
Even though Gold has a hit in every game but one, there are still things that he needs to work on at the plate.
“At the plate, Graham needs to be more consistent,” Sucher said.  “He was white-hot one week and while its not realistic to expect that he can keep up that pace–he gave up too many at-bats the next week with two strikes.  Baseball is a game of adjustments and our opponents are mindful of our statistics and are pitching Graham more carefully.  He needs to recognize this and be prepared to hit more off-speed pitches early in the count.”
While dominant at the plate, Gold’s contributions to the team have come in almost every aspect of the game.  When catching, Gold must be able to shut down the running game, adjust to hitters in split-second scenarios, and still be able to nurture the predominantly upper class pitching staff.
“Even though I like pitching the most, because you control the game in a sense, I also like to catch because the catcher is really the guy who is calling the game behind the scenes,” Gold said.
Not to mention that the Hounds have a pitching staff that is much stronger than in recent years.
“My favorite pitcher to catch is probably Chase [Haslett] because I have been catching him for a while and he will do whatever I tell him to do,” Gold said.
Haslett is a Division I prospect according to several recruiting websites, and Gold has done a great job of guiding Haslett to his 2.93 ERA (second on the team).
“Graham is a great guy to have catching because when I’m really struggling he always knows what to say or do to calm me down,” Haslett said.
On most teams, the catcher is a leader of sorts, and on the Hounds, Gold is a perfect example.
“Graham is a natural leader,” Sucher said.  We have talked throughout the season about our players having a quiet confidence in their ability so that they never get too high with their successes and too low with their failures.  Staying in the middle is critical because in baseball as much or more than any other sport, the successes and failures come so quickly.  A player has to constantly be mentally strong.  Graham had a historic week two weeks ago, where it seems like he would never make an out or a mistake on the mound or defensively.  This past week has been different, it was a rough start on the mound, sore arm, and less productive at the plate.  Graham is a leader though because you can’t tell by his demeanor whether is was his great week or something less than that.  Graham keeps it in the middle and leads by example.  It is a lesson that many of our other players can benefit by learning.”
Haslett’s 2.93 ERA is second only to the ace of the staff himself, Gold, who has a 2.47 ERA.  Gold has relied on a filthy two-seam fastball to keep hitters at bay and produce a meager .150 BAA (Batting Average Against).  Although for the most of the season, Gold’s pitching has been downright nasty, he still thinks he has room for improvement.
“I still need to be able to consistently throw strikes in order to get ahead in counts and keep my pitch count down,” Gold said.
Sucher echoed Gold’s opinion.
“On the mound, I think Graham is still not at his best,” Sucher said.  “When he is, and at times he has been, he has guys swinging early in the count.  Graham exemplifies the approach of pitching to contact which keeps pitch counts down and makes it possible to go deep in games.  Again, at times, Graham has done this by using two-seamer to get in on right-handed batters and cutter to go away.  He still needs to develop better command and more consistently pitch ahead in the count.”
Gold will be looking to stay hot as the season rolls on and the Hounds continue to rely on his production.
“I expect Graham to continue to be a great leader, productive in the middle of our order, a competitor on the mound, and a hard-nosed catcher,” Sucher said.
That will be key in the Hounds’ tough upcoming stretch of games.  The Hounds play four games in four days from April 13 to April 16.  On April 16, district rival MICDS will be coming to Clayton for a 6:30 Friday night game.
“I can’t wait for the MICDS game because we are going to bang for sure,” Gold said.
Indeed the team looks prepared to do just that, as they are currently averaging close to ten runs per game.  Much of this can be attributed to Gold’s newfound power.
“In the offseason I did a lot of cord work and lifted a lot of weights to build up for the season,” Gold said.  “Because of that, I am definitely hitting much better this year, and my warning track power like Charles’ [Goodman] has become home run power to all fields like Matt’s [Militello].”
Sucher also agreed that Gold’s newly toned physique was quite noticeable from the start of the season.
“Physically, Graham added noticeable strength,” Sucher said.  “And offensively, Graham is doing a much better job of staying behind the ball and hitting to the opposite field, something that he can do better now that he is stronger.”
If Gold can keep us his hot start to the season, the Hounds have a much greater chance of success.
At the same time, Gold’s off the field contributions have also been essential to the winning record the team carries so far.
“Graham is just a great guy to have in the clubhouse because he keeps the mood light,” senior outfielder Charles Goodman said.
Gold truly has been a leader in the batter’s box, on the mound, behind the plate, and in the clubhouse.

Published:

4/14
2010

Tagged:





No Comments

Clayton Lacrosse starts 4-0

By Evan Green

The Clayton boys’ lacrosse team has started the season 4-0, with big wins over Webster Groves, Fox, Wentzville, and Republic.  In starting off the season with a 9-6 win over a much more populous school in Webster Groves, the Hounds showed that they are here to play with the big boys this year.

In the Webster game, the Hounds pounced on the Statesmen early, and led 6-0 after the first quarter.  The Hounds were able to hold on for the 9-6 win thanks to big contributions from senior attack and captain Max Goldfarb who led all scorers with four goals.

On the season Goldfarb has nine goals and three assists, which leaves him fourth on the team in points.

“That Webster game was probably my personal best so far this season,” Goldfarb said.

Following the Webster game, the Hounds had a rematch of the 2008 state title game with the Fox Warriors.  In that game, Fox scored with six seconds left in the first overtime to take home the state title on Washington University’s field.  That game has stuck with many of the Hounds, and the team came out fired on April 6 against the Warriors.

“I was really ready for that game, especially because of what happened against them two years ago,” Goldfarb said.  “It might not have been the state title, but I was still ready to beat them.”

And the Hounds did just that.  The team rolled to a 13-7 win, as junior Josh Goldstein and senior attack Jordan Stern led the way with five goals apiece.  Junior Sam Muslin tacked on two goals and a game-high five assists in the winning cause.

“That was definitely our best team game so far this season because our offense was able to gel against a very strong defensive Fox team,” Stern said.

It couldn’t have come at a better time in many Hounds’ eyes.

The team followed up their victory over Fox with a another win over Wentzville to run their record to 3-0.  In that game, Goldstein had seven goals and Stern added four of his own to lead the Hounds.

The team followed up their third road win with their first home win on April 10 at Gay Field, beating visiting Republic 14-5.  The team led 9-3 at halftime and never looked back.  Goldstein and Stern led the team in goals yet again, tallying five and four respectively.

On the season, Goldstein leads the team in points with 26, but Stern is hot on his heels with 22 points. The team is averaging 13 goals a game, one of the highest marks in the state.

“Our offensive chemistry is really good,” Stern said.

That much is clear with the team returning all of its offensive starters with the exception of star all-everything Terry “Lethal” Ellis, who will be playing Division I lacrosse in the near future.

Five Hounds are already in the double digits for points including Goldstein, Stern, Muslin, Goldfarb, and junior attack Gabe Nicolazzi.  The team has scored 52 goals on the season while allowing just 26 goals against on the season.  At the same time, the team still feels that they have several things left to improve.

“We still need our defense to get a little stronger to help us in the long run,” Goldfarb said.

The long run likely includes a deep playoff run for the Division II Laxers.  Before they can start to think about the playoffs though, they have a tough schedule the rest of the way.

“We’ve got tough games against Ladue and Pembroke Hill that will really tell us a lot about ourselves,” Goldfarb said.

The team takes on the Kansas City based Pembroke Hill on April 14 in Kansas City.  The Ladue game will be a matchup of the top two teams in Missouri Division II high school lacrosse and will be the last game of the season.  The rivalry matchup will be played on Friday, May 14 at 7:30 at Gay Field.

“Everyone should come watch our home games because we will be scoring a lot of goals this season and should be fun to watch,” Stern said.

If the team’s offensive production remains consistent along with newfound decent goaltending by junior Seth Thornton, then the Hounds certainly have a chance to reach their ultimate goal for the season.

“We want to win a state championship, it’s as simple as that and anything less will be a disappointment,” Goldfarb said.

Published:

4/14
2010

Tagged:







No Comments

Local SLU, Mizzou and Illini fans in for treat in seasons to come

By Jake Bernstein

As national champion, Duke still celebrates, locals have to be wondering if one of our teams could be the last one standing in future years. With Butler making the championship game, it really shows that a small school can beat national superpowers like Syracuse and Michigan State and have the ability to contend for the national title. Missouri and Saint Louis University (SLU) both enjoyed relatively successful seasons, while Illinois was a bit of a disappointment.
Entering the season, SLU, Missouri and Illinois were all coming off different seasons, but headed in the same general direction. Each school had an emphasis on youth this year.

St. Louis University forward Cody Ellis, right, pulls down a critical rebound against Richmond forward Darrius Garrett, left, during the final minutes of play at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, Saturday, January 9, 2010. St. Louis defeated Richmond, 63-58. (Chris Lee/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/MCT)

St. Louis University forward Cody Ellis, right, pulls down a critical rebound against Richmond forward Darrius Garrett, left, during the final minutes of play at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, Saturday, January 9, 2010. St. Louis defeated Richmond, 63-58. (Chris Lee/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/MCT)


SLU, as the youngest team in the nation, had not one junior or senior this year, so the entire team will be returning for the 2010-11 season and presumably the 2011-2012 season. Because they lost two the best players in SLU history last year to graduation in Tommy Liddell and Kevin Lisch, many college basketball analysts predicted SLU to have a lackluster season and finish near the bottom of the conference standings. SLU’s team impressed sophomore Charlie Harned, an avid college basketball fan and big-time follower of Gonzaga, this year.
“For being so young and for the Atlantic 10 Conference being so tough, the Billikens had a great year,” Harned said.
Missouri entered this past season coming off a fantastic National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament where it made a run to the Elite Eight. However, it too lost two great players to graduation in Leo Lyons and Demarre Carroll.
Therefore, analysts did not predict Missouri finish very high this year, even though it had a great season in 2008-09. Missouri did in fact finish two spots higher in the Big 12 standings and the team was better than expected. Rick Kordenbrock, who got his bachelors and law degree from the University of Missouri, agreed that the team performed well.
“I thought it was a very good year for what they had,” Kordenbrock said. “They were athletic, but they were weak in terms of their inside game, with a lack a scoring and rebounding in the post.”
Illinois also lost a couple players last year, though neither as important as Lyons or Carroll to Missouri. And unlike Missouri, Illinois finished last season on a sour note, getting upset by Western Kentucky in the first round of the tournament.
However, because Illinois was not losing a star player, the Illini began the season ranked and was supposed to make an impact in college basketball this year on the national level. A late season collapse ruined Illinois’ otherwise decent season.
Though SLU, Missouri, and Illinois all finished their regular seasons’ with losses that hurt their resumes, each team had the opportunity to play postseason basketball.
SLU, after being passed over by the NCAA and NIT tournaments, was selected to play in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). While the team won its first three games to make it to the championship, it lost the final to Virginia Commonwealth. Harned attended the finale against Virginia Commonwealth.
“The atmosphere was great, even though they lost,” Harned said. “Chaifetz Arena is built in a unique way so that no matter where you are you can see everything. The SLU students get real into the game and it was loads of fun.”
In losing its final regular season game, Missouri hurt its season and its NCAA tournament resume. Even so, Missouri made the tournament and upset seven-seed Clemson in the first round. Following this game, it lost to second seeded and eventual Final Four participant West Virginia.
“The Nebraska loss really highlighted the inconsistency of the team,” Kordenbrock said. “I don’t think it affected their morale too much though as they came back with the win in the NCAA tournament.”
This year, Illinois was one of those famously called bubble teams. Unfortunately their bubble popped on Selection Sunday and it was passed over by the NCAA tournament selection committee. Instead Illinois was selected as a first seed in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). They won their first two games before losing to eventual champion Dayton in the quarterfinals. Sophomore Freddy Barnes, an Illinois fan, thought that the NCAA snubbed the team, but he still watched it play in the NIT.
“They deserved to be in the NCAA tournament, they beat quality teams that were in the tournament during the season, such as Michigan State, who made the Final Four,” Barnes said.
All three could possibly make the NCAA tournament next year, as so few players are being lost to graduation. With SLU losing no players to graduation next year, Illinois only losing one major contributor and with Missouri having the depth to overcome their losses, next year could be a great year for local college basketball fans.
According to Harned, SLU has nowhere to move but up.
“I think next year is SLU’s year,” Harned said. “If they have a real tough non-conference schedule and show they can compete with bigger schools then they will make the NCAA tournament for sure. [SLU coach] Rick Majerus sure knows how to build a program.”
Kordenbrock also has been impressed with Missouri’s coach Mike Anderson.
“Anderson is an excellent coach, and I love his style of play,” Kordenbrock said. “Its fast-paced and exciting, the way the game should be played. He should be able to get to the Final Four, and my hope is that before he leaves Missouri, he will be able to accomplish this.”
This year, Illinois, specifically, killed itself with bad losses. Barnes thinks Illinois can’t settle for less than great with so many contributing seniors next year.
“This year they lost games they shouldn’t have lost to mediocre teams,” Barnes said. “Next year they need to stay in the moment and not get ahead of themselves. If Illinois doesn’t finish in the top three in the Big Ten, and doesn’t reach the sweet sixteen next year, I think the season will be a disappointment. Those should be their goals because they clearly have the talent to accomplish both.”
With such young players and highly thought of coaches, what could stop the teams from improving in the future?
“The only problem I could see in the future for SLU would be not giving Christian Thomas a scholarship,” Harned said.
“Missouri has broken my heart so many times in March,” Kordenbrock said. “Even with legendary [Missouri] coach Norm Stewart, the team couldn’t get past the Elite Eight.”
In collapsing at the each of the past two seasons, as Barnes mentioned, Illinois has not met their expectations in succeeding in March.
SLU faces a possible lack of recruiting in the future, Missouri faces the pressure of being the first Missouri team ever to make the Final Four and Illinois faces the prospect of another late season collapse. All will have to overcome their problems in order to find the success each team is looking for.
With so much promise and youth in the SLU, Missouri and Illinois basketball programs, next year and years to come should be very exciting for local fans. 

Published:

4/14
2010

Tagged:






No Comments

Controversy over NBA MVP rages on

By Alex Kasnetz

There are certain debates that permeate throughout our culture. They arouse charged emotion and vigor. These arguments almost never end with any sort of conclusive answer.

<img src=”http://www.chsglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Kobe-v.-Lebron-Color-223×300.jpg” alt=”The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, left, scoops up a loose ball in front of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT)” title=”SPORTS BKN-LAKERS-CAVALIERS 2 AK” width=”223″ height=”300″ />

The Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, left, scoops up a loose ball in front of Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant during the second quarter at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010. (Phil Masturzo/Akron Beacon Journal/MCT)


One can hear these debates in living rooms in front of the television, at the dinner table, barbershop, the local community center, and the school commons. There have been different debates of this nature for generations.
There is Biggie or Tupac? The Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer? Larry Bird or Magic Johnson?
Today, across gyms, commons, restaurants, couches, and courts, one debate rages on: Lebron James or Kobe Bryant?
Writers, pundits, newscasters, and, to be honest, most of us, love to spend time and energy debating the title of best basketball player in the world. And the debate comes down to these two titans of sports.
Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar shooting guard, is 31 and has been in the National Basketball Association 13 years. After winning four NBA championships, one of which this past season, he is still going strong, averaging 27 points per game this season. They call him the “Black Mamba.”
James, the Cleveland Cavaliers 250-pound forward and native son, is six years Bryant’s junior but has already reached the individual pinnacle of his sport. He has no championships and one finals appearance to his name, and is tearing up the stat sheet with points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Lebron is also known as “King James” or “The Chosen One.”
Fans hold strong opinions and stand by their favorite.
“Kobe is better. No doubt. He’s way more clutch than Lebron,” said senior Devonte Bell, star Greyhound basketball player and esteemed basketball expert.
Others don’t share the same opinion as Bell.
“Lebron is better for sure,” said senior Jeff Bader. “He’s got the all around game and helps his teammates more. Kobe is straight overrated.”
Team achievements are often used as a measuring stick for individual greatness. Many fans cite team championships as evidence for who’s the better player.
“Kobe is the best. He’s got them rings,” said senior Alozie Onwumere. “Four of ‘em.”
The different points of basketball ability can be endlessly debated. Kobe has the championships. Lebron has the assists and rebounds over Kobe. Some say Kobe is a better closer and a better shooter. Others may say Lebron is more valuable to his team than Kobe to his.
That’s why some fans use reasoning that’s not entirely basketball related.
“Kobe has always been my favorite player,” said senior Greyhound basketball player Maggie Lanter. “When it comes down to it, Kobe always hits the game winning shot. And he’s really really cute!”
Whatever reasons different fans may have for their pick, the competition for the title of best current NBA player almost always comes down to Kobe or Lebron.
However, some more daring fans step outside the box and choose another NBA player.
“The best player in the league is clearly Stephen Curry. He’s only a rookie and he’s tiny but he still does all work,” senior Augustus Heil said.
Senior Charles Goodma thinks both Kobe and Lebron are strong players, but not the strongest.
“However, J. R. Smith is the best player in the league and is the only player who could win the slam dunk and three-point shooting contests,” Goodman said.
Despite these aberrations, most everyone agrees that Lebron James and Kobe Bryant are the two players at the top of the list, but there is much disagreement on who is number one. And when both of their careers are over, even then there will likely be no definitive answer.
The debate will rage on and on, perhaps for generations to come. And that’s the way it ought to be.

Published:

3/17
2010

Tagged:




No Comments

Boys’ basketball suffers heartbreaking end to season, looks ahead to future

By Evan Green

The boys’ basketball team’s season came to a disappointing end on Feb. 28 as they lost 62-58 to MICDS in the district final.

Senior guard Devonte Bell hits a three-pointer in the fourth quarter of the district finals to give the Hounds the lead, but they lost 62-58. (Caroline Stamp)

Senior guard Devonte Bell hits a three-pointer in the fourth quarter of the district finals to give the Hounds the lead, but they lost 62-58. (Caroline Stamp)

The Hounds beat Westminster in the semifinal game on a baseline jump shot by senior guard Devonte Bell with three seconds left in the game.  The Hounds clinched their 50-48 win once they stole the impending inbounds pass near half court.
In that semifinal game, the Hounds fell behind early and struggled to deal with Westminster’s slow offense that aimed at having two-minute possessions and just keeping the ball out of Clayton’s hands.  By slowing down the tempo of the game and working the ball down low to their senior center Daniel Alexander (finished with 23 points), Westminster was able to limit Clayton’s usual up-tempo, high energy game plan.
But Bell and junior guard Ahmad Smith helped carry the team back into the game, as both finished with 13 points to lead the team.
“ They played a weak man and they were a little slow so I was able to take advantage of that and get behind their defense for a lot of back-door cuts,” Smith said.
The district finals were played on a Friday night at 8 in Clayton’s own Stuber Gym.  The place was packed for the second straight game, but the district final held an atmosphere that seemed three times as intense as the one for the semifinals just two days before.
The two teams seemed on a collision course for the district finals and the fans got just what you would expect from a game involving the top two seeds in the district.
MICDS came into the game having been 18-3 in their last 21 games while Clayton three of their last four going into the game.
Clayton had actually beat the Rams at MICDS earlier in the season, but the MICDS team that showed up for district play was a revamped and much better team than the one the Hounds easily defeated 71-58 on Dec. 10.
The visiting Rams started the game off just as hot as they had been going in, at one point, leading by 15 points in the first quarter.  But the Hounds slowly got back into the game, lead by Bell and junior guard Christian Thomas.
“I would love to replay that game, we got behind early and had to play catch up the rest of the way, which hurt us,” Thomas said.
Thomas was the key contributor in a solid second quarter that saw the Hounds trim MICDS’ lead to just four at the break.
In the second half, the Hounds gave the Rams a large dose of Bell.  The senior captain willed the Hounds through the third quarter and well into the fourth as it seemed only a matter of time before the team would take the lead.  And they did just that on a Bell three-pointer that sent the crowd into a frenzy with about three minutes left in the game.
From then on, the teams traded baskets, before MICDS took a one-point lead with a minute to play.  After the Hounds called time out, they ran the clock down to about ten seconds before Bell went into his crossover move on MICDS senior guard Michael Scott (who also had a game-high 24 points and six steals).  Scott came through for the Rams with by far his most clutch steal of the season.
After an intentional foul was called on the Hounds during Scott’s breakaway and he hit one of two free throws, the Hounds still had to foul MICDS again.  MICDS’ senior McPherson Moore (17 points in the game) went to the line and clinched the game, sinking both attempts.
Bell and Thomas both finished with team-highs of 22 points in the game, but poor free throw shooting (62 percent from the line), a hot handed MICDS team (shot nearly 70 percent from the field), and too many turnovers lead to the Hounds’ demise.
“That game was similar to most games, we just dug too big of a hole for ourselves and even though we battled back we just couldn’t make that one big play late in the game,” head coach Ryan Luhning said.
The Hounds finished the season 17-9, and will look to improve on their playoff run last year.
“My favorite part of the season was even after we lost, just seeing the stands full, the crowd supportive, and to see the class our guys showed, and just how disappointed they were meant a lot,” Luhning said.  “It’s good that the attitude at Clayton is now that rather than be content with making the district title game, we expect to go much further.  That’s an attitude that will be key in being successful in the near future.”
That task will be a lot tougher because of the loss of eight key seniors including four-year starting point guard Bell, the only point guard the senior class has seen play for the Hounds in their time here.  Bell, a three year varsity captain, finished his career with 1,386 points and averaged nearly 15 points per game this season, which was second on the team behind Thomas.
The team also loses seven other players that contributed to the team, including senior sharpshooter Sumner Ahearn, center Max Goldfarb, three-year guard Alex Kasnetz, and defensive specialist Josh Pickens.  The team will lose just over 50 percent of their points from this season.
“We are going to have to replace eight guys who gave their heart and soul to our program,” Luhning said.  “We need guys to commit to the program as much as these seniors did for four years.”
As some seniors’ career’s come to an end, many look back on what was a great season.
“I had a lot of fun, and I’m going to miss everything,” Ahearn said.  “I’m going to miss how close all the players are and how we can join together to be a team.  Hopefully, I’ll be remembered as one of the best shooters to ever walk the halls at CHS.”
Ahearn is planning on playing basketball at the Division III level in college.
Now, the team must look ahead to next year.  Although the Hounds lose eight seniors, three starters return in Thomas, Smith, and sophomore guard Charlie Harned.
“We are losing eight contributing seniors, but Christian [Thomas], Ahmad [Smith], Charlie [Harned], and [sophomore guard] Clayton Buchanan will all have to be counted on all the time next season,” Luhning said.  “It is time for them to step up, they will have to be our leaders.”
In terms of next year, there are a lot of unknown factors for the team, as there should be with as many roster spots open as there are.
“[At the freshmen and junior varsity level] There is some talent, but it is going to be a matter of who puts the time in,” Luhning said.  “It is very raw talent that just needs to be refined.”
The returners are also aware of what needs to happen in the offseason.
“Everyone needs to get stronger, become better ball handlers, and become more consistent shooters,” Thomas said.
Thomas lead the team in scoring and rebounds, averaging 20.8 points per game to go with 9.6 rebounds per game.  Those two averages were among the leaders in the Metro area.
“My strengths are scoring, rebounding, and passing, but I still need to improve every aspect of my game to take it to the next level,” Thomas said.
Thomas starting bringing his game up this season, and colleges took note.  Iowa, Kansas State, UNLV, SLU, UMKC, SIUC, SIUE, Denver, Evansville, and LSU have contacted Thomas to play basketball at the collegiate level.
While the last two years, the team has had great success because of a wealth of talent, next season will be interesting to see how the team handles a new bevy of key players.
“Clearly our strengths next year will be Christian Thomas and we need to build around him and become a more well-rounded team,” Harned said.
Just because the team lost eight seniors though, their goals for next season have not changed.
“Our first goal will be to win the conference title outright, we aren’t looking to share that,” Thomas said.  “From there, we want to win districts and just get greedy the rest of the way.”
If the team wants to do that, they know that the new faces of the program will have to really step up next year, and that starts in the offseason.
It will be interesting to see how the Hounds can rebound from this heartbreaking end to the season, but clearly, the attitude and will to go further next season is present in an up and coming program that features one of the areas prominent players returning next season.

Published:

3/17
2010

Tagged:






No Comments

Little-known past of Bob Bone

By Jake Bernstein

Students pass by his office every day.  His sits in the stands at every basketball game.  He is also one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball history.  His name is Bob Bone, Athletic Director at CHS.
Only one in seven CHS students that were surveyed were aware of his basketball career.  After asking many other players on the freshman and junior varsity teams if they were aware that Bone played basketball at a high level, less than half were aware that he was a good basketball player.  Only those on the varsity level were well aware of his successful college basketball career.

Bob Bone takes a shot as a player for UMSL. Bone, a three-time All-American, played from 1973-1977 and remains UMSL’s scoring and assists leader. (Photo courtesy of Bob Bone)

Bob Bone takes a shot as a player for UMSL. Bone, a three-time All-American, played from 1973-1977 and remains UMSL’s scoring and assists leader. (Photo courtesy of Bob Bone)

I first learned of Bone’s career when I was walking around the Mark Twain Athletic Complex at the University of Missouri St. Louis (UMSL), attending only for basketball camp.  On one wall, next to all the other UMSL greats, was Bone.  When I asked my dad if this was the same Bob Bone, my dad explained that Bone was one of the greatest college basketball players in his memory.
In four seasons at UMSL, Bone averaged over 26 points per game to score a grand total of 2678 points during his career from 1973 to 1977.  In his senior season, he topped 30 points per game.  In perspective, no Division One player has accomplished the feat of scoring 30 a game this season.  He is not only the leading scorer in UMSL history, but he is also the career assist leader.
Bone attended Collinsville High School in Collinsville, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis.  He played under legendary coach Vergil Fletcher, who currently has the fourth most wins in Illinois high school basketball history.
“It was a great place to play basketball,” Bone said. “I played for the school which, at the time, had the most wins in high school basketball history.  It was part of great tradition and it was a great program.”
Out of high school, many schools in the Midwest, Division One and Division Two alike, recruited Bone.  For Bone, UMSL offered something other schools did not.
“It gave me the opportunity to start all four years,” Bone said. “They also let me play baseball, which was a big bonus.”
Today, people might question Bone’s decision to attend a Division Two school.  He defended the decision he made almost 40 years ago.
“You never know what could have happened at a big division one school,” Bone said. “I may not have gotten any playing time at a bigger school.  I was also only a kid at the time, and I don’t know if I would have made the same decision today.”
Bone also mentioned that the national scope for college basketball was smaller at the time due to lack of the internet and fewer games broadcasted on television.
Bone immediately became a scorer at UMSL.  Even with no three point line, he averaged over 20 points per game his freshman year.
“Our offense gave me opportunities to shoot, so that’s what I did,” Bone said. “My biggest assets were quickness, speed, determination and mental toughness.”
Bone also excelled on the baseball field at UMSL as a second baseman.  In addition to being picked as an All-American three times for basketball, he was on the All-American team for baseball after his junior year.
“I think the mental toughness helped in both basketball and baseball,” Bone said.
Though Division Two schools normally do play other Division Two schools, a game versus a Division One school is often placed into the schedule.  While Bone was at UMSL he faced Indiana State, a very good Division One team that featured future NBA great Larry Bird.  In a losing effort, Bone scored 38 points, and Bird had 48.
“Playing against Larry Bird was definitely a highlight,” Bone said. “It was a great game.”
After Bone’s senior year, he was given a huge honor for a college basketball player of any level.  He was selected to play in the East-West All Star game.  The twenty top college basketball players were selected from across the country, and Bone was selected as one the players, the only player representing Division Two basketball.
Today, a college player not drafted might decide to play basketball in Europe or try the NBA Development (D) League.  In the 1970s, however, players did not have such options.
“I had the opportunity to attend NBA tryout camps,” Bone said. “However, I received a post-graduate scholarship, and to try out for an NBA team, I would have needed to sacrifice my scholarship.”
His playing career ended after college, but he returned to the game to coach for another 30 years.  After being an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Saint Louis University for a year each, he became head coach at East-Central Jr. College for five years.  From there, he made the move back to Collinsville High School to coach.
“My original plan was to stay in college coaching, but my kids changed my perspective,” Bone said.  “I wanted to see my kids grow up, and being a Division One coach makes this difficult.  Moving to Collinsville to coach was the right move for me at the time.”
Bone noted his time coaching at Collinsville was another highlight of his career.
“I got to see my kids in high school,” Bone said.  “I also had the privilege of coaching both my sons.”
At a big basketball school like Collinsville, the team was expected to perform well.
“Athletics are taken very seriously in Illinois’ high schools, it is a lot different from here,” Bone said.  “We played powerhouse basketball schools featuring future NBA players such as Vince Carter and Darius Miles on a yearly basis.  However, the joy from winning was much less than the pain from losing.  Losses took their toll.”
After coaching for 27 years, Bone stepped down from his position and left Collinsville.  He then joined the Clayton staff as Athletic Director.
“I was done with coaching,” Bone said. “I had coached long enough. Basketball had been such a big part of my life for so long, it was time for me to get out.”
Though he does not plan on going back into coaching in the future, Bone is thankful for basketball having been part of his life.

Published:

1/27
2010

Tagged:





No Comments

Should students really have to pay $5 to watch their classmates play?

By Evan Green

This year, varsity basketball had coach Ryan Luhning and assistant coach Mike Nelke came up with an idea to get more fans to come to home games.  That idea was to create a fan club now known as the Clayton Crazies.  This is possibly one of the best ideas I have ever heard presented during my tenure here as a student.
The perks to being a member of the club include free admission to home games and free pizza, with the only requirement being that the student attends a “practice” the day before the home game.
For me, being a sports reporter for the Globe, the high school sports seasons are expensive, an adjective rarely used by Clayton students.  But if I add up the costs of tickets and concessions, the total would be much higher than many would expect.
In the fall, I paid $3 to watch the football team lose all five home games and the game at Ladue that I attended.  In the winter, I am paying $4 to attend any of the hockey team’s games. A hockey team that is 5-13.
Luckily, home basketball games are now free, but any tournament games such as the MICDS Holiday Tournament or the DC Wilcutt Tournament at CBC cost $5 to get in.  So three games in each tournament and I’m suddenly out $30.  That’s not to mention if I wanted anything to eat or drink.
Sure, some tournaments like the MICDS one donate the proceeds from admissions to a charity, which I think is great. But should I have to pay $5 to go watch my fellow classmates play a game in the middle of the season?  In my mind, students from the schools that are paying should have one of three options: a reduced fee of maybe $3, a chance to buy a tournament pass for one price up front, or they should get in for free.
The people setting the admission prices should realize that these are just kids essentially.  Most of us don’t have jobs and choose to spend much of our time on academic accomplishments, only to basically be robbed by adults that wish to make money off of these games.
At the same time, a lot of people are going to say, “but you go to Clayton, you can afford it.”  My answer to that is if I am complaining about these prices [no, I don’t have everything paid for me in life], I can only imagine how disgusted students from other schools are about this issue.
The football team in my mind should have offered a season pass of sorts to students and set up a student section if they wanted to draw more people to the games.  The already paltry attendance was partly justified by the play of the team since no one likes watching their team lose, and although the Hounds struggled this year on the gridiron, the team’s play was not the only contribution to the less than stellar student attendance.
Now I’m not saying that a large student cheering section wouldn’t have propelled the team to more wins, but it sure could have raised the team moral on the field.
Interestingly enough, the soccer team was pretty good this season and did attract more student interest at home games than the football team.  A part of that can be chalked up to the fact that home soccer games are free.
As a sports reporter and general fan of watching Clayton athletics, I understandably have attended more games than the average Clayton student.
The entire topic might just be more sore for me, but the breaking point was when I went to watch my brother wrestle at Berkeley High School and I was appalled at the $2 entrance fee.  That was the first time I had heard of a fee for a regular season wrestling meet.
The postseason is quite different in terms of high school sports costs.  MSHSAA mandates that there be a certain cost to get in to each game, something I think that students should be exempt from paying.  It is just rediculous to have to continuously pay $5 to watch your team play.
If Clayton were to make it to the state final in basketball, and I attended every game, I would be out $35.  That’s nearly a month’s allowance.
Some adults may point to a turn in the recent economy and say that $5 isn’t that much, but to high school students that are about to have to pay for college, the little things continually add up, especially for me. 

Published:

1/27
2010

Tagged:




No Comments

Boys’ basketball off to 12-5 start, looking to avenge past playoff history

By Evan Green

On Jan. 15, the boys’ basketball team finally got a signature victory, defeating the Whitfield Warriors 66-60 in overtime.  While the team almost choked away the game at the free throw line, watching a 57-51 lead with a minute to play evaporate before their eyes, the team pulled together and gutted out the win in overtime to take third place in the DC Wilcutt tournament hosted at CBC.

Senior Devonte Bell runs the offense in a Jan. 20 game against the Pattonville Pirates. Clayton won the game 66-54, improving their record to 12-5.

Senior Devonte Bell runs the offense in a Jan. 20 game against the Pattonville Pirates. Clayton won the game 66-54, improving their record to 12-5.

Junior forward Christian Thomas, who has heard from several NCAA Division I Midwest and mid-major programs, lead the team with 27 points in the game, to increase his team leading scoring average to 21.8 points per game.  Senior guard Devonte Bell, who is drawing interest from several NAIA and Division II schools about basketball, chipped in with 13 points and 12 rebounds, and junior guard Ahmad Smith added 10 big points to key the Hounds win.
“I would say that game [against Whitfield] has been our best win so far,” head coach Ryan Luhning said.
Several new role players stepped up for the Hounds in the game.
“Ahmad Smith really picked his game up against Whitfield, and that helped us a lot,” Bell said.
Previously in the tournament, the Hounds opened up play with a 62-47 win over rival Ladue.  In that game, the Hounds had four players reach double figures in Thomas, Bell, senior sniper Sumner Ahearn, and senior guard Alex Kasnetz.  The Hounds advanced to play McCluer in the semifinals.
In that game, the Hounds actually held a four point lead late in the third quarter over the powerhouse Comets, before McCluer roared back to win 60-51.
“We had a stretch of eight possessions, in which we turned the ball over six times,” Luhning said.  “Other than that, we went toe-to-toe with them.  It was very similar to the Hazelwood Central loss earlier in the season.”
The culmination of the last month was bittersweet for the Hounds, as the emphatic win capped off a tough month of basketball.  The win did help the team take revenge for an earlier 69-58 loss at Whitfield.
“That is the one game that I would really like back,” Bell said.  “It was probably my best personal game, but I would love to get that one back because I know we could’ve won.”
Bell had a personal season high of 22 points in that game.  He is averaging 15 points per game, second best on the team.
Following that loss, the Hounds went to the MICDS Holiday tournament, where they entered as the number one seed.  The team easily blew out St. Charles 71-42 in the opening round before being upset by eighth-seeded Miller Career Academy 72-67 in overtime.
The Hounds trailed for almost the entire game, and were down by four points with two seconds left in the game when they almost pulled off the comeback of the year.  Bell went to the free throw line and hit the first shot before purposely missing the second.  The ball was knocked out to Ahearn who grabbed it and threw up an off balanced three point attempt that swished in at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
While most would assume that the team would have been able to ride the wave of momentum, they came out flat in overtime, and eventually lost by five.
In the following game, the Hounds were knocked out of the tournament by a hot shooting Parkway South team.  The Patriots lead by 15 and withheld a furious Clayton rally in the second half to hold on for a three point win and knock the disappointed Hounds out of the tournament.
After winter break, the team returned home to take on Affton.  The Hounds came out ready to play and used a 28-8 third quarter run to blow Affton away.  The team held the Cougars’ star senior guard Markus Golden to just nine points on the night, well below his team high 16 points per game average.  In the end, the Hounds doubled up the Cougars 64-32, and were lead by Thomas’ game high 27 points and 12 rebounds.
Thomas has 11 double-doubles on the season.
After the Affton game, the Hounds went to the CBC tournament, and followed their third place finish with a 66-54 win over the Pattonville Pirates on Jan. 20, which leaves them with their current record of 12-5.
In the win over Pattonville, Thomas had his usual 24 points, while Bell added 17 and Smith continued his recent tear with 12 points off the bench.
While Thomas and Bell have been consistently strong offensively for the team this year, the role players have been numerous.  From Ahearn to Kasnetz to senior guard Josh Pickens to senior center Max Goldfarb, the senior role players have been there.
In terms of underclassmen, Smith and sophomore guard Charlie Harned have played key parts in the teams winning.
“Ahmad Smith has really played well, and [Josh] Pickens is picking it up defensively for us,” Luhning said.  “At the same time, [Charlie] Harned has really hit some big shots.”
The Hounds have several clear strengths that have allowed them to be successful.
“Clearly, our biggest strength is that we can always score,” Thomas said.
On the other hand, a couple teams have exposed flaws in the Hounds lately.
“We have really got to have better starts [to games] and we can’t dig such big holes if we want to beat good teams.” Luhning said.
His captain, Bell, was in agreement.
“We need to play hard for all 32 minutes,” Bell said.
While the team certainly has several kinks to work out before the postseason starts, several players already have personal goals that they wish to improve on in order to help the team.
“I really need to get stronger I think,” Bell said.
Thomas also had a personal agenda for the rest of the season.
“I have really got to improve my free throw shooting to help the team,” Thomas said.
This is especially important for Thomas who has shot the most free throws on the team far and away.  In fact, Bell’s second best total of 70 free throw attempts on the season pales in comparison to Thomas’ 132 attempts at press time.
Indeed the Hounds have seemed to find a trend in digging holes and fighting back, while at the same time struggling to close games out at the line.
“I think our free throw shooting is fine and when it’s not there is a running consequence in practice,” Luhning said.
The team will need to improve on these current flaws if they want to be successful come playoff time.
The district playoffs start on Feb. 22, and Clayton is the host this year.  The Hounds’ district is one of the toughest in the state.  Possible opponents include Jennings, University City, Berkeley, Westminster, and MICDS.
On the season, the team has already beat MICDS handily, and has upcoming games against Jennings, University City, Berkeley, and Westminster.
The team is actually playing at Jennings as the Globe goes to press time.
“I would say that Jennings is going to be the toughest matchup for us in districts, but really every team is going to be a battle, especially with the season on the line,” Bell said.
Jennings has been a bi-polar team of sorts this year, smashing Miller Career Academy and beating Parkway South, while losing to generally considered lesser opponents such as Lutheran North and Imagine College Preparatory.
But as many of us know, districts are a time where anything is truly possible, and a team’s true character comes out.  A time of the year when a team’s stars are counted on and unexpected heroes come out of the woodworks.  In Clayton, a team with a deep bench and plenty of offensive firepower, there is a powerful mix to make a deep playoff run, something a signature win shows is possible. 