12 Seasons Award

By: Dena J.

“I’ve played sports my whole life because they’re fun for me,” senior Sarah K. exclaimed. Sarah plans to earn her 12 season award at the completion of softball.

            At the completion of this year, any senior student who has participated in sports for all 12 seasons at Owings Mills High School will receive a 12 season award. 

            “We like to recognize our most dedicated athletes,” Athletic Director Devon Jones explained.

            Many students who will earn this award felt that they had great social experiences in OMHS because of their participation in athletics.

            “When I first started soccer, I met a lot of teachers and coaches. I also got to meet a lot of people,” senior Morgan B. revealed.

            “I met a lot more friends because of sports. I’m also more involved in school. I’m in other clubs but sports are my main involvement. I’m friends with a lot of people I wouldn’t be friends with without playing sports,” Sarah explicated.

            12 season athletes plan to continue leading an athletic lifestyle after high school.  “I’ll most likely play club sports in college and keep running”, senior Sean B. explained.

            Senior Mathew L. expressed, “I’ve been thinking about trying out for soccer at Gettysburg.”

            Many 12 season athletes feel that athletics have played a positive role in their lives.

“Sports have definitely played a positive role in my life because it’s something I enjoy doing and it keeps me out of trouble. Sports also make me want to work hard in school”, Matt explained.

            “Sports help keep me busy and focused and gave me structure, Morgan commented.

            Jones feels that students do not always participate in athletics for twelve seasons because of their dedication to athletics.

            “What we’re trying to get away from is athletes participating just to get awards. It makes athletes just go out on the field and not even try to compete, Jones expressed. “It’s my goal for students to participate in sports because they like the sport and want to represent their high school.”

            “We’re completely starting over. We have new expectations for our coaches and our athletes. We’re creating and new vibe and we’re going to change this program around”, Jones concluded.

Orioles Season Preview

By: Stacy H.

As the professional baseball season quickly approaches, fans, coaches and players alike look to the upcoming season with excitement and overwhelming apprehension. For the past nine seasons, the Baltimore Orioles have performed less than satisfactorily and although their expectations are always high, the results of each game prove time and time again to be disappointing.  This year, Baltimore hopes to snap out of their nine-season streak of losing records with the help of a powerful pitching and defense.

            "We're all optimistic here, but we know there has never been a championship won in the offseason," said Jim Duquette, Baltimore's vice president of baseball operations. "You have to do it on the field. Overall, we're pleased with the progress we've made. We felt there were several holes to fill and we think we've filled them."

            Any success the Orioles have will likely be traced to the maturing of their pitching staff. Erik Bedard improved greatly last year and the Orioles are hoping for similar progress from Daniel Cabrera, Adam Loewen and the young Hayden Penn. Predictably, team after team has asked about the possibillity of obtaining Bedard, Cabrera and Lowen, but Baltimore has stubbornly stuck by its young guns.

            Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo is perfectly comfortable with his team's abundance of young arms.

            "As much as I thought we were going to be a little bit better last year with our starters, I feel even more so this year," he said earlier this year. "I think if you have good pitching, anything in the game can happen, and I think we are on the verge of that. So in that respect, I think we've made tremendous strides.

            The Orioles had several young and overmatched relievers last season, and coaches often had to choose between two relievers that were equally unsuited to the task. Now the bullpen is full of a relief staff of pitchers with distinct strengths and weaknesses. Evidently, the O’s will be banking on the assumption that their pitching staff and bullpen will carry them throughout the season.

            Skeptical Orioles fan and senior Andrew Schlossberg complained, "Every year I falsely hope that the Orioles will snap out of their losing streak, and I don’t see how this year's team is any different than the same old Orioles. All they did was add a few more bullpen guys but when it comes down to it, the Yankees and Red Sox will win the division and wild card like it has been for the past 10 years."

Spring Sports

By: Carli F.

Teams practicing, lacrosse sticks waving and sunshine are all sights of the beginning of the spring sports season. This year, the season started off with a snow fall forcing all teams inside and leaving little room for each team to practice.

The spring sports consist of lacrosse, outdoor track, baseball, softball, tennis and cheerleading. “I think this season will be a good one because there are so many more people this year than there have been in the past,” stated outdoor track captain Rachel D.

Although some athletes feel their season will be successful, others have some doubts and concerns. Sophomore and JV lacrosse team member Sami . claims, “I’m nervous that we won’t have enough subs for both JV and Varsity because there aren’t as many girls on the teams as there have been in the former years, due to the lack of upperclassmen playing lacrosse.”

“I’m really looking forward to this season because, from what I can tell, we have a pretty solid team and I think we’re going to win several [softball] games,” stated freshman Jacqui S.

Sophomore Scott Z. suggested, “I’m psyched for this baseball season and I’m really looking forward to kicking the other teams’ butts.”

“I think this season will be successful but we are going to have to work at it; we will have to practice extra hard and stick together as a team,” stated Justin S., a sophomore on the boys’ lacrosse team.