The year in Lowry sports

The year in Lowry sports

By Justin Albright Posted May 29, 2013

Football
For the third year in a row, Lowry had a very successful year. The year was clouded with doubt though due to the graduation of Jace Billingsley, people didn’t know what to expect, but Coach Tim Billingsley made a switch at the quarterback position putting junior Calvin Connors in the starting spot and making Lowry have a more balanced offensive attack. The Bucks compiled a record of 10-2, but for the third straight year, the Bucks made the trip down to Moapa Valley for the first round of playoffs and suffered another heartbreaking loss. The Bucks are returning the majority of their team, so look for them to have another successful year.

Girls Soccer

After returning the majority of their team from the previous year, the girl’s soccer team had high hopes. The Bucks returned the majority of their team from last year and featured two freshmen that made an immediate impact. The Bucks reached the playoffs this year but lost to Elko in the Quarterfinal matchup. The Bucks aren’t losing any players of this year’s squad, as they have very high hopes for next year’s squads.

Rikki Hamilton tries to get the ball back./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand
Rikki Hamilton tries to get the ball back./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand

Girl’s golf
Coming off a successful season, the lady Buckaroo Golf Team had high hopes as they were returning the majority of last year’s team. The girls worked hard every day in practice and consistently improved their skills, which led to the fourth-place finish in the state, and second in the league. Alyssa Dendary, Cortney Keiser, Tori Echeverria, Caitlyn Orr, and Macy Alvarez took the journey to the state tournament, nobody placed in the top 6, but Keiser took eighth and Dendary placed 11.

Boys Soccer

Starting off the year, the Bucks were hoping to make their goal of reeling in the school’s first state championship. They didn’t meet those goals, but they had a very successful year, as they were led by junior, Carlos Aguilar. Aguilar broke the Nevada record for goals in a season. The Bucks are only losing two players from this year’s team as Christian Villagomez and Luis Angel Hernandez played their final game for the blue and gold.

Luis Hernandez steals the ball./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand
Luis Hernandez steals the ball./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand

Cross Country
The men and women who were on the Lowry High School Cross Country team really ran their hearts out this year. The team had very strong runners this year, both returning from the previous years, and very strong freshmen that helped the team.

Volleyball

The Lady Bucks had high hopes coming into the year, as they were returning multiple players, and also had key players that were moved up from last year’s JV team. Even though the Bucks struggled throughout the year, they still worked hard and improved on a daily basis. The Bucks have very high hopes for next year as they’re only losing four players to graduation.

Paige Thiede spikes the ball ./ Justin Albright • The Brand
Paige Thiede spikes the ball ./ Justin Albright • The Brand

Boy’s basketball

Jesse Studebaker scores against Truckee./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand
Jesse Studebaker scores against Truckee./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand

After winning the school’s eighth state championship, the Bucks had high hopes coming into the year, as they were returning the majority of the team from the previous year’s state championship team. The Bucks had another marvelous year, as they compiled a 21-7 record. The Bucks reached the Northern Championship game, and also reached the state tournament. Nobody gave the Bucks a chance going into the quarterfinal match-up against the Jaguars of Desert Pines, even though the Bucks lost that game, they earned respect all over the state of Nevada. The Bucks have big shoes to fill due to the departures of three-year starter, Jesse Studebaker, and two big contributors to the team Chris Dendary and Tyler Brumm.

Wrestling

The most storied wrestling program in the state was at it again this year, as they collected their fifth straight state championship. Michael Billingsley became the school’s second 4-time state champion, as he followed in the footsteps of his cousin, Jace. Cody Anderson and Daniel Pollock also capped off their Lowry careers on top, as they both reeled in yet another state championship. The Bucks are only losing five seniors from this year’s squad, so look for them to collect their sixth straight state championship next year.

Michael Billingsley tries to pin an opponent. /Courtesy • Tim Grady
Michael Billingsley tries to pin an opponent. /Courtesy • Tim Grady

Girl’s basketball

Carli Evatz drives around a defender. / Jolyn Garcia • The Brand
Carli Evatz drives around a defender. / Jolyn Garcia • The Brand

After losing multiple players from last year’s squad, not many people knew what to expect from this year’s team. The Bucks didn’t do as well as they had hoped, but they still made it to the playoffs, as they faced off against the eventual state champion, the Spring Creek Spartans. Look for the Lady Bucks to have a dominant season next year, as they are only losing two players to graduation. The Bucks made a change in the coaching position this offseason, as Chelsea Cabatbat is moving up from the JV team to take the Varsity head coaching position.

Softball
Coming off a year that included an appearance in the state championship game which included a heartbreaking loss, and losing nine key players from that squad, the Lady Bucks didn’t really know what to expect from this year’s young team. However, this young squad quickly emerged into one of the best teams in Northern Nevada as they went 26-12, and like the baseball team, also had a home-field advantage. The Bucks suffered a heartbreaking loss in the playoffs as Fernley hit a walk-off in extra innings to end the Buckaroo’s season. The Bucks only lose two players though, so look for them to be even more dominant next year.

Boys Golf
Coming off the school’s 11-state championship, the golf team had high hopes for the year. The boys have had another outstanding year as the Bucks won yet another state championship. The Bucks had a very dominant year, and it showed in the state tournament as on the first day, the Bucks trailed Faith Lutheran by 23 on the first nine, but on the second nine, they put their heads down and put in work as they ended up trailing Faith Lutheran by only one at the end of the back nine on the first day. Coming off the dominant end of the day, the Bucks had very little trouble in keeping momentum as they won another state championship. The Bucks are losing two very talented golfers as Cole Erquiaga and Chris Dendary all stepped on the course for the last time as members of the Buckaroos.

Baseball

Tytin Johnson steps up to the plate./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand
Tytin Johnson steps up to the plate./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand

The Lowry baseball team once again had a stellar year as they finished off with a 17-12 record. The Bucks started the season off with a couple of losses, but they quickly improved so much that they had a home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Despite having a home field, the Bucks suffered two heartbreaking losses on their own field to end their season. The Bucks are losing five key contributors to this team as Michal Arenas, Jesse Studebaker, Tyler Brumm, Matt Wells, and Daniel Pollock have all worn the blue and gold for the last time.

Swimming
This year’s swim team had an outstanding year this year. There was a lot of good energy in the practices, and 13 members went to the state meet. The Bucks traveled to Carson for the state, and everyone improved on their times as the season came to a close. Senior, Tori Echeverria took 7th place in the backstroke. Senior Matt Ruehl placed 5th in the 100-meter breaststroke. All of the relay teams took 7th. The Bucks are maintaining the core of this year’s team for next season, but five seniors have swam their last lap as Ruehl, Echeverria, Jeremiah Maestrejuan, Trystan Blouir, and Iva Mendoza are all graduating.

Track

The boy’s and girl’s of the Lowry track team ran their hearts out this year, as they all had one goal in mind, which was to try and make it to the state tournament. There are 10 members who have reached that goal as they traveled down to Silverado. The throwers that made it to the state were Sergio Castenaeda, Taylor Martin, and Cody Andersen. The pole vaulters were Rachel Sigurdson. Raven Black and Robert Stepper represented the high jumpers. Auri Criddle, Monique Rodriguez, Alex Schirrick, and Taylor LaTray represented the sprinters. Nobody placed in the top sixth, but they still tried their hardest in every event. Look for the track team to come back strong as they’re returning the majority of their team, but are losing Alex Schirrick, Cody Andersen, and Taylor Martin to graduation.

Beau Billingsley gets a quick start off the blocks./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand
Beau Billingsley gets a quick start off the blocks./ Jolyn Garcia • The Brand