Season Standouts

Spartans invest individual talent for big returns on the team

October 25, 2017

Volleyball: Blythe Rients

Kat St. Martin-Norburg
TOGETHER. Junior Blythe Rients rallies team together during a home match. “I definitely think that a lot of pressure gets put on me sometimes in games, so if I’m not having the greatest game usually there’s some impact on the rest of the team,” Rients said.

The Girls Varsity Volleyball team is looking to have its first shot at being conference champions this year. Hopefully if we win the rest of our games we’ll be the conference champions”, junior Blythe Rients said. Rients is a veteran player with 303 kills this season.

“I started playing volleyball in 5th grade for SPA, and then in 6-7th grade I played for a traveling team. I made varsity in 8th grade, and the team was mostly seniors, I was the only eighth grader.”

Whenever I’m not playing my best I try to stay positive and making sure that I’m giving out good vibes to other people

— junior Blythe Rients

Rients knows that her actions have an effect on the whole team. “I definitely think that a lot of pressure gets put on me sometimes in games, so if I’m not having the greatest game usually there’s some impact on the rest of the team. Whenever I’m not playing my best I try to stay positive and making sure that I’m giving out good vibes to other people so that they can have their best game,” Rients explained.

Rients has committed to play Division 1 volleyball. “I’m verbally committed to play volleyball at the University of Iowa. It’s all verbal now, but November of my senior year is when I can make it official. I committed the summer between 9th and 10th grade so it’s pretty exciting.”

Boys Cross Country: Sam Hanson

IBID PHOTO: Dianne Caravela
BREATHE. Sophomore Sam Hanson runs in a match. “There were a lot more girls that run cross country than boys,” Hanson said.

Sam Hanson may only be a sophomore, but he’s no stranger to running cross country for SPA. “I started running cross country in sixth grade, and that was the same year that I started running with SPA.”

Hanson spent a year on the middle school team.

“I ran for the middle school team in sixth grade but I made varsity in seventh. I was pretty much alone.”

For the team, we’re making some really good improvements this year, and have more team unity

— sophomore Sam Hanson

He attributes the fact that more girls at SPA run cross country than boys to the reason why he made the team at a young age. “There were a lot more girls that run cross country than boys.”

Even though this season is not their best, the team uses it as a chance to get better. “For the team, we’re making some really good improvements this year, and have more team unity, we’re running together more in races.”

His goal is to “not to be afraid to push myself and try to stay with the other runners. I hope to make state my senior year,” Hanson said.

Girls Soccer: Olivia Lagos

Ethan Dincer
FOCUS. Sophomore Olivia Lagos controls the ball in a home match against Northfield. “I’ve basically been playing soccer my whole life, because my family’s a soccer family,” Lagos said.

Ninth grader forward Olivia Lagos is a born-and-bred soccer player. “I’ve basically been playing soccer my whole life, because my family’s a soccer family.” Lagos said.

This is her second year on the varsity team. “I think the season’s going pretty well, we’re 13 and 2, and last year we did really well too.” Lagos said.

Lagos definitely not only wants to win sections, but she also “want[s] to make it all the way to state.”

I put [pressure] on myself to score goals

— ninth grader Olivia Lagos

The team’s chemistry shows itself in tradition. Lagos and some of her teammateremember each game. “Every game, Muriel [Lang], Tessah [Green] and I take a piece of grass from each field.” Lagos explained.

Going into sections, Lagos is feeling the pressure. “I put [pressure] on myself to score goals,” Lagos said.

[In Print] This story is reprinted from The Rubicon print edition: Oct 24, 2017

Leave a Comment

The Rubicon • Copyright 2024 • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNOLog in

Comments (0)

Comments are welcomed on most stories at The Rubicon online. The Rubicon hopes this promotes thoughtful and meaningful discussion. We do not permit or publish libel or defamatory statements; comments that advertise or try to sell to the community; any copyrighted, trademarked or intellectual property of others; the use of profanity. Comments will be moderated, but not edited, and will post after they are approved by the Director of RubicOnline.  It is at the discretion of the staff to close the comments option on stories.
All The Rubicon Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.