Sports Writing
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My school is big on winning against our crosstown rivals, Free State High School. We ended this past fall with two wins, one from football and the other from volleyball.
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While volleyball did not have their most successful season, beating Free State was a monumental moment for the girls. I wanted to help capture that and challenge myself to write a sports story that was not a season recap or athlete spotlight.
Going for the hit, sophomore Kennedy Glasgow starts a match on Aug. 17. Glasgow enjoys playing because of her teammates, who help push her to be a better person and athlete. “We all worked together so well, and pushed each other to be our best,” Glasgow said. “In the end it really showed when we played.” Photo by Maya Smith
Football has never been something that interests me. However, showing the inner workings of the team at the beginning of their season helped draw me to something I usually stray away from.
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Standing off, senior Will Hendricks blocks a pass rush during an away game at Olathe South. As a leader he feels that the team relies on him to bring determination to the field. “I’m loving football right now, the teams playing good, we’re all coming together," Hendricks said. Photo by Maeslyn Hamlin
Halfway through the 2021-2022 school year, the USD 497 school district threatened to cut our two high school's combined gymnastics program. When the news spread to Lawrence High, a sit in was immediately planned, bringing out nearly 350 students in support of saving gymnastics. Later that year it was decided that the program would be saved.
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In the fall of 2022, the team came back even stronger, with high hopes to reach a state title. My angle was to talk more about the girls' resilience and readiness for the season rather than the fact that their program was almost cut.
Embracing, senior Peyton Fowler and junior Annie Shew share a moment on the mat at the first home meet in three years on Sept. 24.