Amber Slater

Staff Reporter

High school indoor track and field provides constant opportunity. Those who hope to bridge their spring and winter sports can increase speed and endurance. Those who wish to gain friendships can build relationships with students in all grades and social groups. Those who have never ran a mile can lace up their running shoes without the fear of being cut from the team. Due to the inviting atmosphere of the sport, many choose to continue to compete at the collegiate level. Due to the current economy, the Carroll County Board of Education is currently considering cutting indoor track, denying high school students the positive experience of the sport.

James Ways was a seasoned athlete when he began running at Winters Mill. He notes, however, that, “I received more recognition for [indoor] than my two other sports.” Ways broke multiple county, conference, regional, and state records in his high school running career and held the titles of Carroll County Times Male Athlete of the Year in 2008 and WTT Athlete of the Year in 2009. Beyond recognition, Ways counts the friendships he gained as a memorable part of his indoor track experience. “Track has shaped me in many ways, and it just cannot be cut from the budget; it’s just not fair,” he comments.

Forest Fleischer, who also competed in indoor track at Winters Mill, echoes Ways’ thoughts on friendship saying, “You not only gain the discipline of running and working out every day, but you also gain some of the closest friends you will ever have.” Fleischer cannot currently race due to injury. “I get really upset seeing my teammates running when I cannot,” she says, “I cannot imagine if the sport were not offered at all.”

Katie Griffith, who ran all four of her high school years at Liberty, explains, “If it hadn’t been for that first year I ran indoor track, I might have never found that passion for the sport.” Griffith continued to run after high school and is currently competing in her fourth and final season of indoor at McDaniel. Because of indoor track, Griffith attests, “I found a sport that I could participate in for life.”

Final decisions on the Carroll County budget will not be made until May, but current and previous indoor track athletes will not easily let go of the sport that provided the platform for recognition, meaningful friendships, and a lifelong passion.

Matt Bodnar

Staff Reporter

One of the bright spots through all this snow that has fell in the region has been the play of the McDaniel women’s basketball team. McDaniel began the year flying under the radar, but the play of seniors Ali Mooreland, Sally Grace, Ashley Lyles, and Catherine Mills have propelled these ladies to the forefront of the conversation. From December to February, the women’s team reeled off 17 straight wins.

The Green Terror climbed atop the Conference standings and announced their presence as a legitimate championship contender as a result of their winning streak. Throughout the streak, the ladies displayed a multidimensional offense that worked the ball inside and kicked out for open shots.

The winning streak came to end on February 12, with a tough loss to Johns Hopkins. Unfortunately, the next game resulted in a loss to Ursinus. Despite the recent losses, the lady Green Terror sit at 17-6 overall and 15-4 in conference. With one game remaining against conference leader Gettysburg, McDaniel finds itself in third place. A win against Gettysburg would certainly shake up the playoff picture, with the ladies only a half game behind second place Muhlenberg.

Regardless of their final position in the standings, the women’s basketball team will be well prepared for their playoff match up. Coach Becky Martin will have this team ready to make some waves in conference playoffs and hopefully the national tournament. Coach Martin feels this team shares some characteristics with past championship teams. She points out, “A balanced offense with an inside and an outside game, good speed, upper class experience and leadership with a go to person in Ali Moreland.” Most importantly Coach Martin notices that this team has the heart to win. Regarding conference playoffs, Coach Martin believes, “If we can stay healthy, continue to progress and have a little luck, I believe we have as good a chance as anyone in the conference.”

Centennial Conference playoffs are set to take place in the near future. Be sure to get out and support the women’s basketball team, as they push their way towards a conference championship and more.

Physical Plant Focuses on Clearing Snow from Stadium

Nick Brunner

Co Sports Editor

The snow has not only put a damper on the academic semester, but also on the McDaniel sports teams. Whether it was delayed or cancelled winter sports events or keeping the fields of the spring sports teams covered in white, snowmageddon has shook up the sports world on the Hill.

The snow has put the Gill Center in extraordinary high demand as the winter sports teams try to wrap up their seasons and spring sports teams are forced to shift practice indoors and scrap for gym time. To make matters even more stringent, there is an array of intramural sports just starting up as well.

The baseball and softball teams have been limited in what they can do when confined to the walls of the Gill Center. Unable to do much work in terms of fielding or game-like situations, an extra emphasis has been put on hitting in the batting cages of Old Gill gymnasium. Along with extra hitting, the teams have also focused on strength and conditioning.

It is hard to make a trip to the fitness center and not see a McDaniel athlete working hard to prepare for the season. The teams know that while the snow is keeping them from getting better on the field, it can’t keep them from getting stronger, faster, and developing ever important team chemistry.

The woman’s softball team has been one team in particular that has bought into this way of thinking. They are constantly in the weight room as a group pushing and encouraging each other. It will be interesting to see how this comradery will translate to success on the field.

The baseball team has taken more to the conditioning aspect. Their philosophy has been if all we can do is run, then we will do our best that we can to make sure we are the best at it. Both teams are excited to be going to Florida for spring break so they will be sure to get at least some work in before Centennial Conference play begins.

With most of the campus roads and academic buildings now cleared, next on the priority list may be the athletic fields. Once the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams are able to use the stadium field again, a lot of the congestion in the gym should be eliminated.

Matthew Bodnar

Staff Reporter

Arguably the most recognizable athlete in the world today is Tiger Woods. Woods has won 14 professional major golf championships, the second highest of any male player, and 71 PGA Tour events, which is third all time. He has more career major wins and more PGA Tour wins than any other active golfer. He is the youngest player to achieve the career Grand Slam, and the youngest and fastest to win 50 tournaments on tour. You have seen Tiger’s face promote numerous products on T.V., including Nike, General Motors, American Express, Accenture, and Gillette. The man has his own video game and was once considered the most marketable athlete in the world. These illustrious achievements and multimillion dollar contracts have all led to the moment in 2009 when Tiger Woods became the first billion dollar athlete.

Tiger’s immensely private world and immaculate record came crashing down around him late Thanksgiving Night 2009. According to police reports, Florida Highway Patrol responded to a single car accident in a posh Florida closed-gate community. Woods hit a hydrant and a tree around 2:25 a.m., the Friday after Thanksgiving. Police found Tiger Woods unresponsive, lying on the road covered in a blanket and resting his head on a pillow. Tiger’s 2009 Cadillac Escalade was found hugging a tree in his neighbor’s yard, just out of reach of his own driveway. His wife, Elin, told police she used a golf club to smash the back windows of the SUV to help him out. The suspicious accident and Woods’ refusal to answer questions about it fueled speculation about a possible dispute between the golfer and his wife.

These speculations ultimately proved to be true, as Tiger’s world of privacy ended the moment the crash became public. Rumors were flung around the Web, as multiple sources claimed that Tiger was having extra-marital affairs, while his wife cared for their two children at home. The first woman brought into the public eye was Rachel Uchitel, a perennial force on the New York club scene according to most reports. Uchitel quickly denied any involvement with Woods, but within days, new women were coming forward to acknowledge their own affairs with El Tigre.

Today, the number of alleged women who have claimed affairs with Tiger Woods has reached double-digits. The professions of these women have included models, adult entertainers, reality T.V. show contestants, 20 year old waitresses and a 40 year old mother. Tiger has released statements via his website. On December 2, 2009, Woods acknowledged transgressions and requested privacy for himself and his family. On December 11, after more women came forward claiming to have graced Tiger’s bed, a statement was released informing the public that Tiger would be taking an indefinite leave from golf. Tiger finally admitted to ordering from the menu, instead of only looking when in the statement he professed, “I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children.”

And so the world wonders when Tiger Woods will return to the game of golf. As of January 2010, numerous reports indicate Tiger is at a sex rehab facility. These reports are unconfirmed, but one most consider this highly probable considering Tiger had mistresses littered across the United States and Europe for that matter. And so what is the effect of Tiger’s downfall here on the Hill? Can his image possibly survive such a black eye? Junior Sam Cox believes, “The whole situation is ridiculous. Tiger is a golfer, what does his personal life have to do with golf?” Meanwhile, Junior Matt Pace points out, “This was the worst thing that could have happened to Tiger obviously in his personal life but also financially. Tiger’s value as an advertising giant was centered around his apparent spotless public image, now that is gone.” Regardless of one’s position concerning Tiger Woods, it has to be known that Woods made a terrible mistake. A man has a responsibility to his wife and family, and let’s be honest, Tiger failed miserably.

Woods now has to deal with the consequences of his actions. Over time, Americans have been found to be very forgiving. Athletes such as Mark McGwire, Andy Pettite, and even Michael Vick have been forgiven to some degree. Tiger Woods will no doubt be forgiven the moment he steps out onto a golf course. This is a travesty, as the immoral, irreprehensible actions of Tiger Woods will be forgotten. Adolescents in this country need to know what Tiger did was wrong and learn from those mistakes. Tiger Woods is no role model at this point. He needs to make public appearances detailing his mistakes and illustrating his plans to seek forgiveness. He needs to advise the young and raise awareness of the problems he encountered. Forget the days of Gillette and Nike commercials; Tiger needs a new commercial where he becomes a man who owns up to his faults and expresses extreme guilt and remorse. Tiger cannot run and hide; he needs to fix his marriage and teach the younger generations the dangers of fame, money, and sex.

By: Caitlin Flynn

Co-Sports Editor

After four consecutive losses to begin their season, the women’s basketball team has been rejuvenated and has already clinched a spot in the Centennial Conference playoffs with their fifteenth-straight win against conference rival, Swarthmore.

The team has pulled out three of those wins in overtime, proving just how far hard work and dedication can carry a team.

Aside from their hard-earned wins, the Green Terror women have also been awarded academically. The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) ranked the team in 11th place for the Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. With a grade-point average on 3.453 for the past academic year, the Green Terror women certainly have something else to be proud of.

Head coach Becky Martin, who is in her 29th season here on the Hill, is accustomed to winning streaks similar to this one. During the 2006-2007 coaching season, her team reeled-off 19 conference wins in a row and went on to take the regular season Conference Championship.

This season, Martin points out that she doesn’t want to dwell on streaks; that the goal for the program every year is to not only qualify for the Conference Championships, but to try their hardest to win the title and qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

“Naturally, some years certain teams have a better chance of achieving those goals,” says Martin. “I am not a fortune teller, but this team has many similar characteristics of past McDaniel squads that have won championships.”

Coach identifies a balanced offense with an inside and outside game, good speed, upper class experience and leadership; not to mention a “go to person” in Ali Moreland” as real strengths of her team.

What seems to be the most prominent aspect of the team, however, is how determined they are to keep fighting during pressure situations.

Senior captain and guard Ali Moreland believes the best thing about the team is that their strengths come from every individual player on the team, making each of them dominant players.

“It’s hard for teams to stop us because they can’t just key in defensively on one player,” says Moreland. “There are too many dimensions on our team. That makes us unstoppable.”

Junior forward Whitney Snoops believes that the team has really come together this season, and agrees with Moreland that the squad’s individual strengths make them a threat to conference foes.

“We are constantly improving on utilizing each other’s strengths and weaknesses and this has resulted in some balanced scoring in a lot of our games,” says Snoops. “This has definitely helped us because even if a team tries to shut down a certain player we still have plenty of threats to help us win.”

The seniors, including Ashley Lyles, Catherine Mills, Ali Moreland, and Sally Grace, have all stepped up as leaders this year. They have especially been leaned on by the team in the close games.

Snoops points out that if the team continues to improve over the next few weeks and in their upcoming games, they will be able put themselves in a very good sport for the Conference Championships.

“If we can stay health, continue to progress, and have a little luck, I believe we have as good a chance as anyone in the conference if we are fortunate enough to be playing in the Conference Championship game,” says Martin. She concluded, “Regarding the WBCA’s top 25, we are proud and honored to be included and recognized with the best in the country.”