![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
![All smiles. The group poses for a photo with last year’s book, “This is Our House,” along with their award for third Best in Show. Meikle, who was an Editor-in-Chief for the yearbook last year as well, holds both and stands at the center of the group. “That was an amazing feeling, going and grabbing the third place award,” Meikle said. “All of it paid off. I cried so much over that book, being able to receive [the award] was one of the highlights of my high school career, it was like the coolest thing ever.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/8bookpose_philly-1200x800.jpg)
The boys team took first combined team in the TRL and is headed to state on March first and second at Mt. Hood Meadows and Ski Bowl. The girls team placed sixth as a team. As a combined team, both boys and girls teams, West Linn placed fourth in the TRL.
Individually, Dalton Tuor, junior, and Stephan Splitstoser, senior, tied for first place in league overall and in Giant Slalom. They tied for fifth in Slalom.
In preparation for its giant slalom competition on Jan 28, the team trained at Mt. Hood Meadows on Thursday evening. The snow continued to fall into the weekend and made for great racing conditions, according to resort websites.
On Jan. 28, boys and girls varsity teams traveled to Ski Bowl for a Giant Slolam race against other teams in the Three Rivers League. Stephan Splitstoser, senior, Dalton Tuor, junior, and Trevor Maxwell, freshman, blasted the competition and brought home the top three finishes, respectively for the Lions, also winning the entire competition for the team. There was almost a ten second difference between Splitstoser’s time and the fourth place competitor.
“The West Linn guys ski team has been doing amazing this year,” Colin Maxwell, sophomore, said. “We are at least a few seconds ahead of every other team in the overall standings. We deserve it considering how hard we train. No doubt that we’ll make it to State.”
The girls’ team also did well last weekend with a fifth place overall finish with four athletes in the top 25.
“Skiing this year for West Linn team has been a huge success,” Kyle Larson, sophomore, said. “The Boys Varsity Team is well equipped with six very experienced racers and we have been lucky enough to take the win for every league race so far this season. The girls’ team is going strong as well.”