![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Students in the National Art Honor Society work on the Mount Hood mural on the window of SouthLake Church. The students brought a variety of paints and mixed their own custom colors. “Instead of brushstrokes, we’re doing more dabbing, because it gives [a] better impression of tree foliage, rather than looking like actual brush strokes, because if we’re painting trees, we need it to look like trees,” Crawford said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_2397-1200x900.jpg)
West Linn Varsity Girls Basketball has had a week for the ages, knocking off two top five teams in the state
Going into last week, the number seven ranked team (3-0) as faced with possibly the hardest week of the season: three road game against number five South Salem Saxons (1-2), number one Saint Mary’s Blues (2-1), and Sheldon Irish (1-1). The Lions came out on top in all three games.
“ We were really pumped going into this week,” Hannah Mathiseen, senior, said. “We really wanted to beat Saint Mary’s because Coach Griffith (WLHS basketball coach) played there, so that motivated us as well.”
Ashley Johnson, senior, took a more strategical approach to the game.
“Before last week we knew these would be three very tough games,” Ashley Johnson, senior, said. “We went into practice really emphasizing defense, and that won us the games.”
On Dec. 14 the Lions traveled south to take on the Irish in a game that was rescheduled from the previous Tuesday due to snow in Eugene. It took one period of overtime but the Lions came out victorious, 48-43.
The night before the Lions took on the Blues in a top ten battle. Sidney Kolasinski, sophomore, sealed a 42-41 Lion victory with two clutch free throws with six seconds remaining. This guaranteed the Lions their first victory over a number one ranked team since defeating the Oregon City Pioneers in the 2011 postseason. Johnson led the Lions with 16 points.
“When we beat them everyone freaked out, jumping up and down at center court,” Mathiseen said. “Everyone was crying.”
The Lions hit the road once again on Dec. 9, traveling to South Salem High School to battle the Saxons. Behind a defense that held the Saxons to 22 percent shooting, the Lions held their opponent to a measly 29 points, and pulled out a 37-29 victory.
The Lions will play the Hermiston Bulldogs (2-1) in their home opener on Tues.
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“College baseball? I think about it every day but if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” Ben Jacobs, senior said. Jacobs has been...
![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-600x400.jpg)
