Daria Ruediger, Staff Reporter
Towering an impressive height of 6’2, it takes little effort to imagine Daria Ruediger, sophomore, dominating the basketball court. As a forward and center for the Varsity basketball team, Ruediger has been scoring big on the court since freshman year.
“I play basketball because it takes everything away. If I’m mad at something I channel the energy towards my game and everything disappears,” Ruediger said. She plans on taking her love for the sport and translating it into a scholarship. With letters of interest already coming in, she is well on her way to making that dream a reality.
When she isn’t perfecting her skills on the court, Ruediger is busy taking care of her family’s farm. With horses to feed and turn-out to pasture, her free time is virtually nonexistent.
“I love all the animals. It’s a breeding facility and every year we have babies and that’s always fun. Watching the foals grow up and seeing the amazing talents they have is awesome,” Ruediger said. Her animal-centered upbringing has encouraged her to pursue becoming a veterinarian in the future.
In the meantime, Ruediger is exploring her love of writing through Amplifier. From covering the latest in sports, to the philanthropic efforts of her fellow students, or reviewing a school play, she’s excited that she has found an outlet for her passion.
Whether it be basketball or her potential career, Ruediger is nowhere near ready to just sit back and wait for it to happen, and she plans on working to make sure every one of her goals is accomplished.
![Reaching out. Christopher Lesh, student at Central Catholic High School, serves ice cream during the event on March 2, 2025, at the Portland waterfront. Central Catholic was just one of the schools that sent student volunteers out to cook, prepare, dish, and serve food. Interact club’s co-president Rachel Gerber, junior, plated the food during the event. “I like how direct the contact is,” Gerber said. “You’re there [and] you’re just doing something good. It’s simple, it’s easy, you can feel good about it.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/interact-1-edited-1200x744.jpg)
![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)
