Q - Millard North High School

May 10. 2011 sports 11BaseballThe number 6, 18-7 Mustangs defeatedPapillion-La Vista 18-8 onMay 2. Seniors Jack Duran andCasey Gillaspie each had 3 RBIsin the game.Girls Track & FieldMN girls placed 4th out of 11teams at the Nebraska WesleyanInvite. They were 3rd out of 10teams at the Omaha South Invite.Boys SoccerMN defeated Fremont 3-1 in theinitial round of Districts. JuniorHunter Gorby scored two goalsand senior Cam Kellner scoredone.SportsBriefsGirls SoccerMN won the initial round ofDistricts at 18-0 against OmahaNorthwest. Twelve playersscored, including four goals fromfreshman Sarah Woelfel.Sophomore goalie Kylynn Moyerhas only allowed six goals thisseason.Boys GolfMN Black placed 1st in the MillardNorth Invitational with ascore of 311. MN won the teamtitle at the ArborLinks tournament.The team consisted of seniorsKarl Kreiser, Jon Kurylo,Scott Sheldon, and Drew Taylor,and junior Mitch Ryan.Girls TennisThe team placed 1st in the Papillion-LaVista Invite. JuniorsKatherine and Elizabeth Ternentplaced 1st in number 2 doubles.Junior Ali Sivinski and sophomoreAllison Johnson placed 1stin number 1 doubles.Boys Track & FieldMN is currently ranked 2nd in the3200 relay with a time of 8:10.41.Junior Cale Korbelik is currentlyranked 5th in the state for 100mwith a time of 10.88.*All of the stats were received as of May 4, 2011.Sucess for soccer:Girls soccer remains first in statekaylalakestaff writerIt was a windy day as theMN girl’s varsity soccer teamplayed their first game againstthe Burke Bulldogs. It had beena tough game of back and forthon the field with no team prevailing.Before the game wentinto overtime, the girls cametogether and encouraged eachother to stay focused. As theywalked back on the field, it feltlike a new game. The overtimewin would come down to penaltykicks. Tension was high asall the girls held hands in anticipation.The Mustangs cheeredwith relief as sophomore goalieKylynn Moyer blocked a potentialgoal for the Bulldogs. Mustangswon with the only penaltykick goal on the scoreboard.Unlike the game againstBurke, the team had many easywins at the start of the season.Their most overpowering winswere against Omaha Benson,11-0, and Omaha South, 10-0.However, the game against theMarian Crusaders would proveto be more difficult, losing 0-1.“We felt like we could beatMarian. But we know that wewill play them in State and beatthem,” junior Bailey Wobigsaid.Their loss was at MetroTournament Final. The Crusaderswon by one goal at the endof the second half, despite theteam being on top a majority ofthe game.“We knew that it wouldHoudesheldt proves to be homerunJunior finally makes team after three yearsjustindeffenbacherstaff writerSitting in the stands as aplayer is hard for many athletes.As your classmates, friends,and peers take the field you areforced to watch from a distance.This very same thing happenedto MN varsity pitcher CodyHoudesheldt for freshman andsophomore year. To reach hisgoal of one day taking the fieldHoudesheldt used determination,the driving force behindall athletes, to reach that goal ofwearing a MN uniform.After being passed over forthe last two years by the baseballteam, Houdesheldt got achance to represent his schoolon the baseball field.During freshman and sophomoreyear Houdesheldt wascut from the baseball programwith similar messages.“Coach told me to work onmy endurance and the health ofmy arm if I wanted to pitch,”Houdesheldt said.After his rejection fromthe team Houdesheldt headedto play for the Millard Sox, asummer league team that helpsbaseball players reach their fullpotential.“Playing for the MillardSox got me to the level I neededThe MN girls varsity soccer cheers as they prepare to take on Omaha Northwest in the first roundof Districts on May 2 at Buell Stadium. This win advanced the girls to play Bellevue East on May 4for the District championship. photo by Erin Politonot affect the season. We wouldplay them again when it actuallymatters,” Wobig said.After the loss against Marianthe team didn’t lose hope forState. They continued to winincluding their victories againstMillard South, 2-0, and LincolnPius X, 3-1.“We know we’re the betterteam. The freshmen thought wewould be demolished [by Marian].On the bus ride we all decidedthat we will win State thisyear,” junior Jaylyn Odermannsaid.In the second game againstOmaha Burke, the Mustangsmanaged to keep the only twopoints on the scoreboard mostof the game. MN unwillinglytied the game after making twoto be at by building up my pitchingability. The team also gaveme a high school experience byplaying teams at the high schoollevel,” Houdesheldt said.After finishing his secondseason with“Cody got in bettershape by spending a lotof his time in the weightroom. This effort reallyshowed in his performance.“Dave CorkVarsity Baseball Coachthe Sox,Houdesheldtbegan to preparefor histhird year ofbaseball tryoutsby puttingcountlesshoursinto his preparation.“Codygot in better shape by conditioninghimself and by spendinga lot of his time in the weightroom. This effort really showedin his performance,” varsitybaseball coach Dave Cork said.After two years of rejectionand cuts, Houdesheldt finallymade the team. Working towardshis goal of wearing a MNbaseball uniform concluded,ending in relief.“I felt relieved becauseof all the time spent preparingto try out, but in the end, Iknew I could reach my goal,”Houdesheldt said.On the team, Houdesheldtwas awarded the opportunity tonot only play for his school, butto pitch for the team, becomingmore confident each time hereached the mound.“Cody has been able tocome in and shut down battersall seasonlong. Everytimehe reachesthemoundhe throwsstrikes,”varsityplayerTim Lanesaid.Notonly has Houdesheldt improvedin his self-confidence, but hispitching has improved greatly.Houdesheldt has earned an ERAof 4.27 with just 19 inningspitched, thus giving the team anadvantage in the final innings ofown goals putting the game intoovertime. In the first three minutesof overtime Burke scored,winning the game.Undeterred by their loss,MN adapted and adjusted theirpractices.“We have improved a greatdeal. We scored a goal today[against Omaha Central] becauseof some of the things wehave practiced and discussed asa team. It was great to experience,”girls varsity coach JohnWalsh said.Despite the two losses, asof press time, and possible Statein their future the team staysstrong. They remain focusedand tighten their bond as ateam. During practices the teamhas emphasized more on penaltykicks. In the games at State,winning could more than likelycome down to scoring penaltykicks.“Practices are more focusedand more high paced.They aren’t as fun anymore, butthey are exciting because Stateis coming up,” Odermann said.They also focus on individualplayers on opposing teams.Each player is assigned an opponentto imitate during practicein order to get the feel ofhow other teams will play. EachMN player takes the initiativeon the team and have positiveoutlooks for State.“I think we can do it, butnot without hard work and effort.We have a good chance,”senior Shannon Courtney said.a game.“Against Westside we hadtrouble shutting down theirbatters and Cody came in andthrew four shutout innings givingus the win,” Cork said.Now as the season comesto an end Houdesheldt is facedwith the decision to pursuebaseball in college.“Cody provides an unconventionalstyle that keeps battersoff balance giving him anopportunity to play in college ifhe keeps working hard,” Corksaid.Determination not onlyplays a role in the lives of players,but in the sport of baseball,providing a game that givesathletes something to work towards.“I like the fact that inbaseball you are always workingtowards another goal,”Houdesheldt said.