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lockportlegend.com sports
the lockport legend | May 23, 2019 | 41
Athlete of the Week
10 Questions
with Ray Holland
Ray Holland is a senior at
Lockport Township. He is
a member of the Porters
boys track and field team
and will participate at the
state meet this weekend in
two events, the 110-meter
high hurdles and the
1,600-meter relay.
How would you say
the season has gone
overall for you and the
team?
I’m happy with the team
and the season. Coming in,
I was very confident, and I
knew the opportunity was
there. There’s not a lot of
seniors, but we are close
as a team. It’s been the favorite
of my four varsity
seasons and the most fun
I’ve had.
How did you start
running track and
field?
I was in the seventh
grade at Homer Jr. High,
and I almost didn’t do track
and field. I had played
baseball and a friend had
to remind me of the tryout
date for the track team. But
then I went out, and I was
fast, so I just had a natural
talent for it.
When did you stop
playing baseball?
When I was really young
I did baseball, basketball
and soccer. But when I got
to high school, it was just
track and field. I chucked
all the other sports and just
stuck with track.
What is it about track
and field that makes it
the sports for you?
I just love going fast and
running. There’s nothing
else like it. When I’m running,
I don’t think about
else. It’s like I’m in my
own little world.
Which do you like
better, running
the 110-meter
high hurdles or the
1,600-meter relay?
That’s tough. I can’t really
pick one. I’m out there
running with my brothers
in both events. So, I love
them both. They both have
different groups and a
great mixture of kids.
What have you
learned from Lockport
track and field coach
Tom Razo?
I’ve learned so much.
I’ve learned to calm down
and not be so anxious.
He’s kept my mind on the
straight and narrow. He’s
always there if you need
him. He always asks us,
‘How bad do you want it?’
He tells us to put our heart
into the race. He’s a great
coach, and I’m so glad I
had him.
Who is your favorite
superhero and why?
With DC, it’s The Flash.
Just because of the super
speed and the running.
With Marvel, my favorite
is Iron Man. That’s because
I love the technical
stuff.
Photo submitted
What do you do to
pump yourself up
before a race?
I do like to listen to
some music. A lot of old
rock music or metal. A
song I like is “Down With
The Sickness” by Disturbed.
But most of the
time, I really like to calm
myself down and keep myself
from being overhyped.
I like to just focus on the
race.
Are you going to run
track and field in
college?
That’s the question. I
have an opportunity to do
that, but I’m not sure yet
if I want to. I want to be
a pilot, and I’ve narrowed
it down to a couple of
schools, but I’d rather not
say where. I will make that
decision soon.
What is the best thing
about being an athlete
at Lockport?
The overall atmosphere.
You know your team has
your back. Everyone always
motivates each other.
It’s been an amazing four
years here.
Interview by Freelance Reporter
Randy Whalen
This Week In...
Lockport Township
High School Varsity
Athletics
Baseball
■May ■ 29 host IHSA
Sectional, 4:30 p.m.
Softball
■May ■ 24 host IHSA
Regional Final, TBD
■May ■ 28 at IHSA Sectional,
TBA
Boys Volleyball
Lockport def. Homewood-Flossmoor 25-
18, 25-12
Jake Whyte and Matt Arens each recorded
seven kills and two aces Thursday,
May 16, to lead the Porters past the Vikings
in a SouthWest Suburban Conference
match. Jacob Prince dished out nine
assists in the victory.
Bolingbrook def. Lockport 25-20,
track
From Page 43
along with juniors Aidan
Pajeau, Ross Cronholm
and Mike Barber, who finished
fourth with a time of
LTHS
From Page 42
started playing, and I
thought it was a really interesting
sport because it
was kind of a mixture of
any sport I’ve ever played
before, so I wanted to try it
out. I guess I just never put
my stick down after that.”
The Porters, currently
5-9, may not be having
the breakout season they
■May ■ 29 at IHSA Sectional,
TBA
Boys Track and Field
■May ■ 24 at IHSA State
Championship, TBA
■May ■ 25 at IHSA State
Championship, TBA
Boys Tennis
■May ■ 23 at IHSA State
Championship, TBD
■May ■ 24 at IHSA State
Championship, TBD
high school highlights
The rest of the week in high school sports
8:06.90 in the 3,200-meter
relay.
“We did well,” Razo
said. “Kyle winning the
400, we thought he could
do it. Our 4x4 team winning
and our two hurdlers.
It was a good night, and
■May ■ 25 at IHSA State
Championship, TBD
Boys Lacrosse
■May ■ 24 host IHSA Sectional
Championship, 4:30 p.m.
■May ■ 28 at IHSA Super
Sectional, TBA
Girls Lacrosse
■May ■ 24 at IHSA Sectional,
7 p.m.
■May ■ 28 at IHSA Super
Sectional, TBA
21-25, 25-21
Alex Matteucci managed 10 digs in
the SouthWest Suburban Conference
match May 14 in Lockport. Jake Whyte
pitched in 10 kills and two aces and Robbie
Maida dished out 12 assists for the
Porters.
Compiled by Editor Max Lapthorne, max@
lockportlegend.com.
I’m proud of the guys.”
The State Finals are
this Thursday, May 23,
through Saturday, May
25, at O’Brien Field,
on the campus of Eastern
Illinois University in
Charleston.
had hoped for, but it is not
causing them to hang their
heads.
Young stars like Frieri
have Smietanski excited
for the future and said the
best is yet to come.
“[Frieri] definitely belongs
on varsity — any
team would be lucky to
have her; we’re very lucky
to have her,” the Porters
coach said. “We’re very
much comprised of freshman
on varsity this year, so
it does give us that little bit
of a lack of experience, but
we’re going to have four
years with all these girls
on varsity who are varsity
right now. I think that’s
really good, and they’re
going to build a lot of camaraderie.
Come Fran’s
junior, senior year, we’re
going to be a real force
headed by her, for the most
part.”
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