Amanda Weirich
Staff Writer

Hammond’s Varsity Volleyball team is looking to continue making big improvements for the upcoming years. The team consisting of one sophomore, seven juniors, and four seniors has a record of 1-8 so far this season. Although they may not have many wins, they are determined to continue working hard.

Senior captain Trinity Addo says “This season we wanted to work on communication and keeping energy up, and I think we have definitely improved on that, and we continue to work on it.” Communication was a big part of their win against Patapsco High School, and is the start to them winning more.

Some of Varsity Volleyball’s toughest opponents include Atholton and Oakland Mills. Sophomore Abbie Weirich stated “Our toughest opponent was probably Oakland Mills. It was a tough loss for all of us and was a team we could have beat, but we just didn’t terminate.” Addo added that “Atholton has been our toughest opponent because they are two time state champions and they have really good skill on their team.”

With Hammond’s Varsity volleyball being a new team, they have made quick adjustments and have worked hard to try new things. “I knew that this would be a new group of athletes working together, so I really wanted them to gel as quickly as possible, and to try different positions. That’s something they’ve been doing since the very beginning of the season. No matter what I request, or [what] spot I ask them to try to find on the court, they do a really good job of listening” says Coach Corey.

Volleyball has been working hard and has come a long way with many improvements. Senior captain Hannah Gorel says “We have improved most [in] communication, and where everyone will be on the court.”

Weirich and Addo also agree that communication has been the biggest improvement, “In the beginning of the season we did not talk very much, and maybe that was because it was a new team, but we have come a long way” Weirich says.

“I am definitely most proud of some solid blocks and some solid kills. Even against teams that haven’t been quite the match for us, even if they’re ahead in points, we still have been consistent about trying to score. We don’t let our heads get too low, and this year we have had less roller coaster rides” explains Coach Corey.

Motivation is key to leading a team, and Hammond’s Varsity Volleyball offers that. Senior captain Hannah Gorel says “I lead and motivate the team by trying to put my best effort forward. I try my best to stay positive and talk to teammates about what to change.” With communication as a main focus, Varsity volleyball tries to do many team bonding activities. They have done an escape room and many times they like to go out to eat on days off or before the games.

“If we accomplish one of our team goals in a game our coach will give us a chick fil a gift card” Weirich says. This is another small way the volleyball team stays motivated.  Now is a crucial time for the team to be motivated for the playoff season, “Playoffs we always go back to basics and capitalize on the positive moments we’ve had and celebrate those. When we come into playoffs we are going to be focusing on just making solid passes and trying to connect well with the ball. Communication is always huge in volleyball, so we’re going to be working on that. For the most part we are going to try to play Hammond volleyball and not give up on anything and give 100 percent” says Coach Corey.

By: Bin Lin and Steven Pangburn
Staff Writers

Hammond High School is primarily an academic school, however it does not stop athletic students from playing sports as well. Hammond High School’s Varsity Football has a lot to offer. The head coach, Coach Frederick, and some members of the team have also described the team as a team where growth and commitment happens on a daily basis.

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By: Alara Sheriff and Marcia Herrero
Staff Writers

The Boys Varsity Soccer season had its ups and downs, but improvement and friendship could clearly be seen throughout. “So far we’re doing alright, but we had a rough start” said Junior Brandon Eschman.

In the beginning of the season it was very rough for the boys. The players barely knew each other, and were not really working as a team. “We had a shaky start, but now we’re getting used to playing as a team” shares Sophomore Brandon Sindjui. One player shared that in the beginning he was shy, and felt that everyone was bigger and stronger than him.

Their first game against Marriotts Ridge resulted in a loss, but the team felt as though they achieved a small victory due to the close final score: 3-2. They knew they had things to improve upon, but overall it was a pretty good start.  The boys’ second game was a tough loss to Oakland Mills by a score of 1-0. However, as the boys got closer to each other, they began to pose quite a challenging matchup for their rivals in the coming games.

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By: Laura Mosier, Victoria Vander Putten, Amanda Russell
Staff Writers

The Lady Bears Golf Team had their winningest season yet with an impressive record of 5-6, and were the Iron Skillet tournament champions for the second year in a row. The Boy’s Golf team had a record of 0-11, but their record did not reflect the strength and spirit of their team. Both teams have improved on their skills and increased their passion for golf.

Coach Osborne is ecstatic with how both teams played this year. “I couldn’t be more proud of both teams from improving from last year. Overall Hammond has now brought home the Iron Skillet four consecutive years; two for the boys and then the subsequent two for the girls. So I’m excited to keep that streak going and hopefully bring them both home next year,” says Osborne. Osborne, who has coached this golf team for 7 years now, is so proud of how these teams have been able to achieve something for the first time in Hammond history. It was a great accomplishment for the girl’s golf team.

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By: Taylor Liguori
Staff Writer

With many changes occurring this year, such as a new coach and a team made up of 8 freshmen and 5 sophomores, the Hammond High Girls Varsity Soccer team made sure they were prepared for this year, but really prepared to build the program to rock the county in the upcoming years.

Going into playoffs with an overall record of 0-12, Hammond is at the bottom of the standings for the playoff berth. Now bringing up 4 more sophomores for the first round, the team is yet again at a disadvantage with the age of their team. The season may not have been one for the record books, but certainly many positives came out of the season as a whole. Senior captain Tori VanderPutten took time to reflect on the season and tell about how they have already seen improvements since last year. “Our endurance and our fitness [improved] because our new coach has done a lot of mile runs, push ups and squats. Also, our basic ball skills [improved] because we spend at least 20 minutes every practice doing ball skills and just working on those things.”

With a new coach comes new adjustments which is not always easy. Coach Mo came into Hammond High in the 2018 season and people knew change was coming. “ The biggest expectation was to evaluate where they were and see what the foundation of the team was as far as skills and tactical sense. I realize that they had a tough season last year and I wanted to see where we needed to start and build on that.”

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