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Boy's Basketball

 

Boy's Basketball


    The 2011-2012 Southern Tornado Boy's Basketball season is more than halfway through. As of January 30th, the Varsity and JV program has played 13 games. The Varsity team is now 11-2, after two very disappointing losses to Eastern and Wahama. The JV team has had a successful season so far, after only losing one game to Miller.

    The Varsity team has made many adjustments throughout the season, starting predominantly after the loss to Eastern in December. After this disappointing rivalry game, Coach Caldwell moved 6-foot-5 Chandler Drummer up to full-time Varsity. Chandler has proved to be an important asset to the defensive and rebounding game. Trenton Deem, Casey Pickens, and Tristen Wolfe have also been dressing Varsity for the Tornadoes, but still play JV time.

    The Tornadoes are currently one game behind the Belpre Golden Eagles in the TVC-Hocking, who the Tornadoes beat at Belpre and has yet to face Southern in Racine. At one point of the season, the Varsity was ranked 17th in Ohio Division IV. With only 7 games remaining, the Tornadoes are hoping to win the remaining games, win the League Title, and earn the top seed going into the Sectional Tournament at Meigs High School.


-Andrew Ginther

Baseball Preview


Baseball
   

    District champions for five years and running! That could be only one team. No, not Eastern or Federal Hocking. Yeah, that's right, it's the Southern Tornados! The name brings a round of excitement through the town of Racine. Southern is known for its well coached baseball team lead by Mr. Ryan Lemley and Nick Dettwiller. The Tornadoes are loaded with returning lettermen, and freshman that will add to the teams roster. Southern went deep into the playoff round but was stopped by the Newark Catholics last year. This team has stopped Southern for the last five years. Southern will open there season around Febuary 15th. A roster has not been completed for this year. Southern will be in the chase once again for a chance at bringing home the district win and setting there eyes on state. We wish all teams a safe season and good luck on opening day.

-Danny Ramthun

NBA Basketball

NBA
    The NBA started a little later than usual this year due to the lockout. Which has been the fourth in NBA history. The NBA 161 day lockout began on July 1, 2011 and ended on December 8, 2011. It delayed the start of the 2011-2012 regular season from November 1 to December 25, and reduced the regular season from 82 to 66 games. This was all caused from the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the players and the coaches. For the current standings in all divisions Philadelphia is first in the Atlantic Eastern Conference, in Central is Chicago rounding out in first, Then in the Southeast it is Miami with the record of 15-5. Now for the Western Conference, Northwest Division is the Oklahoma City Thunder with a record of 16-3, Pacific with the L.A. Clippers, Then in the Southwest the Dallas Mavericks are in First but the 4th ranking in the Western Conference. There are a lot of basketball left in the NBA so playoff spots are hard to tell right now and are up for any team. There are 45 more games left in the regular season.

-Nathan Roberts



Olympics

Olympics
 

    The Olympics happen only once every four years. This will be the third time London has hosted the games having also done so in 1908 and 1948. The 2012 Olympics will take place in a lot of new venues as well as using existing and historic facilities. Many of the new facilities will be reused and the plans are part of the regeneration of Stratford and Lower Lea Valley in east London. The Olympic games start on July 27, 2012, and the Paralympic games start on August 29, 2012.The events for the Olympics and Paralympics are Tennis, Diving, Swimming, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo, Paralympic Swimming, Modern Pentathlon, Basketball, Handball, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Rugby, Indoor Volleyball, Rowing, Canoe Sprint, Paralympic Rowing, Wheelchair Tennis, Boxing, Fencing, Judo, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Boccia, Paralympic Table Tennis, Paralympic Judo, Paralympic Powerlifting, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Fencing, Equestrian- Jumping, Dressage, Eventing and Paralympic Equestrian. Also Modern Pentathlon, Moutain Biking, Handball, Goalball, Modern Pentathlon, Hockey, Paralympic 5-a-side Football, Paralympic 7-a-side Football, Beach Volleyball, Triathlon, 10k Open Water Swim, Canoe Slalom, Archery, Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline, Basketball, Wheelchair Basketball, Track Cycling, BMX, Paralympic Track Cycling, Sailing, Paralympic Sailing. All of these events will be held in different Venues in London.


-Nathan Roberts


NCAA Basketball


NCAA

 

    As the NCAA Football season is a national championship game away from wrapping up another season, the main focus of collegiate athletics is about to shift to basketball. The season is in full swing, and as most teams end their out of conference play, things begin to intensify as we get closer to March and the 68-team NCAA Tournament. Teams will do battle in their conferences, it is time to take a look at the season so far.

    At the time of this writing, there are 3 undefeated teams left: The Syracuse Orange from the Big East, the Baylor Bears from the Big 12, and the Murray State Racers from the Ohio Valley Conference. The conference leaders at this point are: Stony Brook (American East), Dayton and Charlotte (Atlantic 10), UNC, Duke, Clemson, Virginia, and Wake Forest (ACC), Belmont (Atlantic Sun), Baylor, Iowa State and Kansas (Big 12), Syracuse (Big East), Weber State (Big Sky), UNC Asheville (Big South), Michigan State (Big 10), Long Beach State (Big West), George Mason (CAA), Southern Miss, UCF, and Marshall (Conference USA), Youngstown State, Cleveland State, and Milwaukee (Horizon), Harvard (Ivy League), Iona (MAAC), Akron, Buffalo, and Bowling Green (MAC East), Ball State, Central Michigan, and Eastern Michigan (MAC West), Norfolk State (MEAC), Illinois State, Creighton, Missouri State, and Wichita State (Missouri Valley), Long Island and Central Connecticut State (Northeast), Murray State (OVC), Colorado (Pac-12), Bucknell, American, Holy Cross, and Lafayette (American), Tennesee, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, and Vanderbilt (SEC), Davidson (Southern South), Western Carolina (Southern North), Lamar (Southland East) UT-Arlington and Stephen F. Austin (Southland West), Texas Southern (SWAC), Oral Roberts (Summit), Middle Tennesee State (Sun Belt East), Arkansas Little-Rock (Sun Belt West), Saint mary's and Gonzaga (WCC), and Nevada (WAC). The Mountain West and Great West conferences have not began conference play.

    It is still early in conference play but anything can happen. As the season has shaped up so far, the Big East is proving the best conference in the land, with numerous ranked teams and Syracuse holding on to the top spot in the land. But, there is still time to go in the regular season, and things should heat up across the country this winter on the courts, as some ofthe elite college teams in the land do battle.

-Joe Smith

Cheerleading


    Cheerleading

    If you ask a person what their favorite sport is, you are likely to get a variety of answers. Football, baseball, golf - maybe even lacrosse. But one answer that is in the minority is cheerleading. Some people may not even view it as a sport. But those people would be wrong. Cheerleading is not only a sport, but a form of art to many, and require extreme athleticism and dedication to be the best you can be. It is a sport that many consider to be like no other, and unfortunately goes unrecognized very often.

    The Southern Tornado cheerleading squad knows the hard work that can go into the sport. Starting early in the summer, where they attended a cheerleading camp at Bowling Green. And through the long hours of practice that they endure throughout football and basketball season, they perfect many different cheers, jumps, and other abilities to showcase in front of the supportive Tornado crowds. And that requires much work. Senior cheerleader Natalie Marler mention some of the aspects you must posess in cheerleading, saying, "You have to have flexibility, tolerance, and memorization skills. And you also have to be able to come together as a team and work well with others." But it isn't all just word on game day, or even practices. As Marler says, their is a good amount of work behind the scenes that goes into being a high school cheerleader. "Cheerleading isn't just working hard at games. We put in a lot of after school ours. We make the signs you see throughout the school and gym for all sports, work concessions for the volleyball and girls basketball games, and are always fundraising." And all the hard work pays off, resulting in increased school spirit for the athletic programs, and the girls enjoy cheering for the program. When asked about the upcoming season, and her thoughts on cheering during the fall and winter, junior McKayla Powell was very enthusiastic. "I love it. It is a lot of fun. I am excited for the upcoming season, and we have worked very hard for it."

    It seems the the Tornado cheerleaders are set for an great upcoming season. The squad is large, and looked good during football. And now that the winter has rolled around, the girls have just had more time to perfect their abilities and have another season to entertain the Southern fan. It is a younger squad, with few seniors. But the seniors that are apart of the squad are important. When asked about being a senior cheerleader, Marler said, "It feels great. I finally get to have senior nights. I will miss it a lot next year. I have responsibilities as a senior that I have to carry, such as setting a good example, and helping others as much as I can." And with a few good senior leaders, and a potential-filled, talented group of young ladies, the Tornado cheerleaders are primed for a great year.


-Joe Smith