By Claire Frank
Tuscarora’s winter sports may be coming to a close, but do not fear sports fans; the spring season is rapidly approaching to take its place. Soon there will be a new set of sports teams to support, and Tusky Terror will be there with vuvuzelas and cries of “óle!” Fans will abandon the heated gymnasiums used during the winter and return to the outdoor stadiums used during the fall and spring, where the weather will range from hot and sunny to cold and rainy, possibly with some thunderstorms thrown in as well.
The spring season offers a variety of options for sports fans to support. There are a total of 6 sports during the spring, consisting of baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and track. The total number of teams adds up to either 15 or 16, depending on whether you count the girls’ and boys’ track teams as separate teams or a single, co-ed team. Nevertheless, this means there will be plenty of games/meets for students to attend.
Hopeful athletes have been busy preparing for the new season, quickly getting in shape for the approaching tryouts that will decide who will be wearing blue and white for Tuscarora this year. Last year Tuscarora saw its first graduating senior class, which means many of the previous seasons’ athletes will not be returning for the 2013 season. It’ll be interesting to see who will rise up to fill their shoes: will it be the familiar faces of underclassmen returners or the unknown recently-arrived freshmen?
The previous season for Tuscarora’s spring sports teams resulted in a wide range of results. Each team dealt with fierce competition from other schools, and while some emerged victorious, others dealt with defeat. Some teams finished the season with great records, others with not-so-great records, and there were a few in between. Boys’ varsity soccer’s record was 23 wins, 3 losses, and 2 ties, and the team received 2nd place in the Virginia High School League State Finals. Girls’ tennis and boys’ tennis also had great seasons, with records of 12 wins, 4 losses, and 10 wins, 6 losses, respectively. The track team won the Dulles District competition, and several athletes advanced to the State competition as well. Girls’ varsity lacrosse finished the season with an 8 wins, 8 losses record, while varsity softball finished with 11 wins, 10 losses. Varsity baseball finished with the record of 7 wins, 13 losses, and girls’ varsity soccer and boys’ varsity lacrosse had the toughest seasons with records of 3 wins, 11 losses, 3 ties, and 3 wins, 10 losses, respectively. Several athletes were placed on the District teams, and several athletes were named Cheers Athletes of the Month, including Angel Ceron Garcia (soccer), Nathan Huet (tennis), Patrick Nolan (tennis), Kerryn Beamish (tennis), Sabrina Kim (tennis), and Amirah Al-Bayyinah (track). Also, Coach Dave Gryder was named Coach of the Year.
This upcoming spring season will place new challenges on Tuscarora’s athletic teams as they continue their journeys towards success, including facing new rivals John Champe and George Mason. New rules and regulations, such as the new Virginia High School League pitching limits for baseball, will change the games as well.
There will also be some changes in management for several teams, including girls’ soccer: varsity coach Ashley Comber will not be returning to lead the players into a new season, and no one has yet been named to take her place. For track, history teacher Nathan Gough will begin his coaching career at Tuscarora High School as head boys’ coach while last season’s boys’ coach, Kelly Smyth, will be taking the place of Katie Boring as head girls’ coach. Several coaching positions, including those for both tennis teams, are still unfilled as of January 27, 2013.
Tryouts for the various sports teams will begin February 19, 2013. Scrimmages for the teams start Friday, March 1, 2013 and the first games of the season will be two weeks later on Monday, March 10, 2013.
