![Walking through the tunnel created by the cheerleaders and Celebrities, senior Frances Tran smiles as the soccer team is sent off during DEN for their playoff game against Rouse tonight. Tran said the wins against Smithson Valley and Alamo Heights gave the team a morale boost to take on the Raiders tonight. “I know we were not 100% confident in those games,” Tran said. “But, Rouse is a big opponent for sure. We’re definitely going into tonight with a lot of morale [because of the previous wins].”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/frances-tran.jpg)
![Holding a bucket of materials in one hand and a roll of tape in another, anatomy and biology teacher Tyler Terry prepares for a lab. Terry said his proudest moments are when his students are happy to see him. “When I take my wife to a football game or something and a bunch of students want to say hi to me or they like to smile and wave and it just makes me feel good that the students are really kind and supportive of me,” Terry said. “[I’m also] proud when I see students perform really well in their extracurriculars because I can see how hard they’re working in my classes, [so] when I see that they’re also working so hard in other things. Like they’re winning band competitions or they’re getting awards for their theater productions, or I see them put on their choir shows, that’s like, wow, you guys are incredible.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rags-6.png)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901.jpg)
Bowling Hopes to Strike Perfection
Team Prepares for First Ever Tournament
Focusing on his shot, senior Kyle Redfern practices for the team’s first ever tournament. Redfern has been on the bowling team for three years and is a starter on varsity. “I feel really good about the team this year,” Redfern said. “We have a really strong group of five that we feel can really compete, so we’re expecting big things this year”
October 29, 2019
After failing to advance to regionals last year by one position, the bowling team has changed the way they practice and has added five new players in hopes of advancing to regionals this season. They also look to win their first ever tournament on Nov. 2 as they compete in the Bryan Burr Invitational in Georgetown.
With this being the team’s first tournament, many players, such as senior Ian Cheek, have been changing up their own game and have made many adjustments in hopes of succeeding this year.
“I am feeling nervous, but [I’m] ready for this tournament,” Cheek said. “I have been preparing for this tournament for about a month by practicing and focusing more on my form rather than just knocking down the pins.”
Since the team can only bring seven members to the competition, they have worked on being able to work well together during baker games, which consist of five members each bowling in two frames a game, working towards a high score, and have taken into account the importance of doing well when other members are struggling, according to senior Kyle Redfern.
“Our practices are more focused as we’ve gotten to be able to focus on harder skills since we’re better as a team,” Redfern said. “I’m definitely looking forward to spending time with people that are fun to hang out with and build our team camaraderie as we grow through the season.”
Because this season is different than seasons prior, with the addition of more players and the tournament, Redfern said the mindset going into this season is more positive.
“I feel really good about the team this year,” Redfern said. “We have a really strong group of five that we feel can really compete, so we’re expecting big things this year”
Because the team consists of six seniors, this season is very important for the team, Redfern said, for this is the final chance that many of the bowlers have at making a run in playoffs as a team and individually.
“There have definitely been ups and downs throughout the seasons and we’ve all had some really good games and really bad games, but it’s been a really nice experience getting to meet everyone and really work as a team together,” Redfern said.
The tournament will be held at Mel’s Lonestar Lanes in Georgetown this Saturday and will begin at 11 a.m.
![Holding her dog, Nova, senior Ariana Balakrishnan poses for her senior pictures while Nova wears a bandana with her college decision. Balakrishnan applied to 18 colleges in total, but she decided on Columbia in the end. “Right before I clicked the button to open Columbia’s letter, I literally looked at the camera and go ‘This is just gonna really suck because I wanted it so bad,’ and I clicked it and all of a sudden you hear trumpets,” Balakrishnan said. “There’s a video that plays when you open it and I actually didn’t watch the video, I just watched the screen go black, because every day of December before ED [Early Decision] I would go on YouTube and watch the acceptance video to manifest it, so immediately when the screen went black, I started screaming and jumping up and down. And my parents in the video are like ‘What are you doing, where’s the letter,’ and I was just screaming ‘I got in, I got in.” I just started crying, and it just felt like everything in the world came together.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ariana-2-300x217.jpg)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901-600x400.jpg)
