Sports: A Year in Review: A retrospective of the Roadrunner’s 2016-2017 year in sports

Volleyball:

This year’s volleyball team had an outstanding year. The Roadrunners were led by Chase Bohman and Montanna Gubrud, both of which won NWAC Player of the Week honors during the season. The team finished the season 14-0 in league play and an incredible 45-2 overall record. Through hard work and great team play, the Roadrunners were able to win second place at the NWAC Championships. Head Coach Jayme Frazier also hit a milestone: 500 career wins. Coach Frazier is beloved by many players and her impact on the program has been immeasurable.

Men’s Basketball:

The Roadrunner men’s basketball team set a few goals for themselves this year: have an overall winning record, finish with a .500 record in their region, and recruit local players. The team was able to do just. The Roadrunners finished 14-13 overall, a winning record for the first time in 10 years. They also finished 8-8 in the Southern Region of the NWAC. Lastly, seven players on the team were recruited from Linn and Benton County.The team suffered a late-season setback when Point Guard Tanner Autencio was injured. LB lost two of the three final games without Autencio and just barely missed the playoffs. Head Coach Everett Hartman hopes to continue building a solid foundation for the program moving forward.

Women’s Basketball:

LB’s women’s basketball proved to be one of the best in the NWAC. Finishing with an overall record of 16-13, and 9-7 in conference, the Roadrunners clinched a spot in the NWAC playoffs. Unfortunately, the team was bounced in the first round of the playoffs, but still something to be very proud of. Head Coach Debbie Herrold said, “Our plan from the first year back as a program was to develop a team culture of hard work, dedication, and a standard for excellence in the classroom. I feel we are doing that.” Coach Herrold is confident in her returning players and their abilities to set a good example for the incoming freshman. Herrold says they will continue to expect hard work, commitment, dedication, and a “team first, me second” attitude.

Baseball:

The LBCC baseball team had a remarkable season overall. Finishing the season 19-5 in conference, 30-12 overall, the Roadrunners won the Southern Region of the NWAC! Due to their success, some Roadrunners brought home individual awards. Trevor Wells won First-Team All-NWAC as a relief pitcher, and Joshua Congdon took home Second-Team All-NWAC as a designated hitter. As far as All-Region, Damon Peters, Caleb Smith, Travis Sanders, Trevor Wells, and Josh Congdon all took home honors. Tate Cowden, Colton Cosner, and Donte Glover took home Second-Team honors. Logan Meadows and Cole Carder won Gold Gloves as infielder and outfielder, respectively. Head Coach Ryan Gipson also won Coach of the Year for the Southern Region, clearly recognizing Gipson for the great season. Unfortunately, LB fell in two games at the NWAC Playoffs, but had a superb season nonetheless.

All in all, the 2016-2017 school year was very good for LBCC athletics. Three of the four teams made it to at last the NWAC Playoffs, with two teams winning their regions and the volleyball team winning second place in the entire NWAC. Most importantly, each team showed improvement, fought their hearts out, and represented LBCC with both pride and humility. As for the sophomores, hopefully they can continue to play at the higher level, and returning players should make for good sophomore leaders next year. Congrats to all LBCC coaches and student-athletes, here’s looking ahead to another amazing year.

Story by Nicholas Fields