– Nicole Bennett, for the Review

The fat lady has sung for this softball season, but the team proudly salutes another successful year.

After several triumphant years and a national championship in 2007, the ’Cats say goodbye to five senior starters and major assets to the team. Head coach Jackson Vaughan said he will miss them.

“They have been a huge part of our success the last four years,” Vaughan said. “I will miss the friendships and good times I have shared with all of them. The practices, games, road trips and playoff experiences are fond memories.”

The team is not at a loss for talent next year, though. Junior pitchers Brittany Miller and Kendra Strahm contributed dozens of strikeouts throughout the season. Several freshmen stepped up to the plate, also.

Freshmen Kayla Hubrich and Alex Hartmann contributed great plays throughout the season.

The underclassmen said the seniors will leave a lasting impression.

“The seniors have shown me the real reason why softball is amazing,” sophomore Jessica Popiel said. “They are the definition of Catball, and their legacies will always live throughout this program.”

The team shares many memories outside the softball field as well.

While in Texas, Vaughan ran over a center barrier in the road and the car’s hubcap fell off. Senior Meredith Brunette and Popiel said that is their favorite memory of
their coach.

The team has proven it is a force to be reckoned with.Past and present, the team has shown it can dominate the field and have fun by making lifelong friendships when the games are over.

“This was by far one of the most valuable experiences I will ever have,” senior outfielder Stephanie Rice said. “I will never forget it or any of the wonderful people I shared it with. Man, I don’t want to leave.”

The ‘Snake’ charms the Review one last time – Jacob Peterson, for the Review

As much as I thought this day would never come, it is time for my farewell rant.  With graduation looming in the future, this will be the last edition of Jake the Snake.

During the last two years, I have been wrong about a few things. Being wrong is the chance a columnist takes throwing his opinions out for everybody to read week after week.  The following are my final thoughts and words of wisdom:

To my predecessor, Aaron Chantler, nice prediction about how the Seahawks should have let Shawn Alexander go after winning the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award. I apologize for riding you so hard about it. The man took our money and lost his heart. How many times do we see this happen? If someone knows the key to getting professional athletes to always play to their fullest potential, please let me know.

To the Notre Dame football team, you have been a wonderful arch nemesis. I hate everything about you.  In fact, I hate you more than I hate Linfield’s ITS. From your false sense of tradition to your overrated positions to your fat, liar of a coach Charlie Weis, the mere thought of this team makes me sick.  Brady Quinn will fail as an NFL quarterback, Weis will fail as a head coach and the team will continue to reap the benefits of being independent of a league.

To the team I love to hate, the Los Angeles Lakers, you will lose to San Antonio in six games. The way Kobe Bryant gets a foul called on everyone of his missed shots is ridiculous. Stop bailing this guy out. The league needs to keep the officials from being influenced by these huge superstars. Call it even. Spurs will win this year’s NBA title.

To baseball, you are no longer America’s favorite pastime.  I’m sorry, but the nation loves the NFL. Maybe if you spiced the game up a bit or updated for the 21st century, people would be able to bear it. How much longer until one of these blown calls costs someone a game?

Put in instant replay already. And get rid of the steroids. That would be nice, too.

To the University of Oregon football program, stop toying with my heart. You have the ability to influence how I feel for an entire week. Stop teasing me and win a
National Championship. Finish a season.

To America, get into Major League Soccer already. This sport and league is highly entertaining and just fun to watch. We need to build a respectable soccer team on the world level. The last World Cup was unbearable.

To the Seattle Mariners, I have just two words for you—holy cow. You are that bad. Well, I’ll look on the bright side, at least you aren’t the Cubs.

To NASCAR, I don’t care how much heat you take. I love you.

To college football, give us what we want. I have spent many a column venting my soul about implementing a playoff system in place of the Bowl Championship Series. Do something quick before I do something drastic.

To women’s basketball coach Robyn Stewart, thanks for letting me work with your team this season.

It was a valuable learning experience, and you did a terrific job. I look forward to seeing how next season turns out.

To head football coach Joe Smith, next year you will win the division. The Wildcat defense is always good and hints of a well rounded offense were showing near the end of the season.

The kinks are worked out and you will return this team back to the top where it belongs.

To Linfield baseball, congratulations. We are all behind you 100 percent. You have already achieved so much this season and are making everyone proud to be a Wildcat. No matter the outcome, we are all proud. But don’t get me wrong, another national championship would be great.

Finally, I just want to say this: I love Linfield Wildcat athletics.

I have always been proud to support all the teams at as many events as possible.

  With that said, I never meant to offend anybody with negative comments pertaining to the men’s basketball and
football programs.

All of my opinions were just conclusions drawn from watching a number of competitions throughout the year and were never fabricated or fictional, simply an
outside opinion.

Linfield, it has been a good run. It’s time to say goodbye. Thanks to everyone who supported throughout the years.

If you have any lingering  questions or concerns, email me
one last time at jpeters1@linfield.edu.