![The Phoenix varsity volleyball team lines up for the national anthem. “We were more communicative [with each other] during this game, and I feel like we kept our energy up, especially after the first set,” senior Jessica Valdov said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0202-1200x800.jpg)
Phoenix Wrestling Takes Over The Patriots and Huskies at Senior Night
Phoenix wrestling hosted their senior night on Jan. 19 against the Parkview Patriots and Tuscarora Huskies, emerging victorious against both teams.
![Junior James Lee starts the match in the starting position against Patriot. ¨Getting my hand raised and winning a match [is my favorite part],¨ Lee said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC_0054-900x600.jpg)
Junior James Lee starts the match in the starting position against Patriot. ¨Getting my hand raised and winning a match [is my favorite part],¨ Lee said.
February 4, 2022
On Wednesday Jan.19, families of Tuscarora, Parkview and Rock Ridge gathered in the gym for Rock Ridge wrestling senior night. The Phoenix conquered the Huskies 42-30 and the Patriots 60-6.
The Phoenix began the meet with matches against the Patriots. The Phoenix dominated the Patriots, giving little opportunity for their opponent to make a comeback. Wrestlers sophomore Teyany Kleiner and senior Hunter Cox each won their respective matches with wide gaps in score, pushing the Phoenix in the lead.
Before wrestling the Huskies, senior wrestlers Ryan Payne, Ming Yu, Hunter Cox, and David Lott, and managers Olivia Payne and Ava Patel, were recognized by the coaches with flowers and handshakes for their work on the team. Both managers have been with the team since freshman year.
The Phoenix went on to defeat the Huskies in the following round, ending the night in a double victory. The Phoenix will host the district tournament on Feb. 5.
![On Monday, Dec. 16, the Rock Ridge Phoenix boys varsity basketball team faced the Unity Reed Lions in a close-knit battle, where the Phoenix prevailed 59-56.
The first quarter started slow, with both teams focusing on strong defense. Even with sophomore Filippo Gomes leading the first with two three-pointers, the Phoenix were still down three at the end of the quarter, leaving a 15-12 lead for the Lions.
The Phoenix amped up their offense considerably for the rest of the game. During the second quarter, the Phoenix scored 20 points, allowing them to grow the point gap between them and the Lions’ score, finishing the quarter 32-23 Phoenix. The third quarter was neck-and-neck as the Lions found footing again, but the Phoenix persisted and gained 14 points, ending the third quarter with a nerve-wracking 46-45 Phoenix lead. “I was a little nervous, I’m not gonna lie,” senior Akash Kulkarni said. “But just staying confident, making good passes, and listening to [Coach] Geyer [got us through].” Both teams fought tooth-and-nail for the fourth quarter, utilizing fouls, free throws, and timeouts to their advantage, but in the end, it was up to Phoenix defense to ensure their win. Ultimately, the Phoenix triumphed, with a winning score of 59-56.
After the game, the Phoenix basketball team awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) belt to the player who worked diligently behind the scenes senior William Beck. They awarded him MVP for his team leadership and playmaking throughout the game. “It feels good, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Beck said.
✏️ and 📷 by Nidhi Manchala and Lucian Tiller](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)