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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us February 1, 2005 Snowboarding team still growing By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Matt Faurot's baby is all grown up. The man who founded the Ashland High snowboarding team six years ago can't help but feel proud about how his creation has progressed. Seven boys and one girl competed in the team's inaugural season. This year, 57 boys and girls, an all-time high, glide their way down Mount Ashland every weekend or so against the top prep snowboarders in southern Oregon. In terms of numbers, that makes the snowboarding team the largest sports program at Ashland High. ASHLAND HIGH SNOWBOARDER Zaya McSky heads toward a jump on Mount Ashland on Friday. The Ashland High club boys and girls club snowboarding teams have been dominant so far this season against other prep teams like Grants Pass, North Medford, South Medford and St. Mary's. Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings Not bad for a club sport, especially one that costs $335 per rider. Of course, that includes a set of goggles, a sweatshirt and, inevitably, a trip to the state championships at Mount Hood, where the Grizzly girls have dominated the past two years. "I think that it was inevitable that it would keep on getting popular, but I'm happy I was able to help it along and be there for the kids," said Faurot, 35, who also coaches the St. Mary's boys soccer team. "And it really wouldn't have happened without the (parents). It's a club sport, so the parents pay one of the biggest roles in keeping the program healthy." The Grizzlies compete during the regular season against teams from South Medford High, North Medford, Grants Pass, Crater and St. Mary's, and have been the team to beat - in both the boys and girls' competitions - for years. The Grizzly girls are the two-time defending overall state champions, while the boys won the state boardercross title and took second overall in 2003. So far this season there have been two Southern League giant slaloms, both at Mount Ashland. The Ashland boys and girls teams each won both going away. In the most recent event on Jan. 21, six of the top 10 placers in both the boys and girls races hailed from Ashland. Leading the way for the AHS girls is Hallie Beaver, one of the fastest prep snowboarders in the state. In an unfortunate break, however, Beaver injured her elbow a day after taking first in the Southern League-opener on Jan. 7. "Hallie Beaver just has a really easy time dominating," Faurot said. The Grizzly girls have also received an unexpected lift from a pair of freshmen: Zoe Elterman and Alison Wren. Elterman already has fourth-place and ninth-place finishes under her belt, while Wren took seventh in the first race. Faurot said Shae Blood and Soleil Rowan-Cane have also stepped up for the Grizz girls, as well as Caitlin Maddigan, Sierra Law, Athena Haxton and AHS golf standout Stephanie Johns. For the boys team, Eli Otter has stood head and shoulders above the rest. Otter won both races, establishing himself as the racer to beat. "He feels really comfortable at high speeds and just over the years has been progressively getting faster and faster," Faurot said. After Otter, Isaiah Thalmayer, Rob McNamara and brothers Gabe and Rafael Gonzales solidify the upper echelon of Ashland's so far unbeatable lineup. Also contributing to Ashland's cause is freshmen Francesco Minniti and Lucas Jannusch. Faurot says McNamara is fast, but specializes in the boardercross competitions, which put an emphasis on maneuverability. The Grizzlies cap the regular season with two boardercross events at the end of the month. The state meet is usually held in early March at Mount Hood, but this year's event is in jeopardy. Snow is in short supply up north, and consequently Mount Hood has been closed for two weeks. Still, Faurot is hopeful that the meet will go on - a decision will come later this week, he says - and that his team will be a major player there once again. "I'm definitely pleased with the kids that we have involved in our program this year," he said. "There's a great group of kids that have been coming back year after year." DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's Slippers men's slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Memory Foam Mattress college loans alternative student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation trillion cut diamonds Currancy Exchange Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams