Ida B Wells Athletics Weekly
2024-2025 Winter Season Re-Cap
Be A Guardian - Be Gracious
Write it. Read it. Live it. Love it. Be it.
To be or not to be is an everyday choice.
Look at the world through inquisitive eyes.
When you commit to doing something truly special, it means you are going to have to make sacrifices,
Human relations is the total of your professional and personal behavior for each day.
The individual who gets ahead is the one who does more than what is necessary and keeps on doing it.
Other people see you from the outside. You see you from the inside.
Start every day by recognizing there are no ceilings, no limits, and no rules.
Greetings Sports Fans!
This edition of the IBW Athletics Weekly is dedicated to our Winter Sports Re-Cap. To all of our winter student-athletes, you are greatly appreciated. To our coaches, thank you for creating spaces for our student-athletes to learn how to win with humility and fail with resiliency. To our amazing teachers, thank you for challenging our students to become the best version of themselves. And thank you parents for all of your continued support!
Stay tuned for Spring editions of the IBW Athletic Weekly after we return from Spring Break!
Great to Be A Guardian!
What a season.
Our Frosh team was almost too fun to watch... They competed hard every single game, played together, played tough defense, and finished with a record of 21-3. Their last game against Grant HS ended with a buzzer beater to win, and the excitement in the gym felt like a college game. The perfect way to end an amazing season for our youngest hoopers. Great job all! And congrats to Coach Josh Martin for teaching these boys what high school basketball is all about! I couldn't be more proud...
Our JV team had a great season, too. Our JV boys showed up to every game with a competitive chip on their shoulder, which I love to see... They wanted to win, and hated losing, which I also love to see... Above all else, they played together as a team, cheered each other on, and gave energy to every possession, playing defense, fighting for rebounds, diving to the floor for loose balls. This energy paid off, as they finished with a record of 18-6. Congratulations all, and congrats to Coach Garrett Norman, for teaching these kids basketball, and life lessons along the way.
Our Varsity team put together a season to remember. We had many things to celebrate and be proud of this season, including the most wins we've had in a long time. We did a lot of growing as well. I often tell my players people need to learn how to win, and learn how to be successful. Nothing is ever just given to you, you need to earn it. Straight A's? Need to work your butt off. Great job that pays a living wage? Need to work your butt off. Wins on the basketball court? Same thing, you need to work your butt off. We learned that lesson this season, and it is a very important lesson. We finished 11-14 and we were the first team left out of the playoffs. We lost a total of 8 games by single digits, and lost two OT games. Learning how to win the close games is huge, and these are growing pains that help a program get better in the long run. I am confident this season will serve as a foundational year for this program moving forward as we look to build upon the success we saw this season.
Muhammed Carter earned PIL 2nd Team All-Conferences honors, and Cam Hammer and Ahmad Surur both earned PIL Honorable Mention All-Conference honors. Congratulations boys! I am so incredibly proud of each and every one of my players. Thank you for your hard work all season long.
-Head Coach, Max Tresize
The IBW Women's Basketball program concluded a truly memorable and successful season! From our dedicated JV2 team to our spirited JV team, to our thrilling Varsity playoff run, we've witnessed tremendous growth, teamwork, and passion across all levels.
Varsity Team:
Our Varsity team qualified for the state playoffs again this season which is a testament to the players' unwavering commitment, hard work, and the strategic guidance of the coaches. The team demonstrated resilience, skill, and a strong competitive spirit throughout the season, especially when multiple players were out with injuries and illness, providing exciting moments for our team, program and school. The team shared a special bond and closeness, with many of the nine seniors playing together since the third grade.
Season highlights included a fun and successful trip to Phoenix which strengthened team chemistry, starting the season 7-2 heading into PIL play, an inspiring night celebrating an 80’s reunion and special senior night festivities and a stirring victory in the final PIL game at Grant. Congratulations to two players earning PIL honors; Claire Dixon – 2nd Team and Autumn Hart – 1st team. While we say goodbye to our very special senior class, we look forward to continuing to build on their success. The experience gained and the memories created will last a lifetime.
JV Team:
Ending the season with an impressive 12-4 league record, the JV women's basketball team truly made their mark this year! If you've been following their journey, you know this season was packed with standout moments – Maddy Hamilton's electrifying buzzer-beater against Lincoln, Jillian Warberg's clutch 3 point shooting and rebounding, Iselie Spicer’s six-game double-digit scoring streak, a thrilling championship appearance in the Winter Holiday Classic Tournament, and so much more. But beyond the stats and highlights, this team’s culture is what truly set them apart.
Team chemistry has been at the heart of their success. Whether it was starting every game with a player-led quote or coming together for team dinners, these athletes understood that their bond extended far beyond wins and losses. That connection translated onto the court, as assist numbers soared and multiple games saw every player getting on the scoreboard. Their growth, as both competitors and individuals has been incredible to watch, and we couldn’t be prouder.
JV2 Team:
The 2024-2025 JV2 women’s basketball team started the season with a group of passionate athletes who shared a love for the game. Four months later, they finished with an impressive 13-5 record – a team that played hard, played together, and truly enjoyed every moment on the court. Led by captains Amber Barbour and Adah Dahl, this team pushed through early morning practices, always grateful for any chance to sleep in, and proved that hard work pays off. They learned that improvement only comes through continuous effort and that mindset fueled their growth throughout the season.
The team’s identity became its lock-down man-to-man defense, a style that was on full display in their final game of the season, a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Grant. Whether bouncing back after tough losses or celebrating small victories during practice competitions, the team’s passion for the game never wavered. They played with joy, and each player embraced their role to contribute to the team’s success. Some players may move on to higher levels, while others may pursue different paths, but all will carry the lessons and growth from this season into whatever they do next.
Gratitude and Appreciation:
This successful season would not have been possible without the incredible support of many individuals.
- Coaches: Extending our deepest gratitude to all our coaches – Your dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to our players were instrumental in their development and success. Thank you for your countless hours of planning, practice, and encouragement.
- Players: To all our players, from JV2 to JV to Varsity, thank you for your hard work, dedication, and passion. You represented IBW with pride and sportsmanship. We are incredibly proud of your achievements and the positive impact you've made on our program.
- Parents and Families: Your unwavering support, encouragement, and sacrifices were essential to our success. Thank you for your tireless efforts in transporting players, organizing team events, and cheering us on from the stands. Your involvement created a positive and supportive family atmosphere for our student-athletes.
- School Administration and Staff: We appreciate the support of our school administration and staff, especially Mike Nolan and Leanne Van Horn, for providing the resources and support necessary for our program to thrive.
- Booster Club and Community: Thank you to our incredible Booster Club and to the community for your support of our program. Your attendance at games and encouragement of our student-athletes helped to create a memorable season.
Looking Forward:
We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of our women's basketball program this season. We look forward to building on this success in the years to come. We are committed to fostering a culture of excellence in the classroom, community and on the court, teamwork, and sportsmanship. We are confident our program will continue to grow and inspire the next generation of IBW Guardians.
-Head Coach, Glen Coblens
The winter season for both the JV and Varsity cheerleading teams was an exciting and action-packed journey full of growth, teamwork, and outstanding performances. From the sidelines to the competition floor, both teams showcased their dedication, skill, and school spirit.
The sideline squads kept the energy high, bringing their infectious enthusiasm to a variety of school and sporting events. Both JV and Varsity teams worked tirelessly to support their athletes, boost school morale, and engage with the crowd.
In addition to their sideline duties, the competition cheer team also competed in cheerleading competitions across the state, where they demonstrated their technical skills, creativity, and composure under pressure. Their routine featured advanced stunts, tumbling, and complex choreography. Their dedication in practices paid off, as they consistently delivered routines that showcased their skill and cohesion as a team throughout the season, ending with an impressive 3rd place finish at the Oregon Cheerleading Coaches Association Championships.
-Head Coach, Sylvia Scott
Some of the seniors decided that the motto for the Ida B. Wells Swim Team should be "There's always something...but we just keep going," and they really have. This season brought meet cancellations, pool closures, snow and ice storms, power outages during a meet, seizures at the pool, active labor in the locker rooms, lifeguard rescues, multiple bouts of the flu, asthma attacks, and so many muscle cramps. All the while IBW swimmers just keep swimming and many have been playing instruments, singing in choir, writing for the school newspaper, participating in school clubs, participating in other sports, working multiple jobs, and applying to colleges.
The district meet was condensed into 2 days instead of three and there were some very exciting races, but I think we can all agree that the most heart pumping races for those of us not in the water were the girls 200 and 400 free relays where the Wells team of senior Julia Iwanow, senior Louisa Lungershausen, sophomore Keelin Shockley, and senior Cassidy Schneider beat Lincoln in two incredible races. In the 200 free relay the girls team won first place with a new PIL district record of 1:39.79, beating Lincoln's record from last year by almost 2 seconds. In the 400 free relay the girls again set a new PIL district record with their first place swim of 3:38.84, and again beat Lincoln's record from last year by a second and a half.
Those same 4 girls excelled at the OSAA State Championships bringing IBW girls swimming to a second place finish behind Jesuit, this was the highest place finish for Wells since 1977.
After graduating 50% of the team last year, our IBW boys swim team was too small this year to put up a fight against the other teams at the district and state levels, but as we planned, they went out and had some fun, challenged themselves, supported their team, swam some best times, and finished the season with some races that made us all proud.
On our team of 60 athletes, 27 were new this year and 12 of those new swimmers participated at the varsity level. With such a young team we look forward to a lot of growth in the upcoming years for IBW Swimming.
It has been a blast this year and once again we start the countdown until November when we can start this adventure all over again. Remember, IBW swim team is a no-cut sport that is open and welcoming to swimmers of all levels and we hope to see a lot of new faces next year.
-Head Coach, Shelley Hughes
The Guardians wrestling program started the year back at home for practices, but had to overcome some growing pains in the process. Having a smaller space required us to find some additional ways to workout and get better. Our program was very young and lacked a lot of match experience, but we continued to grow and improve throughout the year. We had a few unfortunate injuries that prevented athletes from reaching their full potential, but are hopeful for the future. We also saw great leadership development from our older wrestlers and are excited for the future.
On the boys side, we qualified 3 wrestlers for the state meet. Shae, Lucius, and Sam. Shae won the district meet at 113 and went 3-2 at state, which is the best record we've had at state for a freshman. Lucius finished 2nd at districts and was only 1 of 3 freshmen at state in the 175 pound weight class, but the only one to win a match. Sam also finished 2nd at the district meet, and went 1-2 at the state meet. Other district placers included Art 6th at 113, Daniel 6th at 138, Sylas at 4th and Kieran 5th at 144, and Roman 5th at 150. We had more freshman wrestlers in the district meet than the other teams combined.
On the girls side, we also qualified 3 wrestlers for the state meet. Linda, Genevie, and Zorina. Sadie just missed out on qualifying for the state meet by finishing 5th at districts. Linda finished 4th at the district meet and lost both her matches at state, but nearly beat her consolation final opponent from districts in her second match. Genevie finished 3rd at districts and went 1-2 at state in a very tough weight class. Zorina completed another undefeated season, going 29-0 and won her second consecutive state title. Zorina is the first ever 2-time state champion in wrestling for the school.
Congratulations to all of the wrestlers on a great season, we're looking forward to next year with even more success!
Registration is now open for the 8th Annual Playmaker Summit. Formerly known as the Oregon Girls Sports Leadership Summit. This free premier leadership event will be held on the campus of Oregon Episcopal School, on April 19th. This developmental experience is like no other, and is for female student athletes, coaches and team administrators that work with girls and women in sports. This year we ask that each participant register individually and that each coach and or administration do the same.
Link to registration: https://www.playmakerssummit.com/#registration
