New coach, new attitude, new season

By Kristi Lambert

Logan High School’s Lady Grizzlies varsity basketball team has a new head coach this season. Kelly Bennett retired last May after dedicating 31 years to coaching, five of which were with LHS’s girls’ basketball team. Salli Fiefia has taken his place.

“I’m really excited to be back at Logan High School. I love Logan,” Fiefia said. “I have really strong ties here.”

Fiefia graduated from LHS in 2000. She coached for five years at LHS and then took a short break and coached for Sky View High School. Now, she has returned as the head coach for the girls’ varsity basketball team.

“We’ve been working on things that I want to change. We’ve really been working on defense,” Fiefia said.

According to Fiefia and Jeff Gabriel, the assistant coach, the team is learning a new system.

“They’ve mainly been on a zone defense and now we’ve switched,” Gabriel said. “We hope to play more man-to-man defense this year.”

Fiefia and a new system isn’t the only change for the Lady Grizzlies. There has been a change of attitude— a positive one.

“We work hard in everything thing we do and we have fun doing it,” said Jamie Peterson, a senior guard on the team. “Last year I think people would get nervous of coach because they wouldn’t get as much positive feedback.”

“I’ve really tried to be positive with them,” Fiefia said. “You have to constructively criticize. If they hear me tell them positive things, they’ll focus on the positive.”

Fiefia’s coaching strategy has made an impact on the team.

“Salli knows how girls are, whereas our other coach was used to teaching boys. It was very different,” Peterson said. “Now we have more confidence and we play better.”

That confidence was built during the summer. Every Tuesday in June, the team would play two games a night. The team also traveled together to play in various basketball tournaments against Sky View, Mountain Crest, Bountiful, Hill Crest, teams from Idaho and more. Many tournaments two day events and the girls would play as many as five games a day.

“The summer things really bring us together. More relaxed. Not as much pressure,” Peterson said.

“The more you play the more unified you are,” Fiefia said.

“The team aspect is huge. We have a really good group of girls. We all get along and there’s no clicks,” said Brittany Lamborn, a senior who plays post.

Positivity and unity helped the Lady Grizzlies win their first game of the season on Tuesday. In the last minute, LHS scored five points off of foul shots beating Bear River 61 to 56. Point guard Megan Mills made three of those points.

“It was a close one,” Mills said. “Our defense at the end was great. Really stepping it up.”

“We’re very excited. Salli was great support,” Peterson said. “We had a good momentum we were able to hold through the whole game. We worked together, but we definitely have things to work on.”

Because there were quite a few turnovers, Fiefia said that the girls mostly need to work on reading the court to prevent losing the ball.

"We started out rocky, but the first game is always like that,” Fiefia said. “In the end we came out on top. The team is looking really good. We have a lot of talent.”

(M. Menzdorf)

Opening night success

By Kristi Lambert

Family, friends and community members gathered in Logan High School’s auditorium on Nov. 18 for the opening night of the musical “Once Upon a Mattress.” LHS’s Theatre Department retold the fairytale of “The Princess and the Pea” with a comedic twist.

“I like her Mama, she swam the moat,” said Prince Dauntless, played by Tyler Homer.

The moat swimming princess, Winnifred the Woebegone, played by MarKaye Hassan has put a kink in the queen’s plan. In an effort to maintain her thrown, Queen Aggravain, played by Katie Francis, vowed to never let her son get married. Princess Winnifred must pass the queen’s sensitivity test involving 20 downy mattresses and a pea in order to fill the opening for a princess.

Brett and Jenae Butler have been supporting the art programs at LHS for many years. They came to hear their daughter, a violist in the orchestra. Both were in awe with how hard the cast, orchestra and directors worked to polish this production.

“It was extremely well done. A lot of heart and a lot of effort was put into this,” Brett Butler said. 

“They’ve been here until 10 every night this week.”

“With all the cuts in the art programs, it’s nice to see that we have the arts still here at Logan High,” Jenae Butler said. “It’s entertaining and the quality of the arts in the school district is impressive.”

Melody Francis came to watch her daughter perform on the stage.

“I’m so very proud of Katie,” Francis said. “It’s fun to see how she’s developed. Since she was tiny she’s enjoyed the spotlight.”

“I liked Katie,” seven-year-old Claire Francis said.

Claire Francis wasn’t the only one who enjoyed her sister’s performance. As juniors at Utah State University, both Bradin Hanson and Angel Peatross agreed that the leads were amazing.

“At first I didn’t think I would be impressed because it was a high school play, but then I was,” Hanson said.

“The leads stole the show and the orchestra was great,” said Peatross.

The excitement of the cast mimicked that of the audience.

“Opening night went great, spectacular, wonderful. All of the pronouns I can think of,” said Josh Higham, who plays the Jester.

“The audience was brilliant, which always helps,” said Hassan, who played Princess Winnifred.

With a 10 minute intermission, the musical ran for about two and half-hours. Mitzi Mecham, the theatre department’s director, said that despite technical problems with the sound board, the overall performance was a success. In 24 musicals, this is Mecham’s second time directing “Once Upon a Mattress.”

“They are amazing,” Mecham said.

Mecham estimated that 700 to 750 people came to the play opening night. Because LHS’s Theatre Department is self-funded, it relies on the revenue made from the productions to pay for itself. Including royalties, $2,500 was spent on this year’s production. However, that total does not include the cost of costumes or props. Mecham said that the department usually breaks even due to ticket revenue and the support from various sponsors.  

“If we don’t make money, we don’t have money,” Mecham said.

(D. Van Dyke)

Quitting is not an option

By Kristi Lambert

Caitlin Powell comes from a family of swimmers and has been swimming as long as she can remember. After community lessons, she began to swim competitively on the bronze team for the Cache Valley Marlins at six years old. Now at 15 years old and in her sophomore year, Powell is one of the swim captains for the Logan High School Grizzlies. Powell has yet to decide whether or not she will follow in her mother’s footsteps by swimming in college because of her injuries.

In January, Powell was diagnosed with hypermobility syndrome.

Hypermobility syndrome is a condition that affects the joints, in Powell’s case the shoulders. Powell’s shoulders easily move beyond the normal expected range. She also has tendinitis in her right shoulder and problems with her rotator cuff. The pain that Powell experiences from these injuries is heightened when she participates in vigorous activities.

“Usually the times it bothers me most is during long distance freestyle or butterfly,” Powell said. “It’s kind of a hard thing to explain. I guess it’s like a really sharp pain. Only in certain movements though. It feels like someone is stabbing me really fast. Then I take a stroke and it goes away. Then it comes back.”

After being diagnosed, Powell’s doctor told her that she had two options. She could undergo surgery or go through a rehabilitation program. Powell discarded the option of surgery and agreed to do physical therapy. It was suggested that she take a year or two off from swimming because if she aggravated her joints even more or if the pain became worse, she would be looking at surgery.

Quitting swimming was not an option for Powell.

“I kind of followed their advice,” she said. “I went to physical therapy. Took a break over the summer and then came back for swimming in the fall. It wasn’t really a question. I don’t think I could ever stop swimming. It’s a lifestyle. I’ve gone to practice every day since I was eight or nine. You can’t just stop doing something when you’ve been doing it your whole life.”

Powell is no longer doing physical therapy because her doctor told her it would be counterproductive if she kept swimming. In February, she plans to continue when the swim season is over.

Pain, whether from an injury or not, is something athletes will face in sports. The ability to tolerate and push through the pain is essential for an athlete to succeed. Powell has done just this.  

Despite her injuries, in February at the 4A state swimming championships, Powell took sixth place in the 200-yard individual medley and fifth place in the 100-yard breaststroke.  Powell intends to do better at state this year. To accomplish her goal, she has a new mindset.

“It’s not restricting me at all because last year I let my shoulder take over my swimming. If it’s going to bother me I may as well do it. It’s not limiting me mentally because I’ve decided to do everything, where as last year, I took it easier because of my shoulders. Physically it has a bit, but I can still keep up with the fastest swimmer in the lane,” Powell said.

Her love for the water, the sport and the team has kept Powell in the pool.

“I push through the pain for a lot of different reasons. The people on my team are like family. I’ve swam with most of them for over four or five years. I wouldn’t give it up,” Powell said.

With a team for a second family, Powell found support from her fellow swimmers and coaches.

“I feel like almost everyone on the swim team is friends with everyone, which helps us get through injuries quicker as a team,” junior Cole Museus said.

“The swim team is a family. We are always there to help our team,” senior Brittny Gunnell said.

Jerry Hodgkinson, LHS’s head swim coach, said that Powell has impacted the team.

“Caitlin’s peers see her as a leader and watch her pushing through the pain. It’s kind of one of those things, if she can do it, I can do it,” Hodgkinson said.

“I know I’ve experienced the worse pain I have while swimming. It’s not going to get better. It does no good to complain,” Powell said. “If I’m going to be here; I’m going to do this.” 

(M. Menzdorf)

Grizzlies back in the pool

Kristi Lambert

With the sound of a whistle blow, the water surface erupted as Logan High School swimmers began another workout set in practice. Methodically, arms and legs and appeared and disappeared under the cool lap pool water. Above the surface of the water it is loud and chaotic; beneath the surface there is 

nothing but the muffled sounds of splashes and silence.

This is something many of these swimmers have come to love.

“I’m definitely less anxious after I swim,” said Sophia Chrysoston, a junior who swims the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard individual medley. “School is stressful because I’m taking an AP class. I get in the pool and I focus on swimming and forget about school. Then when I get home, I still have that endorphin buzz and I can focus better on my homework.”

“I find it relaxing to swim and be able to think about my day and the things that are going on in my life,” senior Brittny Gunnell said.

Junior Cole Museus said that practices are challenging and as a result he is improving and dropping time in his races; the 100-yard butterfly and the 500-yard freestyle.

“It’s my biggest stress reliever,” Museus said. “It’s physically hard, but mentally relaxing.”

With three meets down and 12 to go until the 4A state swimming championships, the team is doing well. Under the direction of three coaches, the Grizzlies practice Monday through Friday from 3-5 p.m. in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation lap pool at Utah State University. There are 74 swimmers on the team; 40 girls and 34 boys. Depending on the swimmer’s skill and experience, they swim with group A, B or C. The Grizzly swim team is mostly comprised of sophomores and freshman. In the spring, 10 seniors will graduate leaving a strong team for next year.

Thursday the LHS Grizzlies competed in a meet against the Orem Golden Tigers.

“We did well. The girls won. Boys lost a close one. All swam well,” said Jerry Hodgkinson, LHS’s head swim coach. This is Hodgkinson’s fourth year coaching LHS’s swim team. He has 10 years previous coaching experience at Mountain Crest and Ogden High School.

LHS’s girls’ swim team has an overall record of 14 wins, no losses; the boys’ team has won nine and lost five. Hodgkinson said he is proud of his swimmers and expects the girls to continue their winning streak come Saturday at the Park City Invitational, which will be held at 9 a.m.  

“I’m expecting better swims because there will be better competition,” Hodgkinson said. “We’ll have a light practice today, send them home to rest and hopefully tomorrow we’ll have some better performances.”

Last year LHS’s swim team took third place at state. There was a great deal of pressure on the team to do well. Hodgkinson said that the team has taken a backseat approach this year to ease the pressure and focus on having good experience instead of winning.

“Last year there was too much pressure,” Hodgkinson said. “This year we want to leave it in the pool. We lose, we lose; we win, we win. Of course that’s what we want, but mostly we want to focus on having a positive experience.”

(T. Alvey)

Logan high's theatre department and a pea

By Kristi Lambert

A mute king, a submissive prince, a crafty queen, a moat swimming princess, 20 downy mattresses and a pea have taken over the Logan High School Theatre Department. LHS has a long time tradition when it comes to theater and will be performing the musical “Once Upon a Mattress” Nov. 18, 19, 21 and 22.

The musical, written by Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer, Dean Fuller and Mary Rodgers, puts a comedic twist to the fairytale “The Princess and the Pea.” In the play, Queen Aggravian has taken over the kingdom after King Sextimus was cursed with muteness. Aggravian has vowed to keep Prince Dauntless single so that she may keep the throne for herself. But after Princess Winnifred the Woebegone catches the prince’s eye, the queen’s plans begin to unravel.

A cast of 50 students, 60 orchestra members and 10 back stage hands will bring the production of “Once Upon A Mattress” to the stage.

“It’s funny, great music and great characters. People will go away smiling. Definitely family entertainment,” said Mitzi Mecham, the theater department's director.

This will be Mecham’s 24^th musical at LHS. She has been working with the cast since auditions. Students tried out last February to get into the class and then again in August for the fall musical. With opening night steadily approaching, the cast practices during school and at night rehearsals totaling approximately four hours a day.

Mecham said that the show is right on track and is not worried about opening night because “it always comes together.”

“There are still things that we need to work on, but we will be ready when time comes around,” said Austin Burgess, a sophomore who plays the part of Sir Harry. “We have an amazing cast, really talented. A great director and a well-rounded crew. It’s going to be great.”

Sarah Gee, a senior who plays Lady Larken, said that the cast meshes well together.

“We all step it up where we need to,” Gee said. “Not just the leads, but everyone does. That way it all looks good for opening night.”

When it comes to vocals, Randy Smith, the choral director is proud of his students and is confident in their abilities.

“The kids are doing extremely well. We really have some talented kids this year,” Smith said as a trio sang “The Minstrel, the Jester and I.”

Many of the cast have had previous experience on stage outside of high school plays, including senior Josh Higham, who plays the part of the Jester. Higham enjoyed participating in Community Theatre so he decided to audition for the high school play his last year.

 “I loved it,” Higham said. “The dominoes sort of fell and I found myself on stage.”

“They’ve made a lot of progress. Now that they have their parts they take on their characters and embrace it and perfect it,” said Mardi Hyer, the stage manager.

Tickets for the musical went on sale Friday. Prices range from $5 to $7 and can be purchased at the door or online at Logan High School’s Web page. All performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Logan High School auditorium.

(T. Alvey)