By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Following the girls’ trend of doing the splits during the weekend, the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow boys basketball team lost to Farson-Eden 48-46 and prevailed against Cokeville, 63-51.
The Farson-Eden game was neck and neck at halftime with the Miners leading by one. HEM managed to pull ahead of Farson-Eden, 41-31, with four minutes left. Thinking the game was won, the Miners lost control in those last four minutes. “They just watched it slip away,” coach Clif Jones said.
Farson-Eden sunk a 3-pointer with six seconds left to tie the game. Each team went to the line for free throws in those final seconds, and Farson-Eden simply came out on top, Jones said.
“Mentally, we weren’t ready to play. It has happened before,” Jones said. He did not blame the road delays. Instead, he said it would be something the team would continue to work on as the regional tournament approaches.
Still, Jones had a good show from a few of his players. Justin Palm went up for 14 points and 11 rebounds. “It was a quiet double-double,” Jones said. “We didn’t really realize he was there at times.”
Charlie George, still making a few freshman mistakes, braved the basket and sunk 12 points for the team. It was his second game in double figures. Mitch Long put up six points while Kalter Blauvelt had four.
The weekend generally saw more balanced shooting from the team. Jones said the Palm-Matt Larson duo has become less of a crutch for the team. They previously put up 50 percent of the baskets and now, their scoring is reduced to 30 percent.
Against Cokeville, the Miners were leading by 13 in the fourth quarter when their opponents stepped it up to close the gap to five. Jones called a time-out, reminding his team that the game wasn’t over. “(HEM) jumped back in there to get back to a 10-point lead,” Jones said.
Palm again led the pack with 24 points and 11 rebounds. The guards and wings successfully got the ball to him so he could work his magic. Larson, with 10 points and 10 boards, and Blauvelt, 11 points and eight rebounds, were close behind Palm. George put up eight points and had six assists.
Ryan Puckett, the 12th man on the bench, stepped onto the court for a few minutes in the first half to help keep the lead players out of foul trouble. He nailed a 3-pointer and left the court with a steal.
“This is the first year we’ve swept Cokeville (since the 1970s),” Jones said. The teams have split for the last three years. Jones hopes the wins reveal a positive trend for the HEM basketball program.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Miners 'pick' up win Friday night
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
After a long morning of confinement on school property due to closed roads, the Lady Miners finally breathed open air as they traveled across the state to face Farson-Eden on Friday and Cokeville on Saturday.
In a satisfying 42-24 conference victory against Farson-Eden on Friday night, the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow girls woke up at halftime. They were sluggish getting off the bus and into the game, coach Jackie Jones said. Going into the half, they were six points ahead. In the last two quarters, they picked up their game to finish 18 points up.
“It was a game where we could move the ball and choose the shots we wanted,” Jones said. It was the team’s first time above 50 percent in free-throw shooting this season. They also had buckets, rebounds and steals from not just one member of the team.
Penny Blauvelt went up for 13 points, five steals and three assists while her teammate Jennifer Korkow sunk 10 points, had five boards and four assists. Amanda Booth bucketed six and pulled down four rebounds and five assists. Kayla Brown led the rebounding pack with six as well as contributing seven points and two steals.
After Friday’s excitement, the girls put on a bad show Saturday against Cokeville, losing 59-27. “They beat us like borrowed mules,” Jones said. “It was our worst game of the year. And I can’t blame it on bus lag.”
Cokeville was clicking on all cylinders with its fast-paced game, Jones said. And her team’s transition defense was sub-par at best. “(The team’s) lack of effort contributed to the loss,” Jones said.
Counteracting the horrific performance as a team were a few individual spotlights. Among the high scoring of Booth, Korkow and Blauvelt was Chelsy Broderick, a sophomore who moved back to the area recently. “She really worked hard defensively,” Jones said. “She’s a firecracker and we needed that on Saturday.”
Times staff writer
After a long morning of confinement on school property due to closed roads, the Lady Miners finally breathed open air as they traveled across the state to face Farson-Eden on Friday and Cokeville on Saturday.
In a satisfying 42-24 conference victory against Farson-Eden on Friday night, the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow girls woke up at halftime. They were sluggish getting off the bus and into the game, coach Jackie Jones said. Going into the half, they were six points ahead. In the last two quarters, they picked up their game to finish 18 points up.
“It was a game where we could move the ball and choose the shots we wanted,” Jones said. It was the team’s first time above 50 percent in free-throw shooting this season. They also had buckets, rebounds and steals from not just one member of the team.
Penny Blauvelt went up for 13 points, five steals and three assists while her teammate Jennifer Korkow sunk 10 points, had five boards and four assists. Amanda Booth bucketed six and pulled down four rebounds and five assists. Kayla Brown led the rebounding pack with six as well as contributing seven points and two steals.
After Friday’s excitement, the girls put on a bad show Saturday against Cokeville, losing 59-27. “They beat us like borrowed mules,” Jones said. “It was our worst game of the year. And I can’t blame it on bus lag.”
Cokeville was clicking on all cylinders with its fast-paced game, Jones said. And her team’s transition defense was sub-par at best. “(The team’s) lack of effort contributed to the loss,” Jones said.
Counteracting the horrific performance as a team were a few individual spotlights. Among the high scoring of Booth, Korkow and Blauvelt was Chelsy Broderick, a sophomore who moved back to the area recently. “She really worked hard defensively,” Jones said. “She’s a firecracker and we needed that on Saturday.”
Not everyone likes four-day weeks
Another front-pager... this one caused a bunch of controversy and some phone calls... guess I'm doing my job...!
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
With the deadline for the Carbon County District 2 schedule surveys nearing, the battle over four- and five-day weeks rages on in the Hanna, Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow schools.
Hanna Elementary School educators Kim Besel, a first-grade teacher, and Nancy Allen, a second-grade teacher, both dislike the four-day school week. They stand with virtually all of their colleagues — kindergarten, first-, second-, third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade teachers — who all oppose the four-day week, Besel said.
Zack Scott, the physical education and computers teacher at Hanna Elementary School who also acts as assistant coach to the high school basketball team, admitted that he stands alone in his personal enjoyment of the shorter week. “In the classrooms, I’m guessing it would be better to have the five day. That’s what my colleagues tell me anyway,” he said.
Besel said that both of the Elk Mountain Elementary School teachers are against the four-day schedule. Her colleagues at Medicine Bow Elementary School “are flexible,” she said.
The major concerns of those opposing the four-day week include the time crunch in delivering curriculum, the idea of sports taking precedence over academics and schedules that are not cohesive between elementary and secondary schools. The teachers added to the list the fact that, despite promises to the contrary, some scheduled events still take students out of class on days other than Fridays. Besel also said she worries “about kids who do not have parents around to spend time with them.”
When the rest of the country is increasing instructional time, according to Besel, she finds it strange that District 2 schools are reducing it. She said the four-and-a-half-day week the elementary schools currently functions under is acceptable, but curriculum modifications still must be made. The elementary math teachers have adopted a new curriculum that is adapted to a five-day week and find it difficult to squeeze it into the four and a half days they are provided.
What about teachers who are accountable to the state to reach certain proficiency levels? Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow High School boys basketball coach Clif Jones, also a social studies teacher at HEM, said he is still on target. “I have been able to adapt,” he said.
When asked about the remedial help and enrichment time offered on Fridays in place of class time, Besel said there is none at the elementary level. “And my understanding is that few do take advantage of that Friday help in the high school,” she said.
HEM girls basketball coach and special education instructor Jackie Jones said the high school’s “Lights On” remedial help and enrichment program is well attended.
As a coach, Jones encourages her team to attend Friday programs when they are not traveling. “I’ve had 100-percent turnout each time I’ve asked them to show up,” she said. “It has helped some of the girls stay eligible.” Some students take part in peer tutoring, some work with teachers and others use it as homework time or for study groups, she said.
On the other hand, Douglas Allen, an HEM math teacher who is also accountable to the state, feels he needs the class time. According to him, the Friday remediation has largely turned into field trips such as ice fishing, bowling and skiing among other activities. Admittedly a minority amongst his colleagues at the high school, he stands firm in his dislike of the four-day week.
“Something’s got to give,” Allen said. “I do the best with the time I’ve got.” Admitting the negative impact on students who miss class time due to activities, Allen believes the school board should have picked high-impact Fridays as the days off. Under this plan, school could continue on the Fridays when most students are available.
Jackie Jones spoke of the benefit to her special education students who tire easily both mentally and physically. “Having one more day for them to recuperate is truly beneficial,” she said.
Yet on the elementary level, Brandi Silas, president of the Hanna Elementary School parent-teacher association, spoke of the difficulty of getting young children back on track after three days off. “It’s already hard enough to get them back after two,” she said.
The consensus among the elementary school teachers is that the younger children shouldn’t be taken away from academics because high school sports are being made a priority. “I’m not against sports,” Silas said, “but I am against losing out on education for sports.”
Clif Jones believes the four-day schedule is best for students right now, especially those active in sports and activities.
He mentioned one of his players, Justin Palm, who participates in three sports as well as various activities. “I could not guess how many days he missed last year,” Clif Jones said. “But this year he has not missed any for athletics.” Jones said he would have missed six days already this year, but with the new schedule, Palm has missed none.
Scott likes the idea of the four-day week so he does not have to miss as much class time to join Clif Jones on basketball road trips. “I have been gone from the classroom,” he said. With the travel, he has been forced to modify his curriculum. His counselor regularly teaches health class on Fridays when Scott is not in attendance. “We have not lost contact hours; we have just squeezed it all together,” Scott said.
Regardless of their opinions of what school week should be adopted, most of those interviewed agreed that the school schedule should be the same in each town, if not across the district.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
With the deadline for the Carbon County District 2 schedule surveys nearing, the battle over four- and five-day weeks rages on in the Hanna, Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow schools.
Hanna Elementary School educators Kim Besel, a first-grade teacher, and Nancy Allen, a second-grade teacher, both dislike the four-day school week. They stand with virtually all of their colleagues — kindergarten, first-, second-, third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade teachers — who all oppose the four-day week, Besel said.
Zack Scott, the physical education and computers teacher at Hanna Elementary School who also acts as assistant coach to the high school basketball team, admitted that he stands alone in his personal enjoyment of the shorter week. “In the classrooms, I’m guessing it would be better to have the five day. That’s what my colleagues tell me anyway,” he said.
Besel said that both of the Elk Mountain Elementary School teachers are against the four-day schedule. Her colleagues at Medicine Bow Elementary School “are flexible,” she said.
The major concerns of those opposing the four-day week include the time crunch in delivering curriculum, the idea of sports taking precedence over academics and schedules that are not cohesive between elementary and secondary schools. The teachers added to the list the fact that, despite promises to the contrary, some scheduled events still take students out of class on days other than Fridays. Besel also said she worries “about kids who do not have parents around to spend time with them.”
When the rest of the country is increasing instructional time, according to Besel, she finds it strange that District 2 schools are reducing it. She said the four-and-a-half-day week the elementary schools currently functions under is acceptable, but curriculum modifications still must be made. The elementary math teachers have adopted a new curriculum that is adapted to a five-day week and find it difficult to squeeze it into the four and a half days they are provided.
What about teachers who are accountable to the state to reach certain proficiency levels? Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow High School boys basketball coach Clif Jones, also a social studies teacher at HEM, said he is still on target. “I have been able to adapt,” he said.
When asked about the remedial help and enrichment time offered on Fridays in place of class time, Besel said there is none at the elementary level. “And my understanding is that few do take advantage of that Friday help in the high school,” she said.
HEM girls basketball coach and special education instructor Jackie Jones said the high school’s “Lights On” remedial help and enrichment program is well attended.
As a coach, Jones encourages her team to attend Friday programs when they are not traveling. “I’ve had 100-percent turnout each time I’ve asked them to show up,” she said. “It has helped some of the girls stay eligible.” Some students take part in peer tutoring, some work with teachers and others use it as homework time or for study groups, she said.
On the other hand, Douglas Allen, an HEM math teacher who is also accountable to the state, feels he needs the class time. According to him, the Friday remediation has largely turned into field trips such as ice fishing, bowling and skiing among other activities. Admittedly a minority amongst his colleagues at the high school, he stands firm in his dislike of the four-day week.
“Something’s got to give,” Allen said. “I do the best with the time I’ve got.” Admitting the negative impact on students who miss class time due to activities, Allen believes the school board should have picked high-impact Fridays as the days off. Under this plan, school could continue on the Fridays when most students are available.
Jackie Jones spoke of the benefit to her special education students who tire easily both mentally and physically. “Having one more day for them to recuperate is truly beneficial,” she said.
Yet on the elementary level, Brandi Silas, president of the Hanna Elementary School parent-teacher association, spoke of the difficulty of getting young children back on track after three days off. “It’s already hard enough to get them back after two,” she said.
The consensus among the elementary school teachers is that the younger children shouldn’t be taken away from academics because high school sports are being made a priority. “I’m not against sports,” Silas said, “but I am against losing out on education for sports.”
Clif Jones believes the four-day schedule is best for students right now, especially those active in sports and activities.
He mentioned one of his players, Justin Palm, who participates in three sports as well as various activities. “I could not guess how many days he missed last year,” Clif Jones said. “But this year he has not missed any for athletics.” Jones said he would have missed six days already this year, but with the new schedule, Palm has missed none.
Scott likes the idea of the four-day week so he does not have to miss as much class time to join Clif Jones on basketball road trips. “I have been gone from the classroom,” he said. With the travel, he has been forced to modify his curriculum. His counselor regularly teaches health class on Fridays when Scott is not in attendance. “We have not lost contact hours; we have just squeezed it all together,” Scott said.
Regardless of their opinions of what school week should be adopted, most of those interviewed agreed that the school schedule should be the same in each town, if not across the district.
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