Girls Volleyball / Semi-finals CIF

Although our Girls Volleyball team didn't bring home a CIF title, their accomplishments are far reaching.  This is how Maxpreps sports has them listed:

Mascot: Saxons Team: Varsity 12-13 

Colors: Scarlet, Vegas Gold, White

Coach:Allison Somers 

Address:1765 W Cerritos Ave, Anaheim, CA 92804

Overall:27-1-1 

League: 10-0-0 

National Rank:2625

State (CA) Rank: 239

Their ranking just keeps grows and their individual stats are amazing.  They dominated their opponents throughout the season as you can see by stats by match.  So when they didn't pull off a win in the Semi Finals, this viewer didn't walk away with his head hung low, he walked away knowing these girls made Saxon History.  They are the best we've seen (so far) and their accomplishments are something that should be written about in a blog.

Going into the Semi Finals this is what the OC Register wrote about the game to come:

No. 2 Hemet (Mountain Pass League champ, 21-5) at No. 3 Loara (Golden West League champ, 27-0-1)

Outlook: The Saxons are in the midst of a magical run, entering the semifinals undefeated. Loara swept Connelly in the quarterfinals, 25-17, 25-21, 25-23. After a first-round bye, Loara defeated Big Bear in four and swept Connelly. The Saxons have only dropped eight sets all season. Hemet won the 4A title last season. The Bulldogs have won their last six matches, including a three-set sweep over Twentynine Palms and a four-set victory over Colony of Ontario.

Thank you ladies for a magical season, it's been a great ride.

Ribbons & Memories

How many people in Saxonland remember these things?  Those ribbons you'd buy every football game at Loara to support your team and your school?

ON this blog please list any other memory you have of Loara High School whether it be a spirit pin, a favorite place to eat, your favorite class or anything else that comes to mind ... we would love to hear your story.

David Lappin, SS CIF Champion for Character

CIF Victory with Honor Award

On Monday, October 1, 2012 at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, Mr. David Lappin (class of 83) received the Jim Staunton "Champions for Character" Ninth Annual Award by the Southern Section CIF.  The award was set up to "honor the student-athletes, coaches, administrators and member schools who represent excellent sportsmanship and outstanding character."

In the official CIF program for this event, it states Mr. Lappin was awarded this honor because:

• His peers recognize him as one of the most respected coaches in the CIF Southern Section.
• Always puts students first, considers himself a servant to his players and checks their grades on a regular basis.
• never uses gamesmanship, does not accept disrespect for officials, which makes him popular with umpires.
• Dependable, on time, on task and conducts himself with the utmost professionalism at all times.
• Sets very high standards for his program and believes that those standards are more important than wins.

Dave and his wife Anne Williams Lappin (class of 83)

Mr. Lappin has been the head coach since the early 90's.  After graduating from Berkeley he came back to Loara to teach in the Social Science Department and more importantly to coach Baseball.  In an email to the staff, Principal John Briquelet stated "I just wanted to again express my appreciation and respect for David Lappin, our CIF Champion For Character. He definitely embodies the qualities we desire most in our teachers and coaches, and he is truly dedicated to the pursuit of victory with honor. We are proud of you, Dave!"  This feeling echoes the feeling of the staff and colleagues here at Loara.  David is a Saxon through and through, during his days as a student in the early 80's, his Baseball team coached by Scott Pickler (currently coaching at Cypress College) won a CIF title. CIF couldn't have picked a more deserving person.  The Lappin clan has left a permanent mark at Loara High School.  His mother Kathy Lappin was on of the best (in my humble opinion) principal's secretaries, his brother Dean Lappin is the head football coach and his sister Georgia Lappin is the records clerk.  Not to mention his relatives, in law's, nieces, nephews and children all have been a positive influence in the Saxon Spirit on campus.

On a side note, David was in the last class of 9th Graders ever to attend Ball Junior High.  When he came over to Loara in 1980 as a 10th Grader, the 9th graders followed giving Loara 4 classes.  David was also the ASB President at Ball Junior High in 1979-80.

Congratulations Coach David Lappin, we are proud of you.

Coach Lappin receiving a banner for the gym

Alumni in the Olympics

When looking back to our alumni it's often hard to find their personal histories unless I call them up or facebook them, and I just can't find myself to be their personal stalkers.  So with the help of Wikipedia we can reminice about our alumni and how amazing they are.

Dana Schoenfield (class of 71)

Dana Schoenfield (71) Dana was born in Harvey, Illinois and spent her childhood in Schererville, Indiana. She first learned to swim at the local Sherwood Golf and Swim Club, where she began to excel in the breaststroke. Her family relocated to Anaheim, California in 1963 where Dana, along with her brother Michael, actively swam on the Disneyland Hotel Swim Team. She qualified for the Women's Senior National Championships in the 200 meter breaststroke at age 12 years, the youngest swimmer to participate. At 14 years, Dana was the second fastest Women's 200 meter breaststroke swimmer in the country, and just missed making the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team. She would have been the youngest swimmer on the U.S. Team. After semi-retiring for the next 3 years, she was a varsity cheerleader for Loara High School in Anaheim, California.
After graduation, Dana, along with her swim coach Ray Woods, began a 1-year regimen of serious training in an effort to make the 1972 Olympic Team. At the 1972 Chicago Olympic Swimming Trials, she qualified first in the 200 m breaststroke, with a personal best time of 2:43.7. At the Munich Olympic Games, Dana was not expected to 'medal' as she had just the 4th fastest time/ranking for 1972. She placed fourth in the qualifying heats, and was in lane 6 for the Munich final. With her swim idol, Galina Prozumenschikova-Stepanova of Russia swimming in lane 3, Dana out-touched Stepanova with a time of 2:42.03, another personal best. Beverly Whitfield of Australia, on the outside #7 lane, beat Dana for the gold medal at 2:41.7.

Lauren Lappin (class of 02)

Lauren Lappin

Lauren Lappin (b. 26 June 1984 in Anaheim, California) is an American softball player who won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Lappin attended Stanford University from 2002-2006 playing shortstop and catcher for the softball team and graduated in December 2006 with a degree in American Studies. She also played with the USA National Elite Team in 2003 and 2005 and was an alternate for the US Olympic Team in 2004. Prior to the 2009 season, Lappin joined the Northwestern University team as a volunteer coach.

A Few Accomplishments
• Olympic Silver Medalist (2008)
• Pan American Gold medalist (2007)
• World Cup Champion (2007)
• Alternate on 2004 Olympic Gold Medal Team

At Loara, Lauren was in student government and was a 4 athlete Letterman on the Varsity teams each year for Soccer, Volleyball, Softball and Basketball.  In talking to Loara coaches while she was there and former principals that have seen the school grow from the 70's to the 2000's there is a common feel that Lauren just may be the best Athlete overall that Loara has ever seen.  As a four sports varsity Letterman and Most Valuable player in them all she has truly left her mark on Loara's history.

Banners hanging in the Saxon Palace honoring our Olympians

Neil Blender

Saxon Shield February 17, 1981

Saxon skates towards success

The more I dig through the History of Loara I find alumni that are doing some amazing things.  However this one is closer to me because I went to school with Neil Blender (class of 81).

Neil skated in parks like the Concrete Wave, Skatetopia, Big O Skate park and back yard pools.  Soon after Neil's senior year he went pro.  Brad Jackman (class of 81) also was influential in the skate world and got Neil introduced to the team Powerflex which led to Neil's road to success.

Our very own Saxon Shield on February 17, 1981 did an article on Neil just prior to him going pro.  In the Article they write of the old skate parks, punk bands, and art.

During Neil's skateboarding career he felt that the sport of skateboarding had changed (see interview below) so he turned to designing skateboard and working on his art and photography.

Neil Blender original

Today if you Google Neil Blender there are an over flow of article praising Neil Blender and the athlete he is.  From Thrasher Magazing to Transworld Skateboarding all seem to have a respect for Neil in the industry that makes me proud that his was and is a Saxon.  Also you will get a glimpse at his art of skateboards and the art he puts on canvas.

Articles on Neil Blender

The 30 Most INFLUENTIAL Skaters of All Time

by Transworld Skatboarding Magazing

Neil Blender / Transworld 12.11.12

In their 30 Anniversary edition, December 20, 2011, Transworld Skateboarding Magazine decided to chose the 30 most influential skaters of all time.  Neil Blender was number 19.  On the website they posted the picture you see on the left and this was the caption under the photo: 

He was one of the first guys to draw his own graphics. He was the first one to give tricks different names. He was our ringleader. Neil’s myth is more hidden and harder to find, but there would be no Mark Gonzales without Neil Blender.

***

NEIL BLENDER INTERVIEW
By Transworld
Tue, Dec 21 1999

Not only was Neil Blender a skateboarder, but in the early and mid 1980s, Neil was skateboarding. An artist, a creator, a laugher at people, a namer of tricks, he made skateboarding fun in the lean years before the boom of the late 80s. He opened the door for the skater/artist, who, to this day, keep skateboarding as much a lifestyle as a sport.

But change is constant, and to Neil’s dismay skateboarding’s direction turned toward hot pink, then gigantic clothes, then hip-hop music, and Neil wasn’t having any part of it. Sometime in the late 80s, he stepped away from the spotlight, but he didn’t abandon it completely, doing artwork and mindwork for Ohio’s Alien Workshop, skateboarding on his own time, and probably laughing whenever possible.

What was your favorite year and why?

That’s hard to know. I don’t know the years that much. Probably the sponsored years–’80 to ’86–just because you get flowed free shit and you’re already stoked on what you’re doing, so it just makes it easier.

What did you think of contests?

They were good at first–getting to go around to places and experience everything. After a while, it kind of wears on you.

Who’s been your biggest inspiration?

That’s a weird question–a lot of people I guess. When we first started skating, it was just whoever was older and better. People like Ray Rodriguez and Alan Gelfand. Any of those good guys who did tricks and you were just in awe, who you’d see photos of and stuff. It’s weird. Andrecht, Caballero. Eddie Elguera–he was like a guy to be like. Chris Strople was, too. He was a sketcher. And Duane Peters, he was hot.

What’s the stupidest trend you saw skateboarding go through?

Mixing rap in with it. The mixture of rap and skateboarding is pretty dumb. Freestyle (laughter). Street freestyle is what the modern shit is. That’s kind of dumb. Too much inconsistency can be really annoying.

What do you feel your biggest contribution to skateboarding was?

I don’t even know.

I was thinking about it, and I think the artwork.

Simple cartoon graphics?

Yeah. And art being done by the skaters themselves. You kind of set that whole thing up. And then the tricks you did, too, they were just a little off. There’s a picture here of a contest, and you’re doing a rocket air over this wooden hump.

Something that probably wasn’t makeable.

And then your ramp inside the house.That was Stacy’s idea.

You can’t think of any contributions you gave to skateboarding?

No. I just skated … did my part.

Did you get disillusioned with the whole pro scene?

It was mentally hard. You can only do so much.

Did it cease to be fun?

Kinda. The pain of putting on pads and everything smelling like shit all the time. Actually, ammonia. That was depressing. But if things were set up right … the Del Mar Keyhole would be fun. But only at night.

Have you been skating?

A little bit. I tried to skate those parks–the new ones they’ve built.

Did you go to the one under the bridge in San Diego?

Washington? Yeah. I rode around in that thing. There wasn’t much there when I went. I went to Carlsbad and Vista–Vista’s fun, you can cruise more there. At Carlsbad you run into dead ends. You’re doing a line, and there’s this one spot where you’ll ride right over the stairs if you’re not looking. Have you seen that?

Describe the current state of skateboarding.

It just seems like a bunch of video kids. It doesn’t seem like there’s much feeling coming out of it.

Do you think they’re skating for personal freedom, to show people up, or “look at me”?

Maybe a little of everything. All their clothes, and chain wallets, and shit, I just don’t understand. But that’s what will happen. MTV. Everything’s open for attack. Kids are really mean, and they don’t respect anyone very much.

What do you think about the pro side of skateboarding?

I don’t know about it.

It seems like in the 70s and 80s there were more characters, people had more personality, and it didn’t seem so robotic.

Yeah. It seems more cloned right now. It’s weird–all these handrails and stuff.

What are your predictions for skateboarding’s future?

I thought it was going to be dead years ago, but it’s not. It just changed its mold. Maybe there’ll be some hotter stuff. I’d like to see some slide-and-roll parks being made specifically for sliders–boards with no wheels. Picture roller-coaster tracks, and you’d just show up with a deck with rails on it, set it on the tracks, and pump through this weird roller coaster course. That’d be fun.

Neil Blender today

Oh yeah! I was thinking about the future: In malls, restaurants could all face toward the middle where there would be skate trannies that go up over windows. People would eat, and skaters would be hired to come in and skate in different shifts–two to four, six to seven. The skaters are pros, and they get paid, and everyone shows up at these modern, indoor malls. I picture it happening in Japan.

That’s kinda like Vans skatepark in Orange.

Yeah, but I’m picturing it more personal. The people are in a restaurant, and there’s like …

It’s like a dinner theater.

Yeah. Tony Jetton doing a f–kin’ loop!

That sounds good to me. And then, after that, you could shoot at the skaters. Or they’d ride over and you tuck a little dollar bill into their underwear.

They could skate in G-strings.

First Home Football Game (2012)

There is nothing like the opening of school and the first home football game. There is a bit of jealousy when you see other schools with their full stadiums and they make ESPN each week on their play by play, but it all melts away when you watch our kids perform and play ... I am just amazed and it makes me smile. 

I don't really have much to say, having a Saturday afternoon game I knew the crowd would be light but I wouldn't miss this game for the world, I think these photos say enough.

Oh, and the game? We had 3 seconds left to score a touch down ... when we scored, ending the game at 18 - 17, the next hour all we could do is live like we just won the CIF Championship game.  High School brings out the best in all of us.

Football

Band

Cheer