11May 2, 2011

Iliad SportS

A bat and a ball may seem like any other outside play toys used by families and friends at a picnic or family gathering, but to senior Angie Randazzo, softball has been a way of life since birth.

Ever since Randazzo, catcher for the Titans, was a kid, she had a knack for using a ball and bat. Until age 11, she actually played with boys in baseball before making the transition over to the sport of softball.

Randazzo has played softball at the competitive level of travel ball since her softball debut at the age of 12. She has played with the San Diego Renegades since she started, and now plays on the top organization’s team, the San Diego 18 and under Gold Renegades.

Randazzo and her team conquered one of the most prestigious events in softball three years ago by winning ASA 16 and under Nationals. They

went undefeated in the tournament and beat the top teams in the country to come home with the grand prize.

With her amazing gun of an arm, she is a natural at third base and catcher. “I ball it up and never look back when throwing a runner out at second trying to steal on me,” Randazzo said.

Randazzo’s most memorable moments come from games against the Mount Carmel Sundevils during her sophmore and junior seasons. “I got the game-winning base hit to score the winning run from second with two outs both years we played them,” Randazzo said.

Outside of her passion for softball, Randazzo also enjoys hanging out with friends and going

to the beach. After high school, Randazzo plans on carrying her softball skills over to the University of Missouri and compete at the college level as Missouri’s’ starting catcher.

It is not only her competitiveness that makes Randazzo love the sport; she also likes the feeling of being part of a team and being able to work together like a family.

KYLE MARSHStaff WriterDetermination: Senior

Angie Randazzo has spent her entire life playing soft-ball. Her hard work will pay off next year when she is the starting catcher at the University of Missouri.

~ Courtesy of Marcy Steele

I ball it up and never look back when throwing a runner out at second.” //Angie Randazzo“

Angie Randazzo: what a catch

Whether in a long-distance track race, cross country meet or

soccer game, it is easy to spot junior Maddy Ward from the pack.

Ward achieved the Tri-Var-sity honor by her sopho-more year and scored two

varsity letters in track and cross country in her freshman year. Ward has been to CIF three times for cross country and once for soccer this past season, where Poway reached finals. Ward hopes to, for the first time, go to CIF for this track season in distance.

All the while, Ward has been a dedi-cated student at PHS, achieving a 4.6 GPA last semester. “I always put in my best effort,” Ward said, “I also just love to learn.”

Ward has earned two All Academic Team titles for cross country and soccer and has been featured in the Union Tribune for her grades. She is also in the National Honors Society (NHS), the secretary of Fight Against Hunger club and a peer counselor.

“Her academic ethic is just the same as her athletic eth-ic,” Dr. Brian Fitzgerald, Ward’s former chemistry teacher, said. “She is a very focused and competitive individual who has a sense of spirit and a passion that bubbles out of her naturally. Her approach to life is that way; fun just oozes out of her.”

Her achievements, of course, were accompanied by great stress, but Ward has found ways to balance it all out. “I always try to help people out, and by doing so, I push myself to achieve goals,” Ward said.

A teammate in all three sports, senior Jenna Belknap is also impressed by Ward’s work ethic. “‘Maddy Paddy’ is an extraordinary individual, and she has balanced academics, athletics and her character with such ease that she’s truly an inspiration to all,” Belknap said.

Ward also has time management methods that help her to succeed, especially with a track season that requires great amounts of sleep. “It’s not a strength,” Ward said, “but I try to organize my time so that I don’t schedule

things I don’t need to do.”Despite her busy schedule,

Ward keeps and upbeat attitude and encourages others to do their best.

Fellow peer counselors Haley Urbach and Anna Schwab would agree. “Maddy is one of the most inspiring and well-rounded people I know,” Urbach said. “She’s a very ca-pable individual, and she inspires and uplifts,” Schwab added.

Ward plans on applying to various schools in California, including University of California: Los Angeles (UCLA) and the cluster of five Claremont colleges. “I’m also thinking of applying to Stanford, but I won’t be disappointed if I don’t make it,” Ward said.

Ward’s accommodation of socializ-ing, school and sports continues to en-dorse outstanding work ethic. As teammate Amanda Shoemaker put it:

NATASHA ORAHAPhotographer

~ Pictures by Natasha Oraha

“She’s too great for words!”

ell-rounded is an understatement MWaddy Ward:

2011 SUMMER PROGRAMSELITE SAT SUMMER PROGRAMS ELITE SAT ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS-SAT Reasoning Test Prep -Weekday SAT Program-2100 SAT Program -Weekend SAT ProgramSAT Morning/Afternoon Boot Camp ELITE READIPREP (TM)-PSAT Boot Camp -ReadiPrep(TM) English or Math

ELITE PERFECTSAT SCORES

2400

Rancho BernardoDavid Hu (2010)

Ankit Kumar (2010)Albert Liang (2009)

Scarlett Chen (2009)

Mount CarmelJason Gao (2010)

WestviewNathan Siegel (2010)

Christine Li (2010)Lucy Chen (2009)

Torrey PinesJustin Jardin Song (2010)

Rebecca Du (2010)Rebecca Su (2010)Albert Chen (2009)

John Qui (2009)William Bao (2009)

Rancho Bernardo858 217 2988

San Diego858 720 0808