Banner year in 2008

The days are growing bleaker, the temperature is getting lower and the sun makes fewer and fewer appearances. In short, it’s the end of another year in Portland, and the perfect opportunity to reflect upon the sports happenings that the Park Blocks have witnessed in the last 12 months.

The days are growing bleaker, the temperature is getting lower and the sun makes fewer and fewer appearances. In short, it’s the end of another year in Portland, and the perfect opportunity to reflect upon the sports happenings that the Park Blocks have witnessed in the last 12 months.

2008 has been a year to remember for Vikings fans, highlighted by an incoming armada of new coaches, a trio of Big Sky Championships and even a historic first or two. As the curtain lowers on another Portland State sports year, let’s take a (mostly) fond look back at all that was.

On the hot seat
In keeping with the recent trend of remodeling that has hit campus, a handful of head coaching changes were made in 2008, in an attempt to reinvent the various sports programs at PSU.

Laura Schott took over the reins for women’s soccer, replacing former coach Tim Bennett, under whom Schott served as top assistant since the 2004-05 season.

After struggling in their early games with a difficult schedule, the women stepped up the intensity, earning a Big Sky Tournament appearance with a 4-1-2 conference record.

In August, the men’s and women’s tennis teams lost their head coach, as Steven Ascher stepped down from the position to accept a coaching position at Montana.

Under Ascher, the newly reinstated 2007-08 tennis program saw the talented but inexperienced men’s and women’s teams finish with 5-17 and 6-17 records, respectively.

In the fall, Portland State hired Portland tennis fixture Brian Parrott to lead the Vikings in the upcoming season.

Sherri Murrell brought experience and insight to the women’s basketball program in her first year back at Portland State. Murrell led the team to a 22-9 record overall, 11-5 in conference play, their best season ever as a Division I team.

Kathleen Takaishi took over the helm for the golf team to begin their 2008 spring campaign, and the shift paid off as the women drove their way to a Big Sky Conference Championship.

PGEmpty Park
Coming off of a disappointing 2007 season (3-8) under first-year head coach Jerry Granville, the Vikings football team hoped to blast into the 2008 schedule with renewed energy.

Unfortunately, their struggles continued this year as the Vikings failed to play consistently at a high level, ending with a 4-7 overall record.

The season did end on a high note, however, as Portland State rumbled to a 24-21 victory over Northern Colorado in their final game at PGE Park.

Linebacker Andy Schantz, cornerback Deshawn Shead and receiver/kick returner Aaron Woods were all named to the All-Big Sky Conference Second Team.

The squad struggled to maintain the momentum that arrived when Glanville was hired, and PGE Park often featured more fans in opposing colors than those wearing the Vikings’ green and black.

It takes a little more to be a champion
In 2007, the women’s volleyball team battled to a regular season Big Sky title, ultimately placing runner-up to Sacramento in the Big Sky Tournament.

This year, the team built upon its success and took full advantage of their home court in the Big Sky Tournament. By defeating top-seeded Eastern Washington three sets to one on Nov. 29, the Vikings earned their first ever berth in the NCAA Tournament.

They will take on the Washington Huskies in the first round today.

Perhaps the most electrifying of Portland State’s squads in 2008 was the men’s basketball team, who earned their first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Under the guidance of head coach Ken Bone, the Vikings plowed their way through the Big Sky Conference en route to a 67-51 victory over Northern Arizona in the Rose Garden on March 12, catapulting them to the Big Dance.

The No. 1 seeded Kansas Jayhawks proved too much for Portland State in the first round, but the miracle season raised the expectations for future squads to come. 

Even as we indulge in the rampant nostalgia that comes at the closing of every year, the next crop of Portland State athletes are already looking ahead to 2009. What records will be broken? What banners will be raised? What honors will be bestowed? For the answers, the only thing to do is wait and watch.