The Prospector (Helena, Mont.) 1916-2015, February 01, 2007, Image 10

Page 10 c o n n o i i y C a r r o i i s o c c e r f i r s t places m _ _ ■ ■■ X-games t i m e t o n a t i o n a l s By JEFF WINDMUELLER IR Sports W riter ASPEN, Colo. — Helena native Kevin Connolly blasted through preliminary rounds but was edged out in the final Mono Skier X event, taking home the silver medal Saturday at the 11th Annual ESPN Winter X Games. Tyler Walker finished in a time of 84.868 seconds — just .062 ahead of Connolly — for the gold, while Kees-Jan van der Klooster and Sarah Will were in a distant third and fourth with times of 93.480 and 95.048 seconds, re­ spectively. “I just went out on the course and found it hilarious, it was like a little kids’ park,” Connolly said during a phone interview. “The guys who tried really hard to win it — the ones to beat — blew out first.” Connolly, who was bom with­ out the lower half of his body and uses a metal device with shocks to simulate legs attaching to a single ski, was a three-time junior nation­ al champion but turned down rac­ ing professionally to attend nearby Montana State University. He said he prefers riding more as a “free spirit” than racing competi­ tively and that his laid-back ap­ proach helped him on the course. Those who tried to make tight turns would lose their edge in the loose snow, but he was able to ride through to the final. Connolly said that he and Walker were in a dead heat coming out of the gates and battled all the way to the final jump. He said that is was there that he tried to pass Walker ' by getting big air, but his opponent rode it out with the lead. “It was close, and I think it just came down to Tyler being a racer and having a better line,” Connolly said. For the film and photography student, the X Games wasn’t just a competition but a good chance to be right by all the filming action. “It was pretty cool,” he said. “It’s weird to be on the other end of the camera and have everybody focus­ ing in on you.” The race was not covered live on television, but Connolly said that X Games organizers have told him it could be slotted in a time between 2 and 6 p.m. today on ESPN. By KARA ADDISON spring will bring about new actions Prospector S t a f f W riter for spectators. On the weekend of In his fourth year as coach of Carroll College women’s soccer team, Mark Hiemenz said he pleased with the outcome of their 2006 season. With a solid record of 13-6-1, the women proved to be a challenge to the conference. So what made this season different from any other? The soccer team made it to nationals for the first time in Carroll College history. Although the women’s main season is over, the / / I look for­ ward to this upcoming season to build on our teamwork and tactics —Katie Joseph, sophomore / / Feb. 23 the women’s soccer team will play in a tournament in Billings. Their training will not stop after February, but will continue on to April 13, for a tourna­ ment against Univer­ sity of Montana. “I look forward to this upcoming season to build on our team­ work and tactics,” said Katie Joseph, a sopho­ more center defender. David Thorvilson, the assistant coach of four years hopes next season will measure up to the women’s 2006 year. “The speed of play, as well as the team unity improved drastically this year and helped the team to click on all cylinders,” he said. Hiemenz added that the team looks forward to an exciting spring season as well as their upcoming fall season. Although five seniors will be graduating, Hiemenz be­ lieves the team will continue to be a challenging team for the confer­ ence. With the upcoming season Hie­ menz and Thorvilson have began their recruiting process to fill the places of the leaving seniors. “If the team continues to work to­ gether and improve, we have every chance of making it to nationals again next season” said Hiemenz. □ ZDR E Jt Get S p il l - O vr 'Minutes and carry vour unused minutes over from month to month* only at Chinook Wireless. Chinook W I R E L E S S - Unlike some wireless companies, Chinook Wireless lets yoa carry your umised minutes over from month to month. Hey, you bought those mimites~you should keep them! With S p ill-D v r Minutes those unused m inute m il be there w h in you need then. And that's no watered down deal! iei am m Ort«, ktte« > m -m a T.c, 9m mm 316 BaM I M m Menue < g HU Thursday, February 1,2007 Vulume 9 0 Ho. 4