SPORTS BRIEFS

Author: RYAN REESE, SPORTS EDITOR

Midd sports to host tourneys

There is no need to tally the great levels of success achieved by nearly every Midlebury sports program. Now with most Midd-kids gearing up for finals, many Panther teams are gearing up for postseason tournaments. With Panthers teams being perennial favorites in many sports, students at Middlebury have the pleasure of watching their squads host these intense end of season tournament. Last weekend, the women's softball team pulled out a victory against rival Amherst to earn a bid in the NESCAC tourney to be held at Tufts. The men's and women's lacrosse teams and both the men's and women's tennis teams dominated their respective regular seasons on their way to hosting various tournaments this upcoming weekend.

For both lacrosse squads, NESCACs are in store. The men's team wound up the regular season with a well-earned victory on their way to a 12-1 campaign. The men will kick off the tourney against Tufts at noon on Saturday. The women, not to be outdone equalled this impressive mark with a 12-1 record of their own. They will play host to the always-tough Ephs of Williams this Saturday on the turf.

Having performed well at NESCACs, the tennis teams are preparing for the NCAA regionals. Both teams will host their repsetive tourneys this upcoming weekend. The men have earned a first round bye and will face the winner of the Amherst/Bates duel on May 7th. The women will square off against the likes of Vassar on Saturday to open regional play. Be sure to cath this postseason action over the weekend and support Panther athletics.



Leg wrestling is all the rage

It can be assumed that nearly every Midd-Kid is fairly familiar with the Middlebury party scene and its many different facets. Every group of people has a different style and a personalized way of unwinding at the end of a busy and stressful week of engaging academic pursuits at Middlebury. The weekend festivities of one particular group could be called nothing short of "unique." Amidst a seemingly normal party atmosphere, a challenge is declared and the gauntlet is thrown down. The competition: Leg Wrestling. A circle is formed around the competitors and bets are placed. Senior Susanna Preziosi was heard screaming, "I have 20 bucks that say Golenbock rolls him in three seconds!" With screaming fans and emotions running high, the competitors lie down in opposite directions while locking arms. The juggernauts proceed to kick their legs up once, twice and a third time. This last time, the legs are interlocked and the battle commences. With muscles straining and the desire to dominate reigning, the beauty of the sport is unparalleled. The defeated and disheartened gladiator ends up being somersaulted across the floor while his pride is trounced and destroyed as the triumphant hero is left to gloat and collect his due. This new extreme batle sport is highly dangerous and should be praticed only by highly trained and highly skilled individuals whose hearts and legs can be pushed to the limits of human endurance. A Middlebury student's college experience is inarguably incomplete without having witnessed this spectacle of power and strength. Seek it out. Watch it. Love it. Live it.