The Beast. Will Morris Millard West High School Headline Writing. October 2nd, 2013

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Will Morris Millard West High School Headline Writing The Beast October 2nd, 2013 Millard West senior Harrison Phillips is a defensive lineman for the varsity football team.

1 Will Morris Millard West High School Headline Writing The Beast October 2nd, 2013 Millard West senior Harrison Phillips is a defensive lineman for the varsity football team. He will be playing at Stanford University next year. He sets a good example and is a great person, teammate Ross Drwal says. (Photo by Will Morris) After a 7-4 season and a knockout in the state playoffs, the Wildcats lineman hopes to return his team to the top. Hike! The single word resonates around the 22 stationary players. Suddenly, action explodes on both sides. Fourteen boys smash into each other. The offense attempts to keep the defense away from the quarterback who drops back, scans the field for receivers, and eludes the chasers. The pocket of safety around the lone man trying to throw the ball collapses. One player, wearing 66 on the back of his jersey, breaks through the wall of linemen and charges at the quarterback. The quarterback, sensing danger is near, begins to scramble for his life as number 66 closes the gap. Too late. The quarterback hits the ground in a split second as Harrison Phillips jumps to his feet to celebrate. Sack made by number 66, Harrison Phillips, booms the announcer.

Phillips jogs over to the sideline, pulls his helmet off, and exposes his short brown hair. Bedlam erupts from excited Millard West fans sitting in the home stands at Buell Stadium.

2 Phillips jogs over to the sideline, pulls his helmet off, and exposes his short brown hair. Bedlam erupts from excited Millard West fans sitting in the home stands at Buell Stadium. The sack brings a fourth down situation for the Millard South Patriots. This wouldn t be the last time the announcer calls that particular number, 66. The name Harrison Phillips echoes throughout the stadium all night. He has an impressive game, despite the Patriots double and triple teaming him. Even so, Phillips continues to kill the drive for the opposition, helping the Millard West Wildcats seal off an impressive win in the battle between the Q street rivals. Currently ranked No. 5, the Wildcats (4-1) picked off tough teams such as Lincoln Southeast, Millard North, and Millard South early on, but lost a close one to the Burke Bulldogs, And Phillips has been a huge contributing factor in the Wildcats successful season thus far. Coach Kirk Peterson says Phillips is a high motor player, with lots of intensity and physicality. Quarterback Ross Drwal agrees with a laugh, He s a beast. Phillips makes another tackle during the South game last year. Phillips is also a two time state champion wrestler. (Photo by Tess Riecke) Phillips proved what a kind of animal he was at the defensive end position last year with 81 tackles, 35 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Since the last snap of last year s season, he s been focused on football only, Peterson says. This is Phillips s senior season as a Wildcat so next year he will be off to Stanford University on a full- ride scholarship to play 3-4 defensive end. The lbs. player received quite a few opportunities. I got twenty-three full-ride scholarship offers before I committed to Stanford and nine more after I committed, he says. Some other top offers included Nebraska, Kansas State, Duke, and others. He made his decision a bit early this summer before school and football started. After three practices and two days at Stanford, Phillips felt it was a good fit all around. He has a good future at Stanford, Drwal says.

Now Phillips can focus on state with his ultimate goal the state championship trophy for the Wildcats. Harry takes a much needed break on the sidelines during the Millard West vs. Millard North game.

3 Now Phillips can focus on state with his ultimate goal the state championship trophy for the Wildcats. Harry takes a much needed break on the sidelines during the Millard West vs. Millard North game. West defeated North this fall. (Photo by Breanna Stohs). The game of football has always been a very physical sport, all the way from the age of leather helmets and no pads, up to the present era of full pads, durable helmets, and rules that limit concussions and brain injuries. Players are not immune to getting hurt and Phillips is no exception. As a young player, he sustained a back fracture which still gives him pain and it forces him to wear a brace for his practices and games. Despite the odds, Phillips was named a captain of the team this year, along with Drwal, Skyler Monaghan, and Victor Beanum. He is a vocal leader, and leads more by performance than by talking, and has become more vocal with age, Peterson says. Wide receiver Monaghan says Phillips gets them (other players) in line, and knows what he s doing. Football is a sport that requires hard work and quite a bit of focus, and a strong work ethic can be the difference between a good player and a great player. Phillips high concentration on the game has made him the player he is today. Monaghan says Phillips is always the first one in the weight room and the last one out. He sets a good example and is a great person, Drwal says. He (Phillips) puts the team before himself, Monaghan adds. Phillips is also a very versatile athlete, managing to be a star in both football and wrestling. He won state as a sophomore wrestler. It was a surprise my sophomore year. I was the underdog and there were a lot of emotions, Phillips recalls. He was undefeated his junior year and ranked No. 1. He was expected to win. Even with high expectations on his shoulders, Phillips took away the championship trophy with a 31-0 decision over Lincoln Southwest s Eric Oltman.

4 Phillips, a captain this year, is a team player. He (Phillips) puts the team before himself, wide receiver Skylar Monaghan says. Phillips continued his winning streak at the NHSCA National Championships in Virginia Beach with a first place finish. Ranked No. 1 as a heavyweight in Nebraska, Phillips will again attempt to take away another state title his senior year. Intense. Tough. Intimidating. But off the field this intelligent young man is energized and is often seen talking and laughing with friends like Drwal or walking with headphones on, the beats of Hopson pulsing through his ears. As soon as he steps on the grass though, Phillips becomes a formidable opponent. You wouldn t want to deal with him in a game he gets through you every time, teammate Richard Wade says. 1. He loves cats. 10 things you may not know about Harrison Phillips 2. He drinks a gallon of chocolate milk every day. 3. He is very religious. 4. He s ranked 3rd in the nation for high school wrestling. 5. He loves to hot tub. 6. His favorite book is the Bible. 7. He s the currently ranked No. 1 discus thrower in Nebraska. 8. His biggest role model is Jake Herweyer.

5 9. He has 50+ scholarship offers for football and wrestling. 10. He has a pet dachshund. Cox Classic Bids Farewell to Omaha February 21st, 2014 The 18th green of Champions Run on tournament day, surrounded by tents and the gallery. Around 100,000 fans would watch the golfing event. (Photo by Dawn Neujahr) It was a swelteringly hot Sunday afternoon in August of The late summer sun was beating down on Nebraska, frying the necks and arms of many in the state. Despite the weather, the heat didn t deter thousands of spectators from coming to Champions Run Country Club for the Cox Classic. At about 4 p.m., a group of players rounded the final corner onto the 18 th green. A huge cheer rolled across the massive course from the grandstands. The group meandered toward the green, and finally came to a stop, and JJ Killeen stooped to mark his ball. Killeen was in the lead by a stroke, and had a secure margin over Jonas Blixt, Gary Christian, Ken Duke, and Danny Lee, all tied for second place. Finally, he tapped his ball into the hole to take home the hardware. Little did he know, he would be one of the last winners of the Omaha tournament. It is with fond memories golf fans look back on the Cox Classic, but finding a live tournament in Nebraska can be difficult. Many in the state share that attitude, so the Classic became a largely popular stop on the Web.com tour.

Bronson La Cassie kneels on the 18th green during the 2013 tournament. Every year, the grass was burned up, and it took a month to a month and a half to heal and return to normal, Specht said.

6 Bronson La Cassie kneels on the 18th green during the 2013 tournament. Every year, the grass was burned up, and it took a month to a month and a half to heal and return to normal, Specht said. (Photo by Dawn Neujahr) However, this year, the tournament was overshadowed by another golf event. The U.S. Senior Open took center stage, it being a PGA tour event. It was earlier that year when Champions Run announced it would no longer host the Classic. Champions Run is a course literally designed to host tournaments. The large open space behind the 18 th green is perfect for corporate tents that come with a big tournament. The parking space is ideal to host a large-scale event and can accompany the large crowds that follow. So when the course made their announcement, concern was aroused that there may not be another place in Omaha able to host a tourney of that scale. There has been a search to find another Omaha venue, which as of lately, proved to be ineffective. It was recently announced the Cox Classic will not return to Omaha in 2014, after being unable to find another host within the city. Greg Neujahr is the head of golf operations at Champions Run. Come tournament week, he was responsible for the Pro-Am events on Monday and Wednesday. He was also responsible for the practice facilities, like the driving range. Joel Wiest, an assistant pro at Champions, was also kept highly busy during tournament week. I was in charge of the bag staff, and making sure everything was set up, and put away at night, Wiest said. I also helped out in the shop, which was open for merchandise.

A tee box on the course, looked over by the Cox Classic trophy. (Photo by Dawn Neujahr) With all the revenue the Classic brought in, the question was raised: Why move the tournament from Omaha?

7 A tee box on the course, looked over by the Cox Classic trophy. (Photo by Dawn Neujahr) With all the revenue the Classic brought in, the question was raised: Why move the tournament from Omaha? Neujahr said there were multiple reasons behind not re-pursuing a contract. We ve been doing this for the last 18 years, and our membership and owners decided it s time for a break, and give the course a break, he said. When a course hosts a golf tournament at a level such as the Cox Classic, it puts a considerable amount of stress on the course. Grass is torn up, bunkers are displaced, and the standing gallery kills roughs. Jack Specht is a member at Champions, and said playing on the course after the tournament was terrible. Every year, the grass was burned up, and it took a month to a month and a half to heal and return to normal, he said. Even before the week of the tournament, there are inconveniences for the members and staff at Champions. The course has to be set to tournament standards, greens hardened, roughs thickened, and bunkers watered down so the sand is thicker. In addition, corporate tents needed to be put up around the greens. All of these changes to the course can take its toll on members, some of which don t like to play on the course with all of the difficulties added. Specht said playing on the course before the tourney was excellent, and that it was in PGA conditions. However, there are many who don t share his opinion. Even for members that don t play golf at Champions Run, the traffic and people the tournament brought to their neighborhood took its overall toll. In most recent years, there has been an average turnout of over 100,000 spectators for the weeklong event. There is limited parking at the actual country club, leaving St. Vincent de Paul church down the block for most to park. From there, it s a long traipse through the neighborhood, past over 100 residential homes to the course. Specht said living at Champions Run during the tournament was pretty hectic, but enjoyable and fun.

There are a lot of people who don t care for it though, he added. All of that, for a whole week, quickly adds up, to the point where after 18 years, people are ready to see the entire thing go away.

A Blackhawk helicopter hovers over the 18th fairway of Champions Run shortly after the end of the 2011 tournament.

8 There are a lot of people who don t care for it though, he added. All of that, for a whole week, quickly adds up, to the point where after 18 years, people are ready to see the entire thing go away. No one is sure exactly where the future of the Cox Classic will lead. Neujahr left a door open for a return to an Omaha course in 2015, but a lot of things will need to fall into place. A Blackhawk helicopter hovers over the 18th fairway of Champions Run shortly after the end of the 2011 tournament. (Photo by Dawn Neujahr) They re still looking for sponsors, and a host course, he said. As for where that course would be, he didn t have any definitive answers, aside from possibly an Omaha city course. Looking back, Neujahr said he enjoyed the week and the tournament benefit for Omaha. It (the Classic) was good for Omaha golf. Veller ready to reclaim hockey title February 8th, 2014 Sophomore Trevor Svoboda slides after scoring a goal during a 6-0 victory against Elkhorn. Led by captain Max Veller, the Millard West hockey club is hoping to reclaim a second state championship this year.

9 The Zamboni finished the surface of Moylan iceplex s rink. Smooth ice. In the locker room, a group of players with Millard West written across their chests huddled around one player, Max Veller. He gave a pregame pep talk to his teammates before the game. As he neared the end of his speech, he offered one last parting shot to his team. Let s do this! No. 2 ranked Millard West hockey recently took to the ice against No.9 Lincoln Southwest in the 17 th game of its season. Led by captains Veller and Seth Hollingshead, the team destroyed Southwest 7-1. Right wing Trevor Kuhn said the team played a physical game. We didn t let them into our zone, and picked up rebounds, he added. Last Monday, the team picked up its fourth tie of the year in a bout with Metro North, 4-4. Metro slapped a puck in with only 3.7 seconds left on the clock in the third. With the tie, the Wildcats season is holding steady at Wildcat club hockey has been around for three years. In its first season, Millard West finished and sixth in its division. Last year, the team went , but the Wildcats path to the 2013 title was a hard fought struggle, with close calls along the way. Millard West lost its first game of the state tournament to Metro North, and faced elimination with every game the rest of the way. The double elimination playoff system allowed the team to lose a game, but still have the ability to come back and win it all. The Wildcats claimed its first state championship trophy with a second victory over Creighton Prep in the finals, 4-2. Head coach Erik Johnson said last year s key to winning was teamwork and getting production out of everybody. Led by Veller, the team will try to repeat themselves and win back-to-back state titles. All the players contributed to the team s success, with Veller acting as an invaluable asset, scoring nine points and two goals in the season. He (Veller) inspires players, gets heated, and wants to win, left wing Grant Mallet-Bauerkemper said. Veller is on his third and final season playing for Millard West. Players like Veller and Tanner Lerdahl, assisted by goalies JD Higgins and Van Christiansen, lead Millard West s defensive players. The defense has only allowed 23 goals all season, as opposed to the 52 scored by the Wildcats. Max is the type of defender who stays home (on defense), and puts a lot of licks on people, Johnson said. This type of defense creates good opportunities for the team, giving the offense more turnovers and scoring chances. In his three years on the Millard West hockey team, Veller has faced hardships, one of which came earlier in the season against Millard North. Veller was ejected during the game for arguing with a referee. Veller was

10 suspended for a game, which turned into the first loss of the season for Millard West, a 2-3 defeat at the hands of Papillion. Veller has already spent 12 minutes in the penalty box this season. Johnson said Veller leads by example, but does tend to be vocal on the bench. Veller said the attitude of the team during the two losses was pretty lazy, which may have been a contributing factor. Besides that, he said the players have been hard-working and upbeat. Despite the losses, the Wildcats are on a path they hope takes them to the same ending as last year. Before that happens, Veller must lead his team against rival Westside this Sunday with the puck drop at 3:45 pm at Moylan. The last time the Warriors took the ice, the game ended in a tie 2-2. After the game, the two teams scuffled in the locker room. Veller said as captain, he has the responsibility to be a role model and the smartest player on the team. Johnson is confident Veller and the defense can guide the team to victory. Goal scoring wins games, great defense wins championships, Johnson said. - Millard West (13-2-4) At Metro North (9-8-5) Power plays: West 0-0, North 0-0. Penalties-minutes: West 0-0, North 0-0. Watch some of the action and Trevor Svoboda s winning goal on the Wildcat Report:

The quarterback hits the ground in a split second as Harrison Phillips jumps to his feet to celebrate.

The quarterback hits the ground in a split second as Harrison Phillips jumps to his feet to celebrate. Will Morris Millard West High School Sports Feature Writing The Beast October 2nd, 2013 Millard West senior Harrison Phillips is a defensive lineman for the varsity football team. He will be playing at