Distance running may be an individual discipline, but there’s no arguing against cross country is a team sport. The best XC teams at any level not only have strong top runners, but have depth among their other varsity athletes that allows them to close gaps and finish with miniscule point totals. This concept of an … Continue reading Building the ultimate movie character cross country squad
The following is my cross country speech for our year-end banquet. Enjoy! Hey guys, my name is John Riker. I want to start off by giving thanks to God for giving me the gift to run, to my caring coaches, to my supportive teammates, to my awesome family, and to the entire Wootton XC community. … Continue reading Speech: My Cross Country Story
Note : The following column was published in Wootton’s Common Sense newspaper. When the boys’ varsity soccer team entered their stadium for their playoff game against Northwest on Oct. 30, it did not matter that the team was 12-0-2. It did not matter that they were the higher seed in the game, or that they … Continue reading Varsity Letter: Soccer reels in elusive playoff victory
The following is the story of my county championship race my junior year, which also stands as my current 5K personal record and possibly the best tactical race of my career. Counties gave us a perfect opportunity to make a statement. We were total underdogs, as all of the media outlets covering our county as … Continue reading Excerpt: A fight to the finish
Will the Warriors win their third consecutive NBA championship? Find out here! Favorite Golden State Warriors- The Warriors are so far ahead of the competition that the season may not even be much of a contest, especially with the addition of the NBA’s best center, DeMarcus Cousins. But was last year’s seven-game Western Conference … Continue reading 2018-19 NBA Preview!!!
The following was published in Wootton's Common Sense newspaper as an installment of my Varsity Letter sports column. When not typing up a “Varsity Letter” sports column or making edits for Common Sense as an editor-in-chief, I am usually lacing up my Hoka running shoes and training with this school’s cross country and track teams. … Continue reading Varsity Letter: Post-race q’s give unique view
Around the 12th inning of last night’s (and morning’s) NL Wild Card game between the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies, I came upon the realization that for one team, the result of this marathon of a baseball game was going to absolutely stink. Of course, it didn’t cross my mind that the loser would … Continue reading Rox rock Cubs in thrilling and lengthy NL Wild Card battle
Is there a better way to spend your summer than watching movies? No, there’s not. Here are my thoughts on the films (and one TV show) that I had the pleasure of viewing the past few months. Incredibles 2 (2018)- The most-anticipated movie of my lifetime lived up to the hype with an engaging story, … Continue reading From Inception to Incredibles 2, my thoughts on my summer movie list
The college football season officially kicks off this weekend and storylines abound across the CFB landscape. Alabama and Clemson are heavyweights that look primed for another championship bout, but teams such as Washington, Ohio State, Georgia, and Oklahoma have the potential to make things interesting. Dark horses like Penn State, Michigan, Miami, and Wisconsin are … Continue reading College Football Preview: Alabama, Clemson teams to beat
The 2018 cross country season promises to be one of the most exciting that Montgomery County has ever seen, and for one reason- every title, whether boy or girl, individual or team, is up for grabs. With the graduation of four of Walter Johnson’s varsity girls from last year, WJ’s reign atop the county may … Continue reading Montgomery County gearing up for thrilling XC season
Riker's Block 