Sports Clips

It Happens

noreply@blogger.com (sam bakotich) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:26:00 +0000

Geez, there was no report in last Saturday’s newspaper (Sept. 27) about Adna’s 48-8 nonleague loss to Castle Rock and you would have thought we omitted a report on the start of WWIII or something. There were several telephone and e-mail messages wondering why there was no report, one going so far as to suggest we were protecting Adna by not reporting on the beating.

Sorry folks. The simple truth is Adna coach K.C. Johnson didn’t call in. It happens.

We also got no report that night from the Onalaska-Forks game, but didn’t hear a word about that one from anyone.

It was a bit surprising to feel the hostility (toward Adna) from those who left messages — one from Onalaska and two from Napavine that I know of. And the one from Ony never even mentioned anything about his own squad.

We’re fortunate here at The Chronicle. The vast majority of our coaches, in all sports, are very good about reporting scores. But the reality is here, and at all newspapers, sometimes coaches don’t call, and usually for a good reason.

In other words: lighten up.

Apparently, Johnson was getting some heat, too. Here is a response he posted on bsports.org

“For all of you wondering about the game (not) being reported in the paper: Honest mistake!! I wasn't in the best mood Friday night, and was in a big hurry to watch film. I completely forgot to do it. Saturday morning the wife woke me up and said she was going to get the paper. I sat up in bed and felt about an inch high!!!

There's no excuse for not getting in by Monday. Sorry that some people think I did it because we got beat???”

Coach Johnson

Stick to the Pool

noreply@blogger.com (sam bakotich) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:30:00 +0000

It must be something in their genes: Great swimmers are horrible comics.

I was really looking forward to the season premier episode of Saturday Night Live this past Saturday to see how Michael Phelps would do in his first stab at live comedy ... granted, something that would be very difficult for anyone to do.

But Phelps, winner of eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, was not just bad; he was way beyond horrible.

The poor guy had no timing, no stage presence and, something entirely beyond his control, he had terrible material provided to him by the SNL writers, who really do run hot and cold in their comedy.

For those old enough to remember, it brought to mind a similarly awful comedy debut by Phelps’s swimming predecessor, Mark Spitz. After Spitz won his seven golds in Munich in 1972, he made an appearance on a Bob Hope special and was an awkward embarrassment. Despite his amazing athletic feats, television was definitely not for him and he basically disappeared.

All I can say to Phelps is cash in now on what you can, baby, because any future you may have is in the water, or maybe in business, but certainly not on the screen.

Actually, the only good part of SNL that night was the opening scene where Tina Fey portrayed John McCain’s VP running mate Sarah Palin. She could pass as a Palin twin and the bit she did with Amy Poehler, playing Hillary Clinton, was hilarious.

noreply@blogger.com (sam bakotich) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:36:00 +0000

You don’t hear an old Cougar say this very often, but I really did feel sorry for the Huskies last Saturday.

Surely, you all know by now what I’m talking about — the unsportsmanlike call on Husky QB Jake Locker after he scored a touchdown late against BYU and then jumped up and tossed the ball straight overhead. After the ensuing 15-yard penalty, the PAT kick was blocked and the beleaguered Huskies lost by a point. Former Dallas Cowboys and University of Miami coach Jimmy Johnson put it best on the FOX NFL pregame show Sunday morning when the topic came up. “There are good officials and there are bad officials, and the guy that made that call is an absolute idiot!” he fumed.

I’ve spoken with about a half-dozen local high school officials since that happened, since the preps have the same rule, and every single one said it was a classic no-call. Locker wasn’t hot-dogging, and the officials in that game (seven in college) didn’t have to stop the game and chase the ball down. And it absolutely wasn’t unsportsmanlike. It may technically be a rule, but like most laws, it’s relative and should be judged in the context it happened.

And the rule in general is ludicrous. One of the things I like best about sports is the emotion. And good, clean emotion is what makes the game, any game, great.

The rule should be changed and that official should remember what the game is all about, or get out of the game.

Well, I guess it was a weekend to feel sorry for the state’s major football teams.
The Cougars looked so bad against Cal, I had to stop watching after it was 49-3 (it wound up a 66-3 Cal win). And the Seahawks were pathetic in a 34-10 loss to Buffalo. Their line play, supposedly a strength, was awful, and Matt Hasselbeck rarely had time to make anything happen. The depleted receiving corps was also dismal, dropping pass after pass, and the running game stunk. Maybe Shaun Alexander wasn’t as bad as we thought. Now, it looks like the line is the culprit. Who knows? It may be a long fall and winter for the state’s football fans.

We’re back

noreply@blogger.com (sam bakotich) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:43:00 +0000

After the lazy, hazy crazy days of summer, it’s time to jump back into things. There are a few changes in The Chronicle Sports Department and I like them.

First, we have the new addition online with Alex Alderson’s “From the Sidelines” show, which will be available on our Web site every Friday morning simply by going to chronline.com/prepsports. Also, Alderson, owner of Northwest Sports Radio, and color man Mark Westley, will broadcast 15 high school games this fall, starting Friday night with the Old Helmet Game between Mossyrock and Onalaska.

Our goal with these broadcasts is to focus on rivalries, games with playoffs on the line, or simply just games that should feature a good matchup. Alderson’s show, since it will air Friday morning, will not just focus on what’s coming up on the weekend, he’ll also chat with area coaches, whose teams are in the hunt, or with certain players who are coming off special performances.

And who knows? It may even feature more than that. It’s our first venture into this medium and we’re making plans on the fly. Keep in mind: Sports are meant to be fun and games, and that’s what our focus will be on.

Also, please welcome Aaron VanTuyl to the sports department. He takes over for Caleb Breakey, who was with us just a short time before returning to the Bellingham area to be closer to family. VanTuyl will not only be covering games and writing features, you can look for his special brand of humor as be begins a local sports blog.

Armstrong is Back

noreply@blogger.com (sam bakotich) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:09:00 +0000

Calvin Armstrong is back in pro football.

After getting released by the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League in March, Armstrong was at a crossroads, not sure what he was going to do, or if his football career may have been over.

But in May he was signed as a free agent by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. And tonight (July 3) Armstrong is scheduled to start at left guard in a game against Calgary.

The CFL is in the second week of its season. The last regular-season game is set for Oct. 31.

Georgia High School Fined After Ump Is Hit By Pitch

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:53:00 +0000

Courtesy of Glen and Patty Dickason

In the fourth inning of Saturday's deciding game of the Class AAA championship series, Stephens County catcher Matt Hill ducked and did not attempt to catch a pitch that struck the home plate umpire, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Stephens coach Mark Gosnell said Hill and pitcher Cody Martin denied plotting to hit the umpire, who was not hurt, and said the passed ball during a 13-1 loss to Cartersville was a result of a signaling mix-up.

But GHSA executive director Ralph Swearngin believed otherwise after viewing video of the play.

"I made my decision primarily by watching whether the catcher tracked the pitch with his eyes," he told the paper. "In my opinion, he did not. I think that he would have been searching for the ball if it were a matter of being crossed up."

Stephens County principal David Friend said he thought the ruling, which included placing the baseball program on "severe warning status," was fair.

"I told (Swearngin) that I thought we deserved it," Friend said. "We had the opportunity to be on a big stage, in a state championship series, and we had several players who didn't represent school way I think they should have. Not just that pitch, but the overall behavior."

In the half inning prior to the beaning, shortstop Ethan Martin argued with the plate umpire and threw his helmet after becoming the ninth straight Stephens batter to strike out.

Two batters later, Cody Martin, Ethan's younger brother, threw the pitch that hit the umpire. Hill, the catcher, dropped to his knees and ducked as the ball approached.

As part of the penalty, Gosnell and his assistants must complete a sportsmanship education program.

Centralia Defense Outstanding

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Sat, 10 May 2008 05:43:00 +0000

Ramona Lorton was something else on the mound in Centralia's championship game with W.F. West Thursday. But, boy, let me tell you — that Tiger defense was something else as well.

At third base, Krista Church was a flat-out vacuum. Talk about hot corner. She was stabbing at and coming up with some seriously hot shots down the third base line. She made every play, too. The lone base hit W.F. West had in the game was an infield hit to her, but she still fielded the ball cleanly.

To her left, Tiger shortstop Lauren Liseth backed up Lorton on a couple of strange grounders back to the circle. One of the dribblers slipped right past Lorton, with Liseth coming through with a saving play.

After that particular incident, Lorton shared some laughs because she didn't (or just barely) touched the grounder as it went past her.

Then there was catcher Jordan Scherer. She made a play in front of the plate and threw the runner out trying to reach first base ... from her knees. Centralia coach Ken Olson's eyes widened a bit when he recalled that play. It was a dandy of a throw.

With the District IV 2A Softball Tournament just around the corner — it runs Thursday-Friday — how vital will defense be to the Tigers and W.F. West? They both feature good pitchers, but just how well can the pitchers pitch without a solid 'D' behind them?

It will be interesting to see this coming week.

Pehl Putting Up Monstrous Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:18:00 +0000

W.F. West freshman Robert Pehl is now 6-0 with an ERA in the realm of 2.00 after throwing six innings of shutout baseball against R.A. Long Wednesday at Ed Wheeler Field.

He also went 3 for 3 at the plate with a three-run homer and is now batting around .530 for the season. That, folks, is fun.

Consider the following mere fun as well. Pehl is playing ball, enjoying himself and doing well. That's what it's all about.

The names mentioned below should not be taken as a comparison directly to Pehl, but just a fun way to look at his great numbers this year.

So, without anymore backing into it, take a look at this list of top high school athletes compiled by SI.com:

Tim Beckham, SS, Griffin H.S. -- He batted .512 with six home runs and 36 RBIs and is expected to be a top 5 pick in the MLB Draft.

Eric Hosmer, 1B, American Heritage H.S. -- He batted .380 with 25 runs, 20 RBIs, nine homers and 10 stolen bases. He is expected to be a top 10 pick in the MLB Draft.

Kyle Skipworth, C, Patriot H.S. -- He batted .422 with 32 runs scored, eight home runs and 45 RBIs and is expected to be a top 15 pick in the MLB Draft.

Aaron Hicks, OF, Wilson H.S. -- He batted .370 with 46 runs scored, one homer, 21 RBIs and 44 stolen bases.

Centralia Soccer Team's Melting Pot

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Tue, 06 May 2008 08:41:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of talking with 12 players on the Centralia boys soccer team Monday afternoon. Talk about a diverse, fun group.

When I wasn't talking with the players, I hung around and snapped a few photos. So, please enjoy these shots of the Centralia soccer team melting pot, which will take on Ridgefield at Ridgefield Tuesday in the first round of the playoffs. (Click to enlarge the photos).

District Baseball Extra: Google Fight!

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Mon, 05 May 2008 06:20:00 +0000

We strive to be objective and balanced in the newspaper business. That's a key reason why I'm not about to throw out a bunch of subjective guesses as to which teams will come out on top at the district tournaments, which start Tuesday.

Now, I'm all for fun pools and taking stabs at who might go the distance. Think March Madness or the Super Bowl. That's fun stuff. But when it comes to sprouting off opinions on why a high school baseball team will win or lose, I'm not really into that.

And that, ah hem, is why I will introduce you all to Google Fights, the sure-fire way to find out the results of the 2A, 1A and 2B district tournaments.

In a Google Fight, you enter in two words or phrases to find out how many 'hits' -- how often it appears on the Internet -- that word or phrase gets. The one with more hits wins.

OK, so they may not be 100% accurate, but... Here's your first-round results:

District 4 2A Tournament:
CENTRALIA vs. MARK MORRIS: The Tigers put a whoopin' on Mark Morris here, receiving 3,480,000 hits to 1,020,000.

W.F. WEST vs. HOCKINSON: This was one of the closer matches, with the Bearcats edging Hockinson, 304,000 to 86,400.

District 4 1A Tournament:
TENINO vs. WHITE SALMON: The Beavers were downed by White Salmon, but not by a large margin- - 744,000 to 390,000.

TOLEDO vs. ROCHESTER: In a battle of Google Fight powerhouses, Toledo overcame Rochester 64,900,000 to 52,400,000.

2B District Tournament:
ADNA vs. NAPAVINE: This ended up being quite one-sided, as the Pirates crushed the Tigers, 4,750,000 to 244,000.

WHITE PASS vs. OCOSTA: Yeah, so I used the word "crushed" in the paragraph above. Should have saved that one. White Pass: 10,700,000; Ocosta: 55,100. Enough said.

MOSSYROCK vs. TACOMA BAPTIST: Who says big towns beat little towns. The Vikings showed some muscle here, winning 273,000 to 73,600.

PE ELL vs. NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN: My eyes shot open when I saw this. Definitely the wildcard of the bunch, as NW Christian sneaks past the Trojans, 416,000 to 404,000.

A Look At The Brackets
Click to enlarge the photos, and don't hurt your neck looking at the 2A or 1A brackets. Print out copies instead.

M's Youngsters Fun To Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Sat, 03 May 2008 18:59:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to cover Major League Baseball for five months during the 2007 season, writing roughly 70,000 words for MLB.com. Most of my reporting was on the Yankees, but when the M's were in the Big Apple, I would always drop into Seattle's clubhouse. I grew up in Bellingham, Wash., so I've followed the M's closely every season since I was a kid.

Despite the poor start this year, I'm optimistic. Not because I believe the team will just come around, but because the M's management has started leaning on its youngsters.

Jeff Clement is a big league player. His swing is pretty, and he's a great guy to boot (a pleasant interview). Wladimir Balentien, well, it's hard to tell how he will adjust to the bigs. My glass is always half full, though. I truly believe he'll be successful because he's cut back on his strikeouts by leaps and bounds throughout his career. Dude's got pop in his bat, too.

It will take both of them time to adjust, of course, but they are an improvement over Brad Wilkerson and Jose Vidro. And it's just flat-out fun to watch rookies play.

Remember Scott Podsednik? He starred for the Brewers and White Sox before getting injured. The Mariners never gave him a chance in Seattle. I'm glad the M’s are going to live or die by these kids. I'll watch that any day.

What's your take? Are the M's done? Do they have a shot with Erik Bedard and Felix Hernandez at the helm? Here's a couple of good sites to visit: U.S.S. Mariner and The Seattle Times' beat writer Geoff Baker's blog.

Cutline Contest! See Your Name on Sports' Front Page!

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:02:00 +0000

Looks like we had our first cutline contest dud last week, so we’ll start afresh with this rather interesting soccer photo that brings to mind some sort of action movie. Responses to these contests haven’t reached double digits yet. As soon as they do, I'll talk with the editors about prizes for the winners. Until then, winners' names will run in the paper.

So, take a stab at writing the funniest cutline (what’s going on in the picture) for the photo below. You can do this in the comments section of this post or you can e-mail me at cbreakey@chronline.com. See the photo larger by clicking on it.

(photo by Mike Salsbury / The Chronicle)

Unofficial Prep Baseball Rankings

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:17:00 +0000

(photo by Mike Salsbury / The Chronicle)

I found a link to these unofficial prep baseball rankings over at The Bellingham Herald’s blog. The site’s authority may be in question (http://washingtonbaseballpoll.com/ranking.php), but it does give you an idea of where a couple of our local teams stand in the state. The young W.F. West team finds itself ranked No. 4 among 2A schools, while Tenino earned the same in the 1As. Rochester also appears in the 1As at No. 6.

Take a look. Have many of you seen a couple of these out-of-Lewis County teams? Where do our baseball squads truly fit in?

If you’re curious, I included the 3A and 4A state rankings as well. (NOTE: I updated the records of our local teams, so they have more wins than when this poll was established).

2A RANKINGS
1. Sehome(16-2)
2. River Ridge (13-2)
3. Selah (15-2)
4. WF West (16-1)
5. Burlington (13-4)
6. Fife (13-2)
7. Mark Morris (12-4)
8. W. Valley, Spok.(13-4)
9.East Valley, Yak (13-4)
10.Eatonville (14-4)

THE SKINNY, W.F. West: A huge reason the Bearcats sit so close to the top has to be that youthful left side of the infield: Robert Pehl at third and Erik Forgione at shortstop. Going into their game with Centralia this past Wednesday, Pehl and Forgione were batting .470 and .365, respectively. Both are freshmen. Freshmen.. That's scary.

1A RANKINGS
1. Friday Harbor (14-0)
2. Kio-Benton (15-1)
3. Freeman (13-0)
4. Tenino (13-2)
5. Naches (14-2)
6. Rochester (13-4)
7. Lakeside (13-5)
8. River View (13-5)
9. Brewster (10-5)
10. Warden (13-5)

THE SKINNY, Tenino: Beaver pitcher Alex Phillips could be one of the best 1A pitchers in the state, but Tenino has thrown several hurlers this season who have been successful, including Jacob Conklin and Josh Moss ... not to mention the Beavs' offense has produced all year long.

THE SKINNY, Rochester: The Warriors have plenty of talent. Jordan Everson and Luke Steelhammer come to mind quickly. Rochester, however, has too many names to mention who have contributed mightily to the team's success. Jose Ortiz went from the No. 8 spot in the order to No. 2 after putting together numerous multi-hit games. The Ruiz brothers, Jardan and Jarin, have played solidly. And Ryan Knutz does a good job behind the plate, to name just a few.

3A RANKINGS
1. Blanchet (17-0)
2. Eastside Cath.(17-1)
3. Kelso (20-0)
4. Mt. Rainier (17-2)
5. Skyline (14-4)
6. Ferndale (16-2)
7. Timberline (13-3)
8. Capital (12-1)
9. Issaquah (10-7)
10. Southridge (11-5)

4A RANKINGS
1. Richland (13-1)
2. Redmond (16-2)
3. University (15-2)
4. Olympia (17-2)
5. Puyallup (16-3)
6. Snohmomish (15-3)
7. Kentlake (15-3)
8. Monore (15-3)
9. Battle Ground (15-6)
10.Mead (15-2)

(photo by Mike Salsbury / The Chronicle)

Athletes of the Week, April 21-25

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:06:00 +0000

(Mike Salsbury / The Chronicle)

There were no shortages in excellent performances last week. I've ranked the Athletes of the Week in each sport mentioned below. Peter Martin tops the baseball list with another homer-crazy performance. Hannah Pomeroy edges the rest of the softball studs by tossing a no-hitter. Marissa Nyman takes three firsts and a second in track and field to earn a No. 1, and Claire Dugaw helps W.F. West with a low score on the golf course.

That's where the rankings start. You, the fans, are the true authority, though. Let me know about these rankings. Share some of your beef. Let me know if changes need to be made, and back up your thoughts on the matter. You can do this by leaving a comment at the end of this post, or you can e-mail me at cbreakey@chronline.com.

The last thing is this: Who turned in the No. 1 performance? Give me a vote and we'll see who comes out on top.

BASEBALL
No. 1
PETER MARTIN, Toledo baseball — Once again, Peter Martin turned in an impressive performance at the plate. Martin, who earned the previous Athlete of the Week, went 3 for 4 with two home runs and five RBIs in the first game of a doubleheader with Forks Saturday of last week. “...Peter cranked two home runs,” Toledo coach Perry Herbst said. “You can’t beat that.”

JORDAN EVERSON and LUKE STEELHAMMER, Rochester baseball — Everson and Steelhammer stated in Game 1 and Game 2 of a doubleheader with Stevenson Friday of last week. They combined to allow just three hits in a total of 10 innings (both games were called after five). Everson struck out nine without a walk in a 60-pitch effort, while Steelhammer allowed two hits and struck out seven without issuing a walk.

CYLE COLEMAN, Mossyrock baseball — Coleman pitched Game 1 of a twinbill with Morton Thursday of last week, allowing just one hit with no walks in five innings. He struck out nine. “He kept his pitch count low and hit his spots,” Vikings coach Jay Henderson said. “He’s been real solid for us all year.”

MASON WITTERS (pictured above), W.F. West baseball — Despite allowing five walks, Witters threw 6 1/3 innings of no-hit ball against Hoquiam Thursday of last week. He struck out seven along the way and, at one point, had Grizzlies catcher D.J. Wilson flailing so bad at a pitch that, by the end of his swing, Wilson was balancing himself with his right hand on the plate. “I thought they were going to dig themselves a hole or something,” said Bearcat catcher Griffin Squires. “His junk was working and he had good velocity on his fastball, hitting his spots.”

TREVOR KINDELL, Adna baseball — Kindell pitched all five innings against White Pass Friday of last week, allowing one unearned run on two hits and two walks. He struck out two along the way and also contributed with the bat, going 2 for 4 with a pair of two-run singles for four RBIs.

SOFTBALL
No. 1
HANNAH POMEROY, Mossyrock softball — Pomeroy tossed a no-hitter against Napavine Tuesday of last week, striking out 10 while walking two along the way. “Pomeroy was tough,” Napavine coach Stacey Sturza said. “She mixed her pitches well, and threw her change-up a lot.”

JESSIKA JO SANDRINI, Adna softball — Sandrini limited Mossyrock to three hits while striking out 12 in a complete-game shutout Wednesday of last week. She also went 3 for 4 at the plate.

RAMONA LORTON (pictured below), Centralia softball — Lorton surrendered just three hits while striking out 10 as Centralia beat Elma in five innings Thursday of last week. She helped herself out, too, going 2 for 3 with three runs scored.

GRACE HYLTON, Napavine softball — Hylton threw a two-hit shutout against Wahkiakum Monday of last week, walking one while striking out eight. “That’s the best game she’s pitched this year, by far,” Sturza said. “All of her pitches were working, and the strike zone seemed really big.”

JORDAN ZURFLUH, Adna softball — Zurfluh was the spark Adna needed against White Pass in a 3-2 win Friday of last week. In the eighth inning, Zurfluh reached on a bunt single, stole second, was sacrificed to third, and then she stole home while Panther pitcher Sam Hall was intentionally walking a batter. “It was a delayed steal, and Zurfluh took advantage, stealing home with a headfirst slide,” Pirates coach Mike Raschke said. “It was quite a way to end the game.”

KENDALL GRANT, W.F. West softball — Grant doubled, singled twice, scored two runs and stole two bases against River Ridge in the Bearcats’ big 3-2 win over the Hawks Monday of last week. The senior center fielder is now 18 for 18 in stolen base attempts.

JESSICA HUDSON, Centralia College softball — In a twinbill with Pierce Saturday of last week, the slap-hitting Hudson had a total of five hits and reached base six times.

KASSI REISBECK, Toledo softball — In a double-dip with Rainier Thursday of last week, Reisbeck had a total of five hits, including a triple, and five RBIs.

TRACK AND FIELD
No. 1
MARISSA NYMAN, Morton track and field — Nyman was a triple winner at the Onalaska meet Thursday of last week, taking the long jump crown (15-11), the triple jump (34-8), and the 200 (27.64). She was also second in the 100.

JOSH MCFARLAND, Centralia track and field — McFarland had three wins at the Aberdeen meet Tuesday of last week, taking the high jump, long jump and 100.

GOLF
No. 1
CLAIRE DUGAW, W.F. West golf — Dugaw fired a 41 to earn medalist honors and lead the Bearcats to a tight victory over Elma Thursday of last week, 262-264.

(Mike Salsbury / The Chronicle)

Centralia Softball Team Takes Time To Smile

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:27:00 +0000

The Centralia softball team shared a sports moment on Tuesday that tops a lot of the hitting, fielding and pitching everyone sees throughout the season.

The Tiger team, which found out coach Ken Olson was going for his 200th win against River Ridge, made a few arrangements before the game started. Olson had no idea the kids had a clue about his wins record.

Centralia won, the Tigers snuck up on Olson and sprayed him with a dozen silly string cans.

Colorful, yes. But Olson was just a little too comfortable-looking after the little celebration, so the team upped the ante.

When Olson wasn’t looking, they dumped the bucket of ice water on him.

“The kids were able to pull it out (the win) and have some fun afterward at my expense,” Olson said. “It’s fun to see their smiling faces. That’s the part for me that’s the most rewarding.”

Smiling. Now there is a concept. With the playoffs approaching, and the must-win situations starting to appear, you don’t always see the smiling.

Props to the Tiger team for taking the time to have a little fun with their coach. It has been said over and over that athletics has a lot more to it than scores, and that brings up an interesting topic: the balance of having fun and playing to win. What’s the general feel of this in Lewis County?

You, the fans, see more games in person than we at The Chronicle can. Do you see a lot of fun on the field, or is it all business?

Let me know your feelings in the comments section of this post, or e-mail me at cbreakey@chronline.com.

Biggest Softball Game Of The Year

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:56:00 +0000

Hands down, everybody -- Monday's game featuring Central 2B League powerhouses Pe Ell and Adna offers the highest stakes of this season. There's a lot of pride on the line.

Pe Ell edged Adna by one, 3-2, earlier this season. Now, the two teams are locked into a first-place tie atop the C2BL.

Brittany Woods will take the hill for the Trojans. Jessika Jo Sandrini counters for the Pirates. The former is mentored by pitching coach Roger Gonzalez, the latter is tutored by Ken Gray. Both flat-out know how to pitch.

The two have mowed down teams like nobody's business this year. Double-digit strikeouts. Miniscule amount of walks. And the pair can hit the ball, too. Woods has gone deep several times this year and Sandrini was walked intentionally just a couple of days ago.

Both of them have solid supporting casts as well. So, if Woods and Sandrini are at the tops of their respective pitching games, then this one could come down to some unsung hero.

I'm sold, and I would be right behind home plate if I wasn't going to a conference (which will be great, too).

If you want to see some Lewis County softball at its best, then head over to Adna High School at 4:30 p.m., where the league title could be decided.

Is There Any SOS In Lewis County?

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:46:00 +0000

All right. Let’s talk Sonics briefly.

I talked with Steven Pyeatt, co-founder of Save Our Sonics (SOS), about two weeks ago. A lot has happened since then, including the NBA’s approval of the Sonics’ move to Oklahoma -- not to mention the court case brought against owner Clay Bennett.

Pyeatt believes strongly that Seattle still has a fighting chance to save the Sonics — either by keeping the team in town, or saving the naming rights and securing an expansion team at some point down the road.

He sure seemed like a get-it-done type of guy, and he has a lot of support, too.

What are your feelings on the Sonics? How important are the 40-plus years of Sonics history to you? Will all of the future court-battling be worth it?

Bearcats' Elliott Heading to Linfield College

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:56:00 +0000

While covering W.F. West baseball Thursday, a pair of familiar faces showed up in the stands: Ben Ternan and Trevor Elliott, Bearcat basketball and football players.

I chatted with Elliott a bit after the Cats beat Hoquiam, 10-3. Looks like his hard work on the football field has paid off. He'll be heading to Linfield College in Oregon, a four-year Division III school.

Good thing for Elliott, too, because receivers are a cherished commodity at Linfield.

"They throw the ball like 70 times a game," Elliott said. "So it's good for me."

Elliott, who played a key role in W.F. West's run to the 2A State Basketball Tournament a couple of months ago, said he plans to hit the weight room plenty before the season starts.

As far as academics go, he's leaning toward business management as a major.

NOTES: Elliott's basketball and football teammate, Griffin Squires, has already committed to play football for Central Washington University ... Ternan, who will step into a big role for the basketball team in the 2008-2009 seson, has been excelling in track and field this spring.

Cutline Contest Winner! — Chris Thomas, Centralia (Two-Time Champ and Rolling!)

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:03:00 +0000

(photos by Mike Salsbury / The Chronicle)

"Hey, guys, can I play too?"
— Chris Thomas, Centralia

Chris Thomas (now a two-time defending champ) of Centralia won the fourth cutline contest by writing the best cutline for the photo above. What can you say? That player must have been feeling pretty lonely out there. Congrats to Chris!

Who wants to take a shot at this next photo, a prime time cutline contest photo, if you ask me. Rev up your imagination and come up with the best cutline for the photo below. A cutline is simple: What's happening in the picture?

Send me an e-mail at cbreakey@chronline.com with what you come up with. You can see the photo below larger by clicking on it.

Athletes of the Week, April 14-19

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:25:00 +0000

We had some mighty fine showings in several different sports last week. Below you’ll find the top performances of last week in baseball, softball, tennis, soccer and track and field. All of the athletes had stellar days, but which performance should be rated as No. 1? Right now, I have Martin at the top spot, but I didn’t order the rest of them.

Have an opinion? Take a look and let me know at cbreakey@chronline.com.

Carrie Kann wrote in and agrees that Martin deserves the top spot with his three-HR day, stating it simply but profoundly: "Seriously, three homers and eight RBIs? Wow!" Thank you, Carrie, for backing me up! =)

Any other takers? And how about rounding out the top three? A gold always needs to be followed by a silver and bronze, right?

TOP PERFORMER AS VOTED ON SO FAR:
PETE MARTIN, Toledo baseball — In a doubleheader with Montesano Thursday of last week, Martin combined to go 5 for 7 at the plate with three home runs and a double. He picked up eight RBIs in Game 2. “Just one of those things,” Indians coach Perry Herbst said. “He crushed the ball. He was just on.”

WILLIE RANDALL, Onalaska baseball — Randall had a great game in one inning as he had a three-run homer, a two-run homer and a double ... all in the fourth Thursday of last week against Winlock.

LUCAS SMITH, United soccer — Smith scored in the 83rd and 88th minutes to tie United with Forks Thursday of last week. Smith then scored United’s only penalty kick in the shootout to finish with the hat trick, but United lost, 4-3.

KAYTIE BATEMAN, Pe Ell track and field — Bateman won three events Thursday of last week in Cathlamet, claiming the 100 hurdles (17.72), 300 hurdles (51.18) and long jump (16-03/4).

SHAWNA MOUSER, White Pass track and field — Mouser won three events in Rainier Thursday of last week, including the 100 (13.32), 200 (28.42) and long jump (14-2), in what Panthers coach John Karas said was Mouser’s “best meet of the year.”

CASSIE VANCE, Tenino softball — Vance, a freshman, went 4 for 4 at the plate for the Beavers with four RBIs Thursday of last week. She just missed hitting for the cycle with a single, double and triple. Needless to say, Tenino coach Jon O’Brien said she’s maturing at the plate.

BONNIE CREEL and JONIKA MCMILLAN, Centralia tennis — Creel and McMillan beat Tumwater’s first doubles duo of Rikki and Emma Anderson in three sets Thursday of last week to improve to 9-0 on the season. It was the second time they had beat the Anderson sisters this year.

JESSIKA JO SANDRINI, Adna softball — Sandrini tossed a three-hit shutout with one walk and 10 strikeouts Monday of last week against Toutle Lake. She also added a pair of hits and an RBI.

KIM KERLEE, Centralia softball — Kerlee went 4 for 4 with two doubles and seven RBIs in a 20-5 win over Black Hills Tuesday of last week. “Every time she got up, there were people on base and she brought them around,” said Tigers coach Ken Olson.

ANTHONY PENDER, Oakville baseball — Pender stole home against Naselle Monday of last week, but the Acorns lost, 10-5.

Mother Nature Not So Sweet to Pe Ell Softball

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:30:00 +0000

OK, so we’ve talked about the weather ... a lot. No secret there.

But if your eyes can take one more post about it, then look toward Pe Ell. The softball team, in particular.

The Trojans just finished a stretch in which they played eight games in eight days (two days off in all during that period). Wow.

Why? A whole lotta makeup games because of the bad weather.

On Friday the Trojans lost their first game of the season to Toutle Lake. They were without star pitcher Brittany Woods because her arm was sore (can you blame her?) after pitching so many innings.

“It was just time to give her a rest,” said Woods' father and coach, John.

The Ducks took advantage of Woods’ absence by racking up eight hits off Trojan pitcher Angelina Phelps in a 9-4 win. Pe Ell also was without starting left fielder Elissa Kane, who sat out with a bum knee.

“It’s been just tough,” coach Woods said of having to play so many games in a week. “They want you to make up the games as soon as you can on the next playable day.

“I’m glad we’ll have this weekend off.”

I’m sure those Trojans are, too. They might have to keep fighting the nasty weather. (Hey, now that would make for a good post!).

It's a tough situation to be in. What does this say about rescheduling? Can anything be tweaked? Does anything need to be tweaked? Other thoughts?

Athletes of the Week, April 7-12

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:59:00 +0000

Once again, it was baseball and softball dominating this week's athletes of the week post. Below you'll find the top performances of last week in baseball and softball, though several athletic events were considered. All of the athletes had stellar days, but which performance should be rated as No. 1? Take a look and let me know at cbreakey@chronline.com.

ALEX PHILLIPS, Tenino baseball — Phillips struck out eight batters
while walking just two over seven innings against Montesano Thursday
of last week. As a result, the Beavers won the second game of a
doubleheader, 2-0.

PETER MARTIN, Toledo baseball — Martin belted two home runs and racked
up six RBIs in a 3 for 4 effort at the plate as the Indians swept
Winlock Thursday of last week.

HANNAH POMEROY, Mossyrock softball — After allowing two hits in the
first inning, Pomeroy didn't allow a hit the rest of the way against
White Pass Wednesday of last week. She finished with 12 strikeouts and
four walks.

ROBERT PEHL, W.F. West baseball — Pehl went 2 for 3 with six RBIs
against Centralia Thursday of last week, highlighted by grand slam
home run. He also pitched two innings, striking out three Tigers.

JENNIFER MULLINS, White Pass softball — Mullins belted a three-run
home run and added two more hits as White Pass swept Napavine in a
twinbill Friday of last week.

KAYLIE STANLEY, Onalaska softball — Stanley worked all seven innings
against Forks Friday of last week in the first game of a doubleheader,
allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out 10.

JACOB CONKLIN, JOSH MOSS, LOGAN ARMGA, Tenino baseball — The Beavers'
trio of pitchers not named Alex Phillips combined to throw 10
scoreless innings Thursday of last week. Conklin alone picked up 10
strikeouts without walking a batter. Armga also helped with a 3 for 3
performance at the plate, which included a 2-run homer.

RAMONA LORTON, Centralia softball — Lorton flipped a one-hit shutout
Thursday of last week in a win over Aberdeen, striking out nine and
walking one while going the distance.

BRITTANY WOODS, Pe Ell softball — Woods gave up no runs on four hits
and four walks while striking out 12 as the Trojans beat White Pass
Monday of last week.

Cutline Contest Winner! — Chris Thomas, Centralia (New Champ!)

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:42:00 +0000

(photos by Mike Salsbury / The Chronicle)

"But Michael said the tongue thing always worked."
— Chris Thomas, Centralia

Chris Thomas of Centralia won the third cutline contest by writing the best cutline for the photo above — playing off ol' MJ's basketball technique. Chris will be a tough one to dethrone if he keeps coming up with these kinds of cutlines. Care to take a shot? Rev up your imagination and come up with the best cutline for the photo below. A cutline is simple: What's happening in the picture?

Send me an e-mail at cbreakey@chronline.com with what you come up with. You can see the photo below larger by clicking on it.

Just How Bad Has The Weather Been?

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:05:00 +0000

The other day in the press box, while covering W.F. West’s extra-inning win over Tumwater, athletic director Scott Chamberlain mentioned how he has a big calender in his office with countless slashes on it. He’s been rescheduling events left and right because of all the postponements.

The same happens every year, of course — but this much?

Not a chance.

Mossyrock baseball coach Jay Henderson, who’s been around this part of Washington State for quite some time, said he’s never seen anything like it.

“I’ve been here for 20 years now and I can never remember a season that has been as bad as this, as far as not being able to get games in,” he said. “Nobody can get the water off the field.”

Perhaps the worst is over, though. After Mossyrock’s game with White Pass Wednesday, which the Vikings lost, 7-6, the Viks had officially caught up on their league schedule.

Not everybody can say the same, but, according to weather.com, the sun should be shining nice and bright this weekend.

Athletes of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Caleb Breakey) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 03:26:00 +0000

(photo by Nick George / The Chronicle)

The diamond sport dominated this week's athletes of the week post. Below you'll find the top performances of last week in baseball and softball, though several athletic events were considered. All of the athletes had stellar days, but which performance should be rated as No. 1? Take a look and let me know at cbreakey@chronline.com.

JERAMEY PROBERT, Centralia College baseball — Probert homered twice in Centralia College’s doubleheader with Grays Harbor Monday of last week at Ed Wheeler Field as the Blazers picked up their first win while splitting with the Chokers.

JOSE ORTIZ, Rochester baseball — The Warriors’ No. 9 hitter Ortiz recorded half of Rochester’s hits, going 4 for 4 with two runs scored — including the winning run — in the Warriors’ 5-4 win over Naches Tuesday of last week.

JESSICA HAUNREITER, TIFFANY MORRISSEY and BRETTE STRODEMIER, Centralia College softball — The three Blazers combined to go 10 for 12 at the plate with eight RBIs during the Blazers’ sweep of Grays Harbor Tuesday of last week.

TIA BRADLEY, W.F. West softball — Bradley came up with the big play of the day for the Bearcats Thursday of last week. With a runner on first, an Aberdeen batter hit one toward the right field foul line. Bradley, the right fielder, charged after it and dove head first, hitting the ground as her momentum forced her into a roll. She then popped up with the ball in the glove. “Spectacular play,” W.F. West coach Mike Keen said. “She caught it right off her shoe tops.”

PETER WAGNER (pictured above) and BRYAN LININGER, Adna baseball — The two Pirates combined for five hits and a home run apiece — Wagner’s being a grand slam — and 10 RBIs for Adna in a sweep over Morton Friday of last week.