Wednesday, June 7, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
WRESTLERS: Youths
headed for regional
competition
Ryan Funk is a topnotch catcher
By Rongi Yost
Correspondent
Ryan Funk has had base-
ball in his blood from the
time he joined T-ball as a
three-year-old. His base-
ball dream of playing at the
collegiate level came true
this year, as he signed to
play for Lower Columbia
Community College (LCCC)
in Longview, Washington.
He’ll trade in his black-and-
white Outlaws colors for red
and blue.
Funk has been a four-
year varsity starter for the
Outlaws. As a freshman,
Ryan played third base and
did some pitching, but for the
past three years has been the
Outlaws No. 1 catcher. He’s
a top-notch catcher, and also
has power at the plate, and
batted .333 for the Outlaws
this year. The summer of his
freshman year, he played on
the Oregon Select Club team,
and the last two years he has
played for the Bend Elks 19U
team, which is for players 19
years old and younger.
Every fall for the past
four years, Ryan has also
played at the Baseball NW
Tournament held in Centralia,
Washington. Top play-
ers from Idaho, Montana,
Oregon, Washington, and part
of California try out and the
cream of the crop are selected
to form a team from each
region. Funk has been one
of those elite players the past
four years.
Sisters High School’s
Head Baseball Coach Steve
Hodges said, “Ryan is the best
catcher in the Sky-Em League
and one of the best catchers in
the state. He keeps the ball in
front of him and blocks the
ball extremely well. He threw
out 15 runners this season.
The first criteria for a college
catcher is to have a plus arm.
Ryan has been blessed with
that, and that’s what college
coaches are looking for.
“Ryan also works hard in
the off-season. He’s a real
team guy and is very reliable.
You always know he’s going
to compete and give every-
thing he has. I wish him the
best of luck. It’s exciting and
rewarding to see guys from
our program go on and play
at the next level.”
LCCC Assistant Coach
Kurt Lupinski has been scout-
ing Funk since he was a fresh-
man, and first noticed him at
the tournament in Centralia,
and has wanted him on the
team from the start.
Funk visited the campus in
October of 2016, was given
a tour, and met with Head
Coach Eddie Smith. He was
offered a spot on the team
and signed an official letter of
intent at his home on January
17, 2017.
I feel confident in joining
the program. I believe
I’ll be a good influence
there and I hope to get
even more of a growing
passion for baseball.
— Ryan Funk
Funk told The Nugget he
chose LCCC because it was
cheaper, and he loves the
coaches and the program.
“Their baseball program
is super-successful and they
dominate their league,” said
Funk. “In the last 42 years
they’ve won 38 regional titles
and have won 12 national
championships.
“I feel confident in joining
the program,” said Funk. “I
believe I’ll be a good influ-
ence there, and I hope to
get even more of a growing
Continued from page 3
surprised and you’re mad,”
Triston said.
That’s where the lifelong
lessons come in.
“What I do is just get my
head together and focus on
the next match,” Triston said.
“That’s all you can do.”
Both wrestlers like the
physicality and the intensity
of the sport. And they fig-
ure it will make them more
formidable on the football
field in their other favorite
sport. They’re encouraging
their friends to join them on
the mats and in the intensely
focused two-hour workouts
they consistently put in.
And whatever competition
in Pocatello brings, they’re
ready for it, and they’ll come
back for more.
PHOTO BY RONGI YOST
Ryan Funk will play ball for Lower
Columbia Community College.
passion for baseball. I hope
the college experience pre-
pares me for the next level.
That would be sweet!”
Ryan plans to pursue a
degree in business and hopes
to transfer to Washington
State University to finish up
his last two years.
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