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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (May 22, 2019)
❲ ✁✂ ✄✁❆❨✱ ☎❆❨ ✆✆✱ ✆✝✶✾ ❚✞ ✟✠✄ ✡❱ ✡ ☛ ✼☞ SPORTS ❣❤✐❥❣❛❞ ❛❜❝❞❡❝❢ Continued from Page 6A ✳✹✻✳✰✮✳✬✪ ✴▲ ❪✳✵✪❋✱ ✯✪✵✹ - Continued from Page 6A the pole vault during the CCC championship meet, enters 10th in the event with a height cleared of 11 feet 11-3/4. Additional individuals who are outside the top 10 but who Welch said have realistic all- American opportunities, which go to the top ing and pitching struggles in the contest. Malachi Roberts drove in three runs in the win, Gus Ramsden went 4-for- 4 and Chris Nobles added a pair of hits. Coy Aschenbrenner tossed 4-2/3 innings for ✪✫✬✭✮ ✯✰✫✱✭✪✲✱ ✳✮ ✰✳✮✫✴✰✳✵✱✶ ✫✰✷✵✸✹✪ ✺✵✫✻✫✳ Lane in the heptathlon. Lane enters nationals with the 11th best mark at 4,476 points, but that total is just 86 points behind eighth place ate ✳✰✹ ✵✪✱✱ ✮✭✳✰ ✼✽✾ ✿✴✫✰✮✱ ✴✸✮✱✫✹✪ ✮✭✪ ✮✴✿ ✯✻✪❀ Another freshman, Kalulusno Ngaida, en- ters in a tie for 13th in the high jump at 5 feet 5-3/4. She is also just 30th in the triple jump at 37 feet 9-1/2, but Welch believes she could - als. - ure out how to get on the board and not foul,” Welch said. - ers are Katie Emerson and Haley White in the 400 hurdles, who enter with times of 1:04.12 and 1:04.45, respectively, which are 18th and 21st in the nation. Eastern could also get its relay teams on the podium. The 4x800 team, which Welch said will likely be Michelle Herbes, Faith Homer, Megan Boals and Katie Jo Gebhart, enters fourth at 9:16.40. The 4x400 team — likely Dodd, Michelle Herbes, Elizabeth Herbes and either Boals or Lane — is ninth at 3:53.65, and the 4x100 relay — likely White, Kinnah Rhodes, Jolley and Elizabeth Herbes — is 16th at 47.89. Welch said who ultimately does run in those races will depend on some of the other com- petitions at nationals, especially with athletes who overlap in several events. ✿✸✮ ✮✴✬✪✮✭✪✲ ✳✰ ✳✵✵❁❂❃✪✲✫✷✳✰ ✪❄✴✲✮ ✳✮ ✰✳✮✫✴✰ ❦❧♠♥♦♣ q❧♠♣rst✉✈✇①✈✇②③✈ ④⑤⑥⑦⑥ ❅❆✭✪ ✮✪✷✭✰✫❇✸✪ ✫✱ ✮✭✪✲✪❀ ❈✭✪ ❉✸✱✮ ✭✳✱ ✮✴ ✯✬ ⑧⑨⑩❶❷❸❹ ❺❸❷❻❼❹➆⑩ ❽⑨❾❻❷❿❼➀➀ ❷❹❶❷❸⑩❹⑨❶❾❼❹⑨➁⑩❸⑨❹➂❷➀ ⑩❷➃❼❹➀❾❹ ❶➄❷➅➇➈➇❾❹ ❶➄❷➄❷➉❶⑨❶➄➁❼❹➊ “The goal is to get the 4x400 (team) back pole vault all-American discussion. He’s in a tie for 22nd nationally at 15 feet 3, but is just six inches outside the top eight. The javelin is the event that could land Eastern the most all-Americans. Three Moun- taineer men — Jakob Sandhagen (195 feet 4), Dawson Kennon (190 feet 3) and Moses McAninch (187 feet 11) — were all automatic ❆✭✪ ❊✴✸✰✮✳✫✰✪✪✲✱❋ ✴✮✭✪✲ ✫✰✹✫✻✫✹✸✳✵ ❇✸✳✵✫✯ ✫✰✮✴ ✮✭✪ ✯✰✳✵ ✵✫●✪ ✫✰ ❍✮✭✪■ ✫✰✹✴✴✲ ❍✱✪✳✱✴✰■ ✳✰✹ ✐❥❤❥❣ Continued from Page 6A championships had all been achieved under his watch. But not girls track. Until Saturday. ▼■ ❆✭✳✮ ✯✲✱✮ ✿✴✫✰✮ ✲✴✵✵✱ right into this one of how storybook-like the details of the title came about. Hollywood couldn’t make it up. It shows that life tru- ✵❏ ✫✱ ✱✮✲✳✰✬✪✲ ✮✭✳✰ ✯✷✮✫✴✰❀ It wouldn’t be a stretch to have a story with each of the individual elements. The close margin in the team score and in the 100 — Hollywood may think of that. The title being won at the head coach’s alma mater — sure. A freshman overcoming food poison- ing? They may take that, but that would be pushing the lines of believability. All of those elements and more? That would never be bought. And yet that is what happened. for the 4x800 to be in the mix,” he said. He added that while the women’s team ✷✴✸✵✹ ✯✰✫✱✭ ✳✰❏❑✭✪✲✪ ▲✲✴❃ ✳✲✴✸✰✹ ✳ ✮✴✿ ✼✾ ✯✰✫✱✭ ✮✴ ▼✽✮✭✶ ✮✭✪ ✱❇✸✳✹ ❑✴✸✵✹ ✭✳✻✪ ✮✴ ✭✳✻✪ ✳ “whale of a meet” to be in the top 10. The men’s team is taking just six athletes but has a national leader among that group ❃✫✰✸✮✪✱ P✪▲✴✲✪ ✮✭✪ ✯✰✳✵ day of the meet got going on Saturday, and he was clearly concerned about the health of Vaughn, who had gotten food poison- ing the night before. She showed up for warmups on the track right before I ✯✰✫✱✭✪✹ ✮✳✵●✫✰✬ ✮✴ ❊✴✴✹❏ and even then there was uncertainty. As I left the coach to get myself set up for the day, the thought did cross my mind of what a story it would be if she overcame the illness and helped the team win state. And it was a hot topic of discussion — among countless others — when that was exactly what hap- pened when she ran in Sandhagen heads in ranked ninth. “Jakob was talking about (how) he’s ranked ninth now, but a couple weeks ago he was in the pole vault with a mark of 16 feet 6-3/4. The sophomore is one of only three athletes at the NAIA level to clear 16 feet this season. ✲✳✰●✪✹ ▲✴✸✲✮✭ ✴✲ ✯▲✮✭✶◗ ❘✪✵✷✭ ✱✳✫✹❀ ❅❚▲ ❍✮✭✪ ❅❖✪❋✱P✪✪✰✲✪✳✵✵❏✯✬✸✲✫✰✬✮✭✫✰✬✱✴✸✮✶◗❘✪✵✷✭ ✮✭✲✪✪■ ✷✳✰ ✮✭✲✴❑ ❑✭✳✮ ✮✭✪❏ ❇✸✳✵✫✯✪✹✶ ✮✭✪❏ said. “It’s a matter of how well he adapts to the runway and the travel. That was a pretty big PR at the conference meet. He just needs to do what he was doing the last few weeks could place well, (and) if they PR, they could be in good shape.” ❯✳✱✮✪✲✰❋✱ ✯✰✳✵ ❇✸✳✵✫✯✪✲ ✫✱ ❱✳✰✪ ❚✰❑✳✲✹✱✶ who is 20th in the men’s 1,500 in 3:55.81. The national meet begins Thursday and runs through Saturday. ✳✰✹ ✱✭✴✸✵✹ P✪ ✺❙❀◗ Darrian Walker could also factor into the both state-winning relay teams and scored vital points in the 400. 3) Enterprise deserves the time in the limelight, P✸✮ ✮✭✪ ✺✸✮✵✳❑✱✶ ✴▲ ✷✴✸✲✱✪✶ weren’t alone in continu- ing the high level of success at state from this region. Five other teams reached ✳✮ ✵✪✳✱✮ ✮✭✪ ✮✴✿ ✯✻✪✶ ✱✴❃✪ continuing a strong run of their own, others return- ing to former days of glory. The Joseph boys took sec- - ish ever, three years after sending only one athlete to state. The Joseph girls, largely on the shoulders of two athletes, placed third, continuing one of the more dominant runs in the state ✴✰✹ ▲✴✲ ✮✭✪✫✲ ✭✫✬✭✪✱✮ ✯✰ ✫✰ ✮✭✪ ✵✳✱✮ ✯✻✪ ❏✪✳✲✱ ❍✮❑✴ ✯✲✱✮❁✿✵✳✷✪ ✮✲✴✿✭✫✪✱ ✳✰✹ now two third-place tro- phies in that span). The Elgin boys had their P✪✱✮ ✯✰✫✱✭ ✳✮ ✱✮✳✮✪ ✫✰ ▼❳ ❏✪✳✲✱ ❑✭✪✰ ✮✭✪❏ ✯✰✫✱✭✪✹ ✫✰ ✯▲✮✭ ✮✴ ✪✰✹ ❑✭✳✮ ✭✳✹ ❲❏ ✮✭✪ ❑✳❏✶ ✮✭✪ ✪❄✴✲✮ been a rough patch on the of that Enterprise fresh- ✮✲✳✷●❀ ✺✰✵❏ ✴✰✷✪ ✫✰ ✮✭✳✮ man, Savannah Vaughn, may be the most impres- / Page 7A sive feat of the whole weekend. I stopped and chatted with Moody a few ❇✸✳✵✫✯✪✲✱❀ ❂✵✵ ✮✭✲✪✪ ✳✲✪ ✫✰✱✫✹✪ ✮✭✪ ✮✴✿ ▼✾✶ ✳✰✹ ✫✰ ◆✴✲✪❏ ❈✵✪✹✬✪✶ ❑✭✴ ✫✱ ✷✸✲✲✪✰✮✵❏ ✲✳✰●✪✹ ✯✲✱✮ stretch had they been in the top 10, and as I noted Monday, just four years ago not one athlete on the team made it to state. And last year’s two state champions, the Cove girls and the La Grande boys (up in Gresham), gutted through injuries to key athletes to come away in - grams (and individuals) it didn’t match what they hoped, but they still de- serve a tip of the hat for being among the state’s top programs even while at less than 100 percent. And for good measure, let’s not leave out the Cove boys (seventh place), Powder Valley boys (10th place) or Elgin girls (10th place with three athletes). 4) Double dipping: Three athletes not only claimed individual titles in two events, they crushed ✯▲✮✭❀ ❨✪✱✶ ▲✴✲ ✮✭✴✱✪ ✿✲✴ ✮✭✪ ❑✫✰✶ ✳✵✵✴❑✫✰✬ ✯✻✪ ✲✸✰✱✶ walking seven and striking ✴✸✮ ✯✻✪❀ In the title contest, the ❙✰✫✬✭✮✱ ✱✷✴✲✪✹ ✯✻✪ ✵✳✮✪ runs to distance them- selves for the victory. The Eagles scored single ✲✸✰✱✫✰ ✮✭✪ ✯✲✱✮✶ ▲✴✸✲✮✭ ✳✰✹ ✯▲✮✭ ✫✰✰✫✰✬✱✶ ❑✫✮✭ ❫✵❏✰✰ Nave’s RBI groundout in ✮✭✪ ✯▲✮✭ P✲✫✰✬✫✰✬ ❘✳✵✵✴❑✳ Valley within 5-3. But Ir- rigon plated two runs in ✮✭✪ P✴✮✮✴❃ ✴▲ ✮✭✪ ✯▲✮✭ ✳✰✹ scored three more times ✫✰ ✮✭✪ ✱✫❴✮✭ ▲✴✲ ✮✭✪ ✯✰✳✵ margin. Aschenbrenner, who went 2-for-3, added an RBI for the Eagles. Wallowa Valley (15-7 overall) secured the dis- trict’s No. 2 seed into the - gin the postseason today on the road against Hori- zon Christian, the top seed from Special District 1. ❵❂ ✱✮✳✮✪ ✿✵✳❏✴❄✱✶ ✳✰✹ P✪ the competition. Tim Ste- vens has left a mark that will be tough to erase in the 1A boys division as the Cove senior — who by the way is one of the most humble athletes I’ve ever ➋ a three-time champion in the 1,500 and 3,000 and holds the state meet record in both events. Ellyse Tin- gelstad is setting herself ➍➋➌➌➏➐ ➑➒➓➔ ➌ ➍➎ ➌ ➏➏➌ ✫✰✮✪✲✻✫✪❑✪✹ ❩ ✯✰✫✱✭✪✹ ✳✱ ✸✿ ▲✴✲ ✳ ✱✫❃✫✵✳✲ ✯✰✫✱✭ ✮✴ her career next year as the Joseph junior repeated in both the 1A girls 1,500 and 3,000. And sophomore Aaliyah Burton of Elgin ➘➴➷➬➮➴➱✃➬❐❒➷❮ ❰ÏÏ Ð ÑÏÏ Ò➬❐Ó❒➷Ô Õ➷Ö×Ø➬ÔÏÑ➬Ô✃ØÙ Ñ➬✃ ÚÛ➴➱✃ ÜÏ➷❮✃ÝÔ ❬✳✱✭✪✹ ✴✰✮✴ ✮✭✪ ✱✷✪✰✪ P❏ sweeping the 1A girls 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles. And none of these races, with the exception of Bur- ton coming back late to win the 300 hurdle race, were close. While there are several other standout ath- letes, these are three whom I feel deserve some addi- tional commendation. And it won’t be the last we hear of any of them — both Bur- ton and Tingelstad will be looking to add to their prep legacies next year, and Ste- vens will be blazing trails at the University of Idaho. ❭✴✲✮✭✪✳✱✮ ✺✲✪✬✴✰ showed itself well, once again proving that, pound for pound, it’s the most dominant corner of the state in track. What’s to come next year, of course, is hard to say. But this little slice of ç èé êëìëíî ç êïîðëñ òíóñ ç è ôõèö êëííï÷øðùú ç ûùìóüùíý þüøóìøÿìù ✟ ïìì ë ✁ ðð ✂ ó ✄ ù ç ☎ ✆ ð ✝ ✞ ïì ✆ êëøîð ✠ ø ✄ ùì ç ☎ ✆ ð ✝ ✠✡☛ ✠ ø ✄ ùì ç ☎ ✆ ð ✝ ☞ ùîø ✠ ø ✄ ùì ✌ ✍ ✎✏✑ ✒✓✔ ✕✖✗ ✘✙✚✛✜ ✌ ✢✏✙✚✣✖✚✤ ✢✛✙✥ Þßàáâßãä ✌ ✦ ✎✏✑ ✧✛✜✏✙ ✕✖✗ ✌ ✍ ✎✏✑ ✘★✩ ✘✙✚✛✜ åâåáàåæàß ç ➥➦ ➧➨➩➫ ➭➯➲➲ ➳➩➵➸➺ ➻➩➫➫➩➸➺➼ ➽ ➻➨➩➺➾➨➫➚ ➳➩➵➸➺ ➪➼➶➺➨➹ ✺✲✪✬✴✰✰✴✹✴✸P✮❑✫✵✵✳✬✳✫✰ shine among the raindrops ✴▲ ❘✪✱✮✪✲✰ ✺✲✪✬✴✰✶ P✲✫✰✬ home ample hardware and numerous dazzling perfor- mances. And another team will come home with a wild tale of how they won a state title — I can almost guarantee it. After all, that is what I’ve come to ex- pect. And the athletes have delivered, time and time again. ❞❡❢❣❤✐❞ ❥❦❧♠♦♦♣♠❦q❧❦ rst✉ ✈✇ ①②③④② ⑤③✇ ⑥⑦⑧⑧ ⑨⑩❶❶ r❷❸tt❷❸❸❹❷❸❺❺❻ ❼❞✐❽❾ q❿♦♠➀➀➁♠➂❥❿❥ ttr➃ ➄✇ ➄➅➆➆➇➈ ➉➊➈ ⑥⑦⑧⑧ ⑨⑩❶❶ r❷❸❸❸❷❹r❹❷❸❺❺❻ →→→➣↔↕➙➛➜➝↕➙➞➛➟➟➙➠➜↔➙➙➟➣➡➢➤ ✌✍✎✏✑ ✒✓✑ ✔ ✕✔✖ ✎✗✘✙✑✚✛ ✛✒✓✓✜ ✢✣✗✎ ✤✍✣✢ ✖✔✤✥ ✦✍✧✓ ✗✎ ✔✎✖ ★✙✓★✩ ✍✣✑ ✍✣✢ ✛✓✒✓★✑✗✍✎ ✍✪ ✑✍✜ ✫✣✔✒✗✑✤ ✧✔✑✑✢✓✛✛✓✛ ✛✣✢✓ ✑✍ ✙✔✬✓ ✤✍✣ ★✔✑★✙✗✎✘ ✧✍✢✓✭✭✭ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✯ ✰✲ ✲✳ ✴✰✵✷✸ ✹✺✻ ✽✿❀ ❁❂❃❄❄❂ ❅❇ ❈❃❇❉❊❄ ❋ ●❍■❏❑ ▲▼◆❖❍■■P ♥◗❘❙❯❳❩❬❙❭❪❘♥❫❙❪❘❩❴♥❵❛❴❙❙❘❩❬❬❜❝◗❛ Continued
