________i_
Sports
The CI ac I camas P rint
WedNEsdAy, F e B ruary 27, 2Ö02
Cougars eat up PCC 9^-58
ELENA BORYSKA
Linn-Benton on Jan. 26, the Cougars
Going into this game, the Cougars
Staff Writer
also weren’t playing very well then so
have a league record of 11-2, while
Martineau was unsure what to expect
Mt. Hood is 2-11. Even though the
The Clackamas women’s basketball
team extended its winning streak to
this time around. But the Cougars went
season has almost reached its con
out and played an impressive game.
clusion, this game still is an impor
seven games last week, pouncing on
“Weplayed really wellagainst them.
Portland at home and clawing Linn-
The girls were still a little angry from
“It’s a big game for us. We still
Benton with somepayback for the last
the first time, I think,” he said. “We
have an outside chance at the league
time they met.
went down there and from the very
title. We need to do our part here
tant one to win.
The Cougars hosted PCC on Feb.
start, just dominated, just played re
and see how the other things work
20, in what was the last home game for
ally well. I didn’t expect to go down
Out,” said Martineau. “Each game
the sophomore players. Not a lot of
and beat them by 40,1 just thought
we do something a little better, and I
people came to watch, most likely be
we’d go down and play well.”
think that’s the key right there, to
cause of the assured Clackamas vic
keep trying to get a little better. We’re
tory, but the Cougars still played hard
at the state where _we know we’re
and coasted to a98-50 victoiy.
playing pretty well and need to con
“It was a hard game to play, know
tinue to keep doing the things we’re
ing we were going to win. But we
doing.”
played really hard,” said Head Coach
The Cougars also made it to the
Jim Martineau. “Overall, it was a good
championship tournament last year,
game.”
but finished at the eighth position
Kayla Steen led thè Cougars with
in the Northwest. This year however,
20 points, 15 rebounds and six assists.
Martineau is confident in his team’s
Lena Grant chipped in with 20 points
chances at doing well.
and eleven rebounds, while Morgan
“If we continue to play the way
Hayes had 15 points and six rebounds.
we’re playing right now, we’re as
The Cougars played really good de
good as anybody,” said Martineau.
fense according to Martineau, and had
“Last year... we had a good season,
a 30 point lead in the first half.
but I think we knew we weren’t quite
After that easy victory, the Cougars
Steen contrib
as good as the top teams. There were
traveled to Albany to take on Linn-
uted 24 points, seven assists, and
four or five teams a lot better than
Benton. The last time these two teams
six steals to this runaway victory.
us, whereas this year, we’re right up
played, the Cougars were surprised
Jennie Kooch added 15 points and
there with everybody."
and fell to Linn-Benton, 80-76, in a frus
seven rebounds, Melissa Gibson
they'll even win the championship.
Maybe
trating overtime loss. Not this time,
had 13 points and Cappie Smith and
Martineau added, ‘‘And I think
though, as Clackamas walloped Linn-
Regina Joo both scored 12 points
confidence-wise, we’re completely
Benton, 99-58. The Cougars came out
and grabbed six rebounds.
different. We expect to go up there
and jumped on them from the start,
The Cougars now have only one
and play well. I think we’d be disap
preventing them from scoring long
game left in league play, against Mt.
Hood today, Feb. 27, before head
pointed with anything less.”
To reach Elena Boryska e-mail
ing to the NWAACC Champion
ships in Washington March 8-11.
dropbyB-104.
enough to jump ahead to a22-01ead at
the beginning of the game. Although
Clackamas lost their last match against
MightyMouse030@hotmail.com or
Forgotten heroes
By Nick Barron
______________________________
With February being Black History
facts concerning the sport of horse
Month, I decided to research some
racing is that the first Kentucky Derby
What if black jockeys were allowed
little-known but outstanding African
was won by a horse trained and jock
to perform as they had since the end
Americans who played various roles
eyed by African Americans. In fact, 15
of the Civil War? Would Secretariat
in the sports world, before the white
of the first 28 Kentucky Derbys were
have been jockeyed by an African
men who controlled professional
won by black jockeys, with the last
American? If Willie Thrower had been
sports at that time realized they were
one to win a Derby being Jimmy
given a chance to prove himself to the
being bigoted morons.
Winkfield in 1902. Once the turn of the
NFL, would America have had to wait
First, I would like to pay homage to
century came about, horse racing’s
history?
that the color of his skin didn’t keep
the Negro Baseball League from 1930
him from performing atalevel that most
to 1946. In a span of 17 years, Gibson
white men could only dream of reach
amassed962 homeruns, 207 mere than
ing?
Hank Aaron and 248 more than Babe
The truth is, I will never know the
Ruth. His lifetime batting average site
answer to these questions. The only
at .391, higher than any Major League
truth that I find in the discrimination
Baseball player, ever. This right-
African Americans suffered at the
handed slugger never made it to the
hand of my fellow Caucasians is that
big leagues, though, passing away at
we white people can be a very stu
age 35, just months before JackieRob-
pid race. But I cannot change the
Next on my list is Willie Thrower,
who died recently of a heart attack,
popularity increased, causing African
past, I can only dream of what might
American’s to be forced into “stable
have been.
boy” roles in the sport
■
■
■
■
■
■
Flash-custom-jewelry
State Certified and Licensed
Guaranteed Quality Work
Hospital Sterilization
Traditional, New School, Custom
Star Tattoo and
Body piercing
(503) 653-5679
■ 15190 S’.E. Mcloughlin
2
Blvd.
■
Milwaukie, OR.
J
97267
■ 10% off for all students
■
13 more years for James Harris toprove
Josh Gibson, a catcher who played in
inson broke baseball’s color barrier.
SALENA DE LA CRUZ / ClackamasPrint
Jennie Kooch goes fora basket while surrounded by PCC
players.The Cougars beat Portland and stretched their winning
streak to seven games.
I dream of a game, on a hot summer
and was the first black quarterback to
Most recently, we have \rinetta Flow
afternoon, in which a man named Josh
play in the National Football League.
ers, who discovered gold in Salt Lake
Gibson steps up to face a pitcher
Thrower excelled as aBigTenquarter-
City at the2002Winter Olympics. Flow
named Dizzy Dean, smacking Dean’s
back in college, helping Michigan State
ers becomes the first black to medal in
fastball overthe left field wall. Gibson
to a national championship in 1952, but
a Winter Olympic event.
trots around the bases, the crowd
went undrafted and signed with the
These people are just a few of the
sending down its approval from high
Chicago Bears for $8,500. He played in
hundreds of black individuals who
up in the stands, a smile beaming
j ust two games prior to being released
have contributed to sports that thou
from the catcher’s face. With a
by the Bears, and wound up playing
sands love and follow. Mymind wan
twinkle in his eye, Gibson touches
professional football in Canada for
ders as I look ova* Gibson’s stat sheet
home plate, raises his cap to his ad--
three years. “Willie the Pro,” his nick
What if this slugger had been allowed
name until his death, retired at age 27.
to compete with white men in the Ma
mirors, and takes a seat in Major
League Baseball history.
Another black quarterback would not
take the field in a NFL game until 13*
jor Leagues? Would Yankee Stadium
still be called “The House that Ruth
To reach Nick Barron e-mail
years after Thrower’s appearance.
Perhaps one of the least-known'
Built?” How much couldjust one man
barronoru@hotmail.com or drop by
have changed the course of baseball
B-104.
NWAACC
MEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS
SOUTHERNDIVISION
SW Oregon
[Clackamas
Lane
Mt Hood
Chemeketa
Linn-Benton
Portland
Umpqua
LEAGUE
SEASON
11-2
io 3
21-6
23-5]
16-11
13-13
18-9
10-16
5-21
5-21
9-4
7-6
7-6
5-8
2-11
1-12
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STANDINGS
SOUTHERNDIVISION
LEAGUE
SEASON
Umpqua
Clackamas
Lane
Chemeketa
SW Oregon
Linn-Benton
Mt Hood
Portland
12-1
11-2
10-3
7-6
5-8
5-8
2-11
0-13
26-2
23-41
21-6
18-9
12-15
8-18
5-21
2-24