Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (March 14, 2007)
Isports Clackamas Print 7 Wednesday,. March 14, 2007 Softball set to succeed Frank Jordan The Clackamas Print The 2007 version of the Clackamas Cougar softball team has jumped out to a 3-0 record to open the season after winning three games at the Blue Mountain Invitational in Pendleton last weekend. The Cougars, led by first-year Head Coach Jessica Farnsworth, return five players from last year’s NWAACC runner-up team, including Southern Division All-Stars Janelie Cristofaro, Katie King and Cotie Howard. Along with Jessica Schell and Heather Rightley, all five returning sopho mores hope to take the Cougars back to the NWAACC tournament in May. The Cougars have recruited some strong freshmen to help out, including pitcher Renee Santos, a right-handed hurler from St. Mary’s Academy in Portland. Santos picked up two victo ries in Pendleton, throwing shutouts in both starts. Cristofaro got her first win of the year on Saturday, holding Shoreline CC to threa earned runs on five hits in an 11-3f Clackamas vic tory. Farnsworth, taking over the head coaching reins from longtime coach Paul Fiskum, played college soft- ball at Clackamas, and was twice honored as a first-team all-star and also was selected to an All-American team in 2000. Farnsworth trans ferred to Western Oregon University, where she received all-league honors. She graduated from WOU in 2002 with a Communications Degree and coached at Central High School in Independence for three seasons. Fiskum enters his 20th season on the Cougar softball coaching staff, during that time coaching the Cougars to eight NWAACC championships and eight division titles. The Cougars’ next game is Fri., March 16 with a game against Concordia College at Delta Park in north Portland. The Cougars’ home opener is April 3 against Clark College at 3 p.m. on the Cougar Softball dia mond behind Randall Hall. Baseball results: March 3 @ Centralia CC: W 12-3 March 4 @ Grays Harbor College: W 8-3, W 9-5 March 10 vs. Linfield JV: Rain out Mike Sutilice I Sports Editor The Good: Internet Photo In her first year as head coach of the Cougar softball team, Farnsworth has her girls off to a 3-0 start. Track and field highlights: March 10 Men: Kenjamine Jackson: 100 meter dash - 1st place Joe Gobel: High jump - 1st place Upcoming home schedule: March 20 vs. Olympic College, noon. March 23 vs. Wenatche Valley College, noon. March 24 vs. Treasure Valley CC, noon. March 31 vs. Mt. Hood CC, noon. (DH) Mike Simmons: Javelin throw- 1st place Women: Stephanie Dittmar: 100 meter dash - 2nd place Meaghan Durand: High jump - 1st place Jeeni Schantin: Javelin throw - 1st place All-Star festivities held at Clackamas The 2006-07 men’s Southern Region All- Star team huddles during a timeout. The Cougars’ starting five of Maurice Ross, Nick Eldridge, David Cernin, Steven Vaughan and Brian Freeman were all voted to play in the game, which took place Sunday. NWAACC tournament MVP Freeman chose to sit out the contest in order to allow his body to rest after tak ing a beating in thé postseason. He repre sented the team as an honorary head coach. The South lost the game to the East All Stars by a final score of 118-98. The Ducks basketball team is peaking at just the right time. Oregon was awarded the number three seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tourney after finishing the regular season with three straight wins and dominating the Pac-10 Tournament Another reason for hope is that the team will play its first two con tests in Spokane, Wash.; staying in the Pacific Northwest will allow the Quack Attack to have a seem ingly formidable home-court advan tage, not that they should need it as they open tournament play versus the University of Wally Szczerbiak (Miami of Ohio). If the Ducks are hitting their out side shots, they can beat anyone, any where. Kou need to look no further than this one glaring statistic: Oregon was the only team in the NCAA this season to beat three top-10 ranked opponents, their win on the road vs. Georgetown not even withstanding. With determined play from 51- conference guards Aaron Brooks, the tiny Tajuan Porter and the re-emerg ing Bryce Taylor, the Ducks redly just need strong performances by their “post” players, Maarty Leunen, Malik Hairston and the scrappy fresh man Joevan Catron. March Madness begins tomor row; get your brackets filled out and prepare to lode foolish! The Bad: Swih Cash might be tiie worst excuse for a NBA “analyst” I’ve ever seen. Why ESPN decided to hire her caito their Fastbreak segment, 1 will never understand. Actually, that’s a lie; I’m sure it’s simply because she’s a woman. Cash may play in the WNBA, but that doesn’t mean she has any business talking NBA basketball. All she ever does is inter ject stupid one-liners in between dia tribes contributed by actual intelligent sports broadcasters. In other news, the University of Illinois recently sent their longtime mascot, Chief Illiniwek, to the big casino in the sky. Native American activists have been complaining that the University’s representation of the chief is “demeaning” and done in poor taste. Personally, I think that’s outrageous. The mascot has been a part of die team and at the forefront of sporting events since the 1920s; to abolish his presence after all this time is simply ridiculous. Some time ago, idiots made a big deal about the Pledge of Allegiance being recited in schools because of the mentioning of God. I guarantee you those same people don’t have a problem handling money that has “In God We Trust” printed on it. I’m contemplating a new career as a misanthrope. Yes, this means I probably hate you. The Ugly: Lorenzo Mata, the UCLA junior center. Other heinous things of note include but are not limited to: Kobe Bryant throwing ‘bows at anyone in a fifty-foot radius, Ron Artest’s rap sheet and, lastly, the Green Bay Packers are considering trading for Randy Moss. Another quality wide- out for the incumbent QB Brett Favre would be ideal, but Moss can only contaminate the young crop of play ers that the Pack is currently groom ing. Especially after pretending to “moon” the fans at Lambeau in the past, tiie people who own the fran chise aren’t likely to welcome the troubled wide receiver with open arms, or an open checkbook for that
