Illinois Valley news., May 25, 2011, Image 9

Sports
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Cougars barely miss State playoff
(Photo by Dan Mancuso, Illinois Valley News)
Junior Andrew McLaughlin and Senior Curtis Paulson reflect on the end of the Cougar baseball season. The boys lost a close game to Rogue River Thursday,
May 19 in Grants Pass which removed them from the state playoffs.
By Darcy Wallace
IVN Staff Writer
Illinois Valley High School’s baseball
team saw its season end Thursday, May 19,
after a close 0-2 loss in a critical game against
Rogue River at Grants Pass Sports Park.
The Cougars played the Chieftains four
times this season, winning three out of four
games. But only the winner of the final game
could advance to State competition, as it was
the league playoff between the second and third
place teams.
Unlike previous meetings between the
Cougars and the Chieftains, Illinois Valley’s
bats went cold, with no hits or runs. The defense
and strong pitching by senior Bryan Biggs held
Rogue River to just two runs, but without the
offensive surge, it wasn’t enough to overcome
their opponent.
“That’s the way it goes,” said IVHS
baseball coach Bob Johnson. “The umpire had
a big strike zone, which hurt us…and we had to
make the long trip [to Lakeview] the day before
which also hurt us. Combined it was kind of a
perfect storm.”
Rogue River pitcher Christian Reyes
might have also had his best game of the season
in the no-hitter, allowing only one walk from
IVHS and striking out several others.
The two teams also have remarkably
similar season records, the Chieftains going
9-13 overall after a loss May 20 to Cascade
Christian.
Illinois Valley ends the season with a 9-14
overall record, but a strong 8-4 record in their
own conference, with Rogue River 6-6. Despite
losing some difficult early-season games against
bigger schools, the Cougars won eight out of
their last 11 games.
“The younger guys learned real quick;
most of them are way better than when they
started, and that’s our goal: to get the kids so
they can go out and contribute,” Johnson said.
Four seniors will move on, but Johnson
said many athletes plan to come back next
season, bringing their experience with them.
As of May 22, the Spring Sports awards
ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday,
June 1 at Illinois Valley High School.
Lone rider
represents
Cougars at
state meet
By Darcy Wallace
IVN Staff Writer
During the State
equestrian competition in
Redmond, Ore. May 18-
22, junior Jessie Rollins
represented her school
in the final meet of the
season.
Rollins
competed
bravely in the Keyhole
event, but unfortunately
was called disqualified
for her horse stepping just
outside the chalked line.
Going into State,
assistant coach Alicia
Kinsey said Rollins was
in the top three fastest
equestrian athletes of
Southern Oregon schools.
As a junior, Rollins has a
solid chance of returning
next year and exceeding
expectations.
“She was heartbroken,
but to be the [second-fastest]
in the Southern Oregon
district is impressive,”
Kinsey said. “She’s gone to
State pretty consistently in
these types of events.”
In keyhole, riders
have a limited space to
run as fast as they can to
the end, but then have to
turn around and run back,
requiring a high amount
of control from the rider
to stop and turn around in
such a small space.
According to coach
Desiree Eddy, keyhole is
one of the rare “do or die”
events where any slight
slip-up could be enough to
prevent riders from placing
in the competition.
Eddy said after the
April meet, Rollins was
second overall out of 70
athletes in the Southern
Oregon district in Keyhole.
(Curtisey photo, Illinois Valley News)
Illinois Valley junior Jessie Rollins competes in the Keyhole event as the lone IVHS competitor May 18-22 in Redmond.