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About Columbia Gorge news. (The Dalles, OR) 2020-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 2021)
14 Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Columbia Gorge News www.columbiagorgenews.com SPORTS Bruin girls sweep relays, win sub-district meet Petshow ■ Joe Columbia Gorge News season-best time of 52.44 seconds. She also finished second in the 100 and 200 behind LaCenter freshman Columbia High track and Shaela Bradley. (Bradley was field Coach Jim Anderson the meet’s top point scorer made two major decisions with 30 points, having also before and during Friday’s won the long jump.) Fies won 2021 Trico League Sub- District Championship meet. the 400 and PR’d in the 200, where she was fourth, and The second one was easy — he simply kept his mouth anchored the Bruin 4 x 200 relay. shut. The first decision As often is the case, it was arguably took more forti- the performances of some tude — he had to defer to the collective wisdom of four of Columbia’s lesser-known teenage boys. The result was athletes that clinched the team title for the Bruins. All golden in both cases. told, the Bruin girls produced Both decisions involved eight season bests at the relay teams, which were key meet. to the Bruins’ success at the The top four finishers in meet. Especially on the girls side, where three season-best sub district advanced to Friday’s District IV cham- wins, including the 4 x 400-meter race in the meet’s pionship (also at Seton). final event — and lifetime Anderson said there always is bests from some unsung some disappointment when heroes — propelled CHS to an athlete just misses out on the championship. In one of advancing. “That’s what they the more competitive team all strive for,” he said. That finishes in recent years, five said, the Bruin coaching staff of the six Trico teams were underscores the importance within 18 points of first place of team points – first through in the meet at Vancouver’s eighth. “(For example) had Seton Catholic. The margin Taylor Hanson and Esther among the top three teams Kline not stepped up with was even closer. their points we wouldn’t Columbia’s long relay team have won,” Anderson said. of Ella Zimmerman, Hannah “They had a pretty good- Polkinghorn, Chanele Reyes sized hand in winning the and Makayla Fies clinched championship.” the title for the Bruins, As did Chloe Clifford and finishing in a season-best 4 Piper Hicks, who also ran minutes, 20.02 seconds. The legs on the short relay and 4 10 first-place relay points X 200. Hicks was seventh in gave Columbia 109 for the the 100 for two team points. meet, four more than Seton Frosh Jessica Polkinghorn Catholic and six ahead of won the shot put and was LaCenter. Seton easily won third in the javelin for 16 the boys meet with 133.5 points. Frosh Hanson was points; White Salmon was fifth in the 400 and seventh fourth with 85. in the 800 (in lifetime bests) “We knew we had a really for six more points; classmate good chance to win the Madeline Allen was sixth in girls meet this year,” Coach the shot put (three points). Anderson said. Kline’s distance double — The 4 x 400 relay mem- 1600 and 3200 — produced seven points and included a bers each had busy days PR in the longer race, her first for Columbia. Reyes won attempt at that distance. her specialties, the 100 and Anderson said leading up 300 hurdles, and ran a leg to the meet, knowing the on the Bruin 4 x 100 relay. Zimmerman was third in the Bruins could score points in the distance races because low hurdles and sixth in the 1600. Polkinghorn anchored of a low number of overall entries, he approached the Bruin short relay to a 1600-runner Kline with the idea of a double. “I asked Esther, ‘You want to run the 3200?’ and she was like I’ll do whatever you want me to do.” “Almost everyone had an event which they scored points,” Anderson said. “It is something that I do talk about at practice and after meets. There are two sides to track and field. The individ- ual side and then there is a team side of it.” The girls meet came down to the final event, the 4 X 400 relay. “I was keeping an eye on the team scoring as the meet was winding down,” Anderson said. With the relay remaining, Columbia and host Seton were tied with 99 points apiece and LaCenter had 95. “I shared that with our sprint coach (Heidi Schultz), but I didn’t let the girls know,” Anderson said. “I didn’t want to put any added pressure on them. They ran their best 4-by-4 of the year.” Zimmerman opened with a 65-second split and handed off to Polkinghorn, who maintained the Bruins’ spot in second place. Polkinghorn passed the baton to Reyes who took the lead after 100 meters of her lap and stretched the advantage to about 10 meters before pass- ing to Fies for the anchor leg. “Once (Reyes) took over I pretty much knew at that point we had it,” Anderson said. Most 1A schools are fortunate to have one runner with 65-second, open 400-meter speed, but Columbia has two. The Reyes-Fies finish brought home the baton in first place and the Bruins had their team championship. “Our girls work really hard in practice on exchanges and that’s what it all comes down to for them,” Anderson said. “They just want to make sure that the baton doesn’t slow down. They want to domi- nate those relays. “I can’t recall having relay teams in all three events as strong as they are.” HRV, TD boys battle on the links; Eagles win five-team invitational Weber ■ By For Mike Columbia Gorge News future. “Coach Telles, understand- ing this condition, made this For a second straight week, a preferred lie tournament for all the players.” The Dalles and Hood River Despite the win, Mason, boys golf teams battled over ever the perfectionist, was 18 holes, with the Eagles looking for areas his linksters coming out on top but with could improve. “Overall, we the Riverhawks closing the played OK; it was a win in gap on their Gorge rival. the end but there are many The most recent compe- things we can improve on,” tition was April 19 in a five- he said. “The main thing is team tourney at The Dalles course management and shot Country Club. Hood River selection when in trouble won with a 381, followed by The Dalles at 392; La Grande on the course. We averaged was third at 407, followed by over bogey golf in this contest Seaside (418) and Pendleton and that’s not acceptable as I know our potential is much (476). lower. I take the course con- “I’m really proud of our team for getting second ditions into account, as well.” place, particularly since Curtis Kunde of Seaside they’re such young players won the match with a 77, who were competing in just followed by HRV’s duo of their second high school Ren Tappert (81) and Dylan tournament,” said The Dalles Santee (86). The Dalles took Coach Dan Telles. “They the next two spots; Joseph come out to practice every Codding shot 87 and Spencer day so that they can try to get Taylor 90. The 87 was a better, and they performed as personal best for Codding, well as I could expect them who birdied the par-5 second to. They’re improving every hole. Taylor’s 90 also was a week. This is quite a bit dif- personal record. Mason said he is pleased ferent than coming out to a course and playing with your with his team’s progression. “Overall, I am happy with our mom and dad. There’s a lot more pressure on them to do progress. There are always a well when they’re playing in a few hiccups along the way, tournament.” Course conditions affected the play. “We did not play to our potential as a team, but there are a few things that KRHP is available contributed, I think,” HRV Coach Erin Mason said. “The FREE over the air course conditions are a little in The Dalles rough right now, due to lack & Dallesport of water during prime season and some construction around the course to do im- “Christian TV the provements. They are doing way it ought to be” some great upgrades that will make the course better in the and we will power through it. I was happy to get Charlie Wilson and Jake Beukelman out there, as well, today on the JV side. I think it’s great to get them some match-style competition.” Codding, who has been playing golf since age 10, said he wants more this season than to simply beat his per- sonal best. “I’ve only had two tournaments so far, so it’s not too hard to beat my personal best score. I’m trying to get much lower scores though and I’m hoping to shoot in the 70s range by the end of the season. That’s the goal I’ve set for myself and I’m hoping to reach that point. “It’s a joy to be out on the golf course because there’s lots of great people out there who are really fun to be around.” The Dalles scoring four- some also included sopho- mores Kenneth Miller, who shot 105, and Chase Sam, who shot 110. The Dalles and Hood River were scheduled to play April 26 at Indian Creek in Hood River (result was after the printed edition deadline). Their next event is May 3 at 10 a.m. at The Golf Course at Birch Creek in Pendleton. Juan Acosta prepares to shot put in practice above. Below, Piper Hicks and Hannah Polkinghorn prac- tice the 4 X 100 relay. The Bruin boys team came one leg injury away from likely winning both sub-district relays, as well. It did win the short relay and was third in the 4 x 400. The 4 x 100 victory was in a season-best time of 46.76, by Peter Schlegel, Angel Sanchez, Jace Greenwood, and Ryan Howard. Howard and Sanchez also ran legs on the Bruins’ third place 4 x 400 relay. Howard added a run- ner-up finish in the 200 and was third in the 100 — in a personal best 12.02. Sanchez was second in the 100 and long jump (18-9.25). Anderson said the short relay’s focus all season has been the upcoming district meet. “That is the event that I’ve personally given the most time,” he said. “Because I want those guys to win the district championship.” They tuned up for district with a come-from-behind victory at sub-district. Greenwood, the No. 3 leg, overcame a six-meter deficit running the curve and hand- ed off the baton to Howard in the lead. “Ryan, who is one of the fastest guys in the league, I knew that when he got it, it was over.” Anderson said in pre-meet practice he tinkered with the idea of changing the order of the runners. He was quickly vetoed. “They said, ‘We like it the way it is. If it’s not broke coach, let’s not fix it.” Senior thrower Juan Acosta was a double winner, taking the shot put at 39-10.5 and discus in 110-9. His 20 team points were among the 37 total for the Bruin throwers, whose collective effort also included Josiah Nelson, Eli Nielson, Calvin Andrews and Beren Anderson. Nelson’s 31-4.5 fourth-place shot put mark was a personal best. Senior Dylan Muehlbauer had Columbia’s other PR – a 54.84-second 400. He also joined Howard, Andrews, and Sanchez on the long relay. Anderson said he was es- pecially pleased with Acosta’s double win in the throws because the senior is a great example of a field and track leader. “That kid is a work- horse. First one to practice, last one to leave. He’s one of our captains,” Anderson said. “He helps the younger kids with their technique. Takes them to the weight room and helps them with their workouts - pushes them. He’s a great kid.” Anderson said this year’s team is a special group. “Every now and then you get a group of kids that comes together who just mesh,” he said. “It’s been fun to watch and be a part of.” SWITCH & GET SAMSUNG GALAXY S21 5G FREE NO HIDDEN REQUIREMENTS Lost KRHP-TV on Cable? Navigate Wireless 2930 Cascade Ave., Hood River, 541-386-9200 Requires Smartphone and postpaid service plan purchase, new line, port-in, credit approval. Paid via monthly bill credit on a 30-mo. RIC. 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