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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 27, 2015)
SPORTS 4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2015 Mariota adapting to plays with Titans Astoria Chiefs rally for tournament championship By TERESA M. WALKER Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Marcus Mariota never had to worry about huddling up to call plays at Oregon — he and the Ducks simply glanced to the sideline for what to run next. Now with the Tennessee Titans, it’s up to Mariota to huddle up his teammates and call a play only he has re- ceived from the sideline. The play can be as short as three words or as long as 11. “For me, learning a whole new system, I have to go over it constantly so that I know what’s going in,” Mariota said. Mariota showed his com- mand Tuesday as the Titans WRRN WKH ¿HOG IRU WKHLU ¿UVW organized workout this off- season. Whisenhunt says that hasn’t been an issue since Mariota arrived as the No. 2 pick overall. “He’s obviously comfort- able doing that,” Whisenhunt VDLG ³+H ¿WV QDWXUDOO\ LQ there.” NFL quarterbacks get plays called into their helmets from a coach on the other end of the radio, and the Titans also have given Mariota a wristband as a backup aid for calling plays. “He works very hard at it outside of his time here, so I think the biggest thing is just time with him,” Whisenhunt said of Mariota. “It’ll click. He’s just got to continue to hear it as we continue to build, and we’re going to continue to throw things on him.” 2Q KLV ¿UVW GD\ ZLWK DOO his new teammates, Mariota showed off both the strong arm and speed as a runner that helped him win the Heisman Trophy along with The Asso- ciated Press player of the year. He took off for a 30-yard run at one point, though he also lost a fumble along with an interception. Whisenhunt called it a typ- LFDO¿UVWGD\ZLWK0DULRWDMXVW one of many new players on The Daily Astorian AP Photo/Mark Zaleski Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) passes as Alex Tanney (11) looks on during an organized team activity at the team’s NFL football training facility Tuesday in Nashville. offense. Yet Whisenhunt ex- pects the rookie quarterback’s speed and ability to run for big gains to help him earn his teammates’ respect pretty quickly. The respect Mariota had from his teammates is something the Titans noticed when scouting the quarter- back during his pro day at Oregon. “They like having guys that can help them win, and I think they see that in Marcus,” Whisenhunt said. The rookie quarterback isn’t much of a talker, at least not in the locker room. Wide receiver Kendall Wright called Mariota someone who talks RQO\ ZKHQ VSRNHQ WR ¿UVW something that changes when WKH\KHDGRQWRWKH¿HOG “He kind of lets his play- ing do the talking,” Wright said. “Once he puts his helmet and jersey on, he’s a different player. It’s straight football.” The Titans have made it clear Mariota is expected to be their starter Sept. 13 at Tampa Bay ahead of Zach Metten- berger, their sixth-round draft pick a year ago out of LSU. For a franchise that started three quarterbacks last season, the Titans also are expected to keep veteran Charlie White- hurst around too giving them three on the roster. Mettenberger doesn’t plan on ceding the starting job to Mariota. Mettenberg- er’s right shoulder is healthy DIWHU FRVWLQJ KLP WKH ¿QDO three games last season, and he also worked hard this off- season to be stronger. But the quarterbacks’ lockers are right next to each other, and Mettenberger said Mariota is really sharp. “Really he doesn’t need a lot of my help,” Mettenberg- er said. “He’s been picking up things pretty quickly. If he DVNV,¶OOGH¿QLWHO\KHOS´ But it’s Mariota that has created more excitement for this franchise than the Titans have seen since drafting Vince Young at No. 3 overall in 2006. His jersey is selling left and right, and he is the quar- terback who threw for 4,454 yards last season alone for Oregon. Tight end Delanie Walker cautioned Tuesday was only WKH ¿UVW GD\ RI RUJDQL]HG team activities for a franchise trying to improve after going 2-14 in 2014. “He got more to show, and we all going to be watching to see what he brings to the ta- ble,” Walker said. Notes: RB Shonn Greene was the only player not at the OTA, and Whisenhunt noted these sessions are voluntary. The coach said he would like Greene here, but the running back is a veteran who knows how to prepare himself. ... DL Sammie Hill hurt a knee during the session, and Whisenhunt said he didn’t think it was seri- ous. ... Rookie receiver Dorial Green-Beckham aggravated a hamstring, and Whisenhunt said they chose to be cautious by keeping him out. Astoria’s Cal Ripken Majors baseball team, the Chiefs, won a recent Majors Tournament Championship hosted by Knappa. Naselle, Wash., opened the tournament with a 6-5, ex- WUDLQQLQJZLQRYHU$VWRULDVRWKH&KLHIVKDGWR¿JKWEDFN through the consolation bracket to earn the championship. The Chiefs rallied to win six games in a row, including two straight against Knappa to win the championship. $VWRULDZRQWKH¿UVWFRQWHVWWKHQGRZQHG.QDSSD 7-4 in the second game to win the title. Astoria pitchers Dylan Junes and Tony Tumbarello combined for both wins in both games. Initially, the Chiefs trailed Naselle 4-0 in the fourth inning, before coming back and scoring 14 runs without an out. During league play, the Chiefs went 11-0-1 for an XQGHIHDWHG UHJXODU VHDVRQ DQG ¿QLVKHG ZLWK DQ RYHUDOO record of 17-1-1. Astoria scored an average of 12 runs per game, and were led at the plate by Tony Tumbarello (.740 batting average), Dylan Junes (.705) and Hunter Ficken (.622). Junes had 36 runs scored, while Tumbarello had a .786 on base percentage. Astoria head coach Len Tumbarellosaid, “Every mem- ber contributed something during the six-game winning streak and this championship was a total team effort. “I am so proud of the way they all gave 100 percent and competed throughout the tournament.” The Chiefs’ roster includes, Julian Dalida, Isaak Dun- away, Hunter Ficken, Jackson Fox, Connolly Fromwiller, Dylan Junes, Jase Junes, Cannon Kraft, Anthony Reed, Bailey Stenblom and Tony Tumbarello. Tumbarello is assisted by Digger Cokley. Submitted Photo The Astoria Chiefs raise their championship trophy. Past Triple Crown winners ready for Pharoah to join club 6LQFH$I¿UPHG¶VVZHHS KRUVHV KDYH ZRQ WKH ¿UVW WZR legs only to fail or not run in Steve Cauthen thinks it’s the 1 ½-mile Belmont, the lon- long past time for a new horse gest and most grueling of the to join the exclusive club of Tri- three races run at three different ple Crown winners. WUDFNVRYHUD¿YHZHHNVSDQ The jockey who rode Af- Cauthen and other connec- ¿UPHGWRDVZHHSRIWKH.HQ- tions of Triple Crown winners tucky Derby, Preakness and are impressed with American Belmont Stakes in 1978 be- Pharoah, who chased down lieves horse racing needs a vic- pacesetter Dortmund in the tory by American Pharoah in Kentucky Derby and then led the Belmont on June 6 to boost all the way in the slop to win ÀDJJLQJLQWHUHVWLQWKHVSRUW the Preakness. “I always felt it would hap- “I just think he’d be com- pen again,” Cauthen said Tues- ing up to this race perfectly,” day in a phone interview. “It’s said Billy Turner, the only long past time.” living trainer to win the Tri- The 1970s produced three ple Crown with Seattle Slew. Triple Crown winners, with “It’s easy if your horse is do- Secretariat breaking a 25-year ing well and you’re very con- drought in 1973. Seattle Slew ¿GHQWLQKLVFRQGLWLRQDQGKH IROORZHGLQDQG$I¿UPHG doesn’t have anything bother- came along the next year, lead- ing him. If he has things that ing many to believe the Triple are bothering him, then the Crown was an easy feat. pressure is intense.” “It’s a tough series and it’s It appears American Pharoah supposed to be,” Cauthen said. will have nine rivals in the Bel- By BETH HARRIS AP Racing Writer $! !!% " "#!#' " '$! "#!#" "&!&#'$# $#!"" Triple Crown hopeful Amer- ican Pharoah gets a bath at Churchill Downs in Louis- ville, K.Y, Tuesday. mont, including seven that either ran in the Derby or the Preakness and two newcomers to the Triple Crown trail. Amer- ican Pharoah will be the only colt to have run in all three legs of the series. Soils! SEMINAR For m ore in fo contact: Cla tso p SW CD 75 0 Co m m ercia l Ro o m 207 Asto ria , OR Phon e: "!%&""""# Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography via AP Instructor Ja m es Ca ssidy from the O regon Sta te University Crop a nd Soil Science D epa rtm ent w ill present a progra m on the com plex na ture of soils! 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