AHS PREVIEWS
10A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016
Senior Halie
Korff returns
as a state-
placer in
the discus,
shot put and
javelin.
Photos by Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
Astoria’s Kaylee Mitchell competed in the OSAA 2015
Track and Field State Championships.
Darian Hageman competed in multiple events at last
year’s OSAA Track and Field State Championships.
Astoria JirOs OooNinJ to maNe tracN and ¿eOd history
By GARY HENLEY
The Daliy Astorian
At the very least, the Asto-
ria girls track team will be a state
title contender. If everyone remains
healthy (and even if they don’t),
the Lady Fishermen will be set-
ting school records all season, and
scoring points at the state meet that
haven’t been seen for years.
Scenario No. 2 sounds better,
and a LOT more realistic.
In all likelihood, the Astoria
girls track team will be posing
with another state championship
trophy on the in¿eld of +ayward
Field in Eugene, the afternoon of
May 21.
The Lady Fishermen are the big
favorites to repeat as the Class 4A
state champs. The only question is:
+ow many points will they score"
Astoria could be racking up his-
toric numbers at +istoric +ayward.
The target number will be 151
— the points scored by the Summit
girls in last year’s 5A meet. If Asto-
ria can’t reach that, then it’s 87.5 —
the record for the most points in a
state meet at the 4A level (Philo-
math girls, 2010).
Either way, “their ability is some-
what limitless,” Astoria coach Gar-
rett Parks said. “It’s a great group
of girls, ¿rst and foremost. They’re
incredibly coachable, and they put a
lot of time in during the off-season.
“At this point, the name of the
game is just keeping them healthy
and progressing.”
AHS GIRLS
It’s no secret where the Lady
Fish will score most of their points.
The No. 1 producer will be
sophomore 'arian +ageman, a
converted softball player who
competed in track for the ¿rst time
last year, and ¿nished as the state
triple jump champion, ahead of six
seniors.
If she’s healthy, +ageman could
be unbeatable this season. She was
already setting unof¿cial school
records in the indoor season, and is
ranked No. 1 in the state in the high
jump, long jump and triple jump.
Kaylee Mitchell returns for her
sophomore season, when it was
¿rst thought she would just have
one year at Astoria.
Instead, Mitchell gives Astoria
state title points in any event she
decides to run. She is ranked No.
1 in the 800 meters, after placing
second in both the 800 and 1,500
at state (and helping the 400-meter
relay to second) in 2015.
The sprints are covered with
the Cummings sisters, Natalie and
freshman Gracie, who is No. 2 in
the state in the 200 meters. Natalie
placed fourth at state in the 100
(top three were seniors), ¿fth in the
200 (top four were seniors).
Basically, every area on the
track is covered, with state champi-
on-caliber athletes in all the throw-
ing and jumping events.
Said Parks, “We have slots
across the board that are looking
pretty strong.”
Astoria’s 400-meter relay of
Victoria Kee, Mitchell and the
Cummings sisters is also ranked
No. 1.
Kee and freshmen Andrea +ar-
ris and Nara Van De Grift are set to
score big points in the hurdles.
One of the few seniors is +alie
Korff, returning state placer in the
discus (2nd), shot put (7th) and
javelin (3rd).
The throws are even stronger,
with the addition of junior Skadi
Freyr, the No. 1-ranked shot putter
in the state.
Freyr and Korff are both ranked
in the top three statewide in the dis-
cus and shot put.
If that wasn’t enough, senior
Daisy Gayral (currently sixth in
state in the long and triple jump),
sophomore Taylor Cosner (throws)
and junior Shrida Sharma are capa-
ble of scoring points in the big
meets.
In short — it’s going to take a
major upset for anyone to ¿nish
ahead of the Astoria girls at state.
AHS BOYS
For the Astoria boys, “we’re
still trying to ¿gure out who’s
who,” Parks said. “We have a large
number of ¿rst-year track kids.
We have some senior boys (Bron-
son +olthusen, Chris Williams)
who kind of came out of nowhere,
which is great.”
Senior shot-putter Zander
Arnold is ranked third in state, and
sophomore Tim Barnett is seventh.
“Our boys are improving by
leaps and bounds. Our throw-
ers are holding on strong in most
areas; the sprinters are improving;
and Lucas (Caruana) is obviously a
strong athlete,” after placing fourth
in the state 800 ¿nal last year.
“There’s all kinds of talent
there, we just need to learn how to
develop it.”
Prediction: A league title for
the Astoria girls is pretty much a
given. If everyone stays healthy for
the Lady Fishermen, they’re the
favorites at state as well. Year 2 of
the Astoria track dynasty is under-
way. State Champions.
Lucas Caruana competed in the 800 meter race in last year’s OSAA Track
and Field State Championships.
Junior takes over Astoria softball
By GARY HENLEY
The Daily Astorian
It’s Junior’s team now,
as Kent Israel Jr., takes over
the coaching reigns of Asto-
ria +igh School softball. Lou
Marconeri stepped down as
the head coach after seven
years, but remains on the staff,
along with Alan Barendse and
Brittany Israel.
After assisting Marconeri
in the past, coach Israel likes
what he sees on the roster in
his ¿rst year as coach.
The Lady Fish have several
key returners, and are com-
pletely healthy for the ¿rst
time in a few seasons.
THE COWAPA
It’s the usuals, Israel said.
And that usually includes
Banks and Scappoose at the
top. Both ¿nished with 23-5
records last year. Banks lost to
McLoughlin in the state cham-
pionship game, after defeating
Scappoose in the quarter¿nals.
“Scappoose has three
teams this year, and Banks
has 28 kids, so they’re both
going to be good. They also
both have new coaches (James
Wise at Banks, CiJay Koler at
Scappoose).
“Tillamook also has a
new coach (co-coaches Erin
Photos by Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
Astoria’s Abi Danen watches a fly ball during the softball
game against Corbett.
ASTORIA SOFTBALL
Coach: Junior Israel, 1st year
2015: 6-19 (3-12 Cowapa)
Key Loss: Miranda Dietrichs
Key Returners: Mykka Abrahams, Rylee DeMander, Caitlyn Hougham,
Taylor Mickle, Kelsey Wullger
Mathews and Kelsey Petty), so
there were four new coaches at
the meeting.”
Israel wasn’t on the coach-
ing staff last season, and did
not see much of Seaside, “but
it sounds like they played
fairly well,” including a dou-
bleheader sweep at Astoria.
“Seaside’s going to be good,
and you never know what Til-
lamook has.”
THE LADY FISH
The pitching staff is at full
strength … no leftover injuries
from basketball, experience
at every position … on paper,
Astoria softball is due for a
breakthrough season.
Astoria has a nice 1-2-3
punch at pitcher, with senior
Libby DiBartolomeo sharing
time in the circle with junior
Rylee DeMander and soph-
omore McKailyn Rogers (a
transfer from Knappa).
The in¿eld is also one of
Astoria’s strongest in years,
with senior Kelsey Wullger at
¿rst (Wullger has already signed
a letter-of-intent at Centralia
College); DeMander at second,
senior Taylor Mickle at short-
stop and senior Mykka Abra-
hams at third.
Behind the plate is junior
Caitlyn +ougham, one of the
best catchers in the Cowapa.
The out¿eld features junior
Abi Danen, Rogers in center
and sophomore Sarah Lertora in
right. Freshman Jenna Barendse
has also seen action during the
preseason.
“One of my goals is to see us
play good defense,” Israel said.
“Libby will do most of the pitch-
ing, but I’m not going to run her
into the ground. McKailyn throws
good in practice, and we’ll see
what she can do. All I want her
to do is throw strikes, and have
DeMander come in for an inning
or two and throw strikes.
“We have almost the whole
team back, except for Miranda
(Dietrichs),” Israel said. “And
Rogers should ¿ll in that spot in
center.
“Libby will be in center
when McKailyn is pitching.
We’ll try to keep the middle
in¿eld the way it is, with Mickle
!
O
G AN
M
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E
H
S
I
F
G o Fisher m en
DEL’ S
Hours: Mon-Fri 8-6 • Sat- 8-4
503-325-2861
35359 BUS 101 • ASTORIA
KLEMP FAMILY DENTISTRY
Dr. Dennis Klemp, DMD, FAGD
1006 West Marine Dr. Astoria, OR
(503) 468-0116
klempfamilydentistry.com
Astoria’s Libby DiBartolomeo scores during a softball game
against Corbett. DiBartolomeo will share time in the circle with
junior Rylee DeMander and sophomore McKailyn Rogers
and DeMander. Then we’ll have
Abrahams at third, Kelsey Wull-
ger at ¿rst and Caitlyn catching.
Abi Danen has a lock on left.”
Prediction: +ow ’bout a
breakthrough year for Lady
Fish softball" Through six
games, Astoria was ranked No.
2 in the OSAA rankings. The
Lady Fish are good enough
this season for a top two ¿nish
in the Cowapa.
A S T ORIA Y OUT H
A T H L ET I C S
would like to thank
M C DONA L DS, FUL T A NOS P IZZA ,
VA N DUSEN BEVERA G ES,
C L A T SOP DIST RIBUT ING
& the Astoria community for their continued
support of youth athletics.
AY A is a no n-pro fit a thle tic bo o ste r c lub c o m m itte d to
suppo rting a nd pro m o ting yo uth spo rts, k -12 in Asto ria ,
thro ug h vo lunte e r se rvic e a nd fina nc ia l a ssista nc e .
“ G row ing C om m unity through Y outh Athletic s ”