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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2018
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Gary Henley | Sports Reporter
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Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
Sophia Carlson delivers a shot for Knappa.
Warrenton tops Knappa to open new era
By GARY HENLEY
The Daily Astorian
SCOREBOARD
PREP SPORTS SCHEDULE
W
ARRENTON — The Warrenton
volleyball team is down to just
three varsity returners, but things
may not be all that bad for the Warriors.
A number of players made successful
varsity debuts for Warrenton, in the War-
riors’ season opener Thursday night at
home.
And the Warriors opened 2018 the same
way they’ve opened six other seasons since
2008 — with a win over Knappa.
Warrenton won the familiar season
opener between the two teams, 25-12,
25-19, 25-13.
“Defensive net play was a highlight,”
Warrenton coach Staci Miethe said. “We
had eight kill blocks as a team. I was very
happy with the play of our younger girls.
The majority of the team is underclassmen,
so we have a lot of inexperience to over-
come and a lot to learn.”
Warrenton built early leads of 8-4 in
Game 1, and 7-3 in both Games 2 and 3.
The Loggers managed to keep it close
for a while, but Warrenton used some
strong serving and a Claire Bussert to Fer-
nanda Alvarez connection to pull away.
Alvarez had a team-high 83 percent hit-
ting mark, with four kills.
The Warriors were also 91 percent
from the service line. Claire Bussert, Ruby
Dyer and Avyree Miethe were all 100 per-
cent on their serves, while Bussert served
TODAY
Football — Seaside jamboree, 6 p.m.;
Warrenton jamboree, 6 p.m.
SATURDAY
Volleyball — Warrenton tournament,
9 a.m.
Kourtney Tischer keeps the ball in play.
up six aces.
In her freshman debut, Avyree Miethe
had a string of four straight ace serves in
the first game, and finished with five aces.
Alvarez — a senior making her varsity vol-
leyball debut — found a hitting groove in
Game 2 and continued it in Game 3, thanks
to her senior setter, Bussert.
Bussert also set freshman Mia McFad-
den for a few attacks in the third game,
which featured some strong play at the
net down the stretch from freshman Leah
Schweme.
Alvarez and Schweme showed off War-
renton’s six-foot-plus block, knocking
down a few Knappa attacks.
The Loggers are in the same boat as
Warrenton, as two freshmen were in the
starting lineup for Knappa coach Jeff Kaul.
Aiko Miller highlighted a Game 2
stretch for the Loggers, serving Knappa
from a 24-14 deficit to within 24-19, before
the Warriors finally scored the game point.
Knappa struggled from the service line,
missing 14 total serves.
Warrenton’s Melia Kapua had five digs,
and Alvarez had three blocks for the War-
riors, who host a tournament Saturday.
Warrenton “played very good team ball
and spread around the offense, which we
will have to do to compete,” coach Miethe
said. “If we keep serving and blocking like
tonight, we should remain competitive in
our league.”
Kourtney Tischer had six assists and
two aces for the Loggers, while Miller was
7-for-8 at the service line. Freshman Taylin
Regier had two aces and two kills, and Han-
nah Dietrichs led the Loggers with three
kills. Knappa returns to Warrenton to take
part in the Warriors’ tournament Saturday.
“Although the scores seem a bit lop-
sided, I was not completely dissatis-
fied with tonight’s effort,” Kaul said.
“As a coach I have to remind myself that
we are starting two freshmen, which for
them was their first varsity match, and
a sophomore who played only a cou-
ple games last season at the varsity level.
“The season is young and so are we, but we
plan on growing stronger each outing.”
Junior varsity: Knappa defeated War-
renton, 20-25, 25-7, 25-15, 25-22.
NFL ROUNDUP
Seahawks to test running game
Associated Press
UP NEXT: SEAHAWKS
Seattle’s recommitment to being
a run-first team will get a stiff test
tonight against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Seahawks believe they’ve
strayed from their successful for-
mula as NFC champions in the 2013
and 2014 seasons, and re-establishing
the run to control the game has been
an offseason focus. While first-round
pick Rashaad Penny won’t play (fin-
ger), second-year running back Chris
Carson is likely to see his most exten-
sive playing time of the preseason.
The Seahawks will also get long
looks at second-year safeties Delano
Hill and Tedric Thompson.
Minnesota’s task of improvement
on offense begins with the line, where
right tackle Rashod Hill and right
guard Mike Remmers are expected to
suit up against Seattle after sitting out
the previous game with ankle injuries.
Center Pat Elflein has been on the PUP
list for the entire training camp, still
rehabilitating from offseason ankle
and shoulder surgeries. Left guard
Nick Easton is out for the year with a
neck injury.
“We’re not the only ones in the
league to be having these issues,”
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said.
“We just have a few more than we
should have at this point in time. It’s
life.”
• Seattle Seahawks
at Minnesota Vikings
• Today, 5 p.m.
A-Rod, Jordy won’t be
playing catch
If anyone really looks forward to
exhibition football games, this is the
week to pay attention. One good place
to start is in Oakland.
Not because Aaron Rodgers
will see plenty of action for Green
Bay; he won’t, might not play at all.
And the Raiders’ best player, Khalil
Mack, still is holding out. Such is the
approach for players and coaches in
the preseason.
But Rodgers gets to hang out — if
not warm up with — an old friend and
his former favorite target.
The departure of receiver Jordy
Nelson has left Rodgers in need of
a new partner to take part in one of
his pregame routines. In the end zone
before a game, there would be Rod-
gers and Nelson playing catch and
spinning footballs on their fingertips.
That won’t happen Friday night now
that Nelson is a Raider, though they
remain good friends.
MVPs in action
The third preseason game is usu-
ally when Bill Belichick uses his start-
ers most. Last year, Tom Brady played
about two quarters, then sat out the
exhibition finale. Look for Brady, the
2017 league MVP, to be on the field
at Carolina for perhaps the first half.
Rob Gronkowski could see his
first action of the year. The Patriots
are also looking for help on the offen-
sive line after losing tackle Isaiah
Wynn, the No. 23 overall pick, in the
last game. With Kenny Britt cut this
week, the team will also be seeking
depth at receiver, especially for the
four weeks Julian Edelman serves his
performance-enhancers suspension.
2015 MVP Cam Newton and
the Panthers’ first-team offense will
see their most extensive action of
the preseason, playing into the third
quarter.
‘All Day’ gets a shot
Adrian Peterson will make his pre-
season debut four days after signing
with the Redskins.
Coach Jay Gruden said Peterson’s
workload vs. the Broncos may depend
on how much playing time the start-
ing offensive line gets. Peterson will
split carries with incumbent Rob Kel-
ley, who emerged as the front-runner
to start after rookie Derrius Guice tore
the ACL in his left knee.
Left tackle Trent Williams is still
questionable as he comes off major
AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Seahawks running back Chris Carson.
knee surgery.
Denver’s defense played much
better last week against Chicago than
in the opener against the Vikings.
Coach Vance Joseph said he wants his
defensive identity to be “stopping the
run” so the Broncos can turn loose the
likes of Von Miller, rookie Bradley
Chubb, Shaq Barrett and Shane Ray
on the quarterback.
Where’s the rush?
Matt Patricia was the defensive
guru in New England, and now as
head man in Detroit, his Lions have
all of zero sacks this summer. He’s
not losing sleep over that as the Lions
visit Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay’s top priority this off-
season was improving a pass rush that
ranked last in the NFL with 22 sacks.
In addition to signing ex-Eagles line-
men Beau Allen and Vinny Curry in
free agency, the Buccaneers traded for
Jason Pierre-Paul.
Meadowlands matchup
As the Jets try to determine if first-
rounder Sam Darnold is already their
top quarterback, he might get to throw
to two veterans for the first time. Wide
receivers Quincy Enunwa (thumb)
and Terrelle Pryor (ankle) could also
see their first preseason action.
Darnold, who started last week at
Washington, took the bulk of snaps
with the first-team offense during
practice. He had a solid debut as the
third-stringer in the preseason opener
against Atlanta and was inconsistent
against the Redskins. Bowles said
he expects the starters to play a min-
imum of two quarters, so Darnold
could be out there a while.