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S PORTS www.hoodrivernews.com Eagles focused on winning first-ever CRC title Hood River News, Wednesday, May 6, 2015 A7 SPORTS BRIEFS HRV splits doubleheader with The Dalles, but closes in on taking the Columbia River Conference By MIKE WEBER For the News Photo by Derek Wiley HRV got off to a good start in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader in The Dalles in part due to the pitching of Patrick Harvey, who pitched the en- tire game, giving up four hits and striking out three batters over the course of five innings. The Hood River Valley High Eagles baseball team has enjoyed remarkable success this year at Traner Field where they’ve post- ed a sparkling 6-1 record. If their home cooking continues this week, the Eagles will very likely win their first ever Columbia River Conference championship Friday when they face the Pendleton Buckaroos. After Friday’s contest, HRV meets the Hermiston Bulldogs in Hermiston May 12, followed by the CRC finale May 15 at home ver- sus The Dalles Riverhawks. Winning the CRC title would provide coach Erich Harjo’s Eagles with an automatic Class 5A OSAA state playoff berth and a probable first round home game May 27. “We’ve had high expectations since the beginning of the sea- son,” said Harjo. “We have an experienced team (seven seniors) and we won lots of road playoff games last year. That experience is definitely going to be a benefit for us this season. We’ve worked hard on pitching and defense and those areas have definitely been the strength for our team. As long as we continue to pitch well and play good defense, then we’ll always have a chance to win. Even on days that we don’t hit as well, I still think we’ll be in position to have a chance to get a win by the end of the game.” After splitting a doubleheader last Friday at The Dalles, the No. 9-ranked Eagles (14-7 overall, 6-2 CRC) now have an excellent op- portunity to win the CRC title. An HRV win Tuesday against their See HRV, Page A8 MIDFIELDER CHARLIE COHN (No. 8) scrambles for a ground ball with fellow middie Alex Ellifritz (No. 23) during Friday’s game against OES. HRV on playoff bubble after loss to OES News staff writer A promising start in the first quarter wasn’t enough for the HRV boys lacrosse team to overcome Oregon Episcopal School Friday in Hood River, who bested the Eagles, 15-5, after HRV relinquished a three-goal lead it had built at the start of the game. The defeat was the latest against a league opponent for HRV, which puts the team at 1-3 on the season against other teams in the Columbia League and in a precarious position for playoff qualifica- tions with just two games left in the regu- lar season. HRV won a non-league game Monday against King’s Way Christian High School (Vancouver, Wash.), which put the Eagles’ overall record at 7-5, but did little to improve the team’s playoff chances. OES, who currently sits near the top of the Columbia League standings, looked disjointed in the first quarter against HRV on Friday, unable to score while the Eagles ran circles around them. The sizable crowd at the evening game roared its ap- proval. “First quarter we started off hot and went up 3-nothing on them, which was awesome,” said coach Matt Luchsinger. HRV drew first blood early in the open- ing quarter thanks to midfielder Bruce Ostler, who scored with 9:57 remaining. The Eagles had plenty of good chances for the remainder of the quarter, but weren’t able to add to their 1-0 lead until attack Levi Glass scored with 1:31 left and fellow attack Henry Barton followed in quick suc- cession to score with 47.7 seconds left. From there, it was all downhill for HRV, with OES rallying for six unanswered goals in the second to close out the first half up 6-3. OES held the lead and expand- ed it in the second half and things got worse for the Eagles, who, already down midfielders, lost Eliot Kramer due to a con- cussion. “That was a disadvantage for the guys in the second half, who started to break down mentally,” said Luchsinger, “and when you get tired, the fundamentals go away.” HRV had issues with winning faceoffs and ground balls in the second half — fun- damentals that Luchsinger has been harp- ing on all season as keys to a successful game — but with the shortcomings, Luchsinger saw plenty of positives. “They fought hard, and it was probably the cleanest game I’d ever seen them play,” he said of his team. “There was only one penalty the entire game, and it was on OES.” Lunchsinger added that on attack, Glass and Ostler both had good games, as well as one of the few seniors on the team, defend- er and captain Alex Buschaver, whom he said “has really stepped up to the plate and is working hard to keep the defense in check.” HRV is currently fifth out of seven teams in the Columbia League, with the top two teams guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, and making an HRV appearance in the post-season at this point unlikely, but not impossible. “I think we still have a shot; however, we still have to win our next two away games,” Luchsinger said of contests at Cleveland (May 7) and Central Catholic (May 14). “That’s going to be a battle. We’re right on the cusp, which seems to happen to us every year that it comes down to one game at the end of the season.” If that doesn’t happen, HRV will get the chance to compete in the Cascade Cup, which is comprised of the 16 teams that didn’t make the playoffs. “The cool thing is if we don’t make the playoffs, I think we have a great chance of going a ways into that tournament,” Luchsinger noted. Good effort from HRV not enough to defeat The Dalles Eagles softball swept in close contests during Friday’s road doubleheader By BEN MITCHELL Hart, who advanced to third on a passed ball, and then Munn and Jessica Karr, who both stole home on subsequent plays to knot In its push to the playoffs, Hood River Valley was looking to the game at 4-4. With a quick three outs by The Dalles, HRV grabbed its first make significant headway last Friday in a softball doubleheader against The Dalles/Dufur — a team one spot ahead of The Eagles lead of either game when once again, Winans scored off a Munn double. On the next play, DeHart advanced from third after JoJo in the Columbia River Conference standings. Despite a good effort from HRV players, the Eagles (9-13 over- Karr hit a hard ground ball to short stop, which was good for a all, 2-6 CRC) fell short in their games against the Riverhawks (13- single and pushed HRV’s lead out to 6-4. Munn then stole home to 8, 5-3), dropping the first contest 13-8, and narrowly losing the sec- score the last run for HRV. Unfortunately for HRV, the lead didn’t last. The Dalles scored ond game, 8-7. The Eagles had their backs against the wall in the early part of two runs in the bottom of the fifth to narrow its deficit to one. Game 1, falling behind 7-0 after three innings. HRV got on the Both teams couldn’t score in the fifth and after another goose egg board in the top of the fourth thanks to a single by Kaylin Winans in the top of the sixth, The Dalles reclaimed its lead in the bottom of the same inning after scoring two runs. that allowed Breanna Weekly to score; Jenni HRV had a chance for a rebuttal in the top Packer was close behind, scoring on a passed of the seventh, but could only muster one ball. After a scoreless bottom of the fourth hit. Despite outhitting The Dalles, 13-10, from The Dalles, HRV came within striking and playing error-free softball, HRV went distance after scoring three runs in the top of down, 8-7. the fifth to make it 7-5, The Dalles. The first “We fought hard in both contests,” said run came from Zoe Munn, who scored off a coach Eric Keller, “but came up short.” double, courtesy of Kelsey Wells, who would Leading the way for HRV over the two then find her way home on a steal. Packer ERIC KELLER games were Munn and Winans, who both would score the other run for HRV that in- had five hits total; Munn in eight at-bats ning. HRV wasn’t able to close the gap any more, though, and would and Winans in seven. Munn and JoJo Karr led with two RBI have to chase the Riverhawks for the remaining innings. The apiece and DeHart led HRV’s scoring category with three runs. Winans and McNerney split duties on the pitching mound in Dalles responded to HRV’s rally with a three-run fifth inning to go up 10-5, but another three-run inning put HRV within two once game one, each pitching three innings. Winans allowed 10 hits again at the top of the sixth. A single from JoJo Karr sent her sis- and seven runs and struck out two, while McNerney gave up ter, Jessica, home for the first run; Jessica DeHart stole home for eight hits and six runs (four earned runs), struck out two and the second run, and Wells also stole home for what would be walked one; Winans was charged with the loss. McNerney HRV’s final run of the game. The Dalles added another three pitched all of the second game for HRV and gave up 10 hits, runs in the bottom of the sixth, and the Eagles couldn’t add any walked three, and struck out five in six innings. As of Tuesday morning, HRV was still a game ahead of Her- in the top of the seventh, bringing the first game of the double- miston in the race for the final play-in spot to give one of the header to an end. The second game began in similar fashion to the first, with teams a shot at reaching the post-season. The No. 20-ranked Ea- The Dalles coming out of the gate fast by putting up four runs in gles were scheduled to face No. 10-ranked The Dalles again Tues- the bottom of the second. HRV answered with similar gusto in day at 4:30 p.m., then host Pendleton, ranked first in 5A, on Fri- the top of the third, scoring four runs. Munn got things rolling day at 4:30 p.m. for HRV with a double that sent Winans home, followed by De- News staff writer ‘We fought hard in both contests, but we came up short.’ KEITH BASSHAM, who is retiring this year as HRVH- S’ athletic director, was recently named 5A and 4A-6A Athletic Director of the Year by the Oregon Athletic Di- rectors Association. Representing the Columbia River Conference are, left to right: Mike Somnis, AD for The Dalles; Blaine Ganova, AD for Hermiston; Bassham; and Troy Jerome, AD for Pendleton. Bassham voted Oregon’s 5A/large school AD of the Year Photo by Ben Mitchell By BEN MITCHELL Photo by Tom Ames The 46th Annual Oregon Athletic Directors Associ- ation State Conference was held April 17-21 at Sun River Resort in Bend. In attendance were all four of the 5A Columbia River Conference athletic directors including CRC President and Hood River Valley High School Athletic Director Keith Bassham, CRC Vice President Troy Jerome (Pendleton), CRC Treasurer Blaine Ganvoa (Hermiston) and CRC Secretary Mike Somnis (The Dalles). Also in attendance was new HRVHS AD Tom Ames. During the conference, Keith Bassham received the award for the 5A Athletic Di- rector of the Year. Keith, completing his eighth year as AD for HRVHS and his 35th year with the Hood River County School District, was proud to have been nom- inated by the CRC and the staff at HRVHS. “To be chosen amongst the 37 hardworking 5A athletic di- rectors in Oregon was indeed an honor and I’m ex- cited that I was able to represent our amazing school and community.” Later in the evening, the OADA awarded Lynn Cowdrey of 1A Alsea, the 1A-3A (small school) Athletic Director of the Year and named Bassham as the 4A-6A (large school) Athletic Direc- tor of the Year. A thoroughly surprised Bassham was able to thank many of his cohorts from throughout Oregon for their “help and co-operation through the years and their strong support of their own schools in building schedules and relationships.” Former HRVHS Athletic Director Glenn Elliott, who was AD of the Year in 2002, was also in the audience and was praised by Bassham for helping to make HRVHS “a class act” during his 19 years (1983-2002) with the Eagles. Boys tennis splits trip to Central Oregon The HRV boys tennis team traveled to Madras on Saturday to face Bend and Summit. The Eagles had a rough outing against Summit, getting swept and los- ing most matches by wide margins to the power- house team. “Summit is really good and is possibly the best team in the state,” said coach Jon Hiatt. “We competed well, but just didn’t have enough to break through in that match.” HRV fared much better with its match against Bend, winning 5-3 after battling through some close games. The Eagles swept singles play, with Scottie Ziegner winning his match, 6-1, 6-0 as well as Cooper Holzman (5-7, 6-4, 10-8), Will Fer- rick (6-1, 6-4), and Alden Sova (6-2 6-4). The lone win for the team in doubles came from the pair of Cole Shepherd and Sawyer Bogard, who handily defeated their opponents, 6-1, 6-2; Jorge Calderon and Hugo Sandoval nearly came away with their match, going down in a tight No. 3 doubles contest that wound up 7-5, 4-6, 1-10. The Eagles next travel to Hermiston for a match with the Bulldogs Wednesday. Youth track camp May 9 The HRVHS varsity track team will host a youth track camp for kids grades 2 through 7 on Saturday, May 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the high school track. Camp will include a learning session with varsity track athletes, followed by a “mini-meet” with rib- bons to test participants’ newly-gained skills. Regis- tration is from 9 a.m. to 10 on the track; cost is $15 per participant. All proceeds will go toward helping a local family pay their extensive medical bills (who wishes to remain anonymous) after their elementary- age son recently got out of the hospital after spend- ing multiple months there due to a rare virus. Those with questions can contact Parker Irusta at 541-490- 5587 or parkerirusta@gmail.com Weekend runs on Mosier Twin Tunnels Trail Two runs will occur on the Mosier Twin Tunnels Trail this weekend, which as of now, is forecast to have warm, sunny weather. The first run is the Second Annual Lila May Tutu Trot: a fundraiser for Lila May Schow, a local 4-year-old who has had to undergo ar- duous, expensive treatments for neuroblastoma. The race start time is at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 9; cost is $20 per participant. The race consist of a kids’ race and a 3K/5K/10K walk/run. For more information, go to lilamaytututrot.com. On Sunday, the Mother’s Day Run/Walk will go off at 9 a.m. after a free 200-meter kids’ run starts at 8:55. The 3K/5K/12K race costs $8 without shirt, $18 with if you pre-register by May 7; $10 without and $20 if you register the day of. All proceeds will benefit Mosier schools. For complete race information, go to www.mosierschool.com. Girls tennis final home match Wednesday The HRV girls tennis squad has had a challenging season, but will battle the Hermiston Bulldogs at the Tsuruta courts this Wednesday in what is the team’s final scheduled home match this spring. The match starts at 4 p.m. The team will next travel to Hermis- ton May 15-16 for the District Championships.
