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About The Hood River news. (Hood River, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (June 3, 2015)
S PORTS www.hoodrivernews.com Hood River News, Wednesday June 3, 2015 A7 Boys lax outlasts Grant, advancing to Cascade Cup semifinals with Canby By BEN MITCHELL News staff writer The HRV boys lacrosse team received its first true test Friday on its quest to win the school’s first-ever Cascade Cup, erasing a two-goal deficit and holding in check a furious late rally by HRV’s opponent, the Grant Generals, whom the Eagles defeated, 12-8. No. 3 HRV faced off against No. 6 Grant in Hood River Friday night in home quarterfinal game that oftentimes felt more like an away game thanks to a sizable and raucous contingent of Generals fans who made the trek to Henderson Community Stadi- um to watch the two Portland League teams duke it out. The Eagles didn’t get the start they were looking for, coming out sluggish and giving up two goals within the first five minutes of play to go down 2-0. “I think Grant came out and played a hell of a first quarter; they came out fast and I give them huge props. They played great all around,” HRV coach Matt Luchsinger said, while noting that “it took (HRV) a quarter to realize, ‘Wow, these guys came out to play.’” A goal from attack Levi Glass with about three minutes left allowed HRV to somewhat salvage the first quarter. The second quarter, the Eagles sunk their talons into Grant, scoring four goals in just over six minutes to grab 5-2 lead and wrest control of the game from the Generals. The key to the momentum shift, Luchsinger said, was the ability of long stick midfielder Alex Ellifritz to grab ground balls, which lead to scoring opportu- nities. “Alex Ellifritz, personally, I believe he changed the game for us, by starting to win the ground ball battle at the midfield line, especially on the face-offs,” he said. “We ended up scoring three or four goals off his ground balls.” Grant, however, was far from out of it, with the two teams horse-racing for the rest of the game. The Generals tightened things up, trailing 6-4 at the end of the half and then coming within one after scoring with less than eight minutes to go in the third quar- ter. HRV pushed back, scoring five goals without a re- sponse from Grant to pull far out in front with a 10-5 and 9:25 remaining in the game. Again, Grant re- fused to go down, scoring goals at 8:29, 7:01, and 4:47 remaining to come perilously close to HRV, clinging to a 10-8 lead. As the Grant fans stomped on the sta- dium’s metal bleachers and roared their approval at the momentum shift that prompted Luchsinger to call timeout, HRV assistant coach George Dolack ad- vised his players that the next goal, regardless of which team scored it, was crucial. Attack Torsenn Brown, apparently, was listening. After HRV took control following the faceoff, Brown ran to the right side of Grant’s net and with a quick flick, scored a behind-the-back goal to put HRV up 11- 8. Attack Henry Barton put in one more with 1:19 re- Please see LAX, Page A8 Photos By Ben Mitchell CHARLIE COHN (white jersey, No. 8), out-jumps two Grant players for a contested ball, while Alex Ellifritz (No. 23) backs him up. Coach Matt Luchsinger said Ellifritz’s five ground balls had significant impact on the game for the Eagles. HRV gets second post-season shutout in a row Eagles beat the Putnam Kingsmen, 4-0 to set up semifinal showdown with CRC rival Pendleton By BEN MITCHELL Kameron Walker, who threw four strike- outs, walked none, and allowed five hits The HRV Eagles defense once again over seven innings. With Ryan Ward and put on a masterful performance Friday Walker both getting shutouts this post- evening in Hood River, defeating the Put- season, Harjo said the team has “put a re- nam Kingsmen, 4-0, to get their second ally solid game plan on the mound,” not- consecutive shutout of the post-season — ing that Walker’s pitching has improved the only team in the 5A playoff bracket to significantly from the 2014 season. “Kam just has that shut out an oppo- uncanny ability to nent at all, let keep guys off-balance,” alone twice. he said. “He made a Much like the huge adjustment from game on Wednes- last year on the mound day, which saw and he’s a huge reason HRV beat Dallas, 5- why we’re where we 0, Putnam was are today.” largely ineffective The few batters that behind the plate, were able to connect flummoxed by ERICH HARJO with Walker’s pitches HRV’s pitching, were held in check by and bottled up by the team’s defense. Like they have done HRV’s error-free defense. Most notable in so many games this season, the Eagles was a double play in the top of the third jumped out to an early lead and never inning, when shortstop Skyler Hunter looked back, putting confidence in their snagged a line drive out of the air with a pitching and fielding to finish the game. leaping catch, and then threw it across “These are things we’ve worked on all the diamond to first baseman Montana year,” noted coach Erich Harjo. “We’re Kurahara for the second out, which drew playing really good baseball right now an ovation from HRV fans. While the defense kept the Kingsmen and that’s the right time to do that.” This time, HRV’s opponent met its on lockdown, HRV’s offense went to work demise at the hands of starting pitcher Please see HRV, Page A8 News staff writer ‘We’re playing really good baseball right now and that’s the right time to do that.’ Photo by Ben Mitchell KAMERON WALKER shakes his fist and yells in celebration after throwing the final pitch of HRV’s state tourney quarterfinal game against Putnam Friday evening. Walker, who pitched all seven innings, gave up no runs, five hits, struck out four batter and walked none in the shutout at home. No snow? No problem! Hood 2 River Relay goes on Photos by Adam Lapierre Runners, paddlers and bikers turned out in droves on Sat- urday for the second annual Hood 2 River Relay, racing from the slopes of Mt. Hood down to the Hood River Waterfront. Started last year by event company Breakaway Promotions, the relay had to replace the nordic and alpine legs with an uphill run and a trail run due to the lack of snow, said race organizer Chad Sperry. Seventeen individuals, 13 pairs, and 38 teams ranging from two to six people attempted the multi-leg race, which consisted of a .25-mile uphill sprint leg, followed by a 1.5- mile trail run, a 6.2-mile mountain bike leg, a 27-mile road bike leg, a 6.7-mile road run, and finally, a 1.5 mile paddle leg (which ends with a quarter mile sprint to the finish. Results for the top five finishers in each category are below: Individual male: 1st: Kevin Brown (2 hours, 30 minutes, 54.8 seconds); 2nd: Joel Alberts; 3rd: Lucas King; 4th: Kim- bert Robinson; 5th: Nick Maelsen Individual female: 1st: Kathleen Welland (3:20.06.5) Pairs: 1st: Team Butman (male, 2:23:21); 2nd: Race Like a Girl (female, 2:39:06.5); 3rd: S&M (female); 4th: Fast as Time Allows (male); 5th: WTFR We Doing (coed, 2:57:24.6) Team (male): 1st: Pasty Thighs (2:26:30.6); 2nd: Team But- man; 3rd: Dirt Hugger; 4th: Cannonball Run; 5th: Doug 2 Doug Team (female): 1st: Fools Rushin (3:11:21.3); 2nd: Hot Lava Mamas; 3rd: Jalapeo Hotties; 4th: Team Fab Fifty; 5th: Hood- iez Team (coed): 1st: Team Ten Speed (2:49:41.3); 2nd: Couples Retreat; 3rd: Lopezians; 4th: Zeal Optics; 5th: Team Mertz Team (high school): 1st: Beast Mode (2:47:29) Team (family): 1st: Lopezians Too (3:09:49.3); 2nd: Morss Family; 3rd: Snails and Stents; 4th: 826 Fo Life Team (business): 1st: Full Sail Brewing Company (2:56:56.8); 2nd: #TeamProvidence; 3rd: Green Home Design Build; 4th: Cloud Cap Team 1; 5th: Cloud Cap Team 2
