Page B3 JJartlanh © bseruer March 9, 2005 Congratulations Southridge Girls S ports Southridge High School o f Beaverton is 4A State Girls Basketball C 'hampions. The Skyhawks went undefeated on the season and beat Central Catholic, 56-45, in the championship game Saturday at the Chiles Center. Benson, Jefferson Advance to Elite Eight B enson and Jefferson High Schools have both advanced to the Elite 8, the final eight teams in the Oregon Class 4A State Boys Bas ketball Tournament. Jefferson beat Beaverton Satur day, 57-45, in a home playoff game to make it into the main tournament beginning Thursday in Eugene. The victory was a sweet return to state title hopes for the second- ranked Democrats (23-3) who lost the chance to make the final eight a year ago when they were defeated by Sunset. Jefferson faces McNary Thurs day at 8:15 p.m. at Mac Court in Eugene. In the other sub tournam ent games involving teams from the Portland Interscholastic League, Benson scored a 62-50 victory Sat urday against Hermiston. The Techman (20-6), playing on the road, snapped Hermiston’s 18- game winning streak in advancing to the semi-finals. Next up for Benson is Westview Thursday at 1:30 p.m., also at Mac- Court. The only other P1L contender, Lincoln lost its tournament hopes S aturday w hen Lake O sw ego scored a 92-71 win. After Thursday's schedule, the to u rn a m e n t m o v es in to the quarterfinals on Friday and finals Saturday at Mac Court. he cheerleading squads o f both Benson and Oregon City join forces to bring fun and excitement to the 4A State Boys Basketball Tournament at venson i-iign '.chool. The Techmen beat the Pioneers last Wednesday at home and scored a victory against Hermiston Saturday on the road to make the final tournament pairings eginning Thursday at Mac Court in Eugene. Basketball Fans to Apologize ‘Mo’ Cheeks Era Comes to End Maurice Cheeks With losses on the court mount ing, the Portland Trail Blazers re lieved Maurice Cheeks of his coach ing duties last week and named D irectorof Player Personnel Kevin Pritchard interim head coach. “We made this change in order to evaluate the entire roster and to put the franchise in the best posi tion as we head towards the draft and free agency .’’Trail Blazers Gen eral Manager John Nash said. “We appreciate all of M aurice’s efforts during adifficult time and wish him well in the future.” The 37-year-old Pritchard is in his first season with the Trail Blaz ers. He spent a year and a half as a scout with the San Antonio Spurs. Prior to that, he was with the Kan sas City Knights of the American Basketball Association where he served as the team ’s general man ager, head coach and director of playerpersonnel. In 2(X) 1-02, he led the Knights to the AB A Champion ship. Cheeks was named the Trail Blaz ers l()lh head coach on June 27, 2001, after serving seven seasons as an assistant coach at Philadel phia. In his three-plus seasons with the Trail Blazers, Cheeks led the clubtotheN B A playoffs twice. His 2002-03 team finished tied for sec ond place in the Pacific Division with a 50-32 record. All the current assistant coaches Lake Oswego Principal has apologized tor his school and has ordered his students to apologize for chants deemed racist at Saturday 's playoff game against Lincoln High School. When Lincoln Senior Omar Leary went to the free throw line, a group of Lake Oswego students seemed to put down the academic quality of Portland students by chanting “You can’t read "and “Sixth-year senior.” Lincoln students shouted back, “You are racist. And "That’s racist." Leary is a fourth year senior and one of five black starters on Lincoln s team. Kevin Pritchard will remain on the bench with Pritchard with a search for a head coach beginning immediately, the Blazers said. Congress Honors Jackie Robinson Congressional medal awarded > majors’ first lack player ¡AP) — Jackie Robinson was ithumously awarded a Congres- nal Gold Medal on March 2, more n half a century after breaking ieball’s color barrier. President Bush gave Congress’ >hest h o n o r to R o b in so n ’s dow, Rachel Robinson, in a tely ceremony in the Capitol tunda. The Democratic and Re- ttlican leaders of the House and tiate and the commissioner of jo r league baseball looked on. “His story is one that shows iat one person can do to hold nerica to account to its founding ,mise of freedom and equality,” sh said. “It’s a lesson for people m ng up to see. One person can ike a big difference in setting the le of this country.” W hen R obinson jo in e d the ooklyn Dodgers in 1947, profes- inal baseball was segregated. He :d in 1972 and his No. 42 was ired throughout baseball in 1997. “This medal confirms what we ow ,” Rachel R obinson said, ackie Robinson stands as a he- ic role model for all Americans io believe in justice and equal- , »♦ Speakers extolled Robinson as a urageous athlete who suffered ints and slurs from fans and fel- w players, ignoring them as he Baseball was segregated when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier by joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. four-sport letterman at UCLA. The legislation to give him the medal was sponsored by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass. It was awarded on the same day Bush honored the Boston Red Sox at the White House for winning the World Series last year. The Red Sox, the last major league team to integrate, gave Robinson a tryout before he signed with the Dodgers, but chose not to sign him. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor the legislative branch can bestow on a civilian and must be co-sponsored by two- thirds of members in the House and JOSKO m M IIT 7 FEAT. E-40 LOK. SIRENS ECHO M A N IA C POTLUCK, WISE ONE, & SPECIAL 1 0 1101 C ommerce A ve L ongview 360.425.4564 21+ $19 A dvänce -$25 D ay O f visit us at : W W W .PARTYATTHEROXY.COM proved both a brilliant ballplayer and a civil rights hero. The latter role w asn't one he sought but it became inevitable after Dodgers owner Branch Rickey bucked much of popular opinion and signed him. “He knew he was a symbol and a barrier-breaker, and that staying the course w ould have conse quences for millions of people to come," said Rep. Mel Watt. D-N.C., chairm an o f the C ongressional Black Caucus. Robinson was rookie of the year in 1947, and was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player in 1949 when he batted .342 and drove in 124 runs. He played 10 seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers, often at second base. 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