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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2017)
A16 Sports wallowa.com November 15, 2017 Wallowa County Chieftain Let’s wrestle! Each Tuesday and Thursday evening, around 40 children –– boys and girls –– gather at the Enterprise High School Gym to participate in Northeast Oregon Wrestling Club. Wrestlers are paired into five groups ranging in age from 5 to 14. A dozen parent volunteers assist in keeping the organized chaos under control and teaching various wrestling skills. Troy Farwell is the organizer for the gatherings. This is the 14th year as a competing club. The 2017 season is roughly half-way completed. The season will end with an all-day tournament 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. Volunteer referees and people to assist with scoring and timing the matches are needed. To volunteer, call 541-398-1632. Photos by Paul Wahl/Chieftain Trace Evans, left, and Tyler Schaffeld demonstrate wrestling techniques to members of the Northeast Oregon Wrestling Club youth wrestlers Nov. 9 in the EHS gym. Evans is a freshman on the Enterprise High wrestling team who helps with the youth program. Paul Wahl/Chieftain Tyler Knapp, left, and Owen Cunningham participate in wres- tling practice Nov. 9 at EHS gym. Students ranging from 5 to 14 are part of the program, which is in its 14th year. Paul Wahl/Chieftain Paul Wahl/Chieftain Tom Birkmaier shares a pointer with his son, Joseph, during the Northeast Oregon Wrestling Club’s practice Nov. 9 at the EHS Gym. Anthony Owings, top, puts the moves on Owen Cunningham as both hone their wrestling skills as part of the Northeast Oregon Wrestling Club Nov. 9 at the EHS Gym. Ribich continues his winning ways By Steve Tool Wallowa County Chieftain Patrick Ritthaler This week’s athlete of the week is Wallowa High School student Patrick Ritthaler. The senior is a member of the school’s football team and plays running back and linebacker for the squad. During the Cougars’ 28-6 loss to Triad at the 1A state playoff quarterfinals, Ritthaler didn’t let the score get him down. He rushed for 70 yards on 12 carries with a long run of 58 yards. He also caught two passes for 28 yards in the contest while adding 3 tackles and two assists on defense. On the year, Ritthaler racked up 1300 yards rushing with an astounding 11 yards per carry average. Proudly Sponsored By: Eastern Oregon’s Full Service Propane Supplier 201 E. Hwy 82, Enterprise 541-426-0320 www.edstaub.com Anyone who has followed the track and cross-country college career of 2014 Enter- prise High School graduate David Ribich has to wonder what hills he has remaining to climb. Ribich is already an All-American runner and won the NCAA Div. II national championship in the 1500 meters race in June of this year. What’s left? Plenty as it turns out. In a recent spate of awards, the Western Oregon University senior won the Great North- west Athletic Conference indi- vidual cross-country title in Bellingham, Wash on Oct. 21. Ribich’s closest competitor was nearly six seconds behind him. Ribich’s efforts, along with those of his teammates, allowed WOU to take the team crown from seven-time champions, Alaska Anchorage University. Not satisfi ed to rest on the laurels, Ribich went all-out for a Nov. 4 victory over all com- ers in the 10,000-meter West Region Cross-Country title race with a time of 29:49.2 –– eight seconds ahead of his nearest competitor Kyle Medina of Chico State, who placed 11th in the nationals last year. Ribich’s win was the fi rst individual cross-country win in WOU history and the fi rst time a non-AAU runner has won the race since 2007. Ribich said a comment from Medina helped him push harder in the race. Medina had said he didn’t assume Rib- ich would be much of a threat because of his focus on the 1500-meter race in track and fi eld. Ribich won the NCAA Div. II national title in the event last year. Ribich spoke to him after the race. “I told him that Western runners don’t categorize them- selves as event specialists,” Ribich said. “We count our- selves as race specialists. Put us in a race, and we’re going to do everything we can to race it no matter what the dis- tance.” He added that the com- ment from the runner was fuel The pleasure of your company is requested at the A LMOST T HANKSGIVING D INNER Wallowa Lake Lodge Saturday, November 18, 2017 5:00 pm no-host beer & wine bar 6:00 pm dinner $35 per ticket (gratuity included) on the fi re, but was also white noise because he didn’t run the race differently because of it. With the regional win, Rib- ich qualifi ed to compete at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships Nov. 18, in Evansville, Ind. Along with those acco- lades, Ribich was also voted the regional cross-country ath- lete of the year. “If you told me that I’d win that in cross-country before track, I would have laughed,” he said. Ribich shines in the aca- demic world as well, with a 3.41 GPA. He also was selected for the 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Confer- ence Cross-Country All-Aca- demic Teams. “He’s a phenomenal ath- lete,” said EHS cross-country and track coach Dan Moody. “He’s a very hard worker, goal-oriented. He knows what he wants and goes after it.” Enterprise High School is showing the National Cross-country Championship on TV at the school this Satur- day at 9:30 a.m. Time for a Computer Tuneup? Spyware Removal • 541-426-0108 103 SW 1st St., Enterprise On this special evening, you’ll experience all the Lodge has to offer. Pianist Gail Swart (5VU7YVÄ[*VTT\UP[`/LHS[O*LU[LY First Course: Spinach salad with house dressing, rolls and butter Dinner Entrée: Roasted white and dark turkey, corn bread stuffing, green bean casserole, yams, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce ~or~ Stuffed pork roulade, veal demi-glaze, green bean casserole, yams, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce ~or~ Roasted acorn squash, portobello mushroom salad, vegetable medley Dessert: Pumpkin cheesecake (sugar free option available) Please RSVP • info@wallowalakelodge.com or 541-432-9821 OHSU Resident Maria Palazeti, October 31 – November 30 Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00am to 7:00pm Saturday 9:00am to 1:00pm 603 Medical Parkway Enterprise, OR 97828