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SIUSLAW
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The Siuslaw News
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Email: sports@thesiuslawnews.com
MARCH
28
•
2015
Lil’ Toad wrestlers hop to mats next week
Middle school wrestlers
will get high school
coaching
B Y N ED H ICKSON
Siuslaw News
Beginning next week, Siuslaw
Middle Schoolers interested in getting
hands-on with wrestling will have the
chance to get insight and inspiration
from long-time Siuslaw High School
coach Neil Wartnik and his staff.
On Tuesday, wrestlers of all experi-
ence levels — or with none at all —
will meet for an overview of the spring
A Sporting
V iew
By Mark Vasto
The ballad of
Buckethead
Craig
Lil’ Toads wrestling program, which
will focus on developing fundamental
skills in preparation for high school, as
well as creating a love and apprecia-
tion for the sport itself.
“We hope to be working with at
least 50 kids,” Wartnik said of his goal
for the program, which will last six to
seven weeks and culminate in a com-
petition. “Wrestling is a great sport
with a lot to offer in terms of individ-
ual development both physically and
in terms of maturity.”
Joining Wartnik will be high school
assistant coaches Stecher Buss and
Shawn Mann, as well as alumni and
current high school and middle school
wrestlers. Practices will take place at
the Siuslaw Middle School wrestling
room from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. on
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Participants will be divided into two
groups, with those who are beginners
or less skilled in one group, and more
advanced wrestlers in a separate
group.
“We think it will help maximize the
benefit of the program for wrestlers of
any skill level,” said Wartnik, who has
a set of goals established for the pro-
gram. Among those goals are
increased fitness, coordination and
balance; creating a love for physical
activity; build a knowledge of
wrestling rules, skills and execution;
teach the benefits of respect, teamwork
and self control; build self confidence;
and to have fun.
On Tuesday, information and sign-
up sheets for the program will be in
middle schoolers’ take-home folders.
Or, parents can come to the wrestling
room that afternoon, between 3:30 and
4:45 p.m., and register their child then.
“We’ll have extra forms on hand
and can answer any questions
wrestlers or their parents may have,”
said Wartnik. “It’s a great sport with so
much to offer on so many levels.
“We’re excited to see what we can
accomplish this spring.”
Local equestrians
saddle up for state
A weekly
fishing report for
the local region
www.dfw.state.or.us/RR
MID COAST LAKES:
The rainbow trout stock-
ing program is underway
with many of the mid coast
lakes been stocked. Most
water bodies will be
stocked multiple times
until early June. Be sure to
check out the 2015 stock-
ing schedule for the most
up to date information.
Fishing for the various
warm water fish species
can be productive during
the winter months. Anglers
may need to target differ-
ent areas of a lake (typical-
ly deeper) versus when
fishing more shallow areas
in the spring or summer.
SIUSLAW RIVER:
Steelhead
The winter steelhead
fishery is slow to fair in
both the Siuslaw and Lake
Creek. River conditions are
low and clear. Fishing the
mid to lower river and
focusing on the deeper
holding water will produce
the best results. The next
good rain event should pro-
duce a good push of fish.
If Rodney Craig did any
one thing poorer than most
people, it was walking
away.
But Craig certainly could
hit, and boy could he run.
The wiry 6-foot-1, 195-
pound switch hitter, who
was described as “having a
gift for larceny” on the base
paths, was the Seattle
Mariners’ first real prospect
to make it to the major
leagues, which he finally
did in 1979.
His teammates called
him “Buckethead,” proba-
bly for two reasons: his
oversized Afro that required
an oversized helmet to
cover, and his correspond-
ingly gigantic sense of ego
and self-pride. And while
See
On the
Bite
ALSEA RIVER:
Steelhead
The winter steelhead
fishery is slow to fair.
River conditions are low
and clear. Look to fish the
deeper holding water and
use smaller more subtle
presentations. Casting
lures, bobber and jig/bait
or drifting beads along the
bottom can be effective
techniques.
SALMON RIVER:
VIEW 3B
Steelhead
Winter steelhead fishing
S p o r t s
See
C a l e n d a r
Kelly Carroll photos
Mapleton High School equestrian team member Chet Geddes competes in the steer daubing event.
March 31
• SHS baseball
hosts J. City
4:30 p.m.
• SHS softball
at City
4:30 p.m.
April 1
• MHS track
at Reedsport
2 p.m.
April 2
• SHS baseball
hosts Sutherlin
4:30 p.m.
April 3
• SHS softball
Mapleton’s Geddes
brothers already have
their tickets to state
• SHS track
at J. City
noon
• SHS baseball
at C. Grove
noon
Siuslaw News
Both Siuslaw ball clubs came
away with losses this week on the
road, beginning on Monday with the
Viking baseball team. For the open-
ing day of the Wilsonville tourna-
Low Tide
March 28
7:15am / 6.3
9:00pm / 5.7
1:23am / 3.2
2:20pm / 1.0
March 29
8:26am / 6.1
9:55pm / 5.9
2:40am / 3.1
3:21pm / 6.1
March 31
10:24am / 6.3 4:35am / 2.2
11:14pm / 6.4 4:56pm / 1.0
April 1
11:11am / 6.5 5:18am / 1.7
11:45pm / 6.7 5:33pm / 1.0
Mapleton’s Jd Geddes leaves the gate in the calf-roping event.
brother, Jd, are poised in first and sec-
ond place in roping and steer daubing.
Together, they are ranked fifth in
team penning — and likely headed to
See
EQUESTRIANS 3B
Viks winless on the diamonds this week
B Y N ED H ICKSON
Entrance Siuslaw River
March 30
9:30am / 6.2 3:44am / 2.7
10:38pm / 6.1 4:13pm / 1.0
at Sutherlin
3 p.m.
April 4
T IDE T ABLE
High Tide
T
he Mapleton and Siuslaw high
school equestrian teams will
be wrapping up their seasons
Friday, April 3, through Sunday, April
5, at the Oregon Horse Center in
Eugene.
Siuslaw High School’s Maryann
Holdren and Jd Geddes and Chet
Geddes from Mapleton High School
will comepet. The biggest days of the
three-day competition will take place
Friday and Sunday.
Holdren will be jumping Friday
morning and the Geddes brothers will
be in the saddle most the afternoon
roping and competing in cow events
beginning at 1 p.m.
Chet has already qualified for state
in steer daubing, while he and his
FISHING 4B
ment, Siuslaw dropped both of its
games in close match-ups. In game
one, senior Trey Cornish took the loss
on the mound, 6-4, then came back to
3-for-4 at the plate in game two to
lead the Viks’ offense in a high-scor-
ing loss, 15-11.
The Viks finished the tournament
Tuesday with a 14-3 loss to Forest
Grove.
On the softball diamond, Siuslaw
was on the road in Lincoln City
Thursday, where the Vikings lost
both games of a doubleheader against
Taft, 18-1 and 16-3.
April 2
11:52am / 6.6 5:56am / 1.3
6:07pm / 1.0
April 3
12:14am / 6.9 6:31am / 0.9
12:31pm / 6.7 6:39pm / 1.2
S
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IUSLAW
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Florence
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