NED HICKSON , SPORTS EDITOR ❘ 541-902-3523 ❘ SPORTS @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM SATURDAY EDITION ❘ AUGUST 29, 2015 ❘ SECTION B Siuslaw News Sports & Recreation By Mark Vasto J OHNSON LACES UP TO COACH Siuslaw cross country and track coach Chris Johnson is one of the winningest coaches in Siuslaw athletics history. B Y S TAN P USIESKI For the Siuslaw News The Wayback Machine For the past few weekends, I’ve had the chance to watch some old sports movies with my nephews, or, I should say, I watch them watch movies. One week it was “The Babe” with John Goodman, and the other day “Space Jam.” I didn’t like “The Babe.” The guy’s life already read like fic- tion — there was real- ly no need to make up more stuff about him. See VIEW 3B Halloween is the biggest date on the calendar this year for Siuslaw High School cross country coach Chris Johnson. It’s the day the Vikings take a run at the 4A state championships at Lane Community College in Eugene. “The end date this year is Halloween,” says Johnson, who has 10 state titles in cross country and two in track and field at Siuslaw. “Our plan- ning starts with the state meet, and then we work backward. “In the spring, we start with the (two-day) state championships, and then we work backward. It’s the biggest three days of the year for us.” The 45-year-old English teacher has a talented group of runners now preparing to open the 2015 season NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the North Bend Tugman Invitational at Tugman State Park. “The girls were third in state last year, and we lost three scorers,” says Johnson. “But the girls are pretty strong, and if we can get everyone to practice, we’ll be one of the teams to beat.” The Lady Vikings are led by junior Celie Mans, who was a team-best fourth place at state in 2014. “Celie is a real standout, all-state two years (as a freshman and sopho- more),” says Johnson. “She will be in the mix for (an individual) state title.” Other top returners include seniors Sierra Potter and Mikaela Siegel, and sophomore Lainey Goss. Potter was 18th at state last year and Siegel was 49th, while Goss finished 55th as a freshman. Sophomores explore ‘Viking Creek’ Creek may become an ongoing urban habitat restoration project S PORTS Calendar Sept. 1 • VIK V-BALL H OSTS P HILOMATH 6 P . M . Sept. 4 • VIK FOOTBALL AT N EWPORT 7 P . M . Sept. 9 • VIK XC A T T UGMAN I NV . 4 P . M . T IDE T ABLE Entrance Siuslaw River High Tide Low Tide Aug. 29 12:42am / 7.1 6:24am / -1.2 6:36pm / 0.8 Aug. 30 12:34am / 8.0 7:06am / -1.1 1:22pm / 7.5 7:25pm / 0.2 Aug. 31 1:25m / 7.9 2:03pm / 7.8 7:49am / -0.8 8:15pm / -0.1 Sept. 1 2:17am / 7.5 2:45am / 7.9 8:31am / -0.3 9:07pm / -0.3 9:16am / 0.4 10:01pm /-0.2 Sept. 3 4:09am / 6.4 4:17pm / 7.7 10:03am / 1.1 11:01pm /-0.1 10:56am / 1.8 S IUSLAW N EWS 148 Maple St. Florence 541-997-3441 SEASON “In girls (competition), you never know,” says Johnson. “Freshmen can come in and be pretty strong.” The Vikings have two freshmen — sisters Kaeli and Trinity Ramos — who could be difference-makers at state in October. “The Ramos girls are twins, and they’re real studs,” says Johnson. “They’re the key (to a team title).” The boys team finished sixth at state in 2014 and lost two scorers to gradu- ation, fourth-place finisher Seth Campbell, who will be competing at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, and Jonathan Griffes, who was 37th at state. Griffes will run for Corban University in Salem this sea- son. “The boys are young, a bit on the inexperienced side,” says Johnson. See VIKS 2B On the Bite B Y J ACK D AVIS Siuslaw News The nearly half-mile creek of undetermined origins, flowing between Siuslaw High School and Lane Community College Florence Center (LCC), has become the gene- sis for a possible multi-year science project for Siuslaw sophomore biol- ogy students; part of an Oregon Coastal Education program begun by retired Mapleton schoolteacher Jim Grano and Siuslaw High School biology teacher Gina Castro-Brandt. During the last eight weeks of school, students from Castro- Brandt’s sophomore biology class researched wildlife habitat and inva- sive species along an unnamed creek bed that flows for more than 800 yards between the two schools. “In the students’ research,” Brandt said, “they discovered that our little segment of the creek is an ‘insignifi- cant’ water flow from run off, but that it does connect to a ‘significant’ water source known as Waldo Creek that empties into the Siuslaw River.” According to Grano, the creek, which has been unofficially named Viking Creek, flows out of a culvert with its headwaters somewhere in the sand dunes behind 31st and Oak streets. It runs along the surface between Siuslaw High School and the Lane Community College cam- pus and then goes back underground to resurface in an urban forest near the hospital before it flows into the Siuslaw River. “First the kids did what is called a baseline assessment,” Grano explained. “They used Vernier probes to determine water chemistry and characteristics. There are an array of probes to determine soil moisture, ph and dissolved oxy- gen.” See Sept. 2 3:11am / 7.0 3:29pm/ 7.9 Sept. 4 5:14am / 5.9 5:10pm/ 7.4 20 TH CREEK 3B A FISHING REPORT FOR THE LOCAL REGION www.dfw.state.or.us/RR MID COAST LAKES Fishing for the various warm water fish species is fair to good during the summer months. There are numerous lakes in the Florence area that can pro- vide good opportunity and have boat and bank access. SIUSLAW RIVER: COURTESY PHOTO Siuslaw High School sophomores gather scientific data from “Viking Creek” as part of a multi-year Oregon Coastal Education science proj- ect. Prefontaine Memorial Run to celebrate 35 years COOS BAY — Applications are now being accepted for the 2015 Prefontaine Memorial Run. The 10,000-meter road run is slated for 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, in downtown Coos Bay, and is held in conjunction with the Bay Area Fun Festival. Those special qualities that made Steve Prefontaine a hero to track fans more than four decades ago are still creating new admirers. Many who were not born when Pre was setting records, or ever saw him compete, are inspired by his enduring example of courage, feisty determination and charisma. Now in its 35th year, the popular run got its start when a group of Coos Bay citizens decided it was time that Steve Prefontaine’s hometown did WEEKLY something to honor its favorite son. Awards will be given in five-year age groups. First- through third-place finishers in each division will receive awards. Additionally, a trophy will be presented to the top finishers in the men’s and women’s open and wheel- chair divisions. High school team scores and col- lege team scores will also be posted, with the top three teams from each division receiving trophies for both men and women. The awards ceremony will be held at noon at Pirate Stadium adjacent to the finish line area. For the past 24 years, there has been a high school cross-country team com- petition as part of the Pre Run. The high school team competition will start at 9:45 a.m. A large contingent of high school teams participated in the run last year with teams from Arcata, Brookings- Harbor, Creswell, Douglas, Gold Beach, Henley, Hidden Valley, Marshfield, Mazama, North Bend, North Valley, Oakland, Pacific, Rogue River, Roseburg, St. Mary’s, Sutherlin, Taft, Waldport and Yoncalla. The entry fee is $30 if made prior to Sept. 15, and $40 thereafter. High school team competitors must register on athletic.net and will receive a dis- counted registration fee. All race entrants will receive a T-shirt especial- ly designed to commemorate the run. See RUN 2B Cutthroat trout The cutthroat trout fish- ery is slow to fair. Fishing during the early mornings or in the larger tributaries is the most productive. River conditions are very low and warm for this time of year. Bait is not allowed above the head of tide but small spinners, spoons and fly fishing can be very pro- ductive. ALSEA RIVER : cut- throat trout The cutthroat trout fish- ery is fair in the mainstem and in some of the large tributaries. With the low and warm river conditions the best opportunities will be in the early morning when water temperatures are the coolest. Small spin- ners are typically produc- tive as wells as small spoons or fly fishing with nymphs or streamers. SILETZ RIVER: Steelhead, cutthroat trout Summer steelhead fish- ing is fair in the upper river. Low flows and warming river tempera- tures are making new fish race up into the cooler holding waters of the gorge area. New fish will contin- ually be moving into the river through the summer with peak numbers typical- ly in July. River flows are much lower than normal for this time of year so think small and subtle pre- sentations. Typical steel- head tactics apply such as bobber and jig / bait, or casting spoons or spinners. Cutthroat trout are now also open to harvest and can be found throughout the main stem river and many large tributaries. See FISHING 2B CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK A Sporting View