NED HICKSON , SPORTS EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3523 ❘
SPORTS @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
SATURDAY EDITION
❘ NOVEMBER 17, 2018 ❘
SECTION B
Siuslaw News
Sports & Recreation
S PORTS
SHS volleyball standout joins Wolves
Calendar
Winter Sports
Openers
Nov. 28
• SHS girls BB
at Mapleton
7 p.m.
• MHS girls BB
hosts Siuslaw
7 p.m.
• SHS boys BB
at Mapleton
7 p.m.
• MHS boys BB
hosts Siuslaw
7 p.m.
B Y N ED H ICKSON
Siuslaw News
Come next fall, Siuslaw High
School volleyball all-leaguer and
senior Makenzie York will begin run-
ning with the Wolves of Western
Oregon University. After contemplat-
ing offers from several different col-
leges, York made it official during a
special signing ceremony this past
Wednesday in the presence of family
and friends.
York, a 6-foot-tall middle blocker
who led the Lady Vikings in kills and
blocks, received her fourth consecu-
tive First-Team All-League honor this
past season. Her performance got the
attention of WOU coach Tommy
Gott, who recruited York to join the
Wolf Pack.
Though Gott’s contract as head
coach wasn't renewed at the end of
last season, York’s mom, Wendy, said
she still wanted to sign with the
school because it offered a diverse list
of educational opportunities.
T IME
O UT
By Lloyd Little
Retired teacher, coach
and game offi cial
With more than55 years as
an athlete, coach, parent and
spectator, Lloyd Little has
gained some insights and
perspectives regarding ath-
letics. In this weekly column,
he shares what he's learned
about sports from his multiple
points of view.
COURTESY PHOTO
This past Wednesday, Siuslaw senior Makenzie York signed with Western
Oregon University, where she will play volleyball for the Wolves.
“Western Oregon offers programs
in graphic design and teaching, and
she’s interested in both,” said Wendy.
“Makenzie is still excited to play for
WOU’s volleyball program and meet
whoever the new coach is.”
York’s explosive play offensively
and defensively during her four years
on the court for the Vikings inspired
the chant “Mak Attack” from the
See
YORK 4B
Nov. 30
• SHS wrestling
at Harrisburg
TBD
Unwritten Rules
(Part III)
Our American pastime,
baseball, is fi lled with un-
written rules. Before I dwell
into the many examples,
I would mention many
of these unwritten rules are
being addressed through
a change in baseball rules.
Since many young players
are unsure of what is or
isn’t acceptable behavior,
they are breaking the rules
See
LITTLE 4B
On the
Bite
T IDE T ABLE
Entrance Siuslaw River
A WEEKLY
High Tide
FISHING REPORT FOR THE
Low Tide
LOCAL REGION
Nov. 17
7:47am / 6.4
7:36pm / 5.5
www.dfw.state.or.us/RR
1:03am / 1.5
2:07pm / 2.8
Nov. 18
8:27am / 6.8
8:39pm / 5.7
1:55am / 1.7
2:56pm / 2.1
COURTESY PHOTO
The tail of a migrating gray whale appears off the Oregon coast near Cape Perpetua last December.
Nov. 19
9:02am / 7.2
9:34pm / 6.0
2:42am / 1.8
3:39pm / 1.3
C OUNTDOWN TO WINTER WHALE WATCHING BEGINS
Training for winter whale watching volunteers is set for Dec. 1 in Newport.
Nov. 20
9:37am / 7.6
10:24pm / 6.3
B Y N ED H ICKSON
3:25am / 1.9
4:19pm / 0.6
Nov. 21
10:11am / 8.0 4:06am / 2.0
11:11pm / 6.5 4:58pm / -0.1
Nov. 22
10:45am / 8.4
11:58pm / 6.7
4:46am / 2.2
5:37pm / -0.7
Nov. 23
11:22am / 8.5 5:26am / 2.4
6:19pm / -1.1
S IUSLAW
N EWS
148 Maple St.
Florence
541-997-3441
Siuslaw News
J
ust as this year’s holiday season
will be drawing to a close in late
December, whale watching on the
Oregon coast will just be getting
started.
Winter Whale Watching Week will
take place Dec. 27 through 31, during
one of the best times of the year to
spot gray whales off the stormy
Oregon coastal shores. Leading up to
that time, during the summer and fall,
whales feed along the Oregon coast
from June to mid-November, during
which time between 5 and 15 whales
are spotted each day.
But come late December, approxi-
mately 18,000 whales will travel 12,000
miles south to Mexico, where they will
give birth to their calves.
To help visitors make the most of
the annual migration, there will be
nearly 40 volunteers at prime viewing
points along the Oregon Coast to help
visitors spot the mighty mammals.
“Whale Watching Spoken Here”
signs will identify the volunteers, who
will point out special behaviors, such
as spy hopping, breaching and spout-
ing, as well as discuss whale feeding,
courtship and migration patterns.
To prepare for the twice-annual
event, the Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department (OPRD) is
seeking whale lovers to participate in
See
WHALES 5B
FREE FISHING DAYS:
Friday and Saturday after
Thanksgiving (Nov. 23 and
24) are Free Fishing Days
in Oregon — days you
don’t need a license or tag
to fish, crab or clam any-
where in the state open to
fishing/crabbing/clamming.
(Remember, all other rules
and regulations apply.)
MID COAST LAKES
Stocking of mid coast
lakes stopped in early June,
but fishing for warm-water
species can still be good in
several area lakes, includ-
ing Ollala Reservoir,
Mercer Lake, Siltcoos Lake
and Tahkenitch Lake.
SIUSLAW RIVER:
Cutthroat trout, fall
Chinook
See
FISHING 5B
T EST RESULTS PROMPTS DELAY OF COMMERCIAL D UNGENESS CRAB SEASON
NEWPORT — The traditional Dec.
1 opening of the commercial
Dungeness crab season will be delayed
until at least Dec. 16 along the entire
Oregon coast as testing shows crabs
are too low in meat yield.
The ocean commercial Dungeness
crab season in Oregon is targeted to
open Dec. 1, but can be delayed to
ensure a high-quality product to con-
sumers and avoid wastage of the
resource.
Crab quality testing in early
November showed that the majority of
test areas did not meet the criteria for
a Dec. 1 opening. The delayed opening
will allow for crab to fill with more
meat.
A second round of crab quality test-
ing will occur in late November or
early December, and the results will be
NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
used to determine if the season should
open Dec. 16, be further delayed, or be
split into areas with different opening
dates.
Due to elevated levels of domoic
acid, crab closures are currently in
effect from Cape Blanco to the
California border. This closure applies
to both recreationally and commer-
cially harvested crab from bays and
estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers
and jetties.
Recreational crab harvesting out-
side of these areas remains open in
bays and estuaries, and on beaches,
docks, piers and jetties.
In conjunction with the delayed
ocean commercial season, commercial
harvest of Dungeness crab in Oregon
bays that are currently open will close
at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 1, but may reopen if
the ocean commercial fishery opens in
December.
Recreational harvest of Dungeness
crab in the ocean off Oregon will open
Dec. 1 as scheduled in areas where
there are no Oregon Department of
Agriculture (ODA) health advisories.
Find the latest information on clo-
sures by calling the ODA shellfish
safety information hotline at 800-448-
2474 or by visiting the ODA shellfish
closures web page at www.oregon.gov/
ODA/programs/FoodSafety/Shellfish/
Pages/ShellfishClosures.aspx
Crab and shellfish products sold in
retail markets and restaurants remain
safe for consumers. The closure in the
health advisory area ensures safety and
the delay in the commercial ocean
season promotes a high quality prod-
uct.
Commercial Dungeness crab is
Oregon’s most valuable fishery. Last
year’s season opening was also delayed
but still brought in the highest ex-ves-
sel value ever ($74 million) with 23.1
million pounds landed, about 31 per-
cent above the 10-year average.