2B | SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021 | SIUSLAW NEWS Vikings rally to keep alive against hard-hitting Pirates By Zeahna Young Siuslaw News On Tuesday (April 20), the Vikings hosted Marsh- field’s baseball team and, despite having a difficult time getting started, Siu- slaw fought until the end of the seventh inning to stay in the game and not be shut out — or be sent home early. According to coach Tom Shin, “We struggled at the plate early.” Starting on the mound was Isaac Garza, who threw to Jason Garcia. The Viks were unable to score in the first four innings of the game, al- lowing the Pirates multiple runs in each. Clay Kramer relieved Garza but, by the end of the fourth inning, Marshfield was up 12-0 and threatening to end game early due to the 10- run mercy rule. At the bottom of the fifth, the Pirates had Little from 1B with “later,” it could mean in fi ve minutes, fi ve hours or fi ve days. Unless we add a more specifi c time to our “Later,” we leave them in limbo. As for my answer to Miles, I went immediate- ly outside though I could have said “Aft er I fi nish this SHS from 1B Loomis had a Personal Record (PR) in the shot put with a throw of 39-07, as well as top throws in both the discus and jave- lin, with marks of 125-08 and 149-07, respectively. Another standout per- formance for the day was had by junior Camp La- couture, who won first place in the pole vault with a PR of 12-06. “The pole vault is so tough because there is so much timing involved, and it’s constantly chang- ing because of wind con- ditions, pole sizes, ability and how you execute each trial,” Johnson said. “So, for Camp to come in and PR in his first opportuni- ty, he beat a pretty good field and had good looks at 13 feet — which would make our top 10 list of all time. I think you’re going to see some good things from Camp over the course of the year, and he had a great Long Jump, too.” Lacouture placed sec- ond in the long jump with another PR at 19-00. In addition to Loomis and Lacouture’s efforts on the field, the boys team ex- Sailors from 1B Mapleton senior JJ Neece is one of the Sailors’ top all-around athletes, with his training on the football field last season translating into his per- formance on the track and field Wednesday. In Javelin, Neece came in first, throwing 151-11. Neece also placed first in the triple jump (38-5.5) as well as coming in sec- ond in the 100-meter race with a time of 11.8. Junior Joe Shepard, the only other member of Mapleton’s boys team, also had outstanding per- formances, taking first place in the 1500M with a scored another run, put- ting them up 13-0, which meant the Viks needed 4 runs in their next at bat for the game to continue. Fortunately, Marshfield had a pitching change during Siuslaw’s turn at the plate, which worked in favor of the Vikings. “In the fifth inning with the pitching change by Marshfield,” said Shinn, “we started putting the ball in play, and they made a few misplays — of which we took advantage.” After this point, the Vi- kings seemed to fight with new vigor, scoring 4 runs in the inning, and just enough to keep the game going. In the sixth inning, each time scored once but, in the final inning of the NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS game, despite bringing in Elijah Blankenship as the Siuslaw senior Dalton Stinger attempts to stop a third-base steal by Marshfield team’s final relief pitch- during last Tuesday’s game against the Pirates. er, the Pirates came away 2-for-4 at the plate with Kramer, who pitched in- with 6 runs to Siuslaw’s 2, 20-7. Notably, Ian Sissel went 2 RBIs and 1 run scored. nings three through six, bringing the final score to picked up 1 strikeout, hit 2-for-3 and had 2 runs. “I was pleased with the resiliency of the team. Be- ing down big in the fifth inning, it would have been really easy to give in. But the men worked them- selves back into the game.” The Vikings faced Marist away for a double- header last night (after press deadlines). Their next game is at home on Tuesday (April 27) against Junction City, beginning at 5 p.m. Current guidelines state that Siuslaw High School may no longer accept vis- iting fans for baseball. JV baseball tickets will be limited to two tickets per player. Varsity tickets will still be attained while sup- plies last on Hometown ticketing (https://www. siuslaw.k12.or.us/o/siu- slaw-high-school/page/ siuslaw-on-line-ticket- ing). one chapter in my book.” I recently took a fall on my front lawn injuring my right shoulder — so, I am glad I threw passes to him when I did because now it may be some time before I throw footballs, whiffl e balls for batting practice, or play basketball with any of my grandchildren. However, I do see — in the near future — a back- yard batting cage with a protective screen to keep me safe from line drives up the middle. For many of us, our ac- tive athletic days become fewer with age. As an aging athlete, I will do the best I can to help my grandchil- dren learn sport skills. I will be helped by advanced technology and equipment that will help me help them. them tell you what they did while playing. You will know when you have said “Later” too oft en. It will be when they stop asking for you to join them. I am delaying my use of “Later” for as long as possible. I hope to have many more years of them asking for me to throw some pass- es. celled on the track. Soph- omore Sam Ulrich, who ran his first high school race this week, took first place in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:29.75a. Also running in the first meet of his high school career was soph- omore Hunter Pettersen, who placed first in the 100 meters. “Hunter is just a tough guy,” said Johnson. “We threw him on two relays, and he was on the win- ning team in the four-by- four [relay], and he also ran a great leg in the four- by-one [relay], so he’s ex- citing. It’s kind of refresh- ing; he’s someone who we saw last year as having potential, but then to see him grow a year and come back is pretty exciting.” For not having run their first year of high school due to last school year’s season being canceled as a result of the pandem- ic, Ulrich and Pettersen are already proving to be strong competitors to watch for on the Vikings’ team in the future. On the girls’ side, An- drea Osbon matched Loomis’s throws win-for- win, also placing first in all three throwing events for the Lady Viks. Bandon and Elmira with a time of 4:30.00a. “Gracie and Brea were on a team that ran 4:07 last year,” explained John- son, “which was one of our fastest times in school history. So, they bring back some experience, but then Rylee and Corduroy Holbrook had never run in a high school four-by- four.” Freudenthal also placed first in the 100-meter dash and 300-meter hur- dles, coming in with times of 18.30a and 55.07a, re- spectively. In all, it was a success- ful first event coming off of a record-winning cross country season for John- son’s Vikings. Yesterday (April 23), ZEAHNA YOUNG/SIUSLAW NEWS Siuslaw hosted the Cen- Siuslaw’s Camp Lacouture warms up on the javelin runway. Lacouture threw 137- tral Coast Invitational (after press deadlines). 08 for third place. He also won the pole vault with a PR of 12-6. The Vikings’ next meet is “Andrea Osbon also had “but Rylee had a big PR won the 4x400 relay, with this Tuesday (April 27) at a great day,” said Johnson. with a 5:13.42a, her fastest Blankenship, Colton, Cor- Cottage Grove. Events be- So far, Osbon holds sea- time ever. She just contin- duroy Holbrook and Gra- gin at 4 p.m. son records for all three ues to ride the momen- cie Freudenthal defeating events, with a 37-06 in the tum that she created for shot put, a mark of 99-11 herself during the cross in the discus and a 100-00 country season.” WE ARE NOW HIRING! Colton and Blanken- throw in the javelin. On the track, Rylee ship came in second and Are you tired of just going to work? Are you ready to make a real diff erence in the lives Colton had a great day in third, respectively, with of others? Consider becoming a caregiver. Spruce Point Assisted Living & Memory Care the 1500 meters. “She and Blankenship clocking a is seeking compassionate, caring individuals who have a desire to provide assistance to those in need. You don’t have to be certifi ed; we off er on the job training and ongoing Brea [Blankenship] both time of 5:15.05a. support as well as a competitive salary. If you would like to work in a fun and friendly The girls’ team also ran well,” noted Johnson, environment and be part of a team that strives to help others live their best life at any PR of 5:02.9h. Shepard also placed second in the 800M with another PR of 2:29.8h. On the field, Shepard took second in the triple jump behind Neece with a PR leap of 38-3 and was third in the long jump with a PR of 18-1. The girls team also per- formed well on both track and field, coming in third overall with 67 points in team scoring. Triangle Lake scored 127 point for first place overall, fol- lowed by Yoncalla in sec- ond with 74 points. On the field, senior Heather Wierichs set two PRs in the meet, placing third in the shot put at 23-6, and landing a sixth- In 2004, I put my coach- ing clipboard away. My children were all in the capable hands of Siuslaw High School coaches. When I took a chair to my SMS basketball practice, I knew the MS fatigue was preventing me from coach- ing in the manner I was accustomed to coaching. So, I retired from coaching everywhere except at my house with my grandchil- dren. Fift een years later, I try to engage in activities with my grandchildren. On a good day for me, it is out- side. Or it will be inside playing board games, read- ing stories, doing puzzles or just watch them play in the backyard. It is more fun to watch them play than to have CAREGIVER POSITION place throw in the discus at 54-7. Sophomore Emily Neece also had two PRs, finishing second in shot put (26-6) and third in discus with a 61-3.) Also on the field was junior Opal Burruss, who set a PR in the triple jump after a leap of 24-10.5. Burruss also had a stand- out performance in the 1500 meters with in first- place time of 6:14.0h. She also set a PR in the 800 meters to place second in 3:13.0h. Junior Brier Shird took first in the 800-meter race for the Sailors, finishing in 3:09.0h. Shird also took second in the long jump at 12-9.75. In this first meet, coach Burruss said he was pleased with his athletes’ performances, specifical- ly with Shepard and Opal’s performances in the 1500M. “Joe and Opal both did a great job in the 1500. They both ran pace for the majority of the race, then took control on the last lap.” Mapleton’s next meet is this Wednesday (April 28) at Pleasant Hill. 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