B
Section B
S PORTS
South Lane County Sports and Recreation
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Contact Sports, 942-3325 or e-mail sports@cgsentinel.com
Presley Lions sweep Huskies, Falcons in Sky-Em tri meet
honored Cottage Grove girls and boys each win eight events on
their way to victory at Sweet Home
by OADA
BY MATT HOLLANDER
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
T
he Oregon Athletic Di-
rectors Association rec-
ognized Cottage Grove High
School Athletic Director Dave
Presley with the OADA / OSAA
Partnership Award on April 20
at Sunriver Resort, during the
46th annual OADA State Con-
ference.
BY MATT HOLLANDER
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
T
he Cottage Grove track-and-fi eld
team had another strong outing
in a Sky-Em League triangular meet
Thursday at Sweet Home.
“If last week was a breakthrough per-
formance, this meet was about compet-
ing,” said Cottage Grove coach Ricky
Knutson. “The temperatures were a bit
cooler, and at times it was wet, so the
conditions weren’t the best for setting
PRs. But I think that was an important
lesson: you’re not always going to be
able to set a PR at this point of the sea-
son.”
The boys won eight events en route
to scoring 76 points, which outpaced
Sweet Home (66) and Elmira (38).
Michael Tharpe led the way with
victories in the 110 meter hurdles and
300 meter hurdles. His time of 44.08 in
the latter event was a seasonal best and
ranks as the fourth-fastest in the Sky-
Em.
Tharpe also placed second in the 100
meters (11.55) and teamed with Con-
nor Howard, Jacob Woods and Brynden
Howell to take fi rst in the 4x100 meter
relay (44.89).
Howard, who typically runs the short
dashes, moved up to the 400 meters for
the fi rst time in his career. He won in
52.74, which is the fourth-best time in
the league.
Please see TRACK AND FIELD, Page 2B
Athlete of
the Week:
Michael
Tharpe
Cottage Grove High School Hall of Fame preview
Dave Presley
The OADA recognizes athlet-
ic directors from each of the six
classifi cations through nomina-
tions submitted by current and
former associates, school per-
sonnel and community members
that are evaluated by an awards
committee and approved by the
OADA Executive Board.
The OADA / OSAA Partner-
ship award, which is not neces-
sarily awarded every year, goes
to an athletic director who goes
above and beyond the scope of
their normal duties to support
the OSAA through their work
on committees, hosting state-
championship contests or other
efforts that benefi t the organiza-
tion.
OSAA Sports Information
Director Steve Walker said that
Presley stood out from other
nominees for his year-in, year-
out commitment to staging high-
quality championship events.
“What sets Dave apart is
that he and his staff never just
go through the motions. They
really make it a special expe-
rience for athletes, fans and
OSAA personnel. Even when
his Lions aren’t competing in
these games, Dave shows just as
much excitement to host outside
teams,” Walker said.
Presley was also recognized
for his 15 years of service as an
athletic director.
Lions fall
in Sky-Em
softball
standings
After the opening week of
league play, the Lions were in a
tie for second place at 2-1. But
since then, they have lost four
games in a row.
On April 20, Junction City
beat Cottage Grove 8-7 in eight
innings. Angel Pitchford’s
double in the top of the eighth
scored Mikayla Edwards for the
go-ahead run and the visiting
Tigers held on to win. Edwards
and Pitchford each had three
hits and a double. Kassidy Wh-
siler was 2-for-4 with a double
and triple for the Lions.
The following day, Elmira
beat Cottage Grove 8-3 to com-
plete the season sweep. Lynd-
say Bradley had three hits, in-
cluding two doubles, to lead the
Falcons. Giulia Appoloni also
doubled twice. For the Lions,
Lizzy Wiltse went 3-for-4, with
Taylor Sayles and Lindsey Clark
each adding two hits.
Cottage Grove was scheduled
to play a home doubleheader
against Sisters on Tuesday and
plays at Sutherlin on Friday.
BY MATT HOLLANDER
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
O
n May 9, the Cottage
Grove High School Hall
of Fame will introduce its eighth
class of inductees. Those include
athletes Lowry Hoyer, Wes
Malcolm, Bob Wiltse, Melanie
Woodworth and Kaitlyn Uram
(Kronberger); coach Clive Mac-
Donald, community contributor
Bob Butler and the 2008 boys’
soccer team.
Kaitlyn Uram (nee Kronberg-
er) was a three-sport standout for
the Lions from 2005 to 2009.
She earned three letters on the
soccer fi eld, where she helped
lead the Lions to a fourth-place
fi nish in the 2008 state playoffs,
and the following year she earned
fi rst team all-league honors. She
also competed on the track and
fi eld team for two seasons.
But Uram was best known for
her exploits on the hardwood.
The four-year letterman was
named Sky-Em League MVP in
each of her fi nal three seasons,
and she was a fi rst team all-
League performer as a freshman.
fi le photos
At the all-state level, Uram was
Kaitlyn
(Kronberger)
Uram
and
Bob
Wiltse
are
two
members
of
the
2015
Hall
of
Fame
class.
recognized on the third team as
a sophomore, second team as a
junior and fi rst team as a senior.
she played one season.
AAA golf championships, and they said.
With Uram, the Lions achieved un-
Kaitlyn married her husband John won a district championship in 1990.
MacDonald said that he is still enjoy-
precedented success. They fi nished in July 2011. They had their fi rst son,
MacDonald said he was drawn to ing life as a retiree. He spends his time
fourth at the state tournament in 2008 Cael, in June 2013, and they are ex- coaching because of a life-long love of golfi ng and reading up on military his-
and came in as runners-up the follow- pecting their second child in Septem- athletics, and he was further encouraged tory.
ing year.
ber. Uram said they love going camp- to pursue that career after spending two
Uram said that her favorite memories ing, riding quads and spending time years helping coaches Len Casanova
Robert Wiltse attended CGHS from
include the state tournament run during with family.
and John McKay at the University of 1974 to 1976 and is one of the most
her senior year and scoring 30 points
The family currently lives in Eugene, Oregon.
decorated athletes in the history of its
against Dallas as a sophomore.
where Kaitlyn manages a cafe.
MacDonald said that his career high- aquatics programs.
“I loved being able to play with such
lights were beating Marshfi eld to deny
Wiltse was a four-year letterman for
amazing teammates,” she added. “I al-
Clive MacDonald coached football, Pirate coach Pete Susick from win- the swim team and set numerous school
ways felt I had the loudest and proudest basketball and golf at Cottage Grove ning his 200th game, and working with records. At the 1975 state meet, Wiltse
family in the stands. They always sup- High School from 1959 to 1994.
Wally Ciochetti, who served as the Li- won the 200-yard freestyle, placed sec-
ported me and held me accountable for
In his 10 seasons as head coach of the ons defensive coordinator from 1969- ond in the 100-yard breaststroke and
everything.”
football team, MacDonald compiled a 1978.
was a member of the Lions’ victorious
After graduating from CGHS, Uram 42-49 record, which ranks as the third
“I enjoy the small-town atmosphere, 4x100-yard freestyle relay, as Cottage
played one year of basketball at Lane most wins in school history.
and I loved the work ethic of the stu- Grove took third place overall.
Community College. She then trans-
In 1979, the Lions placed fi fth at the dents and coaches I worked with,” he
Please see HALL OF FAME, Page 2B
ferred to Pioneer Pacifi c College, where
Cottage Grove loses ground in Sky-Em race
Lions have lost four games
in a row
BY MATT HOLLANDER
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
O
h how fortunes have changed for
Cottage Grove.
Two weeks after rising to the top of the
Sky-Em, the Lions have lost four games in
a row to drop to fourth place in the league
standings. And with six games remaining
in the regular season, their margin of error
to reach the postseason is nil.
On Friday, Sisters beat Cottage Grove
13-3 in six innings.
While it could have been expected that
the Outlaws would bounce back from their
loss to Cottage Grove earlier in the season,
the Lions’ 11-9 defeat by Elmira on Tues-
day, April 21, was a bit more shocking.
Cottage Grove nearly overcame a disas-
trous outing by Zach Thomason, by scor-
ing four runs in the top of the sixth inning
to trim a 10-5 defi cit down to one run, but
the Falcons made just enough plays down
the stretch to hold them off.
“This league is just rugged,” said Elmira
coach Rick Royster. “Everybody can score
runs, so you’re never safe in a game. You
got to give Cottage Grove all the credit in
the world for coming back like they did.”
The Lions got off to a strong start
against the Falcons, putting three runs on
the board in the fi rst inning. T.J. Bellamy
scored two of those runs with a line-drive
single to right fi eld.
But in the top half of the inning, it
quickly became clear that Thomason, Cot-
tage Grove’s top pitcher, was off his game.
He gave up three base hits and threw three
Please see BASEBALL, Page 2B
photo by Matt Hollander
Cottage Grove's Tristan Mihan, who also pitched in relief, hit a two-
run double at Elmira on April 21.
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