COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL May 20, 2015
G OLF
3B
Softball ends season with losses to Sweet Home
Continued from 1B
question that they were still hungry for
more.
“We still went in with the same mentality as
if we weren’t going to state: wanting to win,”
said junior Nick Russo, who shot 188.
Prior to this year, teams qualifi ed for state ex-
clusively through their district tournaments.
“It was kind of neat to play for something
during the season,” coach Russo said. “Previ-
ously they were just matches that you used to
get better so that you could peak at the district
tournament.”
Coach Russo added that the special district
format, which blended teams from the Sky-Em
and Oregon West leagues, made for more com-
petitive tournaments.
The 4A state tournament began shortly after
noon on Monday at Quail Valley Golf Course in
Banks. As the OSAA has limited the state fi eld
to 10 teams, Cottage Grove is assured of realiz-
ing a recent goal of fi nishing in the top 10 of the
state (the Lions placed 11th last year), but they
could be in contention for a top-fi ve fi nish.
Based on district tournament scores, Seaside
is a prohibitive favorite to win the state title,
and Marshfi eld, Valley Catholic and Scappoose
are expected to round our the top four. Cottage
Grove had the fi fth-best district score, just ahead
of Hidden Valley and Baker/Powder Valley.
Prior to Sunday’s practice round, only San-
doval had played the state tournament course.
“There are going to be part of the course that
we don’t know. But we have to play with confi -
dence and not be scared about shots we have to
make,” Conrad said.
Cottage Grove was in eighth place after a 375
round on Monday. Conrad led the way with an
83, which left him in 19th place individually.
CG must replace a core group
of seniors in 2016
BY MATT HOLLANDER
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
M
cKenzie Cochran went 3-for-4 to lead the
Huskies to a 10-3, season-fi nale victory
over the visiting Lions on Friday. Taylor Sayles
went 2-for-3 with a home run, Lizzy Witlse went
2-for-3 and Kassidy Whisler doubled for Cottage
Grove (5-10, 8-15 Sky-Em).
Sweet Home (14-6, 11-4 Sky-Em) also de-
feated the Lions 8-6 at Taylor Street Field on
Wednesday. Sayles and Wiltse each hit 3-for-4 at
the plate for Cottage Grove.
While the Lions were all but eliminated from
the playoffs headlining into last week, coach
Cheryl Frieze was proud of how they fi nished out
the season against the Huskies.
“Overall, the girls played very well,” she said.
“We had a bad fourth inning on Wednesday
where we made a few errors, but we battled back
from that. We haven’t always been able to over-
come our mistakes this season, but we did that
on Wednesday.”
Frieze said that Friday’s game was character-
ized by a lot of quick trips to the plate and some
well-placed hits by Sweet Home.
Cottage Grove won two fewer games this year
than last, but Frieze said that 2015 was not a total
disappointment.
“I’m really happy with how far the girls have
come this year. We would have wanted to have a
better season but there were a lot of things that
prevented us from doing that, including injuries,”
said the second-year head coach.
The Lions have threatened to make the post-
season in each of the past two years, and if they
are to breakthrough next year they will have to
photo by Tori Fullerton
Cottage Grove fi nished fourth in the Sky-Em League for the second consecutive sea-
son. Next year they will look to breakthrough into the playoffs.
do it without their nucleus of seniors: Katie Ly-
ons, Sayles and Wiltse.
Frieze said that the team will need more pro-
duction and leadership from returners Whisler,
Lindsey Clarke, Kalea Galbreath and Kamryn
Ortloff, as the program develops young talent.
Also toward that end, Frieze said that she is hop-
ing to start a summer league for incoming high
school players.
If there is a silver lining for Cottage Grove, it’s
that the Sky-Em is not as strong as it has been
in the past. This year’s playoff representatives
Elmira, Sweet Home and Junction are ranked
11th, 21st and 30th, respectively.
“It seems as though a lot of programs are suf-
fering from a talent gap, and I think its critical
that we take advantage of this window while it’s
open,” said Frieze.
Carter, Cox, Ashley, Sine and Maricle win at CGS
BY BEN DEATHERAGE
C
ottage Grove Speedway
was able to beat out the
weather and complete its entire
program on Saturday, May 16,
which was Community Sharing
Night. A very good cara count
was on hand in the pit area and
some really exciting racing
would be put on display for the
crowd. Classes in competition
included the Extreme Sprints,
IMCA Modifi eds, IMCA Sport
Mods, Street Stocks and Hor-
nets.
In the Extreme Sprints,
Sutherlin’s Cooper Desbiens
was fast right off the bat. The
teenage led the fi rst couple of
laps before being passed by
Orion Redmond of Roseburg
on lap three. Redmond cruised
along for quite some time, but it
wasn’t long before he was pres-
sured for the lead.
That pressure came from Cot-
tage Grove native Colby Carter.
Carter eventually overtook Red-
mond on lap fourteen. The two
then stayed close to one another
in traffi c, but Carter held on for
the win.
Redmond fi nished in second
over Cooper Desbiens. Cottage
Grove’s Danny Horner fi nished
fourth while Ricky Ashley, out
of Thurston, was fi fth.
Carter was the Jim’s Tire Fac-
tory Fast Award winner and the
Medford’s Dave Hibbard was
the winner of the Dot’s Trophy
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Shop Trophy Dash. Heat race
winners were Ricky Ashley and
Horner.
The IMCA Modifi ed main
event was a thriller. Only a
couple of incidents occurred,
making the race pretty much
stoppage free. Jake Mayden of
Springfi eld set a wicked pace
for most of the race. It looked
like Mayden was going to pick
up the victory but Kinzer Cox
worked his way through the
fi eld and took over the lead on
lap twenty-one. Cox, of Cot-
tage Grove, pulled away from
the rest of the fi eld and made
his second straight visit victory
lane.
Creswell’s Gus Cooper fi n-
ished second while Mayden
ended the evening in third.
The rest of the top fi ve would
consisted of Braedon Hand, of
Cottage Grove in fourth Curtis
Towns, also of Cottage Grove,
in fi fth.
It was a clean sweep for Cox
as he was the Jim’s Tire Factory
Fast Time Award winner, victor
of the Dot’s Trophy Shop Tro-
phy Dash, and won his heat race.
Jacksonville’s Mark Wauge won
the other heat race.
The IMCA Sport Mod fea-
ture saw Jayson Nelson turn
heads in the fi rst half of the
race. The Springfi eld native
went to the front and set a quick
pace in only his second Modi-
fi ed start of his career. Jasper’s
Gene Ashley eventually caught
and passed Nelson on lap seven.
Ashley held on for the victory.
Jimmy Owen, out of Cottage
Grove, was the runner-up and
Nelson fi nished third. Crow’s
Scott Akin was fourth and Roy
Kirk Jr. got fi fth.
It was a clean sweep of the
evening’s events for Gene Ash-
ley as he was the Jim’s Tire
Factory Fast Time Award win-
ner as well as victorious in both
Photo Courtesy of Dirt Monkey Productions
Cottage Grove native Colby Carter won the Extreme Sprints event on Saturday.
the Dot’s Trophy Shop Trophy
Dash and the heat race.
Eugene’s Chris Sine showed
his dominance once again in the
Street Stock ranks. He took the
lead on the opening start and
dominated the competition. Out
in front by over half a lap, Sine
cruised to his third straight vic-
tory.
Cottage Grove teenager Evan
Britton was second while Steve
Begely from Eugene was third.
Picking up a clean sweep, Sine,
was the Jim’s Tire Factory Fast
Time Award winner and was
triumphant in the Dot’s Trophy
Shop Trophy Dash and the heat
race.
Last but not least the Hornets
were out in full force. Marcel
Forte from Junction City was
the early race leader. Forte led
for most of the race but faced
some challengers in the later
stages. Veneta’s Joe Maricle
seized the lead on lap sixteen
and stayed in front of the fi eld
to pick up the win — his second
of the season.
Josh Corley of Westfi r was
second followed by Eugene’s
Andrew Mathers in third. Cross-
ing the wire in fourth was Chris
Pierce from Cottage Grove and
Forte was fi fth.
Josh Corley was the Jim’s Tire
Factory Fast Time Award win-
ner and won the Dot’s Trophy
Shop Trophy Dash. Heat race
wins were picked up by the by
Dexter’s Taunton Swaim, and
Justin Austin of Pleasant Hill.
Cottage Grove Speedway will
be extremely busy this Memo-
rial Day Weekend with three
nights of action on tap. First
the Kage Karts will be in com-
petition for the second time this
season on Friday, May 22, and
racing is scheduled for Satur-
day and Sunday. Classes on
Saturday include the Extreme
Sprints, IMCA Sport Mods,
Street Stocks and the Hornets.
Sunday will feature the Western
Sprint Tour 360 Sprints, IMCA
Modifi eds and Hornets.
General admission to the Kart
race on Friday will be FREE of
charge. Pit Passes are $10.00
and Car and Driver fees will be
$35.00. The Pit Gate will open
up around 3:00 PM and the Pit
Meeting is at 6:00 PM with Hot
Laps and Racing to follow.
On Saturday Admission
prices are: Adults $13.00, Ju-
niors/Seniors/Military $10.00,
Youths (Ages 6-12) $5.00, and
5 & Under FREE. On Sunday
tickets are Adults $15.00, Ju-
niors/Seniors/Military $13.00,
Youths (Ages 6-12) $8.00, and
5 & Under FREE. Both nights
the Pit Gates open at 2:00 PM,
Front Gates 4:00, Qualifying
5:30, and Racing begins right
around 6:45.
Third Annual
GUNS
VS
HOSES
softball game
and
home run derby
SATURDAY, MAY 30TH
2:30PM at Lincoln Middle School
Food, Drinks & Raffl es
Come cheer for your favorite team
Proceeds go to the CGHS Senior Party