B
Section B
S PORTS
South Lane County Sports and Recreation
Contact Sports, 942-3325 or e-mail sports@cgsentinel.com
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Lions keep their own scores this summer
Cottage Grove takes out
Elmira in extras, 6-5
BY MATT HOLLANDER
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
V
photo by Matt Hollander
Jaace Cross went 2-for-4 in the Lions' win over Elmira on June 16.
ENETA — There’s a a particular-
ly care-free air around the Cottage
Grove baseball team this summer. The
Lions opted for an independent sched-
ule over the more typical small-school
league, meaning that record means even
less than usual. But they still keep score,
and so far they’re doing very well.
Cottage Grove’s D1 / Varsity team was
undefeated through the fi rst two weeks of
its summer slate, including a 6-5 (8 inns.)
road win over Elmira on June 16.
The teams were knotted at four runs
apiece after seven innings. In the top of
the eighth, Brett Ollivant scored Jaace
Cross on an RBI single for the go-ahead
run. And Ollivant later came in for the
would-be game winner.
The Falcons responded immediately in
the bottom of the inning. Kobe Bechtel
hit a triple and later scored on a passed
ball. And Harley Clarke, the game-tying
run, was on second for Elmira. But the
next two Falcon batters fl ew out to left
fi eld, and Clarke was picked off on his
way to third base.
“Early on in these games, it’s more
about teaching,” said Cottage Grove
coach Dan Geiszler. “But hopefully,
when you get into those fi nal innings, the
competitive nature will take over. Win-
ning isn’t really the main part of the sum-
mer, but it’s nice to see the way our kids
perform in those situations.”
For much of the game, it appeared that
the Lions had the victory well in hand.
They got on the board fi rst with two runs
in the third inning. Ollivant, who fi nished
with three hits, extended the lead with an
RBI single in the fourth. And T.J. Bella-
my, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles,
Please see BASEBALL, Page 3B
Athlete of theWeek:
Kory Parent
The Lions' varsity basketball
team went 7-2 at a summer
tournament last weekend at
Junction City. Kory Parent
averaged 14 points per game
to lead Cottage Grove. See
Page 2B for more coverage.
All-Star New-look Lions wrap up summer league
Sayles
Cottage Grove loses to
Creswell and Roseburg
in fi nale doubleheader
Taylor Sayles, a recent gradu-
ate of Cottage Grove High School,
was selected to play in the OSAA
Senior All-Star basketball tourna-
ment, held this past weekend at
Corban University in Salem. The
teams — North, South, East and
West — were comprised of 4A,
3A and 2A players who had earned
fi rst or second team all-league hon-
ors this past winter. Sayles, who
was named second-team All-Sky
Em, was chosen to play on the
South team.
In the fi rst game, the South de-
feated the North 64-48. Sayles had
fi ve points, four rebounds and four
assists. And in the championship
game, the South prevailed again,
69-53, over the East. Sayles had
eight points, three rebounds and
fi ve assists.
BY MATT HOLLANDER
The Cottage Grove Sentinel
E
UGENE — The Cottage
Gove varsity girls’ basketball
team concluded its summer league
schedule with a doubleheader last
Wednesday at Lane Community
College. The Lions dropped their
opener to Creswell, 33-12, and were
later defeated by Roseburg, 52-33.
While several players were absent
from Wednesday’s games, fi rst-year
head coach Kevin Yoss said that the
games still highlighted key areas for
improvement.
“We have a long ways to go, but
I think that the girls are willing to
do it, which I’m pleased to see,” he
said.
In the fi rst game, Creswell jumped
out to a 14-0 lead while holding Cot-
tage Grove without a fi eld goal for
16 minutes. (Summer league games
are two 20-minute halves of run-
ning clock.) Madison Eusted led the
Bulldogs with 16 points, and Kaylee
Lehman added 10 points. Melissa
Thielman was the Lions’ high scorer
with fi ve points.
Cottage Grove nearly tripled its
scoring against 6A Roseburg but
struggled on the defensive end.
The Indians led by 17 at halftime
and were ahead by 25 late in the sec-
ond half. Jessie Farrington scored 18
points for Roseburg.
Bethany Fromdahl and Amia Go-
wins added 12 and 10 points, re-
spectively, for the Indians. Hannah
Arnold score 12 points for the Cot-
tage Grove, including eight straight
photo by Matt Hollander
Melissa Thielman scored nine points in Cottage Grove's summer league game against Roseburg.
Taylor Sayles
Please see GIRLS BASKETBALL, Page 2B
Williamson wins Wild West Modifi ed Shootout at CGS
Letsom picks up second Quality
RV Repair Hornet win of 2015
BY BEN DEATHERAGE
C
ottage Grove Speedway hosted the fourth
race of the 2015 Wild West Modifi ed Shoot-
out on Tuesday, June 16. A total of 43 cars were on
hand representing the states of Oregon, Washing-
ton, California, Nevada, Arizona, Montana, North
Dakota, Colorado and the Canadian province of
British Columbia. Some spectacular action was on
display at the historic 1/4-mile clay oval.
Martinez, California’s Troy Foulger was the early
race leader, but he lost the lead on lap fi ve to Jesse
Williamson from Eugene. Williamson appeared to
have the race won until going off the track on turns
three and four of lap 16.
Williamson was able to get back on the race
track, but he forfeited the top spot to Chowchilla,
California native Alex Stanford. Stanford did not
have to worry much about lapped traffi c due to
several cautions. But on lap 28, just before another
caution, Williamson found a way around Stanford
to reclaim the lead.
Shortly after the restart, Redmond’s Mark Car-
rell come from the bottom of the track to seize the
lead on lap 30. Unfortunately, Carrell spun in the
second turn and collided with a few cars, resulting
in a premature end to his night.
Williamson inherited the lead with just a few laps
left to go, and he held off some very fast race cars
to become the fi rst multi-feature victor in the 2015
Wild West Modifi ed Shootout. It was also his third
win of the year at Cottage Grove Speedway.
Travis Peery of Williston, North Dakota was the
runner-up while Troy Heupel, also of Williston,
managed to get third. The rest of the top fi ve con-
sisted of Stanford and Albany’s Craig Hanson. Troy
Heupel was awarded the Klecker Knives Hard-
charger award.
Also in action on Tuesday was the Quality RV
Repair Hornets, which was the support division to
the IMCA Modifi eds. There was a strong contin-
gent of eighteen cars in attendance for the rare mid-
week appearance.
Marcola’s Brandon Letsom seized the race lead
on the fi rst lap, and he managed to keep all chal-
lengers at bay for a wire-to-wire victory. It was the
second of 2015 for Letsom.
Mike Swaim of Dexter was second, while behind
in third was Springfi eld’s K.C. Scott. Marcel Forte
from Junction City ended his evening fourth, and
Dexter’s Taunton Swaim was fi fth.
Photo Courtesy of Kayla Simmons Photography
Jesse Williamson won an exciting leg of the Wild West Modfi ed Shootout, Tuesday
at the Cottage Grove Speedway.
Join us June 27th
for
NWWT Sprints,
IMCA Modiϐieds, Street Stocks,
Quality RV Repair Hornets