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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (June 21, 2017)
B S PORTS Section B Wednesday, JUNE 21, 2017 South Lane County Sports and Recreation Contact Sports, 942-3325 or e-mail sports@cgsentinel.com LCC names new cross country track coach PHOTO COURTESY LCC EUGENE, Ore.—Lane Community College Athletics has named Bill Steyer as cross country coach. Steyer recently relocated to Eugene from Homer, Alaska, where he served as the high school’s head coach for cross country and track and fi eld. During his seven-year tenure in that role, Steyer helped produce fi ve state championship team titles and six state runner-up team awards. In his last year as head coach, 2016-17, both the boys and girls cross country teams won state titles. This was the third consecutive championship for the girls and the fi rst time ever for the boys. Last spring, the Homer girls track and fi eld team also won their fi rst state championship. Despite being a small school, Steyer’s high school became a recognized running powerhouse. Steyer was named Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015 and 2016 by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USATFCCCA), among other awards. Steyer is a former competitive distance runner and triathlete. During his 22 years in Alaska he com- peted in numerous mid/long distance road and trail races with many strong fi nishes. He was also a former competitive long distance dog musher having completed fi ve one-thousand-mile long sled dog races including the Iditarod. His highest fi nish was in fi fth place. Steyer has a USATF Level 1 Certifi cation and USATFCCCA Technical Certifi cation for the sprint, jumping, and distance events. He has a bachelor of arts degree of arts in geography/natural resource management from the University of Washington. Lane Titans' Kyle Keith was selected in the 22nd round of the Major League Baseball amateur baseball draft by the Texas Rangers. The Wyoming transplant is expected to forgo college baseball and travel to play with the Rangers. Keith was joined by his LCC teammate Austin Crowson who was drafted by the New York Yankees during Wednesday's draft. Congratulations to Kyle and Austin, headed to the big time! Athlete of the Week PHOTO COURTESY LCC Father’s Night at Cottage Grove Speedway The sun came back out just in the nick of time to help us celebrate Father’s Day the best way we know how, with lots and lots of speed!! As the cars rolled into the pits the stands began to fi ll up with dad’s and their kids all set to make some lasting memories at Cottage Grove Speed- way! The night kicked off with hot laps and qualify- ing. Fast times of the night were set by 4 drivers who are no strangers to being fast and up front! Josh Corley in the Quality RV Hornets was the fi rst fast timer at a 19.035, next up was Evan Britton in the Street Stocks with a quick 16.652, Late Model quick timer was 2016 champion Britton Donahoo with a 14.294, and setting the fastest time of the night in a wingless sprint was Kyle Miller with an astounding 12.948! James Heating & Air Conditioning Heat Races brought some great racing in every class. The Quality RV Hornets were up fi rst with 3 sets of Heat Races. Rich Dickinson took the lead on lap 1 from his 3rd place starting position and went on to win the fi rst race of the night. Burnie Bryant started on the high side of Heat #2 and never looked back picking up the win. KC Scott was able to repeat that in a shortened Heat #3. Scott and Jack Vicari were the only 2 cars to see the white fl ag before Tiffany Towns went for a wild ride fl ipping violently in turn 3. The street stock class was next up with some very talented drivers preparing and testing for next Saturday’s Wallbanger Cup! Fast timer Evan Britton started in spot number 4, took the lead and fi nished strong in Heat #1. Kyle Yeack had that same lucky number 4 starting spot and picked up the 2nd Heat win. Chuck Christian and Curtis Towns shared the front row in the one and only Late Model Heat race of the night and after 8 laps led by Christian he got the checkers! Rob Lindsay and Ricky Ashley got a pair of James Heating and Air Conditioning Heat Race wins in the 2 incredibly fast green to checkered races! Dot’s Trophy Shop Dashes were up next and taking home the hardware in the Quality RV Hornets was Rich Dickinson, Evan Britton continued his streak in the Street Stocks, Curtis Towns got the trophy in the Late Models, and Kyle Miller came from 4th to win in the Wing- less Sprint Dot’s Trophy Dash. The dice was rolled and it wasn’t what any of the James Heating & Air Conditioning Heat Race winners wanted to see, when the dice stopped the number 12 was displayed putting the Quality RV Hornet, Street Stock, and Late Model winners at the back of the Main Event line ups. Kyle Miller drew a 6 for the Wingless Sprint invert. Quality RV Hornets swarmed to the track and lined up on the wall, including the 30B of Tiffany Towns making it back out for the Main! The Heat Race winners quickly made their way to the front of the pack and were 4 wide for the lead in what was an exciting battle for the win. Ultimately it would be Chris Pierce over Rich Dickinson, KC Scott, Joe Maricle, and late arrival Mike Swaim. Street Stocks lined up next and Joey Cannon and Melissa Adams brought the cars to the green, it wasn’t long before those Heat Race winners made their way to the front along with Andrew Langan. Yeack and Langan ran side by side until the yellow fl ag came out on lap 13 and Yeack was stopped in turn 4, Yeack restarted at the back and the side by side battle was now between Langan and Evan Britton. After 20 laps, it was Langan with the win followed by Britton, Ray Bloom, and Yeack making it back up to an im- pressive 4th, Garret Barth rounded out the top 5. Next out was the Late Model class, early in the night only 9 cars were in the pits, however after qualifying one more trailer had pulled into the pits making it a 10 car race, and oh man what a race it was! Once again, the nights heat race win- ner would start dead last, Christian wasn’t about to stay there though, he quickly made his way thru the fi eld railing the top of the racetrack and on lap 6 was knocking on the door of the race leader Darren Coffell. The 2 swapped the lead back and forth for 10 laps when Kye Frick joined in and made his presence known taking the lead from Coffell, the 2 battled for the last few laps, the checkered fl ew and Coffell fi nished just 3/10 of a second over Frick, Josh Sim fi nished 3rd followed by Curtis Towns and Chuck Christian. The wingless sprints lined the wall for the main event introductions, but before they raced Daddy’s joined their daughters on the front stretch for a very special Daddy Daughter dance on the dirt! The sprints then pushed off and after a couple pre-race stoppages, Kyle Miller was sharing the front row with Lindsay Barney. 12 laps into the race Miller was lapping weaving in and out of lapped traffi c with ease. The race went caution free and Miller dominated, lapping everyone except for 2nd place Cooper Desbiens! Tim Alberding fi nished 3rd, Ricky Ashley was 4th, and Lindsay Barney rounded out the top 5 for the night’s fi nal race. We will be back in action June 24th for the 10th annual Wallbanger Cup with Street Stocks, Todd’s Auto Body Sprints, Late Models and Open Comp Hornets are on the schedule and it’s Kids Night!! Sunday and Monday will be the 2 day stop for the Wild West Modifi ed Speedweek. Join us for 3 days of action packed racing!! For more information go to www.cottage- grovespeedway.com or call 541-942-7561!! Photos provided by Cottage Grove Speedway JUNE 24TH WALLBANGER CUP - KIDS NIGHT Street Stocks, Todd’s Auto Body Sprints, Late Models, Open Comp Hornets JUNE 25TH & 26TH WILD WEST MODIFIED SPEEDWEEK IMCA Modifi eds & Open Comp Hornets - $10.00 for as many as you can fi t in a car load
