2B
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CGHS
APRIL 8, 2021 | COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
from B1
Grove simply wasn’t ready
to match the raised energy
and intensity level of the Vi-
kings that evening. After the
loss, the girls met on Friday
to practice, knowing that the
Elks
from B1
impressed with our defense
for the game.”
The Warriors did try to
make a comeback in the sec-
ond half.
“Siletz, I’ll give them all the
credit in the world, they came
out firing in the second half,
and it was it was a battle for
sure.”
Siletz was able to score 14
points in the third quarter to
Elkton’s seven, bringing the
score to 45-26. Lockhart ex-
Lions
from B1
their means, the Lions got
some much-needed experi-
ence this season to begin to
rebuild their program and,
fortunately, it is a year where
no one’s records would have
been normal.
Polamalu said he was grate-
ful for the time he did get with
his players this season, as it
helped to set a strong founda-
tion for what will hopefully be
a more normal season in the
fall. Now that football is over,
Soccer
from B1
school and going from there.
So, it’s important as a coach to
develop a strong program re-
gardless of who comes in; you
may not win state champion-
ships, but that’s not what’s im-
portant to me as a high school
coach. My importance is for
the kids to have the best expe-
rience that they possibly can.”
Stewart also acknowledged
that in a short season like the
one they just experienced,
there isn’t as much time to
create the connections a coach
normally would in a full sea-
playoffs were a possibility.
“We knew that there was a
chance,” said Ladd, “because
we knew they were going to
pull two second place [teams
to the playoffs], so we prac-
ticed on Friday anyway. I told
the girls, ‘If we go to the play-
offs, at least we practiced. And
if not, let’s end on a more pos-
itive note. Let’s just have a fun
practice. Let’s just play. Let’s be
together. Let’s be a team.’”
After putting a bit of pos-
itive closure on the season,
Ladd received a pleasant sur-
prise.
“As I was walking out of
the gym,” she said, “I got a
text from our athletic director
that we were going to go to the
playoffs. So, I was like, ‘Bring
it back, ladies!’ I let them
know that we were going, and
they were all excited about the
opportunity.”
The top eight teams of
the Sky-Em League played
Tuesday (April 6), including
Cottage Grove, who played
against Sweet Home.
Going into the game, Ladd
said, “We’re all very excited
and hopeful for this opportu-
nity. I’m hoping they hold on
to that and realize that this is
a very lucky opportunity, and
they play like they’re excited to
be there.”
Unfortunately, the Lady
Lions were unable to take the
win Tuesday, ending their
playoff run — But still with
a standout record in a season
that was challenging for all.
plained that the Elks were
determined to hold the War-
riors, regardless. Going into
the fourth quarter, the Elks
kept pushing.
Both teams turned the ball
over on downs several times
as the clock ran down.
“By that point, it was about
three minutes to go,” said
Lockhart. “We made a couple
first downs, and then we just
kneeled it down because they
didn’t have any more time-
outs.”
With neither team scoring
in the fourth quarter, the final
score was 45-26 with the Elks
coming out victorious.
Statistically, the Elks had
another great week. Peters
had 16 carries for 244 yards
and five touchdowns on the
ground, as well as one conver-
sion on the ground.
In rushing, Nathan Rausch
had three carries for 20 yards,
as well as a successful conver-
sion.
Passing, Clevenger was five
of 14 for 159 yards and two
touchdowns, as well as one
conversion through the air.
Receiver Ben Bowen had
three receptions for 111 yards,
one touchdown and one con-
version.
Defensively, Clevenger was
a beast for the Elks.
“This was definitely his best
defensive game that I’ve ever
seen him play,” said Lockhart.
“He had 16 tackles. He was
wreaking havoc through the
middle. He also had a fumble
recovery, and he had an inter-
ception.”
Also notable on defense,
Anthony Alimenti picked the
ball on a conversion play, get-
ting a solid stop for the Elks.
Finally, Paul Yearous had
the only quarterback sack of
the game.
Looking forward, Elkton
has one final league game on
Friday (April 9), and next year
they plan to stay as a six-man
team for the time being. The
Elks will lose five seniors, and
while there will be several in-
coming freshman signing up,
their numbers will likely not
support an eight-man team
just yet.
According to Lockhart, the
decision was the best one for
this school year, and it allowed
Elkton’s program to perform
their best given the issues at
hand.
“It was definitely the right
decision for us to go to six-
man for this year,” said Lock-
hart. “I think it’s the right
decision for us next year. But
we’ll see, again, we’re not op-
posed to ever going back to
eight-man. But this is a lot of
fun, and the kids are loving it,
and that’s the most important.”
The Elks’ final game this
Friday is against Eddyville,
beginning at 4 pm.
Polamalu is encouraging his
players to continue athletics
this school year.
“From here on out, a lot of
sports and other events are
coming into play,” he said. “I
was sharing with [my team]
how important I think it is for
them to participate in other
activities, and to stay in a very
competitive state of mind and
stay active.”
Next school year, Cottage
Grove will return to playing
varsity football, which every-
one was hoping would be the
case.
“We will go varsity,” said
Polamalu, “this was just kind
of one of those situations, I
think we were young and in-
experienced, but next fall is
next fall, it’s back to normal.
That’s our push. We had a long
time to spend with our cur-
rent 25 to 27 players, really to
implement a lot of things, and
we’ve just got to get back to
work in the beginning of July.”
One major benefit the
coach will have is that he is
not losing any seniors in the
next school year, and all of
his returning players will have
had this season’s experience of
practice and bonding under
their belts as a unit.
While it was a short sea-
son, Polamalu and his players
made the best of it.
“Technically, we were to-
gether for nine weeks, and the
last three weeks we played,”
said the coach. “But we got to
know each other, and the rou-
tines, expectations and drills,
and all those things that hope-
fully as we come into [next
year], expectations are some-
what in place.”
Above all, Polamalu is
hopeful that sports in general
will return to some semblance
of normalcy.
“Information will be com-
ing out as far as dates of
workouts and participation,
and we’re really pushing hard
to get kids out and involved
and back in a similar routine
during the summertime, fol-
lowing the OSAA calendar
year,” Polamalu said.
At this point, the Cottage
Grove football program has
a better foundation laid than
it has in recent years and,
moving forward — provided
the pandemic doesn’t throw
further wrenches in the game
— Polamalu is on the road to
success with his team.
“As far as looking farther
down the road, we’re always
saying, ‘Okay, it’s going to be
back on schedule,’ but you
know as well as I know that
things could change day to
day or week to week,” he said.
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m
looking at that old schedule,
and I know what time to show
up, I know what time we’ll
start. And until somebody
says ‘No,’ we’re moving.”
son. However, Stewart and
his team absolutely made the
best of the situation, and still
managed to have a winning
season.
This season, the Lions had
three total shutout games,
winning 8-0 against Junction
City, Siuslaw, and Elmira at
different points in the season,
as well as two other very com-
fortable wins and a tie to go
along with three losses.
“The first meeting against
Marist, that was a humbling
experience,” Stewart admit-
ted. “But then we came back,
and we played one of our best
games that we’ve played.”
Stewart is truly proud of
his team — and he should be.
He has developed a program
where the players genuinely
care for each other and are in
each other’s corners regardless
of whether they win or lose.
“After we were finished
playing and we lost our last
game against Marshfield,” he
said. “One of the coaches who
rode the bus said you would
have thought that we had just
won the state championship
with the amount of singing
that was going on.”
Then, when he got home,
Stewart said he got a call ask-
ing if the team could practice
the next day.
“I said, ‘Guys, but it’s over!’
But we ended up going out
and practicing the next day,”
said Stewart. “It wasn’t a prac-
tice really, we just basically
split the teams up and had two
hours of fun kicking the ball
around.
“But they didn’t want it to
end. So, that’s what a good
program is all about.”
It is no surprise that Stewart
continues to run the program
at Cottage Grove. As a unit,
they are clearly strong.
“I guess at my age, that’s
what keeps me coming back,”
said Stewart. “I know all of
the other things will dissolve
and come to an end; all good
things have to come to an end
at some point in time, but the
memories that I have — I can
go back to so many things,
and so many personalities of
different teams that I’ve had
the privilege of coaching. And
every one of them is unique.”
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