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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 2015)
Polk County Sports SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21 Boys Basketball: South Albany at Dallas, 7 p.m. Cen- tral at Crescent Valley, 7 p.m. Wrestling: Dallas at Cres- cent Valley, 6 p.m. Silverton at Central, 6 p.m. THURSDAY, JAN. 22 Swimming: Dallas/Cen- tral Invitational, 3 p.m. Men’s Basketball: West- ern Oregon at Simon Fraser, 7 p.m. Women’s Basketball: Seattle Pacific at Western Oregon, 7 p.m. FRIDAY, JAN. 23 Boys Basketball: Dallas at Corvallis, 7 p.m. Perrydale at St. Paul, 7 p.m. Willamette Valley Christian at Falls City, 7 p.m. Central at Lebanon, 7:15 p.m. Girls Basketball: Perry- dale at St. Paul, 5:30 p.m. Willamette Valley Christian at Falls City, 5:30 p.m. Corval- lis at Dallas, 7 p.m. Lebanon at Central, 7:15 p.m. Wrestling: Dallas at Reser’s Tournament of Cham- pions, Liberty High School, Hillsboro, 11 a.m. SATURDAY, JAN. 24 Wrestling: Dallas at Reser ’s Tournament of Champions, Liberty High School, Hillsboro, 10 a.m. Elmira, Rex Putnam, Shel- don, Gladstone, Jefferson at Central Duals, noon. Men’s Basketball: West- ern Oregon at Western Washington, 7 p.m. Women’s Basketball: Montana State Billings at Western Oregon, 2 p.m. MONDAY, JAN. 26 Swimming: Silverton at Dallas, 4 p.m. TUESDAY, JAN. 27 Boys Basketball: Falls City at Country Christian, 7 p.m. Perrydale at Kennedy, 8 p.m. Girls Basketball: Falls City at Country Christian, 5:30 p.m. Perrydale at Kennedy, 6:30 p.m. Dallas at Crescent Valley, 7 p.m. Silverton at Central, 7 p.m. Swimming: Central at Lebanon, 4 p.m. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28 Boys Basketball: Cres- cent Valley at Dallas, 7 p.m. Central at Silverton, 7 p.m. Wrestling: Dallas at South Albany, 6 p.m. Woodburn at Central, 6 p.m. — Schedules Subject to Change QUICK HITS Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 21, 2015 10A CLASS 5A PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL In the driver’s seat Central guard becoming an all-around threat By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer INDEPENDENCE — For nearly as long as she’s been playing basketball, Central High junior Kylie Nash has leaned on one move. “I live off the drive,” Nash said. “I have ever since I was little.” Nash would always be on the lookout for a lane to the hoop. But this season, Nash is adding a new dimension that is allowing her game to reach new heights and makes the Central girls bas- ketball team a dangerous threat. As the Panthers’ starting point guard, Nash has the physical attributes to run Central’s offense effec- tive- ly. But it’s her non-physi- cal traits that have set her apart this sea- son. “She has improved her decision-making and worked all offseason to in- crease her shot range,” Cen- tral coach Julie McDonald said. “She sees the floor very well and is one of our better shooters.” Nash is still a threat to drive to the hoop, but she no longer sees it as her first and only option. “I understand better that we won’t (always) hit (shots) and be on target every game,” Nash said. “But other players will and I have to get them the ball when they are on and (I have to) understand when to take the shot, when to drive and when to pass it out to team- mates.” That change in mentality has seen Nash evolve into one of the Panthers best all- around players. Nash entered the week averaging more than 12 points, five rebounds, five Huey is coming up big Dallas senior improving fast By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — There was a moment when Dallas senior Brad Huey was ready to walk away from basketball. After finding out he was left off the fifth-grade traveling s q u a d , Huey faced a difficult choice. “I was so mad at my- self that I Huey almost quit basketball outright,” Huey said. Huey decided to give bas- ketball one last chance. Since then, basketball has grown into something more than just a game. Living in Polk County, Huey had many positive in- fluences in his life. Among them was former Dallas po- lice officer Lee Ingram, a mentor whom Huey said he learned countless lessons from. See HUEY, Page 11A Up Next AARON YOST/for the Itemizer-Observer Central junior Kylie Nash looks to pass against Dallas on Friday night. Nash averages more than 12 points per game for the Panthers. assists and 2.5 steals per game. She is shooting 43 per- cent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the 3- point line. Nash’s skills were on full display as Central opened Mid-Willamette Conference Hedrick to take part in showcase BOISE, Idaho — Boise State quarterback Grant Hedrick has been selected to compete in the College Grid- iron Showcase on Jan. 31. The postseason all-star football game will be held in Arlington, Texas. Hedrick, a Central High graduate from Independ- ence, led the nation in com- pletion percentage (70.8 percent) and helped the Broncos (12-2 overall) to a Mountain West Conference title and a Fiesta Bowl victory over Arizona this past season. Hedrick received second- team all-Mountain West honors in 2014. He ranked ninth in the nation in pass- ing efficiency (157.2) and 13th in passing yards (3,696). The showcase features players from all divisions of college football. Players will be split onto two teams, the Wranglers and Desperados. Hedrick will compete for the Wranglers. For more information: www.CollegeGridironShow- case.com. CLASS 5A PREP BOYS BASKETBALL play last week. Nash led the Panthers with 11 points in Central’s 59-25 league win over South Albany on Jan. 13. She poured in 19 points in Fri- day’s 51-36 league home win over Dallas. See DRIVER, Page 12A • Dallas hosts South Al- bany Wednesday (today) at 7 p.m. and plays at Corvallis on Friday at 7 p.m. as the Dragons continue Mid- Willamette Conference play. Up Next • Central’s girls bas- ketball squad hosts Lebanon Friday at 7 p.m. as the Panthers hope to keep pace in the league. CLASS 5A PREP WRESTLING Meza ready for final shot at state Senior introduced to the real world of competitive wrestling By Lukas Eggen Central Duals The Itemizer-Observer INDEPENDENCE — As a young child, Beto Meza loved to watch wrestling. But he wasn’t watching Olympic wrestling — or even high school wrestling. “I liked the WWE a lot,” Meza said. “… The guys were big and strong and just throwing guys every- where. I liked it, my friends liked it and everyone liked it.” It was more than a small surprise, then, when he began wrestling competi- tively in sixth grade and learned that things weren’t quite like how he imag- ined. “It’s not the same as on www.polkio.com/ns/sports • Central will host the Central Duals Saturday at noon. The Panthers will face Elmira, Rex Putnam, Sheldon, Gladstone and Jefferson. TV,” Meza, a Central High senior, said. “It’s a lot more of a commitment than you realize.” Meza’s freshman year did- n’t go as smoothly as he hoped. Meza soon learned new techniques, the ins and outs of cutting and maintaining weight and the dedication it takes to succeed. But Meza was hooked. See MEZA, Page 12A LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer file Central senior Alberto Meza competes in an exhibition match at the Central Four-way on Jan. 9. Meza was 4-0 at the Oregon Wrestling Classic in Redmond on Friday and Saturday. www.facebook.com/pages/Polk-County-Itemizer-Observer/205062686252209 www.LesSchwab.com Mon -Fri 8am - 6pm • Sat 8am - 5pm Prices good through 1/31/15 DALLAS 121 Main St • 503-623-8155 INDEPENDENCE 1710 Monmouth St • 503-838-6340 www.twitter.com/PolkIOSports