Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 20, 2015 11A
Polk County Sports
State: Pair ready
for big challenge
CLASS 5A PREP SOFTBALL
Dallas ready to shine
Dragons hope Friday starts off a long playoff journey
By Lukas Eggen
Postseason
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — It wasn’t the
regular season finale the
Dallas softball team had
hoped for, but the Dragons
didn’t hang their heads. If
the last third of the Mid-
Willamette Conference sea-
son had proven anything, it
was this: Dallas is ready to
take the next step.
“There’s a lot of pride,”
senior Kassidy Totten said.
“Everything we’ve worked
for since October is here and
we are ready.”
Totten is no stranger to
speed. She set a school
record in track and field,
running a 40-yard dash in
under five seconds. She
couldn’t compete in both
track and field and in soft-
ball, though she tried.
“I was exhausted by the
first month,” Totten said. “I
did not want to get out of
bed on the weekends.”
While she left track to
focus on softball, that speed
makes her one of the Drag-
ons’ most dangerous players
on the base.
“I know when the short-
stop is not paying atten-
tion,” Totten said. “I know
being aggressive can help
my team. The more aggres-
sive you are, the better it is
for everyone.”
Totten, who has 16 stolen
bases, has yet to be thrown
out. Getting on base has be-
en little trouble for Totten,
who is batting .545.
But she’s far from Dallas’
lone offensive threat. Six
batters with at least 40 at-
bats are hitting higher than
.300. Yasmine El-Hato and
Makena Linn have com-
bined for 16 home runs
while the Dragons have
stolen 43 bases as a team.
Who: North Eugene at
Dallas.
When: Friday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Dallas High.
Admission: Adults, $6;
students, $4.
What’s at stake:: The
winner advances to the
OSAA Class 5A state play-
offs. The loser is eiliminat-
ed.
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Dallas senior Kassidy Totten plays defense against Silver-
ton on Friday afternoon. The Dragons lost 6-1.
In the pitcher’s circle, Erin
Taylor has a 2.9 ERA in 77 in-
nings of work.
“I’m proud of all the
progress all of the girls have
made throughout the sea-
son,” Dallas coach Al Perkins
said.
Much of that progress
may find its source from the
team’s six seniors: Totten,
Taylor, Sarah Mitchell, Teri
Bunnell, Keisha Sickles and
Katie Mitchell.
“In years past as under-
classmen, we had people
telling me what to do and
pick me up,” Totten said.
“Now, we’re the ones picking
other people up. It’s a totally
different role and it’s been a
lot of adjusting. We’ve fig-
ured it out though.”
The Dragons finished the
regular season with a 13-3
win over Lebanon on May 13
and a 14-3 triumph over
Crescent Valley on Thursday
before falling to Silverton on
Friday to finish third in the
MWC.
Up next is a home game
against North Eugene Friday
at 4:30 p.m. in the play-in
round. The Highlanders fin-
ished 4-14 in Midwestern
League play to take sixth in
the league standings. Dallas
and North Eugene shared
two common opponents:
Liberty and Hood River Val-
ley. The Dragons lost to
Hood River Valley 10-6 on
March 23 and defeated Lib-
erty 8-6 on March 24. North
Eugene defeated Hood River
Valley 7-4 and lost to Liberty
20-2.
Dallas (16-9 overall, 15-6
MWC) may seem like a fa-
vorite on paper, but many
players know the dangers of
overlooking an opponent.
The Dragons lost a home
play-in game in 2014.
“I think we were ranked
way higher last year and we
sort of expected that we had
it in the bag,” Totten said.
“Now we know and expect a
challenge from everyone.”
The positive is for the first
time since the season began,
Dallas will have four prac-
tices in a row, Perkins said.
“We will review funda-
mentals, work hard and
relax a little,” Perkins said.
“Having consistent practices
like this I think will help us
immensely.”
A win, and the Dragons
advance to the OSAA state
playoffs. A loss and the sea-
son is over. But no matter
what happens, Totten said
Dallas is ready to come out
and give its all and not take
anything for granted.
“You never know when
you’re going to take your last
swing,” Totten said.
Central to host Ashland
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
WO O D BU R N — T h e
Ce n t r a l s o f t b a l l t e a m
ended its league season
with a bang, defeating
Woodburn 28-1 on Friday
after falling to Silverton
11-9 on May 12 and Cor-
vallis 8-7 on May 13.
The Panthers, which host
G r e s h a m We d n e s d a y
(today) in a nonleague
matchup, finished fourth in
the Mid-Willamette Confer-
ence with a 13-8 league
record.
Central hosts Ashland,
the Midwestern League’s
fifth-place finisher, Friday
at 4:30 p.m. in the OSAA
play-in round.
The Panthers scored 10
Play-in Game
Who: Ashland at Cen-
tral.
Where: Central High.
When: Friday, 4:30
p.m.
Admission: Adults,
$6; students, $4.
will need to play smart and
be at our best to win Friday.”
The Panthers host Gre-
sham in a nonleague game,
scheduled to help prepare
the Panthers for the play-in
game, George said.
The winner advances to
the OSAA Class 5A state
softball playoffs.
The first round of the
state playoffs begins
Wednesday (May 27).
CLASS 5A PREP BASEBALL
Dragons ready for play-in
Dallas looks to make deep state playoff run
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — The Dallas
High baseball squad
closed out its regular sea-
son with a sweep of South
A l b a n y, d e f e a t i n g t h e
Rebels 10-1 and 7-2 on
May 13 and 7-6 on Friday
as the Dragons clinched
the Mid-Willamette Con-
ference’s third seed.
Pitchers
L o g a n
Hatley
and Tuck-
er Weaver
combined
for
24
strikeouts
on May
13.
Hatley
“They’re a team that has
had some tough luck this
year a little bit,” Dallas
coach Scot McDonald said.
Playoff Push
Who: Springfield at
Dallas.
Where: Dallas High.
When: Friday, 4:30
p.m.
Admission: Adults,
$6; students, $4.
“You want to take care of
business, win and be play-
ing solidly going into the
playoffs.”
The Dragons (18-8 over-
all, 16-5 MWC) host Spring-
field, which finished sixth in
the Midwestern League, Fri-
day at 4:30 p.m.
The Millers finished 9-17
overall and 4-14 in league
play. The teams did not
share any common oppo-
nents.
Dallas scored 190 runs
during the regular season,
tied for the second most in
at state. The great thing is
that the ability is there. I
hope that the boys can
feed that drive with
ample practice.”
Central girls
Central’s girls team saw
the dou-
bles pairs
of Renee
Bruning
a n d
Danielle
Chance
and An-
d r e a
Bruning
Garibay
and Julia
Hamar
advance
to the
second
round,
before
losing,
while the
doubles
Chance
pair of
Karlee Hernandez and Pa-
tience Teague advanced to
the consolation semifinals.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Free fishing weekend coming
POLK COUNTY — The Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife will host a free fishing weekend June 6 and 7. During
this time, Oregon residents and visitors may fish, crab and
clam without a license. All fishing regulations still apply.
For more information: www.dfw.state.or.us/education/an-
gling/free_fishing.asp.
WOU athletes head to nationals
MONMOUTH — Three members of Western Oregon’s track
and field team are headed to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track
and Field Championships in Allendale, Mich. Thursday through
Saturday.
Javelin throwers Justin Larson, Sheila Limas De La Cruz and
Amanda Short will compete on the final day on Saturday.
Larson ranks 18th overall in Division II with a personal record
of 207 feet, 1 inch.
Limas De La Cruz ranks 16th among female javelin throwers
with a top mark of 144-6, while Short ranks 15th overall with a
top throw of 144-9.
The women’s event will begin at 8 a.m., with the men’s event
starting at 11:15 a.m. Go to www.wouwolves.com for more infor-
mation.
CLASS 5A PREP GIRLS GOLF
CLASS 5A PREP SOFTBALL
o r m o re
runs 12
times du-
r ing the
regular
season,
en route
to scoring
233 total
Kerr
runs, sec-
ond most
in the MWC. Central also al-
lowed 87 runs on defense,
the fewest in the league and
was the lone team from the
MWC to allow fewer than
100 runs.
Ashland is ranked No. 17
in the OSAA’s power rank-
ings, while the Panthers are
No. 19.
“ We expect a tough
g a m e ,” C e n t r a l c o a c h
Kendra George said. “We
Continued from Page 10A
“We’ve worked hard to go
over our weaknesses and
improve them,” Sanna said.
“We are going to do our
best at (state) and we’re
going to do everything we
can to win.”
Cable and Sanna were
the lone placers for Cen-
tral’s boys team.
“It’s an honor because it’s
been two years since some-
one from Central has made
state,” Cable said. “We want
to play hard and see what
happens.
Hassan Eltelbany ad-
vanced to the second
round to lead the singles
players.
“It was as good as, and
more emotional than, the
pro tennis I have seen in
Portland,” Central coach
Patti Youngren said. “I
have a few boys who
didn’t make it far in
match play at district who
are inspired to play all
summer and be more
ready to capture a place
the MWC, while giving up
102, the second fewest in
the league. Springfield
scored 128 runs, the third
fewest in the Midwestern
League, while allowing a
league-high 179 runs on de-
fense.
“They’ve got some good
athletes and have some
kids who have been play-
ing there for a few years
now,” McDonald said. “It’s
just a matter of taking care
of what we want to do.”
Hatley and Weaver pro-
vide the Dragons with depth
at the pitcher’s position.
The duo combined for
164 strikeouts during the
regular season.
“I have no qualms about
throwing any one of our
pitchers out there,” McDon-
ald said.
The winner advances to
the OSAA Class 5A state
baseball playoffs.
Curtis in 24th place at state
CORVALLIS — Dallas
sophomore Kailee Curtis
iwas in 24th place at the
OSAA Class 5A girls golf state
championships after Mon-
day’s first round.
Golfers played their sec-
ond and final round Tuesday
after press time.
Curtis qualified for state
after finishing 11th at the
Mid-Willamette Conference
c h a m p i o n s h i p s. G o t o
www.polkio.com for full re-
sults.
CLASS 5A PREP BASEBALL
Central preps for Crater
Panthers go on the road for play-in round
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — The
Central baseball team knows
it can compete with the Mid-
Willamette Conference’s
best.
The Panthers defeated
Dallas 4-2, played close
games with the league’s sec-
ond-place team Crescent
Valley and has defeated the
league’s fourth-place team,
Lebanon. Yet, after a trio of
losses to Corvallis to end the
regular season, Central finds
itself facing a road game at
Crater in the Class 5A play-in
round on Friday.
But the Panthers aren’t
shying away from the chal-
lenge.
“We’re a good team in
terms of we’re talented,”
Central coach Zach Miller
said. “We get a letdown
every now and then. We
have to coach past that.
Sometimes, we get knocked
down. We tell the guys they
have to control what they
can control. How you handle
adversity will define our suc-
cess.”
The Panthers finished the
regular season at 13-11 over-
all and 11-10 in league play
after falling to the Spartans
11-3 on May 13, 16-12 on
Thursday and 16-1 on Fri-
day.
“We’ve shown in spurts
this year that we’ve been
able to play with anybody,”
Miller said.
Senior Kyler Fleming is
AARON YOST/for the Itemizer-Observer
Pitcher Humberto Alarcon throws a pitch against Corval-
lis on Friday afternoon. The Panthers lost 16-1.
coming off a productive se-
ries against Corvallis, hitting
a home run and a double,
while pitchers Wes Riddell,
Chris Rech and Humberto
Alarcon give Central a deep
pitching rotation to draw
from.
Crater finished fourth in
the Midwestern League with
a 10-16 record overall and
10-8 mark in league play.
The teams did not share any
common opponents.
“I will chat with other
coaches to try and get an
idea about them,” Miller
said. “But we have to drive
four and a half, almost five
hours, get off the bus and
play a game. Ultimately, our
ability to go out and play
clean baseball is going to be
the biggest factor.”
Play-in Game
Who: Central at Crater.
When: Friday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Crater High.
Admission: Adults, $6;
students, $4.
All season long, the Pan-
thers have shown flashes of
potential. Now, with a trip
to the state playoffs on the
line, Central gets a chance
to show just how good it
can be when its potential is
realized.
“The kids have bought
into that we can compete
with anyone,” Miller said.
“Our focus has to be at an
all-time high. Our kids have
to be ready for what will be
thrown at them.”