Polk County
Sports
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27
Baseball: South Albany
at Central, 4:30 p.m. Dallas
at Corvallis, 4:30 p.m. Per-
rydale at Country Chris-
tian, 4:30 p.m. Montana
State, Billings at Western
Oregon, 2 p.m.
Boys tennis: Lebanon
at Central, 4 p.m. Corvallis
at Dallas, 4 p.m.
Girls tennis: Central at
Lebanon, 4 p.m. Dallas at
Corvallis, 4 p.m.
Softball: Dayton at
Central, 4 p.m. Silverton at
Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Delphian
at Perrydale, 4:30 p.m.
Track and field: Central
at Crescent Valley, 3:45
p.m. Falls City, Perrydale at
Southwest Christian Invita-
tional, 4 p.m.
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 27, 2016 12A
Central warns against possible phone scam
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
IN-
DEPENDENCE — Cen-
tral High School is warn-
ing businesses and resi-
dences against
a possible
phone scam
occurring in
Polk County.
CHS Athlet-
ics Director Shane
Hedrick said he received
word from local businesses
who received a call from a
company stating that they
are securing ads for a
school calendar on behalf
of Central athletics.
SATURDAY, APRIL 30
Baseball: Montana
State, Billings at Western
Oregon (DH), 1 p.m.
Softball: GNAC Cham-
pionships: TBA vs. TBA,
noon.
Track and field: Central
at Dick Baker Invitational
(Gladstone High School),
11:15 a.m. Western Oregon
at Raider Invitational (Ash-
land), all day. Western Ore-
gon at Oregon State High
Performance meet, all day.
MONDAY, MAY 2
Baseball: Perrydale at
St. Paul, 4:30 p.m.
Boys tennis: Corvallis at
Central, 4 p.m. Lebanon at
Dallas, 4 p.m.
Girls tennis: Central at
Corvallis, 4 p.m.
Softball: Perrydale at
St. Paul, 4:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, MAY 3
Baseball: Dallas at Cen-
tral, 4:30 p.m.
Girls golf: Central, Dal-
las at MWC Regionals (at
Quail Valley, Banks), 10
a.m.
Girls tennis: Dallas at
Lebanon, 4 p.m.
Softball: Central at Dal-
las, 4:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4
Baseball: Central at Dal-
las, 4:30 p.m. Perrydale at
Kennedy, 2:30 p.m.
Boys tennis: Central at
Woodburn, 4 p.m. Silver-
ton at Dallas, 4 p.m.
Girls golf: Central, Dal-
las at MWC Regionals (at
Quail Valley, Banks), 10
a.m.
Girls tennis: Woodburn
at Central, 4 p.m. Dallas at
Silverton, 4 p.m.
Softball: Crescent Val-
ley at Central, 4:30 p.m.
South Albany at Dallas,
4:30 p.m. Perrydale at
Kennedy, 3 p.m.
Track and field: Dallas
at Corvallis, 3:45 p.m.
—
Kessler embraces multiple roles
Freshman becomes essential piece to Dragons’ success this spring
By Lukas Eggen
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Dallas freshman Eric Kessler has played in the infield, outfield, catcher and pitcher.
DALLAS — Freshman Eric
Kessler was confident he
could make a strong case for
earning a spot on Dallas’
varsity baseball squad.
The only thing that made
him nervous was being the
lone freshman on a roster
largely filled with juniors
and seniors.
“There was definitely a
worry about being the
youngest guy on a team full
of juniors or seniors and a
couple of sophomores,”
Kessler said. “But this is a
great group of guys. They
treat me at the same level as
them. They don’t call me a
freshman.”
Kessler has proven his
worth to teammates and
coaches, quickly becoming
one of the Dragons’ most
versatile weapons.
“He’s played multiple po-
sitions, hits in the top of
our lineup and has im-
proved a ton,” coach Scot
• Dallas’ baseball team
took two of three games
from Silverton last week.
The Dragons won 5-2 on
April 19 before falling 4-2
on April 20. Dallas closed
out the three-game series
with a 13-6 win on Friday.
• Pitcher Tucker Weaver
earned the win on April 19,
throwing nine strikeouts.
Eric Kessler had two RBIs.
• Tanner Earhart, Eric
Kessler, Everett Minahan
and Clay Coxen each
recorded two hits on Friday.
• Kessler and Coxen per-
formed strongly on the
pitcher’s mound, combin-
ing to give up two runs over
five innings.
McDonald said.
There aren’t many posi-
tions Kessler hasn’t tried so
far this season.
He’s seen time in the out-
field, second base, third
base, catcher and pitcher.
See KESSLER, Page 13A
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
WOU clinches spot in championships
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
PORTLAND — With a spot
in the Great Northwest Ath-
letic Conference softball
tourna-
ment on
the line,
We s t e r n
Oregon re-
sponded in
a big way,
winning
three of
f o u r
Boytz
against
Concordia. The Wolves won
a doubleheader on April 20,
winning 4-3 and 2-1 in the
team’s home finale. The
Wolves split with Concordia
on Thursday, winning 4-2
before falling 5-0.
“For whatever reason, this
team just never gets down
Conference championships
What: Great Northwest Athletic Conference Softball
Championships.
Who: No. 1 Central Washington, No. 2 Western Oregon, No.
3 Concordia, No. 4 Saint Martin’s.
When: Games begin Thursday at noon.
Where: Lacey, Wash.
What’s at stake: The conference champion gains an au-
tomatic berth in the NCAA Division II Regionals.
on itself,”
c o a c h
L o n n y
Sargeant
s a i d .
“ T h e y ’r e
very re-
silient.
They know
Huffman
the game’s
not over until the final in-
ning and the final out.”
Both of WOU’s wins on
April 20 came in dramatic
fashion. The first game saw
pitcher Alyson Boytz earn
her 10th win of the season,
throwing four strikeouts and
recovering after a solo home
run by Concordia cut WOU’s
lead to one in the top of the
seventh inning.
The second game fea-
tured Central High graduate
Ryanne Huffman scoring the
winning run in extra in-
nings.
See WOU, Page 13A
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer file
Western Oregon coach Lonny Sargeant checks his notes
during a game on April 9.
CENTRAL GIRLS TENNIS
Smith struggles
to conquer doubts
Junior shows progress on court
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
INDEPENDENCE — It seemed like
smooth sailing for Central junior Kylie
Smith.
She cruised to a 4-1 lead in the first set of
her girls tennis match against South Albany’s
Lacey McLellan on April 20.
Then, a lost point turned into a lost game
and, before long, Smith dropped the first set
6-4.
“It’s definitely a mental thing,” Smith said.
“I see that I start losing, and it frustrates me.
Then I start rushing points and it gets
worse.”
Smith seemed to put those demons to rest
in the second set, racing out to a 5-1 lead.
See SMITH, Page 14A
STAT SHEET
6
www.polkio.com
Baseball
The Itemizer-Observer
Schedules Subject to Change
The number of true
home games West-
ern Oregon softball
team was able to
play during the 2016 regu-
lar season. WOU advanced
to the GNAC Champi-
onships this weekend.
represent them to ask for
money for the high
school.
If you receive a phone call
like this, do not give money
or information and contact
local police.
DALLAS BASEBALL
THURSDAY, APRIL 28
Girls tennis: Central at
Dallas, 4 p.m.
Softball: Dallas at Cres-
cent Valley, 4:30 p.m. GNAC
Championships: Concordia
vs. Western Oregon (at
Lacey, Wash.), noon.
Track and field: West-
ern Oregon at Titan Twi-
light (Eugene), all day.
FRIDAY, APRIL 29
Baseball: Central at
South Albany, 4:30 p.m.
Corvallis at Dallas, 4:30
p.m. Regis at Perrydale,
4:30 p.m. Montana State,
Billings at Western Oregon
(DH), 1 p.m.
Boys tennis: Silverton
at Central, 4 p.m. Dallas at
Crescent Valley, 4 p.m.
Girls tennis: Central at
Silverton, 4 p.m. Crescent
Valley at Dallas, 4 p.m.
Softball: South Albany
at Central, 4 p.m. Regis at
Perrydale, 4:30 p.m. GNAC
Championships: Conco-
rdia/Western Oregon vs.
Saint M ar tin’s/Central
Washington, TBA.
Track and field: Dallas
at Rob Allen Twilight
(Lebanon), 4 p.m. Falls City
at Waldport Small School
meet, 4 p.m. Western Ore-
gon at Raider Invitational
(Ashland), all day. Western
Oregon at Oregon State
High Performance meet,
all day.
Most recently, Hedrick
said a business brought in
an invoice on Tuesday,
which he turned over to the
police.
The high school has not
requested any company to
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Central junior Kylie Smith led at one point in both sets of her 6-4, 7-5 loss to South Albany’s Lacey McLellan on April 20.
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