Polk County
Sports
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 18, 2017 11A
DALLAS SWIM
SCHEDULE
Senior gives
his all for
swim team
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 18
Boys basketball:
Lebanon at Central, 7 p.m.
Silverton at Dallas, 7 p.m.
Crosshill Christian at Perry-
dale, 7 p.m.
Girls basketball:
Crosshill Christian at Perry-
dale, 5:30 p.m.
Wrestling: Silverton at
Central, 6 p.m. Dallas at
Crescent Valley, 6 p.m.
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
THURSDAY, JAN. 19
Men’s basketball: West-
ern Oregon at Alaska An-
chorage, 8 p.m.
Women’s basketball:
Western Oregon at Central
Washington, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, JAN. 20
Boys basketball: Dallas
at Central, 7 p.m. Falls City
at Mapleton, 7 p.m. Perry-
dale at Willamette Valley
Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Girls basketball: Dallas
at Central, 5:30 p.m. Falls
City at Mapleton, 5:30 p.m.
Perrydale at Willamette Val-
ley Christian, 6 p.m.
Wrestling: Central at
Gary Seaney Memorial
Tournament, noon. Dallas
at Reser’s Tournament of
Champions, 11 a.m.
SATURDAY, JAN. 21
Men’s basketball: West-
ern Oregon at Alaska Fair-
banks, 8 p.m.
Women’s basketball:
Western Oregon at North-
west Nazarene, 1 p.m.
Wrestling: Central at
Central Duals, noon. Dallas
at Reser’s Tournament of
Champions, 11 a.m.
MONDAY, JAN. 23
Boys basketball: C.S.
Lewis at Perrydale, 7 p.m.
TUESDAY, JAN. 24
Boys basketball: Wood-
burn at Dallas, 7 p.m.
Girls basketball: Corval-
lis at Central, 7 p.m. Dallas
at Woodburn, 7 p.m.
Swimming: Central at
Dallas, 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 25
Boys basketball: Central
at Corvallis, 7 p.m. Jewell at
Falls City, 7 p.m. Perrydale
at Crosshill Christian, 7 p.m.
Girls basketball: Jewell
at Falls City, 5:30 p.m. Perry-
dale at Crosshill Christian,
5:30 p.m.
Wrestling: Central at
Dallas, 6 p.m.
—
Schedules Subject to Change
QUICK HITS
Ribich receives
weekly honor
PORTLAND -- Western
Oregon junior distance
runner David Ribich was
named the Great North-
west Athletic Conference’s
Track and Field Player of
the Week.
Ribich set a school
record in the men’s 3,000-
meter race at the Indoor
Preview meet in Seattle on
Saturday. Ribich finished
10th overall with a time of
8 minutes, 13.94 seconds.
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LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Western Oregon junior Tanner Omlid leads Division II in steals per game. Omlid averages 3.06 steals per game.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Fishing for success
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — Western Oregon
junior forward Tanner Omlid isn’t
afraid to lay it all on the line for his
team.
He does much more than lead the
team in scoring, averaging 14.9 points
per game, and assists (57 total). He’s
among the leaders in steals per game
in all of Division II (3.06) and ranks
first on the Wolves in rebounds (118)
and blocks (29).
In short, Omlid does it all.
“Tanner’s biggest strength is his in-
tangibles,” coach Jim Shaw said. “His
competitiveness, his physical tough-
ness. He’s not the best shooter, drib-
bler or passer, but he’s very tough. He
plays very hard, is extremely competi-
tive and has good anticipation.”
It’s a common sight to see Omlid
diving for a loose ball, hustling down
the court to get back on defense and
routinely laying his body on the line to
make a play.
“My dad started coaching me back
in elementary
school,” Omlid said.
“One thing he fo-
cused on was de-
fense. He said every-
one can play de-
fense, no matter how
athletic or unathletic
you are.”
Omlid
That kind of hustle
can be traced back to two main things
— fishing and his love for his team-
mates.
Each summer, the Omlids go on a
three-month fishing trip. This isn’t a
relaxing day out at a lake, though.
This is a fishing trip at Kodiak Island
in Alaska.
“We’ve gone every summer in my
life,” Omlid said. “We drop the cell-
phone for three months, go fish, and
try and make some money.”
The experience gives Omlid some-
thing invaluable.
“The commercial fishing in Alaska I
believe instilled a work ethic and grit
within him,” Tanner’s father, Keith,
said. “I believe there is weight room
Swim meet
• Corvallis’ swim team de-
feated Dallas 163-90 (boys)
and 195-58 (girls) on Jan.
10.
• Ryan Kennedy won the
boys 200-yard freestyle in 2
minutes, 6.39 seconds and
the 100 freestyle in 57.72
seconds. Amicus Ambler
won the boys 100 breast-
stroke in 1:29.94, and the
200 medley relay team of
Tyler Boggs, Isaiah Dressel,
Gabe Applegate and Am-
bler took first in 2:10.70.
• Jolie-Rae Ford won the
girls 200 freestyle in 2:05.56
and the 50 freestyle in 25.99
seconds. Annalisa Kakacek
won the 100 backstroke in
1:27.76.
• The Dragons hosted
Lebanon Tuesday after
press time.
• Dallas hosts Central
Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Dallas
Aquatic Center. The meet
will be the team’s final
home meet of the 2016-17
season.
PERRYDALE BASKETBALL
Pirates girls, boys learn key lessons
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
PERRYDALE — Senior
Sierra Starr has noticed a dif-
ference among Perrydale’s
girls basketball team.
It’s a difference that the
team has been building to-
ward — something experi-
enced teams can take for
granted — Perrydale’s ath-
letes are becoming true bas-
ketball players.
“We just play basketball
now,” Starr said. “We can
play together and work to-
gether as a team. We’re not
just a bunch of different kids
out there.”
The Pirates defeated Liv-
ingstone Adventist 42-15 on
Jan. 10 and Oregon School for
the Deaf 50-9 on Thursday.
The blowout wins were im-
portant markers for the Pi-
rates — a sign that players are
maturing on the court and
not overlooking opponents.
“The girls played a really
clean game (on Thursday),”
girls coach Terry Newton
said. “I’m extremely happy
with the way they played.”
While the girls celebrated
a pair of wins, the boys
squad hopes players learned
an important lesson about
overlooking opponents.
The boys basketball team
lost to Livingstone Adventist
48-47 on Jan. 10 before beat-
ing Oregon
School for
the Deaf
77-30 on
Thursday.
“ ( T h e
loss) hurt,”
boys coach
B r i a n
Butler
D o m e s
said. “We definitely didn’t
expect it.”
Perrydale, which played
without Haylen Janesofsky,
led Livingstone by nine at
one point, Domes said.
The loss was a painful les-
son, one that players said
they’re not keen on repeat-
ing anytime soon.
See PIRATES, Page 12A
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Senior Sierra Starr brings the ball up against Oregon
School for the Deaf on Thursday evening.
CENTRAL ROUNDUP
Barry, Panthers get defensive
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
Central senior Andrew Barry looks to get to the hoop
against Crescent Valley on Friday night.
www.polkio.com
strength and then there is ‘man’”
strength — kind of like when your
granddad shakes your hand and he’s
got a vice grip. Commercial fishing
probably gave Tanner some of that.”
The days are long, but it’s made
Omlid a stronger player and person.
“It really taught me how to work
and developed my work ethic,”
Omlid said. “I have strong hands and
shoulders because of it. ( That
strength) really helped me on the de-
fensive side.”
While his work ethic helped develop
his physical tools, his teammates
drive him emotionally — and not just
his current ones. From his time at the
U.S. Military Academy, Omlid is out to
honor his teammates every time he
steps on the court.
“I play for everyone on the team,”
Omlid said. “I play for my guys back at
West Point. During the national an-
them, those are the guys I think about.
It motivates me to play harder.”
And, at his core, is a burning desire
to come out on top.
See OMLID, Page 12A
DALLAS — Dallas senior
swimmer Wesley Tornow
wasn’t an athlete. He wasn’t
involved in any clubs or or-
ganizations.
He simply hadn’t found
anything that ignited his
passion. During his junior
year, Tornow came out for
the swim team for the first
time.
“My mom encouraged
m e t o d o s o m e t h i n g ,”
Tornow said. “Swimming
was one of the options.”
Since then, Tornow, de-
spite having no competi-
tive swimming experience,
decided if he was going to
join a team he was going to
be all in — and his coaches
and teammates have no-
ticed.
“He has been to every
workout and every dry land
(workout) since joining the
team and does whatever is
asked of him,” coach David
Morelli said.
See DALLAS, Page 12A
Itemizer-Observer staff report
INDEPENDENCE — Central senior An-
drew Barry underwent a big change his jun-
ior year. He got a few starts at the varsity
level for the boys basketball team, but his
defense was more a liability than a strength.
“I haven’t been the best defender,” Barry
said. “I made that a goal to become a better
defender. I’m quicker laterally, and I am able
to keep my guy in front of me.
Barry worked to improve his agility and
quickness. He became stronger physically
and, more importantly, mentally.
“A lot of it is mental for me,” Barry said. “I
have to believe I’m a good defender. I know
that I have the ability to be, I just have to put
in that effort and use my body I’ve been
www.facebook.com/pages/Polk-County-Itemizer-Observer/205062686252209
blessed with to stay down and keep my guy
in front of me.”
On offense, Barry has found his stride, be-
coming an inside force.
More importantly, the senior has become
not just a more athletic player, but a smarter
one.
“He’s becoming more aware on the court,”
coach Tim Kreta said. “Offensively, we like
him pounding it inside. We want to continue
to challenge him defensively. There’s a lot of
room for growth.”
For the most part, Barry and his team-
mates have succeeded. Central entered the
week giving up 49 points per game, the lowest
mark in the Mid-Willamette Conference.
See CENTRAL, Page 12A
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