Polk County Sports
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 5, 2017 13A
A spring time swing
DALLAS ROUNDUP
Softball splits pair
at Medford
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
A Dallas golfer tees off at Cross Creek Golf Course on Monday morning. The Dragons finished sixth. Central’s boys
golf team placed fifth. Central and Dallas will compete at a league tournament at Springhill in Albany Monday at
12:45 p.m.
Itemizer-Observer staff report
MEDFORD — Dallas’
softball team closed out the
North Medford Spring Break
Tournament by splitting a
pair of games on March 28.
Dallas defeated Sprague
9-3 before losing to Grants
Pass 14-3.
The Dragons had 12 hits
against Sprague. Lauren
Wallace and Jayden Wynia
had three hits each to lead
the Dragons.
“It was nice to see all the
pieces come together,” coach
Brandi Jackson said. “Our de-
fense was solid, we had good,
quality at bats, and Jenessa
Parnell was effective in the
(pitcher’s) circle.”
Dallas played Silverton
Tuesday after press time.
The Dragons visit Central
Wednesday (today) at 4:30
p.m. before playing at Cor-
vallis Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Dallas will host South Al-
bany on Tuesday at 4:30
p.m. and Lebanon on April
12 at 4:30 p.m.
GIRLS GOLF PLACES
FIFTH: Dallas’ girls golf team
tied for fifth at Springhill on
Monday. Kailee Curtis shot a
46 over nine holes to finish
second. The Dragons will
compete at Canby on Thurs-
day and at Trysting Tree on
Monday.
Dallas’ boys golf team fin-
ished sixth at a league tourna-
ment at Cross Creek on Mon-
day. Adam Nicholson shot a
97 over 18 holes to lead the
Dragons. Xavier White record-
ed a 99. Dallas will compete at
Springhill in Albany Monday.
BOYS AND GIRLS TENNIS
FALLS TO CORVALLIS: Dallas’
boys and girls tennis teams
lost to Corvallis 6-2 on Mon-
day. Results weren’t available
as of press time.
Dallas’ boys teams will host
South Albany Thursday at 4
p.m. and Lebanon Tuesday at
4 p.m. The girls will play at
South Albany on Thursday
and at Lebanon on Tuesday.
Siblings: Cody, Jenifer eye return to state meet
Continued from Page 12A
This spring, Cody has
competed in the 100 and
200, 110 hurdles and 4 x 100
relay. Jenifer has run the 100,
100 hurdles, 4 x 100 and 4 x
400 relays.
While each has found
success on their own, seeing
what the other has done
drives them to be even bet-
ter.
“By far my favorite thing
about track is getting to see
Cody do what he does,”
Jenifer said. “He is such an
incredible athlete, and he
makes everything look so
easy. I really admire him. He
competes with such grace,
and even with the talent he
has, he is so humble about
it. He treats everyone with
respect. I aspire to not only
be the athlete that he is, but
also the leader.”
The inspiration goes both
ways.
“I’ve definitely learned to
be more accountable to my-
self,” Cody said. “Jen is al-
ways finishing practices and
even staying late to make
sure she gets a workout in.
She doesn’t skip any warm-
ups or stretches during
practices or meets. She’s
taught me to make sure I
complete everything I need
to be ready.”
If one has a good race, it
drives the other to perform
better. If one is struggling
during practice, the other
will be there to help point
out things to work on and
what they are doing well,
Cody said.
“I couldn’t do it without
his support,” Jenifer said. “If
Cody didn’t do track, I think
it would feel like a piece was
missing. The whole track ex-
perience feels complete by
being able to go out there
every day and compete
alongside him.”
Track is the one sport
where they could practice
together. That kind of daily
interaction has strength-
ened their bond.
“Track is something we
can share with each other,
and we can use to push each
other to be our best,” Jenifer
said. “… We’re able to be a
part of each other’s success,
and I think that’s one of the
reasons we’re as close as we
are.”
Both want to end their
high school careers with a
bang. Jenifer figures to be a
top contender to return to
state in the 100 hurdles.
Cody has set personal
records in the 100 and 110
hurdles. Both are looking for
one last trip to Eugene —
and they both hope the
other is there to take in the
moment together.
“Competing alongside my
brother has been the most
incredible experience for
me,” Jenifer said. “… I’ve got
my heart set on returning to
Eugene. It would mean
everything to me to get the
chance to run at Hayward
Field one last time. There is
just something about it that
is unlike anything I’ve ever
experienced. It’s indescrib-
able.”
Dallas: Dragons prep for series against Central
Continued from Page 12A
Clearing his head may be even
more important for Coxen, who is
a key part of the Dragons’ pitching
rotation.
The senior lacks the heat to send
a pitch blazing past opponents,
but he does have a knack for hit-
ting his spots with consistency.
“I think I became a pitcher be-
cause of my accuracy,” he said. “I
don’t throw very hard, so I’ve had
to rely on hitting my spots. I think
my accuracy is where I’ve devel-
oped most as a pitcher.”
Just as key to his success has
been an increased ability to stay in
the moment.
“You need to be able to keep
your cool and not let all the stress
get to you,” Coxen said. “If you do,
it’s a downhill spiral from there.”
His ability to step up in any
moment from almost any spot on
the diamond has made him one
of the clear leaders for the Drag-
ons.
“Clay is a big, strong kid,” coach
Scot McDonald said. “He’s very
unassuming and works hard. He
has really developed into a power
hitter and has stepped up for us on
the mound.”
But Dallas’ success is due to
much more than one player com-
ing up big.
“We are seeing some younger or
inexperienced kids who have really
stepped up,” McDonald said. “We
are settling into some roles and
seeing what each player can do.”
Dallas plays at Lebanon
Wednesday (today) at 4:30 p.m. be-
fore hosting Lebanon Friday at
4:30 p.m.
The Dragons open a three-game
series against Central at home
Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. and at Central
on April 12.
“We need to improve our de-
fense,” Coxen said. “Our hitting is
doing well right now, and our
pitching is what it is. That’s not
going to change much, so our
focus right now is defense.”
CENTRAL ROUNDUP
Avgi: Hopes to hear from
several professional teams Panthers win two at The Dalles
Continued from Page 12A
Avgi ran a 4.73 40-yard dash, recorded a
4.15 in the shuttle and had a 35 1/2 verti-
cal.
“I think it went great,” he said. “I
reached a lot of my goals I set for my pro
day and overall, I was really happy with
how I did. I believe the hard work paid
off.”
Since then, Avgi has attracted interest
from numerous teams and hopes to get a
few team visits prior to the NFL Draft
April 27-29, he said.
“The next steps are the draft and that
first minicamp,” Avgi said. “This is excit-
ing, and I can’t wait to find out where I
am going. That first camp is when I’ll get
to show the team that gets me what I can
do.”
Avgi hopes to become the latest Wolf
to make the jump to the NFL — a list
that includes former New York Giants
tight end and Super Bowl champion
Kevin Boss. Most recently, wide receiver
Tyrell Williams signed as an undrafted
free agent with the Los Angeles Charg-
ers.
Avgi hopes to follow in their footsteps.
“I hope people take away that it doesn’t
matter where you come from or what
school you go to,” he said. “If you have a
dream of playing professionally in any
sport, go somewhere that you think you
can do it.”
Pirates fall to Colton
Itemizer-Observer staff report
COLTON — Perrydale’s
baseball team lost to Colton
6-5 on Thursday but are
showing signs of growth.
The Pirates had the bases
loaded in the top of the sev-
enth inning before falling.
“I think the team is com-
ing together and feeling
more confident about what
they are capable of doing,”
coach Steve Mabry said.
“The boys are making good
progress, working to im-
prove on the details, and are
not so overwhelmed when
situations come up during
the game. They want to
make a play now.”
Perrydale plays at East
Linn Christian on Friday be-
fore hosting Western Men-
nonite Monday at 4:30 p.m.
Central: Panthers to
resume league play
Continued from Page 12A
With league play resum-
ing, Hamlin expects every
team in the Mid-Willamette
Conference to present chal-
lenges. The difference will
be which teams can exe-
cute fundamentals the
best.
“We have strong, com-
petitive teams in our
l e a g u e ,” Ha m l i n s a i d .
“Keeping errors to a mini-
mum, pitchers hitting their
spots, and players offen-
sively stepping up, and
scoring runners will be key
to any team’s success.”
Itemizer-Observer staff report
INDEPENDENCE —
Central’s baseball team de-
feated The Dalles 10-1 and
9-5 on Friday before de-
feating Corvallis 5-4 on
Monday.
The Panthers (4-1 overall,
1-1 Mid-Willamette Confer-
ence) opened a three-game
series against Silverton Tues-
day after press time.
Central hosts Silverton
Wednesday (today) at 4:30
p.m. before playing at Silver-
ton on Friday and at Dallas
on Tuesday.
GIRLS TENNIS DEFEATS
LEBANON: Central’s girls ten-
nis team defeated Lebanon 5-3
on Monday.
Ana Martinez and Kylie
Smith earned victories in sin-
gles play.
Lexy Barba and Reann Kel-
ley, Olivia Teague and Dalila
Negrete, and Havalah Altamira-
no and Jasmine Gonzalez won
in doubles play.
The boys team lost to
Lebanon 8-0 on Monday.
The girls squad will host Cor-
vallis Thursday at 4 p.m. before
playing at Silverton on Tuesday.
The boys will play at Corval-
lis on Thursday and host Silver-
ton Tuesday at 4 p.m.
BOYS GOLF FINISHES
FIFTH: Central’s boys golf team
finished fifth at a MWC tourna-
ment at Cross Creek Golf
Course on Monday.
The Panthers shot a 394 as a
team. Andrew Love shot an 83
to lead Central. Love finished
third in the individual stand-
ings. The Panthers will compete
at Springhill in Albany Monday
at 12:45 p.m.
Central’s girls golf squad fin-
ished seventh at Springhill on
Monday. Abby Lovrien shot an
80 to lead the Panthers. Central
will compete at Trysting Tree
on Monday.
2017 Relay For Life Of Polk County — June 3-4
is back at the Dallas High School Track
....and with it comes the opportunity to be a part of the largest worldwide fight against cancer! It’s no
coincidence that since the first Relay For Life over 30 years ago, the survivor rate has risen from 45%
to nearly 70%. In Oregon alone, millions of dollars are being invested in prevention and especially
treatments that are more personalized and thus more effective.
Sitting on the sidelines in Polk County is no longer an option. We can hope ~ or we can help through
our support of Relay For Life as a sponsor, a team member, or simply as a guest of the event. The
following sponsors are already on board for 2017. Now it’s your turn!
The deadline for submitting a sponsorship is April 15.
Please join me in thanking our 8 most recent sponsors of Relay For Life of Polk County:
♥ West Valley Taphouse ♥ H&R Block Dallas & Monmouth ♥ First Community Credit Union
♥ James W. Fowler Construction ♥ Dallas Family Medicine LLC ♥ Michelle Hasbrook, DMD
♥ Washington Street Steakhouse & Pub ♥ Mungo Signs & Screen Printing
Please join me in thanking these sponsors for joining the Relay For Life fight vs cancer:
West Valley Hospital
West Valley Physicians & Surgeons Clinic
Dallas School District
Polk County Itemizer -Observer
Eola Hills Wine Cellars
Dallas Retirement Village
Bollman Funeral Home
Polk County Association of Realtors
Pressed Coffee & Wine Bar
Republic Services
Dutch Bros Coffee
Monmouth Medical Center
West Valley Surgical Specialty Clinic
The Majestic/Ray Stratton
Partnership in Community Living, Inc.
Bookey Strong
Royal Flush/Tony Teal
Les Schwab Tire Centers of Dallas,
Independence & West Salem
NW Natural
Western Days
Relay For Life of Polk County will take place at the Dallas High School Track June 3~4.
If you or someone you know is interested in sponsorship, contact Amy Bickleman at 541-272-9240
or online at amy.bickleman@cancer.org or visit our website at www.relayforlife.org/polkcountyor
The Polk County Itemizer-Observer — Your community newspaper. Online at www.polkio.com