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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (April 26, 2017)
Polk County Sports SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26 Baseball: Central at Woodburn, 3:30 p.m. Silver- ton at Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Boys tennis: Silverton at Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Girls tennis: Dallas at Sil- verton, 4 p.m. Softball: Dallas at South Albany, 4:30 p.m. Western Oregon at Saint Martin’s (DH), 1 p.m. Track and field: Dallas at Central, 4 p.m. Falls City at Tiger Invitational, 3:30 p.m. Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 26, 2017 10A PREP SOFTBALL Dallas puts league on notice Dragons blank Panthers 13-0 to improve to 8-0 in MWC play By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer DALLAS — The last time Dallas’ softball team squared off against Central, it was a de- fensive battle with the Dragons pulling out a 2-1 victory. Things were a bit different on Friday. Solo home runs from the Dragons’ Jordan Dippel and Lauren Wallace in the first inning gave Dallas a 2-0 lead entering the third in- ning. “I’m always thinking get a base hit,” Wal- lace said. “If I do that, the home runs will come. That’s my mentality at the plate. As soon as I felt it off the bat, I knew it was gone.” Wallace hit an RBI double to help kick start a third inning that saw the Dragons pour on 11 runs against the Panthers, en route to a 13- 0 victory — the team’s seventh in a row. THURSDAY, APRIL 27 Baseball: Santiam at Per- rydale, 4:30 p.m. Boys tennis: Crescent Valley at Central, 4 p.m. Girls tennis: Central at Crescent Valley, 4 p.m. Softball: Lebanon at Dal- las, 5 p.m. Perrydale at Santi- am, 4:30 p.m. FRIDAY, APRIL 28 Baseball: Central at Woodburn, 3:30 p.m. Dallas at Silverton, 4:30 p.m. Kennedy at Perrydale, 4:30 p.m. Western Oregon at Central Washington (DH), noon. Softball: Silverton at Central, 4 p.m. Lebanon at Dallas, 4 p.m. Track and field: Central at Nike/Jesuit Twilight Re- lays, 2:30 p.m. Dallas at Rob Allen Twilight Invitational, 4:30 p.m. Western Oregon at Oregon State High Perform- ance Meet, TBA. SATURDAY, APRIL 29 Baseball: Western Men- nonite at Perrydale, 1 p.m. Western Oregon at Central Washington (DH), noon. Softball: Corvallis at Dal- las, noon. Saint Martin’s at Western Oregon (DH), noon. Track and field: Perrydale at Portland Christian Invita- tional, 11 a.m. Western Ore- gon at Oregon State High Performance Meet, TBA. SUNDAY, APRIL 30 Softball: Central Wash- ington at Western Oregon (DH), noon. MONDAY, MAY 1 Girls golf: Dallas at Emer- ald Valley Invite (Eugene), 10 a.m. Softball: Perrydale at Sheridan, 4:30 p.m. TUESDAY, MAY 2 Baseball: South Albany at Central, 4:30 p.m. Cres- cent Valley at Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Perrydale at Country Christian, 4:30 p.m. Boys tennis: Corvallis at Central, 4 p.m. Dallas at South Albany, 4 p.m. Girls tennis: Central at Corvallis, 4 p.m. South Al- bany at Dallas, 4 p.m. Softball: South Albany at Central, 4:30 p.m. Dallas at Crescent Valley, 4:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 Baseball: Central at South Albany, 4:30 p.m. Dal- las at Crescent Valley, 4:30 p.m. Boys golf: Central, Dallas at Regionals (at Quail Valley in Banks), TBA. Softball: Crescent Valley at Central, 4:30 p.m. Dallas at Corvallis, 4:30 p.m. Perrydale at Amity, 4:30 p.m. — “They’re being aggressive early and making sure they’re having quality at bats,” coach Brandi Jackson said. “That doesn’t necessar- ily mean getting a home run or a base hit. That can mean going deep in the count making the opposing pitch- Simmons er throw more pitches.” Central entered the game on a five-game winning streak. “We knew we’d have to come out with lots of energy,” Olivia Nelson said. “We knew they beat some good teams, so we’d have to bring our A game to crush them.” Wallace finished the game with three hits and four RBIs. Ashlee Lichtenberger added three hits and three RBIs. See DALLAS, Page 11A LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer Dallas scored 13 runs against Central on Friday after- noon, including 11 in the third inning. LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer Dallas’ Olivia Nelson, right, throws toward first base on Friday afternoon. PREP TRACK AND FIELD Falls City ready to climb to state By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer FALLS CITY — When jun- ior Jeremy Labrado arrived in Eugene for the 1A state track and field champi- onships last May, he was overwhelmed. “I’ve learned not to think about the moment too much,” Labrado said. “I went to state last year and thought about it way too much, and I scratched.” Labrado hopes to get an- other crack at state this spring — and he’s not the only one Falls City coach Ronnie Simmons thinks will be headed to Eugene. The Mountaineers’ track and field t e a m s most re- c e n t l y competed at Sheridan on Thurs- day where the girls Labrado took sec- ond and the boys finished fifth. Labrado took second in the boys triple jump (37 feet), third in the long jump (17-6 ½) and fifth in the high jump (5-4). “In track, you have this mentality that it’s you against everyone else,” Labrado said. “You don’t have anyone helping you, Burgess except in relays.” Labrado ranks sec- ond in Spe- cial District 1 in the long jump and third in the high jump. “It would mean a lot to get back to state knowing how much I’ve improved and how much the competition improved,” Labrado said. Simmons said Labrado is on the verge of a big break- out in his events. “He has sacrificed, and I think you will see the results of what I’m talking about in the very near fu- ture,” Sim- mons said. Austin Burgess took first in the 400- meter run Hendrickson i n 5 5 . 0 3 seconds and fourth in the 200 (25.08). The sophomore ranks in the top 10 in the league in numerous sprint events. “The guys that are faster than me aren’t that much faster,” Burgess said. “If someone is in front of me, I push myself harder. I have another cylinder in me that I can tap into.” Fo r t h e girls, Brit- tney Potts took sec- ond in the 4 0 0 (1:10.00); Natalie B a t i e Potts placed sec- ond in the 800 (3:03.00) and Madelyn Hendrickson fin- ished second in the 100 hur- dles (18.92). Jaime Shaw placed third in the triple jump (30-5). With districts on the hori- zon, Simmons said athletes will be honing in on their best events while balancing busy schedules. See TRACK, Page 11A PREP BOYS TENNIS Schedules Subject to Change For more than love of the game QUICK HITS Senior honors family each time he steps onto the tennis court Scrap metal drive returns May 20 By Lukas Eggen DALLAS — Dallas’ boys basketball program will hold its fifth annual scrap metal drive May 20 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Email Trent Schwartz, trent.schwartz@dsd2.org or call 503-623-8336, ext. 2105 to arrange a pickup by May 18. Name, address and brief description of the scrap and where to pick it up at the address is required. Acceptable items include iron, cast iron, tin, cars, ap- pliances, copper, brass, alu- minum, stainless wire and copper wire. Refrigerants, asbestos, petroleum by products, an- tifreeze and other harmful substances will not be ac- cepted. For more informa- tion on what is acceptable: www.cherrycitymetals.com /recycling. All proceeds will help pay for Dallas’ boys basket- ball team, including equip- ment, tournament fees and jerseys. INDEPENDENCE — When Central senior Chris Polanco steps onto the ten- nis court, he’s playing for more than himself. He plays for the fans in at- tendance. He plays for his friends who have supported him throughout his high school career. Most of all, he plays for family as a way to thank them for giving him some- thing that had eluded him — a home. “The biggest thing is this is for my grandmother (coach Patty Youngren),” Polanco said. “I’m doing this all for her. When I see the few peo- ple who show up to our matches, it makes me want to put on a respectable face when I go out because I’m representing our team, our school and my grandma.” — Po l a n c o w a s n’t s u re www.polkio.com The Itemizer-Observer Tennis • Central’s boys tennis team lost to Dallas 6-2 on April 18 and Woodburn 7-1 on Thursday. • Hassan Eltelbany defeated Caedmon Blair 6-1, 6-1 and Esai Leos defeated Hyrum Johnson 3-6, 7-6, 10-8 against Dallas. • Cade Magill and Dylan Hopkins defeated Woodburn’s Ibzon Delapoz and Jorge Perez 3-6, 6-1, 10-6 on Thursday. • Central played South Albany Tuesday after press time. The Panthers host Crescent Valley Thursday at 4 p.m. and Corvallis Tuesday at 4 p.m. Central closes out the regular season at Sil- verton on May 4 at 4 p.m. whether this would be home. Polanco, born in Arizona, was part of the foster care system and had moved mul- tiple times in Arizona and Oregon. Six years ago, he thought that was about to end. “I was going to be adopt- ed when I lived in Arizona, but it didn’t work out,” Polanco said. He was instead placed with the Holliday family in Oregon. Moving around had made it difficult for Polanco to ever feel settled and at home, but there was something differ- ent this time. “They are really nice and I chose to stay here, and they took me in,” he said. Panthers tennis coach, and Chris’ grandmother, Patty Youngren said the con- nection between Chris and the Hollidays was clear from the beginning. “Kids are immediately family members,” she said. “We don’t let go. … His par- ents are very kid-first orient- ed. They do amazing things as a family and are very di- rect.” See POLANCO, Page 11A LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer Chris Polanco serves during a match earlier this season. www.facebook.com/pages/Polk-County-Itemizer-Observer/205062686252209 www.twitter.com/PolkIOSports