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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 2017)
Polk County Sports Polk County Itemizer-Observer • May 3, 2017 11A SCHEDULE COLLEGE ATHLETICS WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 Baseball: Central at South Albany, 4:30 p.m. Dal- las at Crescent Valley, 3 p.m. Boys golf: Central at Re- gionals (at Quail Valley in Banks), TBA. Boys tennis: Silverton at Dallas, 4 p.m. Softball: Crescent Valley at Central, 4:30 p.m. Dallas at Corvallis, 4:30 p.m. Perrydale at Amity, 4:30 p.m. Track and field: Falls City at Horizon Christian, 3:30 p.m. THURSDAY, MAY 4 Baseball: East Linn Christian at Perrydale, 2:30 p.m. Northwest Nazarene at Western Oregon (DH), 1 p.m. Boys tennis: Central at Silverton, 4 p.m. Dallas at Lebanon, 4 p.m. Girls tennis: Silverton at Central, 4 p.m. Lebanon at Dallas, 4 p.m. Softball: Great North- west Athletic Conference Championship: No. 4 West- ern Oregon vs. No. 1 Central Washington (at Lacey, Wash.), 2:30 p.m. Track and field: Falls City, Perrydale at Sheridan, 3:45 p.m. FRIDAY, MAY 5 Baseball: South Albany at Central, 4:30 p.m. Cres- cent Valley at Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Western Mennonite at Perrydale, 4:30 p.m. Northwest Nazarene at Western Oregon (DH), noon. Softball: Lebanon at Central, 6:15 p.m. Silverton at Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Western Mennonite at Perrydale, 4:30 p.m. Great Northwest Athletic Conference Cham- pionship (at Lacey, Wash.): Western Oregon vs. TBA, TBA. Track and field: Western Oregon at Oregon Twilight, all day. SATURDAY, MAY 6 Softball: Great North- west Athletic Conference Championship (at Lacey, Wash.): TBA vs. TBA, noon. Track and field: Central at Dick Baker Invitational, 11:15 a.m. MONDAY, MAY 8 Baseball: Perrydale at Santiam Christian, 4:30 p.m. Girls golf: Central, Dallas at Regionals (Trysting Tree), 11 a.m. Softball: Perrydale at Santiam Christian, 4:30 p.m. TUESDAY, MAY 9 Baseball: Central at Lebanon, 4:30 p.m. Dallas at Corvallis, 4:30 p.m. St. Paul at Perrydale, 4:30 p.m. Girls golf: Central, Dallas at Regionals (Trysting Tree), 11 a.m. Softball: Dallas at Cen- tral, 4:30 p.m. St. Paul at Per- rydale, 4:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MAY 10 Baseball: Central at Lebanon, 4:30 p.m. Corval- lis at Dallas, 4:30 p.m. Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship (at Portland): Western Ore- gon vs. TBA, TBA. Boys tennis: Central, Dallas at Mid-Willamette Conference District Cham- pionships (at Timberhill Tennis Club, Corvallis), TBA. Girls tennis: Central, Dallas at Mid-Willamette Conference District Cham- pionships (at Timberhill Tennis Club, Corvallis), TBA. Softball: Central at Cor- vallis, 3 p.m. — Schedules Subject to Change QUICK HITS Polk Pedalers meet Saturday DALLAS — The Polk Pedalers will meet Satur- day at 8 a.m. at Courtyard Coffee House, 156 SE Mill St., Dallas. The group will take part in a road cleanup day. A round-trip ride from Dallas to Independence (25 miles, easy) will be made. All ages are welcome, but children must be ac- companied by an adult. Helmets are required. There is no cost to at- tend. For more information: 503-623-6533. www.polkio.com Wandering Wolves Baseball, softball programs deal with life on the road LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer Western Oregon’s baseball and softball teams have yet to play a game at home because of weather. By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer MONMOUTH — The last time Western Oregon’s soft- ball team played in Mon- mouth was April 20 — 2016. As the Wolves defeated Central Washington in a doubleheader on Sunday, WOU thanked its “home” crowd — in Corvallis. The game, held roughly 22 miles away from Mon- mouth, was the closest thing to a home game the Wolves have sniffed all sea- son long. In an average year, soft- ball coach Lonny Sargent said the Wolves play be- tween 12 and 14 home games. That number was zero this season, as the softball squad traveled to Nevada, Hawaii, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, British Colombia, Portland and Hillsboro with travel miles totaling more than 14,500 ac- cording to Sargent. The result has been a sea- son that has presented a number of challenges on and off the field. COSTLY CANCELLATIONS It’s a situation that’s all too familiar for Sargent and baseball coach Kellen Walk- er, whose team hasn’t played at home since May 7, 2016, during the spring. Sargent is on the phone. He’s not talking to family or friends. He’s scrambling to get a postponed game moved to a new date and lo- cation. “I get on the phone (with the opposing coach) and we find the best possible date By The Numbers 0 2 49 The number of home games Western Ore- gon’s softball team had during the 2017 season. The number of countries the Wolves have played in (United States and Canada). The total num- ber of games the softball team has played so far during the 2017 season. LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer file Western Oregon’s softball team didn’t play a home game in Monmouth in 2017. we can play at,” Sargent said. “We balance what’s best for us and what’s best for them. The big thing, es- pecially this time of year, is a lot of places are booked, so finding a place to play can be difficult.” Moving a home game af- fects the Wolves beyond fans losing a chance to see them play. Each move requires find- ing a date that works for both teams and a new loca- tion — that can lead to extra travel costs and fees to rent a facility, and it’s up to the coaches to work it out. “In some cases, other programs have helped us,” Sargent said. “Northwest Nazarene helped us with bus costs, even though we had to take vans because there were no buses avail- able. The extra trip up to Western (Washington), they helped us with hotel costs. Sometimes, like going up to Portland to Concordia, we had to cover all of the costs, and against Simon Fraser, we had to cover transporta- tion and renting the facili- ty.” Those costs can add up quickly. Final budget totals won’t be calculated until after the season is over, but Sargent said travel expenses could be signficantly more than during a normal season. Walker said he did not have estimates ready. How those funds will be handled remains to be seen. “It’ll be interesting to see how it pans out, I’m not sure,” Sargent said. The athletics department declined an interview re- quest to discuss budgets. TAKING A TOLL Money isn’t the only cost of losing home games. Addi- tional travel means more time on the road — and less time in the classroom for the student-athletes. See WOLVES, Page 12A PREP TRACK AND FIELD Altamirano, Burgett stay on track By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer INDEPENDENCE — Central track and field coach Eli Cirino had seen junior Bethanie Altamirano run cross-country in middle school. Though she was solid, she was unimpressive. “As a distance runner, that’s not her strength,” Cirino said. During her eighth-grade year, Cirino saw Altamirano run a 400- meter race in 63 seconds — and his perception changed. “It blew me away,” he said. “I had never seen that aggressiveness from her as a runner. I don’t care what age you are, 63 is a solid number.” Cirino reached out to Altamirano after that race. “He told me that I had chance to be able to achieve something special if I worked hard,” Altamirano said. “He told me I can do more with my- self, but I had to train harder.” There was a noticeable difference in the way she approached the 2017 season. In the past, she took four weeks off after cross-country. She cut that down to two — and only because Cirino made her take time off in between seasons. She also hit the weight room to do squats, adding strength to her legs. Track meet • Central’s boys track and field team defeated Dallas 99-45 on April 26. The girls lost 72-70. • Isaac Burgett won the 400 in 51.26. Matt Raines won the 1,500 (4:22.76) and 3,000 (9:57.78). Jaydon Aydelotte won the 110 (16.17) and 300 hurdles (42.85). Kyle Aklin won the shot put with a throw of 42 feet, 1 3/4 inches. Isseah Kamis won the javelin (134-7 ½) and the high jump (5-8); James Rand took first in the pole vault (11-6); Peter Mason placed first in the long jump (20-6), and Cody Baldwin won the triple jump (36-1 ½). • Bethanie Altamirano won the girls 100 (13.44) and 200 (26.90). Bailie Hartford took first in the 800 (2:31.30) and 1,500 (5:16.86). Diana Nye placed first in the 3,000 (12:22.54). Rachel Stanley took first in the pole vault (6-0). Sophia Henke won the high jump (4-10) and triple jump (32-1). “When we added squats to her routine, her strength levels blew up,” Cirino said. “I think that can be the difference between kids at the next level in her events.” Rain or shine, Altamirano was fully dedicated to her training. “I felt stronger,” she said. “I know my starts are way stronger. It she said. “I think about what I’m was freezing during the going to do, what I’m racing for winter, but it was worth it. and who I’m racing for. I think I’m way more in shape this about everyone who supports year.” me. I pray to God before I run my race and I think, ‘I’m As a sophomore, her doing this for you first 400 time was mom.’” 65. This season, — she began the Junior Isaac year with a 61 Burgett was and has gotten always attract- faster each race, ed to the 400. He most recently fin- viewed the race as ishing in 59.64 sec- one of, if not the, most onds at the John difficult events in Oliver Invitational on track and field — and April 21. She’s taken first he wanted to conquer each time she has raced it. the 400, and is ranked first “In my opinion, it’s the in 5A as of Monday. hardest race,” he said. “You Altamirano has all know you’re good if you’re the physical tools, but good at the hardest thing.” what separates her As a sophomore, he from others is her qualified for state in the drive. 400, but was disap- “She has this look when pointed with his per- she competes,” Cirino said. formance. “She doesn’t like to lose and “Last year, it doesn’t accept anything less than didn’t go so her best. She’s like that when she’s well,” Burgett training in December.” said. “It was a That intensity is because every little scary.” time she steps on the track, she’s See TRACK, racing for more than herself. Altamirano Page 12A “Before a race, I get into a zone,” www.facebook.com/pages/Polk-County-Itemizer-Observer/205062686252209 www.twitter.com/PolkIOSports
