Polk County
Sports
QUICK HITS
Cross Creek
men’s club results
DALLAS — Cross
Creek’s men’s club results
for June 20:
Low gross/low net
Gross: 1, Kevin Moen,
40; 2 (tie), Rocky Kygar,
Lee Gamaney and Jim
Schroeder 41.
Net: 1 Jack Duncan, 34;
2 (tie), Larry Hatcher and
Larry Kuhns, 36; 4, Eldon
Rivers, Bob Bennett, Roy
Speelman and Steve
Albin, 37.
Cross Creek
women’s club
results
DALLAS — Cross Creek
Women’s Club results for
June 19.
Modified stableford
Nine holes: 1, Mary
Jane Ferrin, 17; 2, Meri
McLeod, 13; 3, Susan
Austermiller, 12; 4, Vera
Flaming, 11; 5, Laurilee
Hatcher, 10.
18 holes: 1, Vera Flam-
ing, 21; 2, Laurilee
Hatcher, 19; 3, Suzy De-
schler, 17.
Willamina to host
arm wrestling
tournament
WILLAMINA — Willami-
na will host the arm
wrestling championships
Monday and Tuesday at
Garden Spot Park.
Early weigh-in will be
held Monday from 5:30 to
8 p.m. Registration and
weigh-in will be held Tues-
day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There are multiple divi-
sions ranging from kids to
men’s and women’s. Clas-
sifications are available by
gender, weight and right
or left handed.
Cash prizes will be
available in the men’s
open division.
Cost is $20 for the open
divisions, $15 for novice,
women’s and teen divi-
sions and $5 for kids.
For more information:
Herman and Barba McCoy,
503-560-1371.
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • June 28, 2017 10A
School board votes to fund new track
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — The Dallas
School Board voted to
build a new track at Dallas
High School in conjunction
with a project to raise pri-
vate money to install a turf
football field.
The project is estimated
to cost $237,000, and
would be contingent on the
Dallas Booster Club’s suc-
cess in raising the $850,000
necessary to build the new
field.
Without installing the
new track, the football field
must be raised on one side
t o p rov i d e f o r p ro p e r
drainage, leaving a drop off
of 2 or 3 three feet on one
end of the field between
the turf and track.
Board Chairman Mike
Bollman said Monday that
is less than ideal.
“I had this picture of one
of our players or the other
team going into catch a
touchdown pass and trying
to get both feet in, coming
right to the edge and drop-
ping off this 3-foot wall,”
he said at the board’s regu-
lar meeting. “I thought,
that’s not good. Our track
life is nearing the end with-
in a couple of years. It just
seems like it might be time
to discuss an option for the
future.”
Superintendent Michelle
Johnstone said the district
has money set aside for
long-term facility improve-
ments available.
“That leaves us suffi-
cient funds to be able to
cover that cost,” she said.
“We do have the money to
do it.”
Bill McNutt, the consult-
ant working with the
booster club on the field
project, said having the
district support the track
replacement makes the
field an easier sell to the
public.
“What I’ve seen as we’ve
talked to the community,
they would love to see this
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer
The Dallas School Board voted to build a new track at Dallas High School.
our fundraising process, to
be able to tell your com-
munity that you are com-
phase done by the school
district,” he said Monday. “I
think it’s critical for us, in
MONMOUTH-INDEPENDENCE MINI-MARATHON
Race offers big thrills
Annual tradition takes runners fun route filled with fans
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
Mechals earns
weekly honor
MONMOUTH — West-
ern Oregon sophomore-
to-be pitcher Kade
Mechals was named the
West Coast League’s pitch-
er of the week for June 12-
18.
Mechals, who plays for
t h e
Kelow-
na Fal-
cons,
threw
eight
score-
less in-
nings
against
Mechals
Ya k i m a
Valley
on June 18. Mechals had
five strikeouts during the
game.
As a freshman at WOU,
Mechals led the Wolves in
ERA (1.59), appearances
(15) and saves (seven).
Holstad records
three hits during
all-star series
CORVALLIS — Jackson
Holstad, a 2017 Central
High graduate, took part
in the 5A/6A All-Star base-
ball series on Saturday
a n d
Sunday
at Ore-
g o n
State
Univer-
sity.
Hol-
s t a d
w a s
Holstad
part of
the south squad, which
won a three-game series
over the north squad 2-1.
Holstad went 3-for-10
with two singles and a dou-
ble. He also drew four walks.
Holstad will play baseball at
Chemeketa Community Col-
lege next year.
www.polkio.com
mitted to doing the track as
long as we can get the in-
side portion done.”
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer file
The Monmouth-Independence Mini-Marathon takes runners on a 2.6-mile course along the parade route.
MONMOUTH/INDEPEN-
DENCE — When runners set
off on the 47th annual Mon-
mouth-Independence Mini-
Marathon, they take part in a
unique event.
Sure, there are plenty of
races to run throughout the
year. But few, if any, offer the
chance to run in front of
thousands of cheering fans
— without having to be a
world-class athlete.
“I think it’s the fact that it’s
a relatively short race,” organ-
izer Terry Cable said. “With all
the festivities around, it
makes it real attractive. It
leaves people plenty of time
for other things. It helps peo-
ple embrace exercise and
recreation, and you can view
the parade route from a
unique perspective.”
The mini-marathon, held
Tuesday at 11:30 a.m., fol-
lows the grand parade route
beginning in Monmouth and
ending in downtown Inde-
pendence.
The 2.6-mile race is mostly
downhill — making it appeal-
ing to runners of all fitness lev-
els. There will be water sta-
tions and sprinklers through-
out the race and fans lining
the streets to show support.
“It’s just a perfect setting,”
Cable said. “The crowds are
already there. … They make
it a truly unique and memo-
rable run.”
Registration is available
online
at
w w w.
runsignup.com/Race/OR/M
onmouth/4thofJulyMini-
Marathon .
See RACE, Page 11A
Ribich named Male Athlete of the Year
By Lukas Eggen
The Itemizer-Observer
MONMOUTH — Western
Oregon junior cross-country
and track runner David
Ribich had a stellar 2016-17
school year.
Ribich won a pair of na-
tional championships in
track and field, and set nu-
merous conference and
school records.
He can add one more ac-
colade. The Great Northwest
Athletic Conference’s athlet-
ic directors voted Ribich as
the GNAC Male Athlete of
the Year.
“I think it’s pretty cool,”
Ribich said. “Throughout
the GNAC there are a lot of
high-caliber athletes and
profession-
al-caliber
athletes
that could
have easily
received
this award.
I was fortu-
n a t e
Ribich
enough to
get it. It’s crazy. We tend not
to work for these things. We
work for our own personal
goals, but this is really cool
to see the recognition. It’s an
incredible honor to receive
this award.”
Ribich’s success during
the cross-country, and track
and field seasons helped
him stand out.
“Conference Athlete of the
Year is a great honor,” WOU
cross-country and track and
field coach Mike Johnson
said. “David is so consistent,
not just in running but in all
that he does. He is very in-
tentional. We are all so
pleased that David has re-
ceived this truly special
recognition.”
Ribich’s cross-country sea-
son was capped off with a
15th-place finish in the NCAA
Division II West Region
Championships in Billings,
Mont., last November.
During the indoor track
season, Ribich was part of
the distance medley relay
team that won a national
title at the NCAA Division II
Indoor Track and Field
Championships.
See RIBICH, Page 11A
LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer file
David Ribich is the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s
Male Athlete of the Year.
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