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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 9, 2017)
Polk County Sports QUICK HITS Cross Creek women’s club results DALLAS — Cross Creek Women’s Club results for July 31. Nine holes: 1 (tie), Car- olyn Wall and Laurilee Hatcher, 16; 3, Jan Danken- bring, 17; 4, Sherril Hurt, 18. Eighteen holes: 1, Lau- rilee Hatcher, 33; 2, Shirley Watson, 39.. Cross Creek men’s club results DALLAS — Cross Creek’s men’s club results for Aug. 1: Low gross/low net Gross: 1 (tie), Derrill Weaver, Eldon Rivers and Wayne Weathers, 39. Net: 1 (tie), David White, Ken Dankenbring and Kevin O’Brien, 34; 4 (tie), Al Fahlman, Lynn Hurt, Roy Speelman and Dave Voves, 35. Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 9, 2017 10A Rough Stock Rodeo returns Thursday By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer POLK COUNTY — Ride ’em cowboy. The Hell on Hooves Rough Stock Rodeo returns Thurs- day at 7 p.m. As cowboys and cowgirls compete, ex- pect to see fans flock to the rodeo arena for some high- speed excitement. “They can expect a wreck every eight seconds and lots of action,” organizer Wayne White said. This year’s rodeo will fea- ture bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, bar- rel racing and mutton bust- ing and some of the best from the area putting on a show for fans. “Champions from all over the northwest will be on hand to compete,” White said. The rodeo, which has been a fixture at the fair since 2015, and has proven to be one of the most popu- lar draws. “The county fair and rodeo are both family entertainment for the entire family. From 8 to 80, there is something for everybody,” White said. See RODEO, Page 11A The Rough Stock Rodeo re- turns Thursday at 7 p.m. The rodeo will feature bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing and mutton busting. Admission to the rodeo is free with paid fair entry. Cost is $8 before 4 p.m. Thursday and $10 after 4. LUKAS EGGEN/ Itemizer-Observer file Registration open for 5K fun run DALLAS — Registration is open now for the 5K Solar Run on Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m. The race will begin at Lyle Elementary School, 185 SW Levens St., Dallas. Cost is $25 through Aug. 19. Children ages 5 and younger are free with a paid adult. Entry fee includes a shirt and eclipse glasses. Registration is available online at www.secure.get- meregistered.com/get_in- formation.php?event_id=1 27504. The Solar Run is also looking for volunteers. Help is needed for the check-in table, race support and drink station. For more information: Sheri Beehner, sbeehner@wvpha.org. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER RAMSEY/Itemizer-Observer Christopher Ramsey has helped raised more than $32,000 for the National MS Society so far in 2017. Raising the bar Fall sports forms due Thursday DALLAS — Registration forms for fall sports at Dal- las High School are due Thursday. Official school practices begin Monday. Student- athletes must turn in forms by Thursday to practice on Monday. The athletic office will be closed Friday. Cost is $150 for all sports. Sports physicals are due every two years. Forms are available on- line or outside the athletic office. For more information: 503-831-1976. Highburger earns preseason honor MONMOUTH — Western Oregon linebacker Bo High- burger was named to Col- lege Football America 2017 Yearbook Division II defen- sive starting lineup. High- burger w a s named fi r s t t e a m a l l - Great North- w e s t Highburger Athletic Conference in 2016 after finishing second in the conference in tackles with 111 and fourth in tackles- for-loss with 13.5. The Wolves open the 2017 season at Idaho State on Aug. 31. WOU’s first home game is Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. against Central Wash- ington. By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer MONMOUTH — Multiple Sclero- sis is a chronic condition that affects the brain and spinal cord. Its symp- toms can be debilitating. The dis- ease, which affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide, according to the National MS Society, can cause blurred vision, loss of balance, slurred speech, tremors, numbness, extreme fatigue, paralysis and blind- ness. Beaverton resident Christopher Ramsey, who was recognized during Bike MS at Western Oregon Univer- sity on Saturday with the “limitless award,” is out to prove that MS does- n’t have to keep you down. “You need to raise the bar,” Ram- sey said. “I need to keep that bar as high as it can be. If MS is going to take my endurance, take my strength, take, take, take, what can I do to make sure that no matter how much it takes, there’s still room for that bar to drop.” — Ramsey was born to move. He ran his first mile at age 2, alongside his father in a local fun run. Ramsey wouldn’t be content with that. Prior to 2008, Ramsey had com- peted in multiple Ironman triathlons — a race consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run, and competed six times in the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. “I started racing triathlons when I got into college,” Ramsey said. “I found a sport that I was really good at.” His life began to change in 2008. “Within a couple weeks, I would try for a half an hour ride on my bike trainer, and it would feel like I had just done an Ironman,” Ramsey said. It wouldn’t be long before he was diagnosed. Ramsey had MS. Instead of letting the disease de- fine him, Ramsey decided to take the fight to the disease. “This is my future,” Ramsey said. “You can still be angry about it, but you can either choose to do some- thing about it or let it do something to you.” See RIDE, Page 11A COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL Wolves ready for trial by fire By Lukas Eggen The Itemizer-Observer Dallas swim coach steps down DALLAS — Dallas High School swim coach Dave Morelli will not return for the 2017-18 season. Athletic director Tim Lar- son said the position is not yet open for applications. Morelli coached the Dragons for the past two seasons. www.polkio.com LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer Bike MS returned to Western Oregon University on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to raise money for MS research. LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer file Western Oregon finished 10-17 overall in 2016. MONMOUTH — The 2016 season was always going to be a transitional one for West- ern Oregon’s volleyball team. A new coach, Tommy Gott, meant learning a new system and new expectations. The result was a 10-17 record overall. With a year under his belt as head coach, Gott and the Wolves are ready to take a big step forward in 2017. Gott’s first season with the Wolves led to modest im- provements record-wise — WOU finished 8-21 the sea- son prior to his arrival. But it also had its share of ups and d ow n s — highlighted by the fact Bettinson that Gott and his staff had to try and make changes on the fly. “You learn a lot in your first year, I’ll tell you that much,” Gott said. “A lot of it was making sure that myself, and the team overall, trusted the process. I know for my- self, and sometimes in the team, there’s some frustra- www.facebook.com/pages/Polk-County-Itemizer-Observer/205062686252209 tion that c o m e s along with the process of learning a new sys- tem, and a new style of play and all Gott the things that come along with that. … It’s not easy coming in and expecting things to be changed right away.” With most of the major growing pains behind them, Gott expects a year of famil- iarity with players will pay big dividends this fall. See WOLVES Page 11A www.twitter.com/PolkIOSports