14A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 8, 2017
Polk County Sports
Dragons: Six of eight runners set to return in 2018
Continued from Page 12A
“I think it was good for
us,” Cross said. “Most of us
ran slower than we wanted
to, but it was a good experi-
ence. We enjoyed it and it
was really good to see us all
go as a team.”
While Saturday marked a
big accomplish for the Drag-
ons, runners are already
looking forward to building
on their success.
Six of eight varsity runners
are set to return next season,
including Cross, who placed
third at the Mid-Willamette
Conference district meet on
Oct. 26.
“We have to keep training
during the offseason,” Cross
said. “I think we all want to
keep improving and want to
maybe go for district cham-
pions next year.”
That means getting back
on the training grind after a
few weeks off, Cross said.
The Dragons got their first
taste at state on Saturday.
They’re eager for more going
forward.
“We have to stay consis-
tent with our training and
have another good year next
year,” Cross said.
Dallas’ boys cross-country
team placed eighth in the
team standings at the
OSAA 5A state cross-coun-
try championship on Sat-
urday.
Junior Trevor Cross placed
27th overall to lead the
Dragons. Dallas will return
six of eight varsity runners
next season.
ALICE BIBLER/for the
Itemizer-Observer
Turf field fundraiser coming
Itemizer-Observer staff report
DALLAS — The Dallas
Booster Club and Mid-Valley
Ford will hold a fundraiser
Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. at Dallas High School.
Mid-Valley Ford will have
cars at the school for people
to test drive. Those who par-
ticipate are asked to fill out a
survey after the drive.
The Drive 4 UR School
fundraiser will donate $20
for each test drive through
the Ford Motor Company,
up to $6,000.
“We thought with the turf
project that this was a very
worthwhile cause to be in-
volved with,” Mid-Valley
Ford general manager Jeff
Davenport said.
Money raised will go to-
ward the Field Turf project.
“It’s going quite well.
We’ve brought in a lot of
cash donations from the dif-
ferent events we’ve had, in-
cluding the turf kickoff event
at the high school on Sept.
29,” Booster Club President
Stephanie Earhart said.
“We’ve sold a lot of the logo
spots on the field.”
There are six logo spots
on the home side of the
field, each sold for $25,000.
They are 10 yards in length.
The six logo spots on the
visitor side cost $15,000 each
and can be split between two
businesses or organizations.
Boys soccer
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Mid-Valley Ford general manager Jeff Davenport will
hold a fundraiser for the booster club.
Earhart said people don’t
have to contribute a lot of
money to help out.
“We are fundraising on all
different levels,” she said.
“We are working on grants
from different foundations in
the area. We’ve got the logos.
Then we’ve got Bottle Drop,
which is literally something
that every person in Dallas
can help us with, saving their
cans and bottles.”
The Bottle Drop fundrais-
er collects bottles and cans
for money for the turf proj-
ect.
“We’ve raised over $2,000
alone in Bottle Drop,”
Earhart said. “Our goal is
$10,000. I’m sure we will
make it.”
Later this year the Booster
Club will do a cinnamon roll
holiday fundraiser.
“We are going to have on-
going different events,” she
said.
Earhart is optimistic
about reaching the goal for
installing turf this year.
“I feel like we are making
good progress, and we’re
going to get there.”
The Booster Club’s goal is
to raise $850,000 in pledged
cash and in kind work.
The club has to order ma-
terials in April and still has a
few months to fundraise
after that if it hasn’t reached
its goal.
“I would love it if we were
almost there in April, and I
don’t doubt we are going to
make it,” Earhart said.
LUKAS EGGEN/Itemizer-Observer
Central senior Aaron Padilla attempts to dribble past a Marist Catholic player on
Nov. 1. The Panthers lost 1-0 in the first round of the state playoffs. Marist Catholic
lost to La Salle in the 5A state quarterfinals.