A8 BAKER CITY HERALD • TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022 SPORTS BAKER TENNIS AT SUBREGIONALS Four Bulldogs qualify for regionals Baker players will have a chance to advance to state tournament Schools in the other sub- region are Arlington, Con- don, Ione/Heppner, Irrigon, Mac-Hi, Riverside, Sherman, Stanfield/Echo, Umatilla and Weston-McEwen/Griswold. The regional tournament BY IAN CRAWFORD will include eight boys and eight girls singles players, and icrawford@bakercityherald.com Two singles players and one eight girls and boys doubles doubles team from the Baker teams, from special district 4. High School tennis squad have The top four boys and girls qualified for the regional tour- singles players, and top four nament Friday and Saturday, girls and boys doubles teams, May 13-14, at the Ash Grove will advance to the state tour- courts near BHS, with berths in nament May 20-21 at Corvallis. the state tournament at stake. Singles players Sarah Plum- Subregional at Ontario mer and Danny Cunningham, Friday, May 6 along with the girls doubles team of Maya Smith and Ol- Boys ivia Jacoby, each advanced by Cunningham won both of placing in the top four at the his matches on Friday, May 6, subregional tournament on to advance to matches the next May 6-7 at Ontario. day and ensure a berth in the Cunningham placed second, regional tournament. while Plummer, along with Cunningham beat Brady Smith and Jacoby, finished third. Cooper of Nyssa, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, The top four singles players and then beat Henry Garret of On- doubles teams qualified for the tario, 6-2, 6-2. regional tournament at BHS. In other boys singles The subregional tourna- matches, Baker’s Ashton Le- ment included Baker, Four Tourneau won the first set Rivers, La Grande, Nyssa, On- against Ontario’s Martin tario and Vale. Benites but couldn’t finish off The regional event at BHS the match, losing 2-6, 7-6, 6-3. is for special district 4, which Baker’s Caleb Hills lost his includes 16 schools from two opening match to Jorge Marti- regions, spanning the Class 1A, nez of Four Rivers, 6-4, 6-2. In boys doubles, Baker’s 2A, 3A and 4A ranks. Esplin, 6-2, 6-3. Baker’s Campbell Vander- wiele lost her opening set to Erin Hawker of Four Rivers, 6-3, 6-0. In girls doubles, Smith and Jacoby won their opening match in straight sets over La Grande’s Shanti Langidrik and Vega Merino Sampedro, 6-0, 6-1, and then had to rally in the second round against Belle Wagstaff and London Hartley of Nyssa, winning 6-1, 6-7 (7- 5), 6-1. Saturday, May 7 Boys Cunningham won a back- and-forth match against Ontar- io’s Dallon Berg to advance to the championship match against Nyssa’s Dawson Richards. Richards prevailed, 6-3, 6-3. Girls Plummer lost her first match to Mary Esplin of Nyssa, 7-6, 6-4, but rebounded to beat Erin Hawker of Four Rivers Girls in the third-place match, 6-3, In girls singles, Plummer 2-6, 6-4. won both matches in straight In doubles, Smith and sets. She beat Mia Clayton of Jacoby lost their first match Four Rivers, 6-1, 6-0, then beat to Vale’s Brenda Ramirez and Nyssa’s Brenna Kelser, 6-3, 6-2. Elise Seals, 7-6, 6-4, but then Isabel Cunningham opened won the third-place match by beating Alexandria Juarez, against Emily Wilson and 6-2, 6-2, but then lost in the Collette Larvik of La Grande, second round to Nyssa’s Mary 6-1, 6-3. Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald Baker’s Sarah Plummer returns a shot against La Grande’s Laura Mingrone on Monday, April 25, 2022, at the Ash Grove courts in Baker City. Plummer qualified for the regional tournament May 13-14, 2022, in Baker City. Jayden Yencopal and Ethan Hills won their opening match in straight sets over Humberto Gonzalez and John Paul Bar- rido of Ontario, 6-2, 6-3. But Yencopal and Hills were elim- inated by Four Rivers’ Koda Alvarez and Marcus Grimaldo, 6-1, 6-2. Baker’s Weston Downing and Noah Lien rallied to win the second set but ending up falling to Ontario’s Bryan Ale- jandro and Pablo Ponce, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. Anthony Christopher and Diego Jones-Bedolla lost their opening match to Ontario’s Jared Halley and Eduardo Na- varro, 6-1, 6-0. Alex Ritter signs letter to play football at Pacific Lutheran years, and I decided I wanted to play college football,” said Former Baker football line- Ritter, a standout on both the offensive and defensive lines. “I man Alex Ritter, who will graduate next month, recently got five offers. I went on visits, and decided this (Pacific Lu- signed a four-year commit- theran) was the best school.” ment letter to play at Pacific Ritter, who is an alternate Lutheran University in Ta- on the East squad for the East- coma, Washington. Ritter was joined by his par- West Shrine All Star Football ents, Rick and Mysti Ritter, sib- game this August at Baker lings Reagan and Sam, friends, Bulldog Memorial Stadium, said the commitment he made teammates, and BHS coaches on April 21 in the Baker gym. to Pacific Lutheran is a signifi- cant one. Many, including Ritter, were “It’s definitely more involved, wearing Lutes apparel as he I’ll have practice daily from signed the letter of intent. 5:45 (a.m.) to 7 (a.m.), and “I played for Baker for four BY IAN CRAWFORD icrawford@bakercityherald.com then again from 5:15 to 9:30,” he said. In addition to the six hours of physical work, Ritter will have a full classload as he in- tends to study pre-law. He said he would be the first member of his family to pursue a career in law. During his signing cere- mony, Ritter thanked his many coaches, teammates and fans from Baker City. “Especially for the amazing energy they brought on Friday nights,” he said. Classes at PLU start on Sept. 7. Buell Gonzales Jr./Contributed Photo The Ritters, (left to right) Reagan, Mysti, Sam and Rick join Alex wearing some their new team colors as Alex signs his letter of intent to play football at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Then NOW 2022 Graduates y l n O 49 $ Includes full color. Three line maximum message. Jennifer Smith High School Name Congratulations Jen! We are so proud of you! Love, Mom & Dad 2x3 example size Name of graduate: School: Message: LIFE IS SHORT BUY THE TIRES TAKE THE TRIP Call or go online for an appointment, or drop in and see us! FREE PRE-TRIP SAFETY CHECKS 3 Batteries 3 Tires 3 Suspension LEW BROS TIRE (541) 523-3679 Call Julie 541-406-5275 or email jferdig@bakercityherald.com 210 Bridge St., Baker City, OR 97814