FOUR-PAGE PULLOUT
B3
S PORTS
THE BULLETIN • FrIday, JUNE 25, 2021
bendbulletin.com/sports
NHL
Seattle Kraken hire
Hakstol as coach
SEATTLE — Score one
on the surprise scale for
the Seattle Kraken, after
the NHL expansion team
on Thursday announced
that former Philadelphia
Flyers bench boss Dave
Hakstol would be the
franchise’s first coach.
Hakstol, 52, coached
the Flyers over parts of
four seasons, going 131-
101-42 and leading the
team to the playoffs twice
over his three full cam-
paigns. He most recently
had been an assistant with
the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“It is an honor to be the
first head coach of the Se-
attle Kraken,” Hakstol said
in a team statement.
Hakstol’s selection was
a stunning development,
given his name had rarely
surfaced on the list of
the team’s rumored can-
didates. Kraken general
manager Ron Francis pur-
sued Hakstol amid rumors
he was seeking high-
er-profile candidates.
“Dave possesses great
experience, a strong work
ethic, a solid technical un-
derstanding of the game,
and the remarkable ability
to communicate clearly
and effectively, Francis
said in a statement.
Hakstol has experience
working with younger
players, having spent 15
seasons at the University
of North Dakota before
joining the Flyers.
He’ll now help the
Kraken prepare to pick
their team at the July 21
expansion draft, then with
the NHL entry draft three
days later. The Kraken will
pick No. 2 overall in the
entry draft.
— The Seattle Times
NAME, IMAGE
AND LIKENESS
NCAA eyes a short-
term solution
The NCAA is lurch-
ing toward a temporary,
patchwork solution in
addressing name, image
and likeness compensa-
tion for athletes, a hyper-
local approach to allow
everyone to earn money
off their fame starting July
1 without uniform na-
tional rules.
The latest strategy to
provide clarity to a dra-
matic change in NCAA
policy comes days af-
ter the Supreme Court
handed down a ruling
that left the association
exposed to future legal
attacks.
The NCAA Board of
Governors was scheduled
to meet with the Divi-
sion I Board of Directors
on Thursday to discuss
the next step for sorting
out NIL.
The Division I Council
discussed possible next
steps to NIL earlier this
week and is scheduled
to meet again Monday.
A final decision could be
made by the Board of Di-
rectors next Wednesday
— one day before NIL
laws go into effect in at
least six states.
A solution reportedly
being discussed involves
the NCAA waiving its rules
banning athletes from
being paid for use of their
name, image and likeness
while still keeping bylaws
that make pay-for-play
and recruiting induce-
ments impermissible.
In Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, Mississippi, New
Mexico and Texas, laws
go into effect July 1 that
make it impermissible for
the NCAA and members
schools to prevent ath-
letes from being paid by
third parties for things like
sponsorship deals, online
endorsements and per-
sonal appearances.
— Associated Press
PREP WRESTLING
READY FOR STATE TOURNEYS
Prep sports close the 2020-21
school year with state
wrestling tournaments
BY BRIAN RATHBONE • The Bulletin
O
n the final day of high
school sports for the
2020-21 academic year
in Oregon on Saturday, and about
four months behind schedule,
state champions will be decided
on the wrestling mats.
As has been the case throughout
the culminating weeks this
year, there is no sanctioned state
tournament put on by the Oregon
School Activities Association,
leaving postseason play to be
planned by each classification.
The plan for wrestling? Organize
state tournaments through the Ore-
gon Wrestling Association rather than
the OSAA, using the results from last
week’s district tournaments to qualify
wrestlers to compete in the early sum-
mer tournaments.
“The kids have done a really good
job of keeping their focus and hav-
ing high goals,” said Mountain View
coach Les Combs.
“It is so bizarre, we are used to go-
ing home in the dark and the cold.
Now it is light and hot. It feels weird.”
Instead of wrestlers from all corners
of the state migrating to Memorial
Coliseum in Portland for one giant
weekend tournament to determine
the state’s top wrestlers and teams, five
separate tournaments will be scattered
throughout the state on Friday and
Saturday.
“We have been ready for a LONG
time,” said Culver coach J.D. Alley.
“I’m really proud of our group. It
Dean Guernsey/Bulletin file photo
Culver’s Anthony Hood, right, wrestles La Pine’s Garrett Forbes during a dual meet at Culver High School earlier this season. Central
Oregon wrestlers are preparing to finish off the season with state tournaments.
“The kids have done a really good job of keeping their focus
and having high goals. It is so bizarre, we are used to going home in
the dark and the cold. Now it is light and hot. It feels weird.”
— Les Combs, Mountain View wrestling coach
hasn’t been an easy task to keep things
together into the summer.”
The Class 6A state meet will be
held at Newberg High School, the 5A
at Cottage Grove High and the 4A at
Cascade High. Redmond High will
host the 3A tournament on Saturday,
while the 2A/1A tournament will be
staged at Sweet Home High School.
Having separate tournaments al-
lows for each classification to better
highlight their wrestlers. During the
state championship meets in Portland,
six championship matches would be
held simultaneously. With the tour-
naments broken up, there will be just
one championship match at a time.
“I think we are going to like it. In
some ways it helps us showcase our
teams,” Alley said. “They have always
had to share that spotlight.”
One interesting wrinkle to the tour-
naments will be the heat. Tempera-
tures across the state are expected
to exceed 100 degrees this weekend,
making for some stifling gyms. But
it is not uncommon for wrestlers
to practice in rooms with the heat
cranked up.
In many ways, they have been train-
ing for years for these conditions.
“Wrestlers prefer to train in high
temperatures,” Alley said. “Those
athletes are in and out in a 6-minute
match, then they can cool down.”
Five Central Oregon teams will take
double-digit wrestlers to their respec-
tive state tournaments. Crook County
leads the way with 19 qualifying wres-
tlers. Redmond is taking 16, Culver
15, Mountain 13 and La Pine 12.
6A state championship meet
Where: Newberg High School
When: Friday and Saturday
Placing rounds: Saturday, 3 p.m.
Local qualifiers (weight class)
Mountain View: Scout Santos (106),
Tyson Oliver (113), Drew Jones (126),
Jackson Potts (126), Ethan Potts (132),
Andrew Worthingon (132), Jeremiah
Reid (145), Ryder Fassett (152), Eli-
jah McCourtney (16), Cannon Potts
(170), Arturo Martinez (170), Luke
Williams (182), Rory Eck (285)
Bend: Wyatt McClain (132), Sean
Craven (138)
Summit: Gavin Williams (138)
See Wrestling / B5
TENNIS | WIMBLEDON PREVIEW
U.S. OLYMPIC TRACK & FIELD TRIALS
Weather, women’s 400 hurdles Grand Slam tennis makes
set to sizzle on final weekend return to England’s grass
BY PAT GRAHAM
Associated Press
EUGENE — Dalilah Mu-
hammad has all the presti-
gious credentials: Reigning
world champion. Defending
Olympic gold medalist. World
record holder.
Despite that, she doesn’t al-
ways grab top billing in one of
the most competitive races in
track and field — the women’s
400-meter hurdles.
The reason — Sydney Mc-
Laughlin, the 21-year-old
phenom who has been on
Muhammad’s heels for most
of the past few seasons and
even deserves some of the
credit for pushing the cham-
pion toward her world-record
times.
Act One of their 2021
drama is expected to take
place at the U.S. Olympic
track and field trials Sunday.
The encore could happen in
Tokyo at the Olympics.
“We definitely push each
other to be at our best,” Mu-
hammad said. “That’s a lot of
pressure, but it also makes us
so much better.”
With McLaughlin pushing
her to the finish, Muhammad
ran the 400 hurdles in 52.16
seconds at the 2019 world
history there in 2010. “You
know, a lot of people say it’s the
Roger Federer recalls feeling Mecca of our sport, it’s our Au-
gusta National. … It’s going to
“just shocked, more than any-
be great to have it
thing.”
“You know, a lot of back. I think the
Chris Evert
all over the
found the news
people say it’s the fans
world are going to
“devastating.”
The tennis
Mecca of our sport. be eager to watch
it.”
world was shaken
… It’s going to be
If so, they will
when the All En-
have
plenty of sto-
gland Club an-
great
rylines to follow on
nounced on April
to have it back. the grass courts.
1, 2020, that Wim-
Defending
bledon would be
I think the fans all champion
Novak
canceled because
of the coronavirus
over the world are Djokovic tries to
pull even with Ra-
pandemic — the
going to be eager fael Nadal (who
first time since
won’t be there) and
World War II it
to watch it.”
Federer (who will,
was called off for
any reason.
— John Isner, American in his last Slam be-
fore turning 40 on
The oldest
pro tennis player
Aug. 8) at 20 major
Grand Slam tennis
championships, the
tournament ends a
most for a man. Djokovic hopes
two-year absence on Monday,
to add to his 2021 titles at the
with 50% capacity attendance
Australian Open and French
at the outset and a full Centre
Court of 15,000 allowed for the Open to extend his bid for the
singles finals on July 10-11, the first calendar-year Grand Slam
latest signals things are moving by a man since 1969.
Serena Williams, at age 39,
closer to normal.
seeks her 24th major singles
“It’s going to be an incredi-
trophy to equal the all-time
ble event,” said American pro
mark after losing in the 2018
John Isner, a 2018 semifinalist
and 2019 Wimbledon finals.
at Wimbledon and winner of
the longest match in the sport’s
See Tennis / B4
BY HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer
David J. Phillip/AP file
Dalilah Muhammad, left, of the United States, finishes ahead of com-
patriot Sydney Mclaughlin, right, to win the women’s 400 meter hur-
dles final and set a new world record at the World Athletics Champi-
onships in Doha, Qatar, in 2019.
championships in Doha.
She broke her own world
record from two months
previous. McLaughlin’s sec-
ond-place time of 52.23 in
Doha stands as the third-best
time ever.
McLaughlin burst onto the
national scene by earning a
spot for the 2016 Olympics at
age 16. Much was made of her
multiple talents — including
the ability to juggle while rid-
ing a unicycle.
Muhammad, meanwhile,
has largely stayed under the
radar. She does not consider
this a rivalry, per se.
“It’s actually unfortunate
that it’s looked at that way,”
the 31-year-old Muhammad
said. “In reality, I definitely
wish nothing but the best for
Sydney. I love to see where the
event can go.”
Despite finishing second in
the last major race, McLaugh-
lin might be considered a
slight favorite at the trials.
See Track / B4