Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
A9
WEDNESDAY
July 25, 2018
WILDFIRE WINS!
9-10-11 Little League softball team brings home state title
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
The 9-10-11 Grant County
Wildfire team blazed a cham-
pionship trail of success at
the July 19-23 Oregon Little
League Softball Tournament,
taking the title in an impres-
sive comeback.
The Grant County girls
were undefeated as they en-
tered the semifinals on Sun-
day, where they experienced
their first and only loss to Del
Norte, 4-6.
Wildfire followed up with
a 22-1 win over Willow Creek
later that day. In earlier games,
Wildfire beat Bend North on
Thursday 6-1, and Willow
Creek on Saturday 19-11.
On Monday, Wildfire had
to win two games against Del
Norte for the title.
The team maintained their
composure and dominated
12-3 in game one, followed
by a closer 6-4 win for the
championship.
Grant County third base-
man Lauren Wenger had the
crowd cheering when she hit
a 2-run infield homer in the
bottom of the fourth inning in
game one.
The Wildfire kept their
cool in the top of the sixth in-
ning of the final game.
With pitcher Drewsey
Williams in the circle, short
stop Savannah Watterson
caught a pop-up fly ball,
also catching for the second
out.
With one runner on base,
Wenger nabbed a grounder
and threw the final out to first
baseman Halle Parsons.
“They played solid de-
fense, put the ball in play
hard and Drewsey threw
strikes,” said head coach
Zach Williams, adding the
team was patient on offense.
“They really did play as
a team,” the coach said. “All
13 girls contributed to the
success of the team in this
tournament.”
Drewsey Williams said the
team worked as a family and
helped each other through it.
“I think the whole team
just got together and talked
about what we’ve accom-
plished this whole season
and what we needed to think
about in this last game,” she
said.
“It’s definitely an accom-
plishment,” she added. “The
whole season, we were just
excited to come back and re-
deem ourselves.”
Last year, the Wildfire
placed third at the state tour-
nament.
Wenger said winning felt
good.
“Our team really put their
Contributed photos/Tanni Wenger Photography
The Grant County Wildfire players gather to celebrate their win of the Oregon Little League Softball Championships in Medford July 23 along with
the coaches, from left, assistant coach Marissa Williams, head coach Zach Williams, Ray Wenger and Levi Watterson.
Grant County Wildfire catcher Addie Northway goes after
the ball in the state tournament.
Grant County Wildfire pitcher Drewsey Williams is in
action at the state tournament.
heart into it and left it all on the
field,” she said. “It was cool to
win and make it that far.”
Catcher Addy Northway
said the win took teamwork
and was hard-fought. She said
she enjoys making the calls as
catcher and seeing the field and
players from behind the plate.
“We were trying to push
ourselves hard for that win be-
cause we’ve been wanting it
all season,” she said. “I want
every time they get on first
base, which is what usually
happens at this level.”
Drewsey Williams received
the championship game ball
from the tournament director
for her efforts as pitcher — she
pitched all 12 innings in the fi-
nal two games.
“Drew had 14 walks in the
championship series and a few
timely hits along with aggres-
sive base running that was
to say thank you to the coach-
es, because they helped us all
season.”
Coach Williams said North-
way played well.
“She blocked almost every-
thing, which allows the pitcher
to be confident throwing the
pitches she needs to throw,”
he said. “Addy’s quick release
and throws down to second
base kept the Del Norte run-
ners from stealing second base
enough to put us over the top,”
the coach said.
The director also highlight-
ed Watterson and Wenger for
their contributions.
Coach Williams said the
team has been battle tested,
playing in many 12U tourna-
ments this season — for a total
of about 45 games.
“Their positive ‘team first’
attitude and making routine
defensive plays really is the
key to winning under this kind
of pressure,” coach Williams
said. “The experience these la-
dies have gotten over the past
several years will do nothing
but make them better in years
to come.”
The team is finished for the
season, as there is no regional
tournament for this age group,
and they will celebrate with a
barbecue at the coach’s home
soon.
The coach said his assis-
tants Levi Watterson, Ray
Wenger and Marissa Williams
have played a vital part.
“They all bring something
different and necessary to the
team, and they love the girls,”
he said. “I absolutely couldn’t
do it without them, and the
parents.”
He added, “It’s a really
great team — everybody does
their part.”
Championship series notable stats
Drewsey Williams: 12 innings pitched, 2
wins, 10 strikeouts, 7 walks, 5 hits
Presley Lenz: 2 for 6
Halle Parsons: 3 for 6
Savannah Watterson: defensively
responsible for 10 putouts or assists of
18 total in game two
Notable tournament stats
Preslee Lenz was 10 for 16
Halle Parsons was 11 for 10
Lauren Wenger was 5 for 10
Savannah Watterson was 6 for 18
Lexi McKrola was 2 for 6
The team hit .316 for the entire tourna-
ment, 48 for 152.
John Day swim team makes a splash at home meet
will have their championship
meet July 27-29 in Prineville.
LeQuieu said there have
been several new swimmers
join the group this year.
“I’m thankful for the new
families, the new parents step-
ping up and being involved,”
she said. “I feel very supported.”
Hodge, Mead
earn high-point
awards
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Swimmers battled in
fierce competition while fans
packed the poolside at Glea-
son and John Day city park to
cheer them on at the July 20-
22 John Day Swim Meet.
Two members of the John
Day swim team, Justin Hodge
in the 13-14 boys division and
Rhea Mead in the 15 and up
girls division, proved them-
selves by earning high-point
awards at the meet.
The John Day team, with
50 swimmers, placed fourth
at the meet, earning 313.5
points.
Prineville finished first
with 629 points, The Dalles
second with 380.5 and Lakev-
iew third with 378.5. In fifth
place was La Grande with 308
points, followed by Hi-Desert
John Day swimmer Rhea Mead, left, is trailing, but gains
on her opponents to win this event held on Saturday at
the John Day Swim Meet.
John Day’s Justin Hodge stays ahead of opponents at
the local swim meet.
(Burns) with 156 and Pendle-
ton with 123.5.
John Day head coach
Stephanie LeQuieu said she
was pleased with her team’s
efforts, especially competing
with some year-round swim-
mers.
“We had several kids who
shaved off a bunch of time on
their strokes,” she said, add-
ing one swimmer took 60 sec-
onds off their record.
This season, she’s been
focusing on the swimmers’
stroke technique as well as
building strength and endur-
ance.
“I couldn’t ask for a better
group,” LeQuieu said.
Out of the 50 swimmers,
there are 20 in the youngest
“fishies” group.
She said some of the mid-
dle division swimmers often
ask to help with the younger
“They’ve improved a great
deal in a short time this sea-
son,” she added.
LeQuieu is the new head
coach this season, picking up
where Sabrina Howard left
off.
LeQuieu, a Mt. Vernon
resident, was assistant coach
for two years before taking
the lead, and before that was
involved in officiating at the
meets.
Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter
group.
“They are beginning to
bond, and the younger swim-
mers look up to the older
ones,” she said.
Last weekend’s home
meet was the fourth district
competition for the John Day
team. They’ve also competed
in Prineville, Lakeview and
Burns.
The four teams make up
the East Cascade District, and
John Day Swim Team first-place
finishers
Girls 10 & Under 200 Yard Freestyle
Sierra May, 3:10.53
Girls 15 & Over 200 Yard Freestyle
Rhea Mead, 2:20.48
Girls 18 & Under 200 Yard Medley
Relay
1) Rhea Mead 2) Amelia Hall 3) Deja
Amsden 4) Torie Coalwell — 2:31.12
Boys 13-14 100 Yard Freestyle
Justin Hodge, 1:02.07
Girls 15 & Over 100 Yard Freestyle
Rhea Mead, 1:03.29
Boys 13-14 100 Yard Butterfly
Andrew Hunt, 1:14.22
Girls 15 & Over 100 Yard Backstroke
Rhea Mead, 1:16.24
Boys 14 & Under 200 Yard Freestyle
Relay
1) Andrew Hunt 2) Jack Strong 3)
Thomas LeQuieu 4) Justin Hodge —
1:59.51
Boys 13-14 100 Yard Breaststroke
Thomas LeQuieu, 1:26.17 7
Boys 13-14 50 Yard Freestyle
Justin Hodge, 26.15