Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 23, 2001)
FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, May 23, 2001 T-ball huge sport Mustang softball team takes first in EOL • i 1 * P m et & Heppner Mustang softball team (left to right): front-Aleshia Geer, Jesse Kempas: back-Coach Lindsey Harle, Jeanette Brantley, Blake Allstott, Nicole Sisk, San Juanita Elguezabal, Marissa McCabe, Charissa Gates, Jenni Patton, Shelley Rietmann, Jesse Gutierrez. Not pictured is Megan E. McCabe. lone T-ball team (left to right): Coach Bill Morris; Back Jeremy Coleman, Mary Gates, Adam Colin, Zach Orem, Justin Peck, Tim Clay, Tanner Rietmann, Alex Rietmann, Steven Holland; Front- Stacey Halversen, Lacey thompson, Lilly Sandford, Julieanne Carlson. Not pictured is Evan Rietmann. By Sylvia Sandford We read about all the activities that are available for our children today, whether it is through their school programs or outside team events for the summer. Have you ever wondered who put these teams together and possibly why they would endure this for no pay? 1 used to, but now 1 fully understand the reasoning, "pure unselfishness." T-ball is a huge sport in the Heppner, lone, Condon and Arlington area. In Heppner alone, there are enough children in the ages of preschool through second grade for three teams. Why such a large turnout? It is not just because the parents want them to play, but children who love to play sports and be part of a team. lone's team coach is Bill Moms. He ha^ a full-time job besides the duties of coaching his team of 13 children. He has the knowledge and patience needed to be a young team's coach. He truly promotes the ideal of sportsmanship. The pledge of the team opens *iiUJiiol/ *muH br,-: all the games with is almost like reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. It is important to them and their opponents. It speaks of believing in God, America and playing fair, and, above all, having fun. No scores are given to either team; it is always called a tie. That is being fair. The whole point is learning about baseball and the golden rule of sportsmanship. These players could teach a lot o f older kids and their parents a lesson in behavior if they came to a game. The smiles, jumps, dances and cheering are for every player. No one boos or yells for a bad call or play. It is always a "good job." It makes you feel good to see this interaction with our future leaders of the community. Every player goes home excited that they got to play and they played better than the last game. I know I have enjoyed the first three games very much as a mother, and head cheerleader for all the players. Most of all I admire "coach" and the parents for all their unselfish acts, unpaid time and their love of bcoX Nfmdnoimns'l,Ot -.a [ 5 P W - t« A \/ r 7 > ' ! team spirit. They make our community a brighter place for our children. Children are great teachers; enjoy yourself by helping others. Heppner selected for im provem ent Heppner was among 11 communities selected by the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee on May 8 to receive grants for bicycle and pedestrian improvements along urban highways, local city streets and county roads. Heppner received $103,500 for intersections improvements at May and Court streets. The estimated total project cost is $115,000. "We received 90 applications for Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Improvement Grant projects," said Chris Henson, ODOT Bicycle and Pedestrian specialist. "The 11 projects selected will receive a portion of the $ 1.5 million available from the grant program." . loH tartq'pH <’■ By Rick Paullus The Heppner Mustangs softball team took home the first place trophy at the Eastern Oregon League district tournament by beating the Nyssa Bulldogs, 15-1, on Saturday, May 19, at LaGrande. After winning the regular season championship, the Mustangs continued their dominance of the EOL by beating the fourth-place Bulldogs and improving their record to 16-4. The Mustangs will receive a bye in the first round o f the playoffs and will play at home on Monday, May 28, against the winner of the Harrisburg-Willamina game on Friday. Harrisburg is the defending state champion and is ranked number one in the state. After a scoreless first inning, the Mustangs got their offense going in the second as Marissa McCabe walked and came home as Charissa Gates reached on an error. Nikki Sisk then singled home Gates to make it 2-0. The Mustangs then blew the game open in the third as Jenm Patton and Shelley Rietmann singled and Jesse Gutierrez walked to load the bases. San Juanita Elguezabal was hit by a pitch to score one, McCabe grounded out to score another and Gates and Sisk each singled to bring home two more. Jesse Kempas and Patton each reached on errors to bring home two more. Rietmann singled home two more to make it 10-0 after three. The Bulldogs scored their only run of the game in the, top of the fourth on the Mustangs' only error of the game, but it wasn't nearly enough. In the bottom half, Elguezabal doubled and came home on McCabe's triple, Gates reached on an error to score McCabe. Aleshia Geer and Sisk walked and Kempas walked to score Gates. Patton grounded out to score Geer and Rietmann had an RBI single to make it 15-1. Rietmann went the distance on the mound to pick up the win and improve her record to 13 and 2 by allowing just one hit while walking none. She also helped herself at the plate by going three for four with three RBIs. Elguezabal and Sisk each went two for two and McCabe went one for two with two RBIs. Gates had three RBIs and scored three runs. i ^ Statistics Nyssa. 000 1 0 - 1 1 6 H eppner 0 2 8 5x - 15 13 1 Hittle and Enckson; Shelley Rietmann and Jesse Gutierrez W - Rietmann. L - Hittle 2B - San Juanita Elguezabal (H) 38 - Manssa M cC abe (H). H R - none. HHS playoff games scheduled The first round playoff game for the Heppner High School baseball team will be held this Friday, May 25, beginning at 4 p.m. at Warrenton. If the Heppner boys win, they will play the winner of the Santiam Christian-Yoncalla game on Monday, May 28, with the time and place to be announced. The games are loser-out. The Heppner girls softball team will have a bye this Friday, May 25. Their first game will be at Heppner on Monday, May 28, against the winner of the Willamina-Harrisburg game, probably at 1 p.m. The softball games are also loser-out. Cost for playoff games is $6 for adults and $4 for students. No passes will be accepted. , ' j j S i U O - > i A - A baby costs $785 m onth How m uch is your allowance? Brought to you by the Morrow County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition. For further information, contact the Morrow County Health Department at 541-676-5421 or contact the Morrow County Commission on Children and Families at 541-676-9675. O 2001 Campaign For Our Childran, Inc.
