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.