A8 • Friday, August 21, 2020 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
Local athletes, coaches rake in all-star honors
By GARY HENLEY
The Astorian
‘Tis the season for high
school all-star series and
games.
But with the exception
of a few summer all-star
baseball games, most all-
star events for seniors in the
Class of 2020 were canceled
because of the coronavirus.
Still, that did not stop cer-
tain organizations from nam-
ing and honoring their annual
summer all-star teams.
The latest cancellation
was the 68th annual East-
West Shrine all-star football
game, which would have
taken place Aug. 1 in Baker
City.
The annual contest, which
highlights some of the state’s
top seniors from the previ-
ous fall, showcases players
from the 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A
levels.
As always, the West
squad included a few rep-
resentatives from Clatsop
County.
Knappa receiver/defen-
sive back Kanai Phillip was
joined by Logger lineman
Jaxson Goodman, along with
Warrenton lineman Mark
Warren on the West roster,
with alternates that included
Astoria’s Ebin Hillard, Sea-
side’s David Toyooka and
Jeff Ter Har
Beau Johnson in action during the 2019-20 season.
Warrenton
quarterback
Jacob Morrow.
Tillamook coach and
Astoria graduate Kye John-
son was slated to be one of
the coaches for the West
squad.
The game became a top
contributor in 1981 to the
Shriners Hospitals.
The game has produced
about $75,000 annually for
the hospitals since 1981, and
approximately $2.5 million
during the first 50-years of
the game.
The last time the game
was canceled was 1969,
due to violation of NCAA
sanctions.
Basketball all-stars
Earlier this summer, some
of the county’s top basketball
seniors were to have taken
part in the annual Oregon
Basketball Coaches Associa-
tion all-star series.
Coached by Seaside’s
Bill Westerholm, Knap-
pa’s Paul Isom and Edward
Kirk of Oregon Episco-
pal, the small school North
All-Stars included Seaside’s
Ryan Hague and Beau John-
son, and Knappa’s Mason
Westerholm.
Only Westerholm will
play at the next level, where
he has plans to play basket-
ball at Mt. Hood Community
College next year.
Hague was a two-time
state champion for the Gulls.
“We are extremely disap-
pointed that we are not able
to have our all-star series this
year,” B.J. Dobrkovsky, the
association’s all-star series
director, said. “These seniors
and coaches, along with their
families, have endured so
much, and we know this is
just another blow to them.
We hope that the selection as
a member of this year’s team
that was selected by coaches
all over the state, shows their
hard work, dedication, and
sacrifice to their team, school
and community.”
The association is a non-
profit organization that relies
heavily on local businesses to
help support the annual sum-
mer all-star series.
“This year we have offered
up to each player and coach
that has a local business or
knows a business owner a
free spot in our digital pro-
gram to honor all their sup-
port to high school athletics,”
Dobrkovsky said.
Coaching awards
In addition to the all-stars,
the Oregon Athletic Coaches
Association named its high
school basketball coaches of
the year.
The list of 2A, 3A and 4A
winners included boys basket-
ball coaches Blake Ecker (4A
Philomath), Edward Kirk (3A
Oregon Episcopal) and Eddie
Townsend (2A Toledo); and
girls’ coaches Ben Silva (4A
Philomath), John Blodgett
(3A Clatskanie) and Kerry
Hall (2A Kennedy).
At its annual year-end ban-
quet, the coaches association
honored coaches who have
reached “milestone” years
of service in their coaching
careers.
Recognized for their 25th
year of service were Warren-
ton’s Rod Heyen and soft-
ball/volleyball coach Staci
Miethe; 30 years — Asto-
ria football coach and ath-
letic director Howard Rub,
and Seaside’s Jim Poetsch
(basketball/golf); 35 years
— Lou Marconeri (softball);
and Warrenton’s John Mattila
(football/girls basketball) was
one of four coaches honored
for 50 years of service.
Indoor: Still looking for more donors to finish project
Continued from Page A1
“We are on track to
have this project completed
around the end of Septem-
ber, with an early October
Grand Opening Ceremony,”
Garrigues said.
“Our next steps are to
finish the exterior shell,
groundwork, frame inte-
rior walls, continued work
on electrical, plumbing, and
HVAC, drywall and interior
finishes, painting and finally
finish up with outfitting by
hanging nets,” decorated
with Seagull Pride.
They will also be, “set-
ting up accessories and
equipment such as pricing
machines, screens, batting
mats and portable mounds.”
She added, “It has truly
been incredible to see all
the local contractors and
businesses coming together
to help make this project a
reality. We have had donated
time and materials from
local plumbers, electricians,
rental companies, building
HOW TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT
To learn more about the indoor facility project, visit their web-
site at https://bit.ly/2ZqqMYB. You can also see updates on the
Facebook page, “Indoor Training Facility at Broadway Park.”
contractors, material sup-
pliers, excavators, concrete
and HVAC technicians.”
In addition to coaching
different sports at the youth
and high school levels, Chris
Corder “has been the leader
of this project, and has spent
incalculable hours on this
project,” Garrigues said.
“From project management,
acquiring donated materials
and services, and incredible
communication on updates
on the project, he has been
an absolute rockstar.”
Also involved are three
Seaside Class of 2021
seniors who are volunteer-
ing their time on the project
for their Pacifica projects.
Kandice Flaigg, Jared
White and Cash Corder have
been participating through
fundraising and organiza-
tion to digging ditches and
installing materials onsite.
“They will be assisting
us throughout the project,
and it’s been a great experi-
ence for them to be a part of
the project,” Garrigues said.
Local businesses and
contractors that have helped
with the project will be hon-
ored on a donor board at the
indoor facility, along with
other donors who have sent
in monetary donations.
“We are still looking
for more donors to help us
round this project out,” she
said, “especially as we begin
acquiring equipment for the
interior and other import-
ant equipment like pitching
machines, nets, plates and
storage cabinets.”
503-338-6063
casa@clatsopcasa.org
www.clatsopcasa.org
CLATSOP CASA NEEDS VOLUNTEERS NOW – MORE THAN EVER
In this time of social distancing, we must all work to remain
socially close to children. Child abuse and neglect is likely
on the rise in the face of this pandemic, as families are put
under more financial and emotional stress, but reporting
may be down. Children are no longer in the public eye. One
group of people who speak up for children is the Clatsop
CASA Program volunteers. They work with children in the
child welfare system who have experienced abuse or neglect.
They meet with children in person at least monthly, advocate
for children’s best interests and provide information to judges
that helps them make the most well-informed decisions for
each child.
These in-person visits provide an opportunity for CASA
volunteers to ensure the child is safe and well-cared for. But
right now, meeting in person with the children they advocate
for is difficult or impossible. This means it is harder for them
to gauge what is going on in children’s lives, and their needs.
Staff and volunteers at Clatsop CASA are finding creative ways
to continue to meet with children. CASA volunteers are using
social distancing and masking up to go on walks, video chats
by Zoom and Skype, and calling the child’s home frequently.
This kind of creativity is what will make a real difference
in children’s lives right now. It is the kind of creativity that
people in all sectors of society are demonstrating.
Clatsop CASA is also working with community partners to
strengthen families, enhance service system delivery, and
build childhood resiliency.
If you are willing to get involved in a life-changing and
sometimes life-saving cause—the safety, health and well-
being of a child—join us in speaking up for a child at this
time of community crisis. When the world re-opens, the need
will be greater than ever.
Those who want to change a child’s life as a CASA
volunteer can use this time to learn more about the
children we serve and to take advantage of our upcoming
virtual CASA 101 Orientation. This orientation will be
offered at both 12 pm and 6 pm on Wednesday, August
26th. This training orientation requires no commitment and
is open to the public. To get the link, visit our website at
www.clatsopcsa.org or email us at casa@clatsopcasa.org.
It is up to all of us to make sure the children in Clatsop
County are safe, that OUR children are safe.
- Nakesha Womble, Executive Director