Prep roundup — Zillah’s Castillo wins fourth title at Takedown Jamboree

YAKIMA, Wash. — Zillah’s Chris Castillo opened his senior wrestling season by winning his fourth straight title in the Eisenhower Takedown Jamboree on Tuesday at Ike Gym.

Castillo won the 160-pound bracket in the seven-team meeting.

Toppenish’s Julian Romero (130) and Granger’s Pete Almaguer (285), both reigning state champions like Castillo, won their third consecutive Takedown titles.

Davis and Selah had three champions each, and Eisenhower collected 10 top-four placers.

Teams competing: Eisenhower, Davis, Selah, Toppenish, Zillah, Granger, Wapato.

Top four placers

103: 1, Juan Lopez (Davis); 2, Cameron Manjarrez (Ike); 3, Nikko Rodriguez (Se); 4, Sergio Morales (T).

112: 1, Alexio Garcia (Davis); 2, Joshua Salcedo (Gr); 3, Jesse Gonzalez (Z); 4, Chris Cardenas (Ike).

119: 1, Jonathan Salcedo (Gr); 2, Kyle DeMerritt (Se); 3, Juan Diaz (Z); 4, Jesse Martinez (Ike).

125: 1, Aaron Arredondo (T); 2, Julio Alonso (Z); 3, Jose Sanchez (Davis); 4, Kody Johnson (Z).

130: 1, Julian Romero (T); 2, Ricky Almaguer (Gr); 3, Cortes Hernandez (Z); 4, Ricardo Badillo (Ike).

135: 1, Kody Ergeson (Se); 2, Shane McMurray (Z); 3, Angelo Herrera (Wap); 4, Fransico Corona (Davis).

140: 1, Jeremy Standfill (Se); 2, Israel Fernandez (Davis); 3, Michael Saddaddin (Ike); 4, Sergio Sanchez (Z).

145: 1, Henry Lucatero (Ike); 2, Ernesto Martinez (Gr); 3, Demi Anaya (Se); 4, Tyler Peterson (Se).

152: 1, Austin Wagner (Davis); 2, Rodney Treece (Z); 3, Abel Morales (Gr); 4, Domingo Luna (T).

160: 1, Chris Castillo (Z); 2, Tyler Noble (Se); 3, Beto Acevedo (Ike); 4, Jorge Alcala (Davis).

171: 1, Zach Goodpaster (Se); 2, Dustin Martin (Ike); 3, Andres Acevedo (Ike); 4, Jason Ornales (Gr).

189: 1, Jose Martinez (Wap); 2, Nick Alvarado (T); 3, Israel Torrez (Gr); 4, Abidan Duarte (Gr).

215: 1, Nathaniel Deardorff (Z); 2, Raul Pech (T); 3, Raul Martinez (Ike); 4, Pedro Ricardo (Se).

285: 1, Pete Almaguer (Gr); 2, Richie Rodriguez (Se); 3, Alexes Garcia (Davis); 4, Josh Aho (Z).

GIRLS BOWLING

WEST VALLEY 4, SELAH 0

At Minda Lanes

Team scores: West Valley 825, Selah 793; West Valley 827, Selah 724; Baker games: West Valley 181, Selah 163; West Valley 137, Selah 129.

Highlights: Ally Delozier (WV) 378 (190), Makayla Douglas (WV) 351 (183), Alyssa Deaton (WV) 342 (182), Miki Campbell (WV) 300. Ashley Anderson (S) 334 (209), Mikayla Ball (S) 328 (184), Ashley Baughman (S) 308 (179), Liz Baze (S) 304.

Records: West Valley 2-1 league, 5-1 overall; Selah 1-1, 3-1.

ELLENSBURG 2, SUNNYSIDE 2

(Ellensburg wins on total pins)

At Rodeo Bowl

Team scores: Ellensburg 624, Sunnyside 558; Ellensburg 594, Sunnyside 539; Baker games: Sunnyside 125, Ellensburg 123; Sunnyside 166, Ellensburg 134.

Highlights: Kelsi Kjorsvik (E) 263 (136), Kylee Feroglia (E) 275 (151); Lexi Poyer (E) 267 (147); YaYa Gonzalez (S) 242 (121, 121).

Record: Ellensburg 1-1 league.

BASKETBALL

SUNNYSIDE BOYS JAMBOREE

Tuesday’s results

Sunnyside Christian 28, Sunnyside 25 (SC: Brandon Broersma 8, Steven Broersma 8. Su: Cody Fernandez 6).

Grandview 35, Sunnyside 31 (Gr: Isiah Gonzalez 8. Su: Jessie Leija 6, Arnold Brambila 6).

Wapato 35, Sunnyside Christian 32 (Wap: Jacoby Howe 11, Efrain Reynoso 8. SC: Steven Broersma 7, Brandon Broersma 6, Ryker Van Belle 6).

Wapato 41, Grandview 28 (Wap: Jacoby Howe 9, Efrain Reynoso 7, Clifton Smiscon 6, Gibby Patterson 6. Gr: Salvador Escobedo 6).

GRANDVIEW GIRLS JAMBOREE

Monday’s results

Wapato 23, Sunnyside Christian 19 (Wap: Steph Velasco 4, Justine Sosa 4, Charlie Fiander 4. SC: Alyssa Haak 4, Rita Darymple 4).

Sunnyside Christian 26, Sunnyside 15 (SC: Vanessa Van Oostrum 7. Su: Vanessa Alvarez 4).

Prosser 28, Wapato 23 (Pro: Miriham Walle 5. Wap: Sammie Jo Blodgett 4, Justine Sosa 4).

Grandview 37, Sunnyside 15 (Gr: Payton Parrish 8, Breanna Lopez 8. Su: Sydnee Hernandez 7).

Prosser 38, Grandview 27 (Pro: Toni Adams 15, Tamara Jones 10. Gr: Marissa Cabellero 6).

HIGHLAND GIRLS JAMBOREE

Tuesday’s results

Kittitas 14, Highland 12

White Swan 25, Highland 14

College roundup — Perez, Harris pace CWU to road win

MONMOUTH, Ore. — Humberto Perez and Drew Harris combined for 39 points and 12 assists Tuesday night as 24th-ranked Central Washington won its GNAC opener by beating Western Oregon 87-78.

The Wildcats (1-0 conference, 5-0 overall), who moved into the national rankings earlier in the day, got 21 points from Perez and 18 from Harris. The latter totaled eight assists while Perez had four.

The Yakima duo also shot a collective 9 for 15 from 3-point range as CWU continued its best start since the 2001-02 season.

Chris Sprinker had 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots, Jody Johnson came off the bench for 15 points and seven boards and Jamar Berry had 11 points for the Wildcats.

Central built an early 10-point lead, but then fell behind by as many as 12 before trailing 51-43 at halftime.

But the Wildcats staged a 15-2 burst to start the final 20 minutes and eventually built a 13-point lead before coasting home.

Harris had a 3-pointer in the decisive run, Perez scored five points and Johnson capped the surge with another long ball.

“Those two guys shot the heck out of it,” CWU coach Greg Sparling said. “This is a tough place to play and it’s great to see our guys play with composure.”

CWU also benefitted from cooler Western Oregon shooting hands in the second half. After the Wolves shot 60 percent (18 for 30) in the opening half, they hit only 31.3 percent (10 for 32) in the second.

“Everything was falling for them,” Sparling said. “We had hands in their faces and they were still making shots. We knew they couldn’t keep it up.”

Jordan Freelander scored 18 points and Tarance Glynn had 17 to lead Western Oregon (0-1, 3-4).

The Wildcats will step out of conference play to compete in the SPU Invitational this weekend at Seattle Pacific, meeting Grand Canyon on Friday and Chaminade on Saturday.

Central’s next home game is scheduled for Dec. 30 against Alaska Anchorage.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON — Jamar Berry 4-10 1-1 11, Clyde 0-1 0-0 0, Chris Sprinker 7-15 0-0 14, Humberto Perez 6-11 4-5 21, Drew Harris 4-8 6-6 18, Scott 3-6 1-2 8, Gibler 0-0 0-0 0, Jody Johnson 4-7 6-8 15. Totals 28-58 18-24 87.

WESTERN OREGON — Long 3-8 0-0 4, Tarance Glynn 6-12 4-5 17, Nelson 4-9 0-0 9, Wheadon 2-9 2-2 8, DeAngelo Davis 4-5 2-2 11, Jordan Freelander 6-10 5-6 18, Veal 3-6 0-0 8, Davis 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 28-62 13-15 78.

Halftime — WOU 51, CWU 43. 3-point goals — CWU 13-27 (Berry 2-5, Sprinker 0-2, Perez 5-9, Harris 4-6, Scott 1-4, Johnson 1-1); WOU 9-19 (Long  1-3, Glynn 1-2, Nelson 1-1, Wheadon 2-6, Davis 1-1, Freelander 1-3, Veal 2-3). Fouled out — None. Rebounds — CWU 30 (Sprinker 9); WOU 37 (Glynn 11). Assists — CWU 19 (Harris 8); WOU 17 (Wheadon 6). Turnovers — CWU 10, WOU 16. Technical fouls — Harrris. Total fouls — CWU 15, WOU 17.

Wilkins’ season over at Western

Former Yakima Valley guard Rico Wilkins has suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon and will miss the rest of Western Washington’s basketball season.

A 6-foot guard from Dallas, Wilkins incurred the injury in Monday night’s 95-76 win over Northwest Christian. He was averaging 7.6 points, 4.4 assists and 2 steals for the 4-1 Vikings.

WWU officials said in a press release that Wilkins is expected to get his year of eligibility back because of medical hardship.
Wilkins sat out last season after being the 2008-09 NWAACC Eastern Region MVP at Yakima Valley.

Away at School — Powell nabs WCC honor

ALLYSON POWELL (Selah), a senior libero on the Gonzaga volleyball team, has been named all-West Coast Conference honorable mention. Powell was the top defensive player for the Bulldogs, closing out the season with a team-high 479 digs (4.17 dps), 12 service aces and 42 assists. She broke the single-season dig record, breaking Linda Bushinski’s 1986 mark of 436. She finished her career with 1,277 digs and 69 service aces, which both rank second in the Bulldog career record book.

ANDREA BLODGETT (White Swan), a senior at Idaho State, has started all seven games at guard for the Bengals and is averaging 7 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. In a recent 68-58 win over Air Force, Blodgett scored a game-high 15 points on 5-for-8 field goal shooting.

SYDNEY BLOOM (Goldendale), a sophomore on the Blue Mountain Community College volleyball team, helped the Timberwolves win the NWAACC Tournament championship last month at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Ore. A right-side hitter, Bloom helped the Pendleton, Ore.-based school beat Mt. Hood in 25-21 in a one-set match for the Timberwolves’ first-ever NWAACC title.

SHAWNA SCHOOLEY (Davis), a sophomore at Everett Community College, won the NWAACC Northern Region cross country individual championship last month in Snohomish. The title was Schooley’s second in a row, and she was named the NWAACC’s cross country athlete of the week.

MATT PETERSON (Eisenhower), a junior on the Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball team, is leading the Seawolves in field goal percentage at .720 (8 for 11) through six games. Peterson is a 6-foot-7, 265-pound transfer from Whatcom Community College and is averaging 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds for Anchorage (3-3).

KINZI POTEET (Grandview), a sophomore at Boise State, is averaging 5 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Broncos’ women’s basketball team. Her rebounding average is second-highest on the team while her eight blocked shots rank first for BSU (3-2).

The point is, they all add up

It’s long been said that football can be a game of inches. And sometimes inches can manifest themselves in the form of a single but ultimately decisive point.
Take Central Washington’s last two seasons, for example.
In 2009 the Wildcats missed reaching the NCAA Division II semifinals by losing to eventual champion Northwest Missouri 21-20.
A year later they missed a fourth successive playoff berth by virtue of a 25-24 loss at Humboldt State. Had Central won that game and finished 9-2 instead of 8-3, it clearly would have been ranked among the D-II’s Super Region 4 top six in the final poll, thus giving it a postseason slot.
Regarding this year’s playoffs, Northwest Missouri and veteran coach Mel Tjeerdsma are at it again, having reached the quarterfinals last Saturday with a 35-31 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Also still alive is Minnesota-Duluth, which waxed CWU 35-10 back on Aug. 28 in Ellensburg.
Saturday’s playoff matchups will be as follows: Delta State (9-3) vs. Albany State, Ga. (11-0); Augustana, S.D. (11-1) vs. Minnesota-Duluth (12-0); Central Missouri (11-2) vs. Northwest Missouri State (11-1); and Shepherd (11-1) vs. Mercyhurst (10-2).
In last year’s Central-NW Missouri game, the difference technically was the Bearcats’ block of Garrett Rolsma’s extra point after a late Wildcat touchdown appeared to put the game in overtime.

But from my viewpoint NW Missouri won because of wide receiver Jake Soy.

It’s true that quarterback Blake Bolles continues to be a standout for the Bearcats, but will all due respect to Brian Potucek and Johnny Spevak, Soy is the best D-II receiver I’ve seen.
That day the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, who was only a sophomore, had 11 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown. He also had several key catches on third down as the Bearcats converted 11 of 18 such chances.
So far this season, Soy has 73 receptions for 1,176 yards (16.1 average) and 11 TDs. It’s difficult to project which Division I players, let alone D-II athletes,  will advance to the NFL, but I would be very surprised if Soy doesn’t excel at the next level.

And speaking of playoffs, Beau Baldwin’s No. 1-ranked Eastern Washington Eagles will host Southeast Missouri in an FCS matchup on Saturday at red-turfed Roos Field in Cheney.

The former CWU quarterback, assistant and head coach couldn’t resist a jab at the big boys in recent comments, saying, “Because we do it right at our level, we have a playoff to decide it. All 20 teams have an opportunity to win a national championship, and they all think they have a legitimate shot.”

Also, to those enjoying the Miami Heat’s exceedingly mediocre 10-8 start after signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh, a sobering reminder: It’s still December.

In the 1977-78 season, the Sonics started 5-17 and went on to the NBA Finals.

FROM THE QUOTE FILE
“I don’t know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody — somewhere — was practicing more than me.”
Larry Bird

Winters stepping down at Zillah

ZILLAH — With so much going on in his life, Rock Winters decided something had to go. So Zillah is now looking for a new head football coach.
After a four-year hitch at the helm of the Leopards — which followed a seven-year run from 1991 to 1997 — Winters told his players before the postseason banquet that this season will be his last.
“It’s never a good time to give up coaching, because I absolutely love it. But there’s a lot of reasons,” he told colleague Scott Sandsberry when they were discussing all-state football nominations. “It’s been kind of year-to-year whether I would keep coaching because of all the other things I’m involved in.”
Winters is assistant principal and athletic director at the high school and a bishop at his LDS church in Zillah. He also has daughters in eighth and 11th grades.
“It’s become a lot, and I knew I needed to give up something,” he said. “We have some good young guys who can step in. I’ve had fun working with them, and hopefully I can now turn it over to them and keep the tradition going.”
Winters exits after a 10-1 season and three consecutive unbeaten SCAC West titles. His overall record at ZHS was 82-29 and included a state runner-up finish in 1992.

Weekend hoop schedule and notes

HOOPS WEEKEND

Basketball season hits with full force on Friday and Saturday, most notably with the two-day SunDome Tip-Off Classic, so here’s the rundown of games to get us started. Check out the Seattle Times website for its preseason 4A and 3A state rankings.

FRIDAY

BOYS
Highland vs. Toppenish at SunDome, 5 p.m.
Cascade vs. Selah at SunDome, 6:45 p.m.
Mabton vs. Granger at SunDome, 8:15 p.m.
Davis at West Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Eisenhower at Sunnyside, 7:30 p.m.
Kiona-Benton at Prosser, 7:30 p.m.
Wapato at Zillah, 7:30 p.m.
Wahluke at Cle Elum, 7:30 p.m.
White Swan at Waterville, 7:30 p.m.
Liberty Christian at Sunnyside Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Vancouver Christian at Trout Lake-Glenwood, 7:30 p.m.
Lyle-Wishram at King’s Way Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Yakama Tribal at Nixyaawi Tourney
GIRLS
Selah vs. Cascade at SunDome, 5 p.m.
Mabton vs. Granger at SunDome, 6:45 p.m.
Highland vs. Toppenish at SunDome, 8:15 p.m.
Sunnyside at Eisenhower, 7:30 p.m.
Davis at West Valley, 5:45 p.m.
Wapato at Zillah, 6 p.m.
Wahluke at Cle Elum, 6 p.m.
White Swan at Waterville, 6 p.m.
Liberty Christian at Sunnyside Christian, 6 p.m.
Vancouver Christian at Trout Lake-Glenwood, 6 p.m.
Lyle-Wishram at King’s Way Christian, 6 p.m.
Yakama Tribal at Nixyaawi Tourney

SATURDAY

BOYS
La Salle vs. Rainier at SunDome, 11:30 a.m.
Chelan vs. East Valley at SunDome, 1 p.m.
Grandview vs. Mark Morris at SunDome, 2:45 p.m.
Riverside Christian vs. Brewster at SunDome, 4:45 p.m.
Ellensburg vs. West Valley at SunDome, 6:45 p.m.
Davis vs. Gonzaga Prep at SunDome, 8:15 p.m.
Sunnyside at Prosser, 7:30 p.m.
Wahluke at Highland, 7:30 p.m.
Zillah at Kiona-Benton, 7:30 p.m.
Toppenish at Ephrata, 7:30 p.m.
Connell at Naches Valley, postponed
River View at Goldendale, 7:30 p.m.
Mabton at White Swan, 7:30 p.m.
CS Lewis at Trout Lake-Glenwood, 6:30 p.m.
Yakama Tribal at Nixyaawi Tourney
GIRLS
La Salle vs. Rainier at SunDome, 1 p.m.
Riverside Christian vs. Brewster at SunDome, 2:45 p.m.
Chelan vs. East Valley at SunDome, 4:45 p.m.
Davis vs. Grandview at SunDome, 6:45 p.m.
Ellensburg vs. West Valley at SunDome, 8:15 p.m.
Hermiston at Eisenhower, 7:30 p.m.
Sunnyside at Prosser, 5:45 p.m.
Toppenish at Ephrata, 5:45 p.m.
River View at Goldendale, 6 p.m.
Wahluke at Highland, 6 p.m.
Zillah at Kiona-Benton, 6 p.m.
Connell at Naches Valley, postponed
Mabton at White Swan, 6 p.m.
CS Lewis at Trout Lake-Glenwood, 5 p.m.
Yakama Tribal at Nixyaawi Tourney

NECA-IBEW CBBN AWARDS

Here are the fall recipients for the CBBN’s National Electrical Contractors Association-International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers awards.

Davis — Rachel Noe, volleyball; Joshua White Elk, football.
Eisenhower — Sadie Holwegner, volleyball; Timothy Cummings,  cross country.
Sunnyside — Jill Spini, volleyball; Emmanuel Tejeda, football.
West Valley — Rachel Hanses, volleyball; Joe Matheson, cross country.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
At Tacoma Dome

Friday
Class 3A: Bellevue vs. Kamiakin, 4 p.m.
Class 1B: Lummi vs. Cusick, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Class 1A: Cascade Christian vs. Connell, 10 a.m.
Class 2A: Tumwater vs. Archbishop Murphy, 1 p.m.
Class 4A: Skyline vs. Ferris, 4 p.m.
Class 2B: South Bend vs. Colfax, 7:30 p.m.

Illegal snowmobilers starting to cause safety risk

YAKIMA, Wash. — Bow-hunting buddies Cody Krebs and Scott Sutliff had spent a long and fruitless Saturday looking for elk in the forested Cascade foothills northeast of State Route 410 when their day very nearly ended with a bang — the metal-on-metal kind.

Driving gingerly down the snow- and ice-covered upper Gold Creek Road in Krebs’ truck, they came around a bend and very nearly ran into a pair of snowmobiles roaring swiftly — and illegally — up the forest road.

“One was coming up like a bat out of hell,” said Sutliff, 27, a reserve deputy with the Yakima County Sheriff’s

Department whose father, Steve Sutliff, is the department’s mountain pass deputy. “He saw us and he was locking it in, fishtailing and trying to stop.”

So, too, was Krebs, though on a downhill, snowy forest road, that wasn’t easily done.

“The roads up here are all compact snow and ice,” Krebs said. “I can come to a stop, but it takes me a minute.”

That may have been the closest call deer hunters had with snowmobilers in the Naches Ranger District over the weekend, but there were numerous such encounters. And that should not be happening, because the snowmobilers aren’t supposed to be on those roads yet.

The rule is simple enough: Forest Service roads remain officially closed to snowmobiles until they’re closed to four-wheeled traffic, and that typically happens around mid-December — certainly after the Dec. 8 closure of the Eastern Washington late-season archery general elk season. While there are still trucks on the road, snowmobilers can’t be there. And when the roads are signed open to snowmobiles, it’s also signed as being closed to four-wheel traffic.

Right now, though, there are a whole lot of both running around on those forest roads.

“We’ve got snowmobiles running around everywhere,” Steve Sutliff said. “I’ve talked to a few people where snowmobiles have almost hit them head-on. Generally, we don’t get this much snow this soon, but now we’ve got all this snow and we’ve got this mixture of wheeled vehicles and tracked vehicles, all on the same road.”

Scott Sutliff said it seemed that most of the snowmobilers weren’t local, but had come over from the western part of the state — particularly, he said, “when we had a whole bunch of them asking us for directions.”

“I’m sure they’re all from the west side. I work with people around here that snowmobile and they know, until they get the green flag, they know — they’re not going up there,” Scott Sutliff said. “But now, we’ve got these snowmobilers all over the place. Sometimes we’ve come down the road and they’re just all parked right in the middle of the road, not off to the side or anything.”

His father, the deputy, said he believed most Yakima-area snowmobilers were aware of the forest-road restrictions in the Naches district, but that much of the illegal snowmobilers on the Naches district forest roads are from west of the Cascades.

“In the Little Naches there’s a foot and a half of snow in some places,” Steve Sutliff said. “So we’ve got people coming over from the Greenwater side, and there’s no signs over there telling them they can’t come over, and we’re stopping them wherever we can and turning them around. They could be going cross-country (legally), but in order to get high enough to go cross-country they’re going to have to be on forest roads. And really it’s kind of dangerous for them to be going cross-country anyway, because there’s lot of areas where there’s just not enough snow and they’re going to be running over rocks and stumps.”

Even after the forest roads close to four-wheeled traffic, Forest Service crews put up berms and open the roads to snowmobiles, there will still be areas those sledders should avoid because of late-season logging operations, such as the Wildcat area on Forest Road 1306, on Gold Creek (1703), Spring Creek (1705) and Milk Creek (1708). At least one of the latter three roads will be closed at any time to accommodate the logging traffic, though only on weekdays; on weekends, the roads will be open to snowmobile traffic.

Compounding the confusion on the forest roads is another source of traffic.

“On top of the snowmobilers, we have the Christmas tree cutters, and a lot of those people have no idea how to get around on snowy forest roads,” said Krebs, a Yakima native who lives in Monroe. “They park right in the middle of the road, so they don’t get too close to the ditch or the side of the hill, and you’ll come around a corner and be thinking, ‘Whoa, how I practically have to go into the ditch just to miss this guy.’ And the snowmobilers, there are turnoffs on these roads, but they just don’t use them. When they get off their sleds to talk with their buddies, they don’t get off the road, they just stop right in the middle.

“If something doesn’t change, eventually a snowmobiler’s going to end up under my truck. So many of them coming around corners at high speed like that, with trucks and hunters on the road, sooner or later it’s gonna be a bad thing. Somebody’s going to get hurt.”

CWU’s Try earns honorable mention All-American selection

ELLENSBURG — Central Washington senior Kady Try has been selected as a Division II honorable mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

In addition to her award as an All-American, Try was also honored with a pair of Division II all-West Region accolades.

Try, a 6-foot outside hitter, earned honorable mention All-American honors and first team all-West Region honors from the AVCA. She added a second team all-region selection from Daktronics Inc., a squad that is voted upon by sports information directors within the region.

Try led the conference with 4.14 kills and 4.69 points per set. She finished her four-year Wildcat career ranked fourth in school history for kills.

********
College Basketball

Sprinker is co-Player of the Week

SPOKANE —  Central Washington senior Chris Sprinker was named the GNAC co-Player of the Week for men’s basketball.

Sprinker averaged 18.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in wins over 11th-ranked Metro State and Sonoma State at the Crusader Thanksgiving Classic over the weekend.

The 6-foot-9 center shared the honor with Seattle Pacific guard Chris Banchero, who averaged 32.5 points per game last week as the Falcons split two games at the Grand Canyon Invitational.

Having patience in the outdoors really pays off

I’ll have to admit, sometimes I am not the most patient person in the world. This is why I admire people who work with their hands and have mechanical skills.

The first time a nut doesn’t fit just right on a bolt, or I can’t quite reach the screw with the screwdriver, I am ready to start screaming and pounding things with a hammer.

Patience is definitely a virtue. And it is even more so in the outdoors.

While I have very little patience in trying to fix the lawn mower, I have learned that patience on the water or in the field will be rewarded. I can’t tell you how many times I have fished and fished all morning long with no success at all, only to catch a limit of steelhead or salmon in the afternoon just because I was patient and persistent and kept after them.

Patience has paid off time and time again for me in the field, particularly while hunting deer.

I am one of those “what’s over the next hill?” kind of guys, so it is really hard for me to plop my butt down and sit and hope a deer will walk I like to move and see what’s around the next bend in the road or what might be lurking in the next little draw.

But over the years I have had some success while just sitting in a good area and watching and waiting. And every time I have success hunting this way, it makes it easier and easier to do it again.

I shot the biggest whitetail buck I have ever taken while sitting on a stump, watching a clearcut. And I shot the biggest mule deer of my life while sitting and watching a small draw.

As I think about it, over the years I have probably taken more deer while walking or spot-and-stalking, but occasionally I will have the urge just to sit and watch an area and hope a deer comes by.

This past Saturday, during the final weekend of the late muzzleloader deer season, was a day for sitting. Even though I had seen over 30 deer the day before while walking, I decided I would do more sitting on Saturday.

Every deer but one I’d seen the day before had spotted me before I saw them, and most were on the move when I finally did see them. When you are trying to get a standing buck within 100 yards, this style of hunting wasn’t doing it.

With even crunchier snow on Saturday, and because of the lack of success on Friday, I made up my mind to sit. As much as I wanted to get up and move around to see what was around, and to keep warm, I told myself I needed to be patient and keep sitting and watching as long as I could.

My patience was rewarded, but just barely.

I have hunted deer most of my life. Over that time I have learned a few things. Rule No. 1: Keep your weapon in reach at all times.

On Saturday, as my patience waned, I started messing with my GPS unit I broke rule No. 1. In trying to access satellites,

I walked out from under the tree where I was sitting and left my rifle leaning against the tree. Sure enough, a few seconds later, four does and a three-point buck meandered by. I started easing back for my gun, but the deer spotted me and ran off.

I quickly grabbed my rifle and headed out in hot pursuit. In doing so I left my backpack sitting under the tree.

Long story short, I chased the deer for a while, actually got a long shot at the buck, missed him, and then wandered back down to my tree for my pack. The whole time I was cursing my stupidity for not having my rifle on my shoulder while I fiddled with the GPS.

Just as I got back to the tree, I looked up on the hillside, and lo and behold, there stood another buck. This time I didn’t miss.

If I had just sat there and been a little more patient, I would have had a good shot at the first buck. And I would have had an even better shot at the buck I got.

So, that just goes to show, patience pays off in the long run. And it sure doesn’t hurt to have a little luck once in a while, too.

• Rob Phillips is a freelance outdoor writer and partner in the advertising firm of Smith, Phillips & DiPietro. He can be reached at rwphillips@spdadvertising.com.

11-30 What’s Happening

Author-photographer to highlight Audubon

A presentation by Paul Bannick, photographer, conservationist and author of the book, “The Owl and the Woodpecker,” will be the highlight of Thursday’s Yakima Valley Audubon Society annual dinner.

Bannick’s photographic presentation will follow his year-long journey across North America’s birding habitats, with a focus on owls and woodpeckers. This will be Bannick’s first showing of this presentation featuring birds in their habitats by season.

The event, which is free, begins with a 6 p.m. social and silent auction, followed by a potluck dinner (turkey and ham is provided) at 6:30 p.m. Dinner guests are asked to bring a guest for six to eight people. Bannick’s presentation follows the dinner.

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White Pass plans to reopen Thursday

After getting in a short but sweet opening weekend — getting the lifts rolling not quite in time for Thanksgiving, but almost — the White Pass ski resort is closed Monday through Wednesday this week with plans to reopen Thursday for daily, albeit limited operation.

The much-anticipated first runs on the Paradise Basin expansion area will have to wait, with only the Great White, No. 3 and No. 4 lifts (plus the surface tows) in operation.

As of Monday, snow coverage at White Pass ranged from 30 inches in the base area to 48 inches up top.

ELSEWHERE: Stevens Pass, on Highway 2 between Wenatchee and Monroe, opens Wednesday with early-season operations on five of 10 lifts. Summit West at Snoqualmie will reopen in limited operation Wednesday, with Alpental, Summit Central and Summit East still waiting for the weather to cooperate. Mission Ridge near Wenatchee opened for last weekend and remains on a Friday-through-Sunday schedule, while 49 Degrees North near Spokane is now open five days a week.

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Commission to revisit lead tackle rules

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider restrictions on the use of lead fishing tackle at 13 lakes with nesting loons during this weekend’s meeting.

The commission will also hold public hearings on changes to Puget Sound crab fishing regulations, management alternatives for bottomfish in Catch Area 4B (western Strait of Juan de Fuca), and several other proposed changes to sportfishing rules in Washington.

The commission’s meeting at the Natural Resources Building in Olympia will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday and continue with sessions at 8:30 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday. Saturday is when the commission is scheduled to look at the possible restrictions to certain lead fishing tackle at those lakes with nesting loons.

The commission held a public hearing on the issue in October, when it reviewed the findings of a WDFW advisory group established to assess scientific studies on risks posed to loons that ingest lead fishing tackle and recommend ways to minimize those risks.

The 13 lakes include Ferry, Long and Swan lakes in Ferry County; Calligan and Hancock lakes in King County; Bonaparte, Blue and Lost lakes in Okanogan County; Big Meadow, South Skookum and Yocum lakes in Pend Oreille County; Pierre Lake in Stevens County; and Hozomeen Lake in Whatcom County.

For a complete agenda online, go to: wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings/2010/.

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BIRD ALERT

Winter weather makes for good hawk watching. Not only are they easier to see with little or no vegetation, they have a buffet set for them by anyone with a bird feeder. A Yakima resident added an immature northern goshawk to his yard list when he spotted it sitting very high up a deciduous tree about 100 yards away from his driveway.

A Cooper’s hawk was observed harassing some pigeons near Fair Avenue and I-82 and two more Cooper’s hawks were along I-82 between Wapato exit and Toppenish/Buena exit.  Another Cooper’s hawk was noted dive-bombing a killdeer at the Costco pond. Also seen at the pond: a long-billed dowitcher and an American pipit.

A  Merlin was spotted atop a spruce tree on South 18th Avenue and a second Merlin was seen in a tree in Terrace Heights.  The peregrine falcon that makes Toppenish its winter home was back on the large water tower with the horse/cowboy painted on it. Obviously this falcon is enjoying the banquet of pigeons and starlings.

The area around the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge was busy with raptors, including rough-legged hawk, northern harrier, red-tailed hawk, American kestrel and Northern Shrike. A western screech owl was spotted basking in the sun at the Arboretum. An adult bald eagle was seen perched in a cottonwood along the Yakima River below Union Gap.

As for non-raptor reports, Buchanan Lake was the host to lots of waterfowl including Canada goose, wood duck, mallard, common goldeneye, hooded merganser and double-crested cormorant.

Please call bird sightings in to the Yakima Valley Audubon phone line at 509-248-1963.

— Kerry L. Turley

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AROUND AND ABOUT

CLAM DIG: Clam diggers have a green light to proceed with an evening razor-clam dig that starts this Friday at Twin Harbors and expands to four other ocean beaches the next day. Twin Harbors, which has the highest number of clams available for harvest, will be open for digging Friday through Monday. The four other beaches — Copalis, Mocrocks, Long Beach and Kalaloch — will be open Saturday and Sunday only. No digging will be allowed before noon.

ECHO RIDGE: The Echo Ridge Nordic Area, a popular cross-country ski area just south of Chelan, opened for the season on Thanksgiving Day.

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ON THE CALENDAR

TODAY: The Cascadians’ “Tuesdays” will head out to whatever hike or cross-country ski/snowshoe trek the trip leader believe would provide the most fun or adventure. Come prepared for anything. The group meets at 8 a.m. at the 40th Avenue Bi-Mart parking lot and heads out from there.

THURSDAY: Just a heads-up, the Cascadians’ Pokies don’t have anything planned for this day.

SATURDAY: The Cascadians’ Saturday ski destination hasn’t yet been decided. Call Ted Gamlem at 509-697-5051 if you plan on heading out on this mystery trip.

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