Youth Baseball/Fastpitch: Pak advances to Reno title game

RENO, Nev. — Getting yet another stellar pitching performance and more clutch hitting late, the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak have moved into today’s championship game in the Josh Anderson Memorial Senior Legion baseball tournament.

Trevor Hunter and Lukas Hinton combined on a four-hitter, and the Pak broke a tie with a four-run seventh inning to post a 6-2 victory over Reno on Saturday.

That improved the Pak to 4-1 in the tournament (14-9 overall) and earned it a spot in the title game against the Oklahoma Travelers, who are undefeated in the tournament.

In the seventh, Yakima loaded the bases with one out, and Kurt Lindemann broke the 2-2 tie with an RBI single. Hugo Lemus then delivered a two-run single, and Andrew Gonzalez capped the rally with an RBI single.

Down 2-0, the Pak tied the game in the fourth when Gonzalez singled and Steve Wagar followed with a towering home run.

Hunter went the first five innings, and Hinton finished up, working out of a first-and-third, no-out jam in the bottom of the sixth to keep the game tied.

So far in the tournament, Yakima Valley pitchers have struck out 41, while walking just nine.

Yakima Valley 000 200 4 — 6 10 0

Reno 100 100 0 — 2 4 1

Hunter, Hinton (6) and Hillier; Koci, Keller (7) and Wallace.

Highlights: Andrew Gonzalez (YV) 2-4, RBI; Steve Wagar (YV) 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Nate Sorenson 1-2; Hugo Lemus (YV) 2 RBI.

 

Beetles to play for third

GILLETTE, Wyo. — After a strong opening game Saturday, the Yakima Pepsi Beetles’ defense made too many crucial mistakes in a semifinal game in the Hladkey Memorial Senior Legion baseball tournament.

Yakima opened play with a 10-4 victory over Torrington, Wyo., advancing to face Fort Collins, Colo.

In that game, Yakima made four errors, leading to seven unearned runs, and Fort Collins won 8-6 in eight innings.

Yakima, 2-2 in the tournament and 11-16 overall, will play for third and fourth place today against an opponent that had yet to be determined.

Against Torrington, Trenton Dupre threw a complete game with 11 strikeouts. Jens Jensen went 3 for 5, and La Vonte Allen had two hits and two RBI.

In Saturday’s second game, Zach Alexander went the distance, striking out six, but Fort Collins broke through with three runs in the top of the eighth.

YAKIMA 10, TORRINGTON (WYO.) 4

Yakima 431 000 2 — 10 12 1

Torrington 030 100 0 — 4 9 2

Dupre and Alexander; Zimmerer, Murphy (7) and Kautz.

Highlights: Jens Jensen (Y) 3-5, 2 2b; Chris Janis (Y) 2-3, 3b; La Vonte Allen (Y) 2-3, 3b, 2 RBI; Trenton Dupre (Y) CG, 11 K’s.

FORT COLLINS (COLO.) 8, YAKIMA 6 (8)

Fort Collins, Colo. 020 201 03 — 8 9 1

Yakima 000 230 01 — 6 10 4

Pelky, Tomossino (5) and Orth; Alexander and Sauve.

Highlights: Jensen (Y) 2-4, 2 RBI; Allen (Y) 2-4; Markus McClurkin (Y) 2-4; Zach Alexander (Y) 1 ER, 6 K’s.

 

Youths

WALLA WALLA INVITATIONAL

JUNIOR BEETLES 11, BOISE 1: Landon Messmore 3-3, 3 RBI; Ryan Sires 2-3, 4 RBI; Gavin Rodriguez 2-3; Kris Loyd CG.

BRENT EDWARDS TOURNAMENT

(At Selah)

WEST VALLEY BASEBALL CLUB 10, NORTH THURSTON 1: Kyle Conrad 3-4, 3 RBI; Nick Gravbrot 2-3, 2 RBI; Andrew Pfaff 2-4, 3b; Ryan Ross 3-3, 3 RBI; Corey Onustock CG, 7 K’s.

WEST VALLEY BASEBALL CLUB 9, MEAD 0: Mikey Bonnet 2-2, 3b, 2 RBI; Dylan Peters 2-3, 2 runs; Kevin Schwartz 2-3; Onustock 2-2, 3b, 2 RBI; Pfaff CG, 4 K’s.

 

Fastpitch

State Warmup Tournament

Saturday at Carlon Park

SELAH 18-U 9, SPOKANE DIAMONDS NO. 2 1. Selah highlights: Sarah Bersing 1-3, 2 runs; Bailey Turner 1-1, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Carly Minnick 1-3, 2 RBI; Kari Grow 1-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Shelby Wilkey 2-2, RBI; Mackenzie Zerr 3-hitter.

SPOKANE DIAMONDS NO. 1 9, SELAH 18-U 0.

SELAH 18-U 12, YAKIMA STEALERS 0. Selah highlights: Bersing 2-3, 3 runs, 3 RBI; Turner 2-3, 1 run, 3 RBI, 2 2B; Taylor Rath 1-2, run, RBI; Kylee Morse 1-2, 2b, run, RBI; Wilkey 1-2, 2b, 2 runs, RBI; Minnick 1-hitter.

Local Report: Mavericks’ six-game winning streak ends

BREMERTON, Wash. — The Yakima Mavericks have been rolling along pretty well for the past month and a half, and had another strong showing Saturday.

Too bad it came against a team that’s playing even better than the Mavericks.

A.J. Ash’s second touchdown of the game, on a 9-yard run just inside the two-minute warning, gave the Kitsap County Bears a 24-17 victory in a Pacific Football League game.

That snapped Yakima’s six-game winning streak, while keeping Kitsap County undefeated, now at 9-0.

“We played really well but they’re a good team,” Mavericks general manager Nathan Soptich said. “We can’t be too upset losing to them.”

Yakima quarterback John Lobbestael threw scoring passes of 24 yards to Tanner Goforth and 8 yards to Serg Torres, with the latter tying the game at 17-all in the third quarter.

Yakima had a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but instead of attempting a field goal on a fourth-and-goal from the Bears 2, the Mavericks went for the touchdown and were stopped.

After Ash’s score, Yakima’s final drive ended with an interception on third down.

Yakima (6-3) has this week off before finishing the regular season at Vancouver on July 9.

Yakima 0 10 7 0 — 17

Kitsap County 7 7 3 7 — 24

KC — E.J. Ash 2 run (Jose Moreno kick)

KC — J.R. Wells 24 pass from Don Pursur (Moreno kick)

Yak — Alex Mahre FG 33

Yak — Tanner Goforth 24 pass from John Lobbestael (Mahre kick)

KC — Moreno FG 36

Yak — Serg Torres 8 pass from Lobbestael (Mahre kick)

KC — Ash 9 run (Moreno kick)

YAKIMA LEADERS

RUSHING — Ryan Wright 17-67.

PASSING — Lobbestael 6-16-75 2.

RECEIVING — Goforth 1-24.

 

GOLF

Eglin seventhth in Women’s Sr. Am

DUPONT — A final-round 77 helped Nancy Eglin grab a share of seventh place in the 12th Washington State Golf Association Senior Women’s Amateur Championship that concluded Thursday.

The Yakima golfer had earlier rounds of 79 and 86 on The Home Course and finished at 242 total, which was matched by two other golfers.

Ellensburg’s Robin Cole finished 13th at 248 (79-85-84).

In the 18th Women’s Amateur Championship contested on the same course, Yakima’s Christine Cook finished 21st. The Seattle University junior-to-be had a 241 total (78-80-83).

Erynne Lee birdied the 18th hole Thursday to clinch the Women’s Amateur Championship by two shots over Katie Lee and Kristen Rue. Lee had a 213 total (68-70-75).

In the Senior Women’s Amateur, Ginny Burkey overcame a three-shot deficit entering the final round to beat Yasue Alkins by five shots. Burkey, the runner-up the past four years, shot 225 (76-75-74).

06/25/11 Mid-Summer Classic soccer scores

Saturday’s Scores

GIRLS

U-11 Division

Ephrata Panthers 4, 3-Rivers-Sisemore 1; Semiahmoo Select 2 5, Mighty Dragons 0; LWPFC White Barracudas 8, Norpoint FC 00 3; LWPFC White Piranhas 2, Sun City Strikers 00 Arias 2; Semiahmoo Select 1 8, RVS FC 00 Pogson Slammers 0; 3-Rivers-Sisemore 5, Mighty Dragons 0; LWPFC White Barracudas 2, Ephrata Panthers 2; Semiahmoo Select 2 5, Norpoint FC 00 0; Sun City Strikers 00 Arias 3, RVS FC 00 Pogson Slammers 0; Semiahmoo Select 1 0, LWPFC White Piranhas 0.

U-12 Division

Crush 6, Sun City Strikers 99 Kromah 0; Upper Valley Magic 1, SHSC Revolution Red 0; SHSC Revoution 99 Black 7, Wenatchee Fire 99 Black 4; Sun City Strikers 99 Gonzales 2, LHSC Infinity 0; Upper Valley Magic 2, Sun City Strikers 99 Kromah 1; SHSC Revolution 99 Black 7, LHSC Infinity 0; Crush 5, SHSC Revolution 99 Red 0; Sun City Strikers 99 Gonzalez 3, Wenatchee Fire 99 Black 1.

U-13 Division

SCS Alexander 9, Snohomish United 98 White 1; Selah FC 2, Rockstars 2; SHSC Revolution 98 Black 1; Cascade FC 98 0; SCS Alexander 1, Pacific Ice 98 1; Cascade FC 98 3, Rockstars 0; SHSC Revolution 98 Black 6, Snohomish United 98 White 0; Pacific Ice 98 6, Selah FC 0.

U-14 Division

Semiahmoo Attack 1, CB United 97 1; SHSC Revolution 97 Black 1, Sun City Strikers 97 Farrand 0; Semiahmoo United 1, 3-Rivers 97 Galioto 1; Semiahmoo Attack 6, Sun City Strikers 97-Lopez 0; CB United 97 1, T-CYSA Nitro 1.

U-15 Division

Renegade FC-Fire 5, Naches Valley Elite 0; SHSC Revolution 96 Black 7, OISC 96 Elite 0; Sun City Strikers 96 Mendoza 2, Kent United 96 Green 2; Tracyton Tornados 10, Naches Valley Elite 1; SHSC Revolution 96 Black 1, Renegade FC-Fire 1; Kent United 96 Green 5, OISC 96 Elite 2; Tracyton Tornados 5, Sun City Strikers 96 Mendoza 0.

High School Division

FWFC Reign 94 Black 1, Legacy 0; SHSC Revolution 93/94 2, SHSC Revolution 95 Black 1; Timberbarons 1, FWU Reign 93 White 1; SHSC Revolution 93/94 2, FWFC Reign 94 Black 0; Legacy 2, Timberbarons 0; FWU Reign 93 White 1, SHSC Revolution 95 Black 1.

 

BOYS

U-11 Division

WV Jr. Rams 10, Cascade FC 00 White 2; Lightning 4, Tigers 3; Yakima Jr. Sounders 6, Highland Scotties 3; Cascade FC 00 Green 1, FC Alliance Gold 0; Sun City Strikers 00 Ceniceros 5, PASC White 2; Cascade FC 00 Green 7, Lightning 0; FC Alliance Golf 7, WV Jr. Rams 0; Highland Scotties 8, Cascade FC 00 White 0; Sun City Strikers 00 Ceniceros 7, Tigers 0; PASC White 8, Yakima Jr. Sounders 1.

U-12 Division

ASE Desert Storm 5, SHSC Revolution-Howes 2; Sun City Strikers 99- Sagare 3, PASC White 2; Eastside FC 99 White 4, Yakima Valley Heat 2; ASE Desert Storm 4, Legacy FC 99-Maroon 1; Eastside FC White 5, PASC White 2; Yakima Valley Heat 7, SHSC Revolution-Howes 5; Sun City Strikers 99-Sagare 5, Legacy FC 99-Maroon 1.

High School Division

3-Rivers 94 Alvarado 5, Cascade FC 96 2; Sun City Strikers 95’ Anabtawi 7, Norpoint FC 95 Strong 2; NYSC Spartans 3, MVP Rapids 96 Navy 1; 3-Rivers 94 Alvarado 1, Toppenish Wildcats 1; Cascade FC 96 2, MVP Rapids 96 Navy 0; NYSC Spartans 7, Norpoint FC 95 Strong 1; Sun City Strikers 95’ Anabtawi 2, Toppenish Wildcats 2.

Running down a dream

Toppenish’s Ramirez prefers being tackled to stopping opponents||

YAKIMA, Wash. — For a guy who has been in what his high school coach estimated was more than 400 tackles over his four years as a starting linebacker at Toppenish, Carlos Ramirez — perhaps surprisingly — prefers being the guy getting tackled.

“I like offense,” said Ramirez, who will cap his high school football career in today’s Earl Barden All-Star Classic before playing for Eastern Oregon University.

Maybe it’s the bloodline. Ramirez’s older brother, Oscar, was already an all-CWAC running back for the Wildcats when Carlos joined the varsity as a freshman.

“I looked up to him,” Carlos said. “I watched him and learned from him, the way he ran, how he would find the holes, how he would follow blockers. To this day I think he was a better running back than me.

“I’ll run a couple guys over here and there, but he had that great vision; he was really quick at finding the hole. That was the best thing about him: He’s so fast. That’s something I wish I had that I don’t.”

You wouldn’t know it to see how quickly he gets to opposing ballcarriers while playing on the defensive side. Starting at outside linebacker in the first game of his freshman year, Ramirez made 12 solo tackles and a pair of sacks.

“After the game, (Toppenish coach Jason Smith) told me that was pretty dang good for a freshman,” Ramirez recalled. “But I was unfamiliar with statistics, what was good and what was not good. I was just playing football.”

Now he’s playing on the East side in the all-state game, and East coach Mike Morgan is glad to have him.

“He’s aggressive, a great little (5-foot-8, 177-pound) runner,” Morgan said. “On defense, though, I’m telling you, he’s got a nose for the ball, just really great instincts. Wherever the ball is, you know you’ll find Ramirez there.”

PRESENT AND FUTURE TEAMMATES: Four players on the West roster will be teammates this fall at Pacific Lutheran University, and two of them, 275-pound tackle ZACH PHELPS and running back ZACK BALDWIN, have already been teammates for four years at Centralia — where Baldwin last year rushed for more than 2,000 yards.

What made Baldwin such a prolific runner? “He had a bad-ass lineman, that’s why,” Phelps cracked before breaking into a grin. “Every other week we tried to decide if he’s a power back or a speed back, because one game he’d be running over people and the next he’d just run right by them. He’s the whole package.”

The West’s other future Lutes are Onalaska quarterback DALTON RITCHEY and Tumwater’s versatile KYLE WARNER. “We’ve been talking to each other on Facebook already, and I’ve played basketball with Warner and Ritchey both,” Phelps said. “They were probably my favorite guys on their team — they’ve got good attitudes.”

Unlike Phelps, right?

“Oh man,” Phelps said with a laugh, “everybody hated me.”

QUICK KICKS: The East’s big guns at quarterback are Clarkston’s 6-foot-3 BRADY ARNONE, who threw for some 2,200 yards this year, and 6-5 SAWYER BARDWELL of Colville. But don’t be surprised to see 6-1 ALEX TEADE finding his favorite receiver and Colfax teammate, KELLEN MORGAN. The two combined for 13 TDs last season, Teade hitting Morgan for a dozen scores and Morgan returning the favor to Teade on a trick play.

Early this week, West team assistant coach Bob Ames told North Thurston running back LAWYER TILLMAN how much he’d enjoyed watching Tillman’s father play ball. The younger Tillman replied, “I didn’t think a lot of people around here remembered my dad,” to which Ames retorted, “Well, I sure do.” So do University of Alabama fans. Before Tillman’s six-year NFL career as a wide receiver, most of it with the Browns, Tillman helped Auburn beat the Crimson Tide in 1986 by running in a reverse for the game-winning touchdown.

A quiet night for Yakima

Bears muster just four hits to lose series||

YAKIMA, Wash. — It was quiet Friday night at Yakima County Stadium. Or as they used to say in the old western movies — too quiet.

From the perspective of the Bears and their fans, an announced 1,776 of whom braved a brisk and breezy evening, the primary silencer was Spokane’s Santo Perez, a lanky right-hander who was dominant in Yakima’s 5-0 defeat.

Perez handcuffed the Bears through seven innings, allowing only three singles while striking out five and walking none.

And after his sterling seven-inning performance, in which the 6-foot-5, 191-pounder faced the minimum 12 hitters through four frames and did not allow a Yakima baserunner to reach third, Jose Monegro came on to secure the second shutout of the Bears this season.

It also claimed the three-game series for the Indians (6-2), who have won six of seven. Yakima (2-6), with Tri-City coming in tonight for the first of three games, has dropped five of six.

“The first guy (Perez) threw a lot of fastballs and first-ball strikes,” said Justin Hilt, who had one of the Bears’ hits. “Later he mixed in some curveballs, and that made his fastball even better. We helped him out, too, swinging at some pitches out of the zone.”

Yakima left-hander Adam Kudryk, in his second start, went seven mostly-solid innings a night after Teo Gutierrez’ stellar performance in a Yakima 4-2 win.

But after Kudryk retired his first four hitters, Brett Nicholas hammered his second homer of the year well beyond the wall in right, and Spokane added another run that inning on a single and Jorge Alfaro’s triple to the gap in right-center.

Nicholas is the Northwest League’s RBI leader with 10.

Kudryk then held the Indians in check until the sixth, when a leadoff single, fielder’s choice and Trever Adams’ RBI double to left made it 3-0. Spokane capped its scoring of Justin Albert in the ninth on triples by Guillermo Pimentel and Braxton Lane, plus a run-scoring base hit from Rougned Odor.

“We just couldn’t create a rally,” said Bears’ manager Audo Vicente. “Their kid threw the ball well and threw a lot of strikes. Our starter (Kudryk) left some pitches up early, but kept us in the game.”

A bright spot was the defensive play of shortstop Raul Navarro, who arrived Thursday from long-season Class A South Bend. The 19-year-old smoothly handled six fielding chances and started Yakima’s lone double play.

“He’s a major-league prospect at shortstop,” Vicente said. “He’s just very young right now.”

 

Eglin seeks to extend streak

Golfer aiming for fifth straight Women’s City title||

YAKIMA, Wash. — Nancy Eglin made some significant history with her victory in last year’s Women’s City Tournament — and she has an opportunity to add to those accomplishments next week.

The Yakima golfer will be seeking her fifth consecutive victory in the 54-hole event, which would be the second-longest winning streak in the tournament that began in 1944 when Dorothy Carratt won the first of her 11 straight titles.

A victory would also be Eglin’s sixth overall, which would move her into a tie with Pam Hubbard for fourth most all-time.

Forty two players in three flights will tee it up starting Monday at the Yakima Elks. The second round is Tuesday at Apple Tree, with the final round Thursday at SunTides. Play begins at 8 a.m. each day and the public is welcome to attend.

There are 13 other players in the Championship Flight that will attempt to deny Eglin another victory, with eight-time champion Pat Martin, Chris Scacco and Betty Gilmore her prime challengers.

But Eglin has been a dominating force in recent years.

All five of her City titles were won in the past seven tournaments, with only Martin breaking that run when she claimed back-to-back titles in 2005 and ’06.

Last year, Eglin recorded a three-shot victory over Martin to match Hubbard and Hazel Leland with four straight City wins.

 

Local report–Beetles rally for tourney victory

GILLETTE, Wyo. — Clutch hitting in their final at-bat helped the Yakima Pepsi Beetles offset an otherwise sloppy game and give them their first victory in the Hladkey Memorial Senior Legion Tournament on Friday.

La Vonte Allen’s two-out RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning capped a three-run rally that gave Yakima a 13-12 victory over the Colorado Outlaws.

Jacob Sanders led off the inning with a double and Chris Janis walked. Josiah Mitchum then had a bunt single that Colorado also threw away at first to score Sanders. Will Scott followed with an RBI single, but Mitchum was thrown out at the plate.

Allen then delivered his game-winning hit.

Scott finished 4 for 5 with four RBI and Janis and Sanders were both 3 for 4, with Janis scoring three times.

Yakima, 1-1 in the tournament and 11-15 overall, plays Torrington, Wyo., this morning and then will play a placing game this afternoon.

Colorado Outlaws 142 103 1 — 12 8 3

Yakima 002 512 3 — 13 17 6

Kauffman, Genders (4), Durkin (6) and Campier; Woodkey, Mottet (7) and Alexander.

Highlights: Will Scott (Y) 4-5, 4 RBI; Chris Janis (Y) 3-4, 3 runs; Jacob Sanders (Y) 3-4; Jens Jensen (Y) 2-3, RBI 2b; Zach Alexander (Y) 2-4; La Vonte Allen (Y) GW RBI 2b.

Pak wins in extra innings

RENO, Nev. — Hugo Lemus’ go-ahead RBI single started a five-run eighth inning and Michael Wyatt capped it with a two-run single as the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak beat the Boise Gems 8-3 in the Josh Anderson Memorial Senior Legion Tournament.

Lemus also hit a three-run homer in the first. Steve Wagar pitched a complete game, striking out 13.

The Pak, 3-1 in the tournament and 13-8 overall, face the host team today.

Yakima Valley 300 000 05 — 8 9 3

Boise Gems 200 100 00 — 3 8 2

Wagar and Hillier; Paice, Johnson (5) and Salas.

Highlights: Tyler Gallaway (YV) 2-4, 2b; Michael Wyatt (YV) 2-5, 2 RBI; Hugo Lemus (YV) 2-3, 2b, 3-run HR; Steve Wagar (YV) 13 Ks.

Youth Baseball

BRENT EDWARDS MEMORIAL

(At Selah)

MOUNT VERNON 4, WEST VALLEY BASEBALL CLUB 0: Derek Thomason 2-3.

WEST VALLEY BASEBALL CLUB 9, PASCO SUN DEVILS 6: Kyle Conrad 4-4, 2 RBI; Dylan Peters 2-4, 2 RBI; Kevin Schwartz CG, 5 K’s.

YAKIMA VALLEY PEPPERS 7, NORTH THURSTON 2: Cody Ergeson (YV) 2-3, 2 runs, RBI; Jack Cavanaugh (YV) 1-3, 2b, RBI; Scott Stai (YV) 2-2, 2b, run, 2 RBI; Jake Monson (YV) CG, 2 ER, 4 hits, 9K.

MEAD 9, YAKIMA VALLEY PEPPERS 3: Cody Ergeson (YV) 3-3, run; Jake Cavanaugh (YV) 3-3, 2b, run, 2 RBI.

SUMMER SIZZLER TOURNAMENT

(At Parker Field and Davis High)

PREP SPORTSWEAR 5, WEST VALLEY BEES 3: Casey Johnston 2b; Cory Loye 2b, 2 RBI; Ryan Enquist 5 IP, 2 ER.

GOLF

Moore scores ace at SunTides

Terry Moore recorded a hole-in-one during his round in the Tuesday Night Men’s League at SunTides Golf Course. He aced the 178-yard 17th hole using a 5-iron.

Phil Moyer and Chad Johnson witnessed the shot.

Reilly perfect, Bighill solid in BC preseason win

Wednesday night was a banner night for Mike Reilly.
In the BC Lions’ 34-6 preseason win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the ex-Central Washington great was 8 for 8 passing for 108 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed once for 17 yards.
Reilly, listed as the Lions’ No. 3 quarterback, finished the preseason 11 for 15 for 120 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, making a strong bid to become the backup to starter Travis Lulay.
“Mike stopped by on his way to Vancouver,” Central coach Blaine Bennett said in a recent telephone conversation, “and said he was going in as the solid No. 3 but thought he had a good chance to become the No. 2. At that point, of course, he would be just one snap away from being the starter.”
Another former Wildcat on the Lions’ roster is rookie linebacker Adam Bighill, who had two tackles and one sack against Saskatchewan.
BC released three players Friday to prepare its roster for its CFL opener next Thursday at Montreal, but Bighill was not among the players cut.

FROM THE QUOTE FILE
“If you can play, you will be seen and you will get an opportunity, whether it’s in the NFL, the CFL or one of the arena leagues.”
— Blaine Bennett

Putting team first

YAKIMA, Wash. — His nerves aflutter with portent and possibility, Tumwater senior Kyle Warner hauled in 2010’s opening kickoff mere steps from the left sideline, followed his blockers all the way across the field, faked an inside cut to elude a tackler and raced 85 yards for a touchdown. With the season only 15 seconds old, Warner already had the Thunderbirds on the scoreboard.

And that was only after he had done something really special: He said no to ego, yes to team, handed over the keys and slipped into the passenger seat.

Boy, did that T-Bird engine purr from that moment on — all the way to the Class 2A state championship, the fifth under Sid Otton, the state’s all-time winningest coach.

After spending his junior season as the T-birds’ starting quarterback, Warner suggested that Otton move him to receiver for his senior season and replace him with Daniel Hinkle, who had quarterbacked the junior varsity.

“For one thing, we didn’t have a receiver, and two, I thought Daniel is better than I could have been,” Warner said this week during preparations for Saturday’s Earl Barden All-Star Classic football game, during which he’ll play multiple positions for the West team, coached by none other than Otton himself.

Warner is more of a prototypical quarterback — at nearly 6-foot-3, he towers over the 5-9 Hinkle — but is quick to extol the intangibles the younger player brings to the game.

“He could do all the throws I couldn’t do, and he’s just really smart. He gets it,” Warner said. “He sees the defense really well. I didn’t, I don’t think.

“You know how some guys just have it? He has it at the quarterback position. He made me look good this year.”

And vice versa. Warner scored 31 touchdowns in 2010, including two (one on a run, one on one of Hinkle’s three TD passes) in the 34-14 title-game victory over Archbishop Murphy. Interestingly, in his sophomore year, Warner had moved from backup quarterback to wide receiver to replace an injured teammate, which meant he was catching passes from Rocky Hinkle — Daniel’s older brother.

“So basically only Hinkles throw to me,” Warner said with a grin, “and it ends up working out.”

Of course, Warner has a way of making things work out, having played receiver, free safety, running back and quarterback at various times this year. He also returned three kickoffs for TDs in 2010, including that memorable season-opening play.

“I was nervous. I didn’t know how we were going to be,” he said. “Plus, it was a return right, and I was all the way over on the left. I was like, ‘I don’t know how this is going to work.’ But I took a cut inside and the (defender) bit; I ended up getting around him and everything fell into place.

“The nerves went away.”

And the kudos came in. Warner, who will play for Pacific Lutheran, was named Associated Press Class 2A state player of the year.

“Oh, that was amazing,” Warner said. “I didn’t expect it. I was just still on a high from winning the championship, and when I found out it was even better.”

What positions Warner will play Saturday remains an interesting question.

One player who figures to spend a lot of time at quarterback is Onalaska’s versatile Dalton Ritchey (”I’m looking forward to seeing him,” Otton said early this week). The East’s running back situation is in good hands with Centralia’s Zach Baldwin, whose 2,070 rushing yards in 2010 included a school-record 336-yard, five-TD night against North Mason, and Class 2B player of the year Ryan Vongmixay of state-champion South Bend.

Warner could see time at either of those positions, and obviously at wide receiver. And he wouldn’t mind getting a chance to return a kickoff or two.

“I hope so,” he said, adding with a smile, “I know the coach. He could put in a good word for me.”

STARS RISING IN THE EAST: East coach Mike Morgan could talk all day about every one of his players, but upon being arm-twisted to name a few who have really caught his eye, he started with Quin Courtney, a 260-pound lineman from Chelan. “Right now, when he’s on defense, we can’t block him. He’s strong as a bull.”

Pullman’s 6-3 Brendan Barrington is “a very skilled receiver, runs some great routes. He’s open almost all the time.” Morgan was “really impressed” with 6-3 Clarkston quarterback Brady Arnone (“strong arm, makes great reads”) and called 155-pound River View running back Chance Watt “an ankle-breaker” — with split-second cuts that leave defenders stumbling.

“Holy cow, he’s quick,” Morgan said. “And he’s just a little guy, so when he gets going behind those big bodies up front, he’s hard to find.”

Gutierrez’s pitching, Zabala’s bat help Bears end skid

YAKIMA, Wash. — Given the events of the previous evening, the Bears were in dire need of a quality start from Teo Gutierrez. Meaning at least five innings Thursday night, or preferably six.

They also were hoping for some offensive punch from Henry Zabala, whose second-half power surge helped fuel Yakima’s playoff drive a year ago but had started 0 for 9 this season.

Done and done.

Gutierrez pitched into the eighth inning and Zabala punctuated a 4 for 4 night with a homer, double and two RBI as the Bears subdued Spokane 4-2 before announced crowd of 1,424 at Yakima County Stadium.

A night after no fewer than five relievers saw action in Yakima’s 9-5, 16-inning loss to the Indians, Gutierrez yielded single runs in each of the first two frames to heavy-hitting Spokane, then allowed only one single over the next five.

Greg Robinson, summoned after Gutierrez’s pitch count had reached 83 on a one-out single in the eighth, walked his first two hitters to load the bases, but worked out of that jam and followed with a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.

“It’s like we told the players early,” Yakima manager Audo Vicente said after his team (2-5) snapped a four-game losing streak, “if you keep playing well, execute and do the little things, you’ll be OK.

“Tonight, they were outstanding — pitching, defense and clutch hitting. And Gutierrez and Zabala, clearly, they were the players of the game.”

Gutierrez knew his team needed innings from him. He also knew that the Indians (5-2) had torched Salem-Keizer’s staff en route to four successive victories over the Volcanoes before this series.

But the slender 21-year-old right-hander, who sparkled in two late-season starts here last year after being promoted from Missoula, shelved those thoughts.

“I just prepared the way I usually do,” he said, “and tried to concentrate on just this game today. I was able to establish my fastball inside and worked in my changeup along with it.”

Gutierrez allowed a run on two hits in the first and two more hits and a run in the second, but allowed only one baserunner to reach second thereafter. He struck out three, walked none and hit two.

The Bears, meanwhile, drew even on Garrett Weber’s one-out walk, Zach Jones’ double and Danny Pulfer’s run-scoring groundout in the third, then singles by Jimmy Comerota, Zabala and Jae Yun Kim in the fourth.

Zabala, who clubbed several long homers last season, led off the Yakima sixth with a towering shot that curled just inside the left-field foul pole and just cleared the fence at the 293 foot mark.

An inning later he launched a much longer drive, a double to right-center that scored Comerota who had started the frame with his own two-bagger.

“Tonight I was trying to not think about too many things,” Zabala said. “I was just focusing on the middle of the plate.”

Comerota and Jones each had two hits, boosting their averages to .375 and .321, respectively, and Comerota scored twice.

The Bears, after totaling 12 hits in their 16-inning loss, matched that total Thursday. They also turned two double plays and got a running catch on the warning track in left from Marc Bourgeois to highlight an errorless defensive performance.

« Previous Page — Next Page »