Rodeo drive — Chance to compete, prizes help draw cowboys to ‘amateur’ event

In another two months, Matt Funk will be riding and roping under the bright lights of Las Vegas at the National Finals Rodeo, trying to win a world championship at the biggest event in professional rodeo.

This weekend, the world-class team roper will be under the somewhat lesser lights of the Professional Western Rodeo Association finals at the Central Washington State Fairgrounds grandstand, competing without so much as a chance of winning the season title in what even its competitors generally refer to as “amateur” rodeo.

Because, well, a rodeo’s a rodeo.

“The Northwest is pretty great in the fact that a lot of the major rodeos are up here, especially in the late summer and early fall,” says Funk, a Wenatchee native who now lives in Hermiston, Ore.

“So we don’t have to go out of our way at all to go to some of the Pro-West rodeos. We can go to them, they’re close to the pro rodeos we’re going to, and they pay well. And they’re good rodeos, good-run. It’s not a big difference, really.

“When it boils down to it, this is what I do for a living, mainly. So if a rodeo’s not a long ways out of the way, or if it’s going to pay something good, I’m going to go to it.”

It’s the same for team roper Willy Hart of Yakima. A regular on the PRCA tour — he even serves on the Columbia River Circuit board — he’s long been a regular at Pro-West events and has two season championships (1998 and 2005) to show for it.

“Oh yeah,” he says with a grin. “They give awards through sixth place. My house is littered with lamps, chairs, buckles, saddle ornaments, you name it.”

And there’s money to win as well, albeit not jaw-dropping amounts. Each event will pay out roughly $4,600, split evenly between the first round on Friday, Saturday’s second round and the average — the combined times/points from the two sessions. Just as in the PRCA, the season titles are determined by who finishes with the most money winnings.

In some events, notably in the rough-stock events, Pro-West competitors are often younger riders trying to work their way up to the PRCA, perhaps just a cut below the top-level guys. In timed events, though, most of this weekend’s competitors will already be familiar to fans of the PRCA rodeos around the Northwest.

In team roping, for example, Funk and Hart are among five headers who rank in the top 15 of the PRCA’s Columbia River Circuit. The tie-down roping lineup includes a half-dozen cowboys in the CRC standings. The Pro-West barrel racing finalists include the CRC’s top rider, Barb West of Oak Harbor.

Tie-down roper Johnny Sloan of Ellensburg is a former CRC champion who went to the circuit finals 25 straight years. He’s also won “seven or eight” Pro-West season titles, and really enjoys that level.

“People call it amateur, but it’s really not. If you’re an amateur in any other sport, you don’t get paid,” Sloan says. “What I like about (Pro-West) is it’s more family-oriented. My daughter can rope, my wife ropes, they can run barrels, my son can compete — he can’t compete in the PRCA until he’s 18.” With the Pro-West, though, 15-year-old Kyle was the circuit’s rookie of the year in breakaway roping.

And the Pro-West talent level isn’t too shabby, either.

“In my event, in amateur rodeo sometimes the team-roping is actually harder,” Hart says. “The conditions are sometimes set up to be a little faster at a lot of amateur rodeos” — with varying setups at the box, unlike the consistent requirements at PRCA events — “so you’ll sometimes get faster times.”

With only 10 entrants in each event of the Pro-West finals, instead of the five dozen or more a timed-event competitor might face at a PRCA event — some less-than-stellar performances might figure into the money.

“In my event, you might see guys with penalty time get in on the average (payout),” he says. “With 60 guys out there, you know there’s going to be at least five or six really fast times, but with 10? Probably not. So you want to go real hard on that first (round) and try to win something. Then you can win something (in the average) maybe just by getting a time in the next go.”

Funk won’t be roping with his NFR-bound partner, Benton City’s Bucky Campbell, at this weekend’s event. But even though he just got home from an exhausting rodeo road trip that took him as far as Texas and Nebraska, he’ll be raring to go on Friday and Saturday.

“I need to stay as sharp as I can,” Funk says. “I can practice, sure, but going to a rodeo is better than practicing any day.”

Woolpert takes coaching reins in NBDL

YAKIMA — Having spent the past 10 seasons waiting for an NBA opportunity to arise, Paul Woolpert figured he could hang on for a couple more weeks.

Woolpert, the longtime Sun Kings coach, calmly waited out the past two weeks in Oklahoma City, finally having his patience rewarded when he was hired as head coach for the Oklahoma City-owned NBA Developmental League team in Tulsa.

“It’s awesome to be here,” Woolpert said by telephone from Oklahoma City on Tuesday, where he’s currently working with the Thunder coaching staff as they opened their inaugural training camp Tuesday.

“The Thunder organization does everything right,” he continued. “It’s a pleasure to work for them. It feels good to be back under the NBA umbrella.”

Woolpert’s hiring by the Thunder presents an odd twist of fate since he began his professional career as a scout and video coordinator for the Seattle SuperSonics, which were uprooted and relocated to Oklahoma City just a few months back.

“I feel like I’ve come full circle. “To me, I’m back with the Sonics after first being there 22 years ago,” said Woolpert, declining to talk about the contentious relationship Seattle and state officials had with the Oklahoma City ownership group, led by Clay Bennett.

Woolpert’s hiring, along with assistant coach Greg Minor, Brandon Barnett as manager of minor league operations, and Anthony Aldridge as trainer for Tulsa, was announced on the 66ers Web site last Thursday, although an official news conference won’t be held until next week in Tulsa, Woolpert said.

Oklahoma City purchased the D-League team earlier this year. Most D-League teams are independently owned and have multiple affiliation agreements with NBA teams.

In this case, the Thunder doesn’t have to share an affiliation, giving them complete control over player development, an arrangement that was particularly attractive to Woolpert.

“That is, first and foremost, the most important thing,” Woolpert said. “It’s a first-class organization … and they are extremely committed to player development.”

That will allow Woolpert to work with the Thunder coaching staff, led by head coach P.J. Carlesimo, throughout training camp to get familiar with some of the younger players he’ll likely have in Tulsa.

“We are going to closely mirror the Thunder and how they go about things,” Woolpert said. “It’ll be up to them how we play, the style we play, and how things are done on the floor.”

Woolpert will work with the Thunder for most of October, while also scouting players for the D-League draft on Nov. 7. Tulsa’s training camp begins Nov. 14, with the regular season starting Nov. 28.

Woolpert makes a clean break from Yakima, since the Sun Kings were shut down by the Yakama Nation in April, citing heavy financial losses.

Yet he leaves behind a stellar legacy, starting with his debut in Yakima in 1994-95 when he left the Sonics to become Mo McHone’s assistant coach on the Sun Kings’ first CBA championship team.

Woolpert returned to Yakima in January 1998, replacing the fired George Whitaker. He leaves as the franchise’s all-time winningest coach at 248-160, with Coach of the Year honors the past two seasons. His 248 wins are the fifth most in CBA history.

His teams made the playoffs seven times, winning titles in 1999-2000, 2005-06, and ’06-07. Last season, the Sun Kings went 43-5, setting CBA records for winning percentage (.896) and quarter-point average (5.50), although they lost to eventual-champion Oklahoma in the National Conference finals.

“When I first got the job in January 1998, there’s no way I’d think I’d still be there (in Yakima) in 2008, but I wouldn’t have changed those 10 years for anything,” he said. “I loved it there.”

Despite his longer-than-expected stay in the CBA, Woolpert’s faith in an NBA return never wavered.
“I knew it was going to happen,” he said. “I honestly never had a doubt because I believe that if you go about your job the right way, good things should happen. That may be naive, but it’s something I firmly believe in.”

Prep volleyball — Selah posts another sweep

YAKIMA — Selah’s second-ranked volleyball team racked up another conference sweep on Tuesday, taking the measure of East Valley 25-11, 25-21, 25-10 at East Valley High School.

The Vikings pushed their CWAC North mark to 5-0 while EV maintained second in the South at 3-2.

Erin Smith and Kierstin Wilson put down 15 and 10 kills, respectively, for Selah, and Miranda Gunvaldson contributed 17 digs to pace the defense.

Mercy Yates collected six kills for East Valley, and Lindsey Bronkhorst had 11 digs.
Selah highlights: Miranda Gunvaldson 17 digs; Kierstin Wilson 10 kills, 5 aces; Erin Smith 15 kills, 7 blocks; Natalie Fickes 17 assists; Jaime Alliston 11 assists.

East Valley highlights: Lindsey Bronkhorst 11 digs; Raisa Yates 8 digs; Mercy Yates 9-9 serving, 6 kills; Jamie Miller 15 assists.
GRANDVIEW 3, EPHRATA 0: At Grandview, the top-ranked Greyhounds extended their unbeaten record in the South to 5-0 with a 25-13, 25-12, 25-11 sweep.
Grandview highlights: Kinzi Poteet 12 kills, 8 digs, 3 blocks; Vanessa Medina 28 assists; Sydney Mottice 9 kills, 15 digs, 3 blocks; Kaitee Eucher 4 aces.
WAPATO 3, QUINCY 2: At Quincy, AJ Yarlott and Hailey Strom combined for 30 kills and 34 digs to power the Wolves to a 25-13, 24-26, 25-14, 17-25, 15-12 rally.
Wapato highlights: Hailey Strom 12 kills, 20 digs, 2 blocks; AJ Yarlott 18 kills, 14 digs, 5 blocks; Nakota Strom 4 kills, 13 digs, 21-22 serving; Marjorie Imperial 25 digs, 19-19, 3 kills; Stephanie Velasco 16 assists, 12 digs, 19-20; Faith Draculan 14 assists, 10 digs.
ELLENSBURG 3, TOPPENISH 0: At Ellensburg, the Bulldogs prevailed 25-14, 25-19, 25-20. No other details were available.
CBBN

WEST VALLEY 3, MOSES LAKE 1: At West Valley, Lexi Filliol and Debora Aguilar combined for 40 digs and Janessa Reid and Taylor Herrick had eight kills each as the Rams regrouped from a first-set loss to win 22-25, 25-23, 25-11, 25-16.
West Valley highlights: Janessa Reid 8 kills, 5 aces; Taylor Herrick 8 kills; Emily Yost 5 blocks; Debora Aguilar 19 digs; Ann Richardson 5 blocks; Lexi Filliol 21 digs; Lauren Boushey 24 assists.
EASTMONT 3, DAVIS 0: At East Wenatchee, Daria Winckler had 13 kills and 21 perfect passes and Colleen Fontana was 14-for-14 serving with 10 perfect passes in the 25-22, 25-17, 25-22 setback.
Davis highlights: Alex Cottle 11-11 serving, 4 perfect passes, 2 kills; Daria Winckler 8-8, 21 pp, 2 assists, 13 kills, 4 blocks; Raini Weaver 10-12, 9 pp, 4 kills; Brooke Lybeck 10-11, 13 assists, 4 pp; Caitlin Malone 9-9, 7 pp; Colleen Fontana 14-14, 7 digs, 10 pp; Kelcy Jay 2 kills, 2 blocks.
SCAC

GOLDENDALE 3, ZILLAH 0: At Zillah, the Timberwolves (4-0) solidified their control of the West Division, sweeping Zillah 25-16, 25-18, 25-9.

Hannah Swigart led the offense with 10 kills, Sydney Bloom added eight and Kylee Bellamy put together 27 assists.

Goldendale highlights: Ryell Carle 8 kills; Hannah Swigart 10 kills; Sydney Bloom 8 kills, 3 blocks, 3 aces; Nikki Williams 20 digs, 15-15 serving; Kylee Bellamy 27 assists, 6 kills, 11 digs, 3 aces; Sadi Shattuck 3 kills; Amber Ihirg 2 kills; Ashley Barrett 4 kills; Becky Gourley 12-12; Lexi Cameron 10-10, 9 digs.

Zillah highlights: Christina Slack 14 perfect passes, 11 digs; Christy Hill 6 blocks, 4 kills; Rosebud Guthrie 4 kills, 3 blocks, 8-8 serving; Lauren Mesmore 10 digs, 8 pp, 4 kills.
GRANGER 3, HIGHLAND 0: At Cowiche, the Spartans moved into second place with a 25-14, 25-11, 25-6 sweep as Janae Klarich contributed 18 assists for the offense.
Granger highlights: Rosa Bojorquez 9-10 serving, 5 digs; Yasmin Sanchez 3 digs; Emily Carpenter 3 kills, 26-27, 6 digs; Taylor Ely 2 digs; Italia Mengarelli 5-6, 2 digs; Janae Klarich 2 kills, 18 assists; Halee Hull 2 kills; Sam Zapien 7 kills; Yuri Equihua 5 kills; Ashlee Reddout 3 kills.

Highland highlights: Aissa Wise 14 digs; Anna Burns 5-5, 2 kills; Corina Jiminez 10 digs; Jordan Preston 20 digs; Tavi Wise 2 assists.
MABTON 3, NACHES VALLEY 1: At Naches Valley, Trishi Williams’ 13 kills, eight blocks and 10 digs sparked the Vikings to a 25-17, 17-25, 26-24, 25-14 victory.
Mabton highlights: Heidi Nunez 19 assists, 2 kills, 10-11 serving; Kayla Campbell 15 assists, 2 kills, 2 digs, 18-20; Monica Tellez 8 kills, 3 aces, 9 digs, 7 pp; Crysta Reynolds 6 kills, 3 aces, 13 digs, 5 blocks, 10 pp; Jessica Quesada 8 kills, 5 digs, 2 blocks, 4 pp, 12-12; Trishi Williams 13 kills, 3 aces, 10 digs, 8 blocks, 3 pp, 13-15.

Naches Valley highlights: Justine Benner 3 blocks, 4 kills, 14-17 serving; Alaina Evans 2 blocks, 17-18; Jessica Farris 9-9; Cathleen Schut 11 perfect passes; Sandy Gransch 10 p.p.; Kayla Curtsinger 2 blocks, 5 kills, 10-11.
GREATER COLUMBIA 1B

KLICKITAT 3, SUNNYSIDE CHRISTIAN 0: At Klickitat, the Vandals won their league opener 25-20, 25-12, 25-13.

SC highlights: Abby Bangs 8-8 serving, 3 kills, 10 assists, 6 perfect passes; Joleen Van Wingerden 8 kills, 2 blocks, 4 pp; Ashley Haak 3 kills, 6 digs, 3 assists, 6 pp; Maddy Wavrin 3 blocks; Emily Bangs 6-6, 12 pp; Alisa Haak 10-10, 6 pp; Abby Ingvalson 5-5, 4 digs.
NORTH CENTRAL 1B

THORP 3, MANSFIELD 0: At Mansfield, Morgan Lowery’s 14 kills and Kelsey Hutchinson’s 20 digs powered the Tigers to a 25-9, 25-18, 4-25, 25-14 victory.
Thorp highlights: Morgan Lowery 14 kills, 12 digs; Kelsey Hutchinson 5 aces, 20 digs, 4 kills; Caroline Glaves 16 assists, 6 aces; Caroline Bornhorst 3 kills; Dani Gamble 18 digs, 2 aces.
NON-LEAGUE

LA SALLE 3, KIONA-BENTON 1: At Benton City, Jenessa McElrath collected 11 kills, 13 digs, 10 perfect passes, five aces and was 15-for-15 serving for the Lightning in a 25-22, 25-15, 24-26, 25-4 win.
La Salle highlights: Whitney Anderson 13-13 serving, 2 blocks, 4 perfect passes, 8 kills, 12 digs; Rachel Gasseling 7-8, 11 assists; Tori Gonzalez 3 aces, 2 pp, 9 digs; Danielle Juarez 3 kills; Melissa McCanna 4 kills; Jenessa McElrath 15-15, 5 aces 10 pp, 11 kills, 13 digs; Darcy Morford 8 aces, 8 pp, 11 kills, 5 digs; Olivia Rodriguez 2 aces, 19-21, 22 assists; Regine Standley 2 blocks, 7 kills.
BICKELTON 3, RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN JV 0: At Bickelton, Katelynn Clinton’s seven kills sparked the Pirates to a 25-20, 25-11, 25-21 win.
Bickleton highlights: Aymie Osborne 18-19 serving; Holly Goodnight 18-20; Katelynn Clinton 7 kills.

Prep soccer — Gonzales leads East Valley

ELLENSBURG — Kaylah Gonzales scored the first two goals and finished with a hat trick to help East Valley remain unbeaten in CWAC girls soccer with a 4-1 win over Ellensburg on Tuesday.
The Red Devils led 3-1 at halftime before Gonzales added her third tally in the 43rd minute. Goalkeeper Amanda Freisz made seven stops for the winners.
East Valley hosts North Division leader Selah.

First half: 1, East Valley, Kaylah Gonzales, 5:00; 2, East Valley, Gonzales (Paige Perrault), 19:00; 3, East Valley, Yasamin Mohsenian (Ashlee Bentcourt), 28:00; 4, Ellensburg, Katelyn Ronning (Hadli Farrand), 35:00.
Second half: 5, East Valley, Gonzales, 43:00.
Saves: Amanda Freisz (EV) 7, Lianne Day (Ell) 17.

SELAH 9, GRANDVIEW 0: At Selah, Amber Gooch punched in three goals and Arianna Roberson added a pair as the Vikings moved to 5-1 in the North and 6-3 overall.

First half: 1. Selah, Alexia Dobbs (Monik Martinez), 2:00; 2. Selah, Amber Gooch (Sharayah Ott), 10:00; 3. Selah, Adrianna Uribe (Dana Johnson), 29:00.
Second half: 4. Selah, Arianna Roberson, 39:00; 5. Selah, Roberson (Lily Hamill), 47:00; 6. Selah, Jessica Martin, 62:00; 7. Selah, Martinez, 75:00; 8. Gooch, 77:00; 9. Selah, Gooch (Audre Hyatt), 79:00.
Saves: Stephanie Soto (G) 7; Joni Moss (S) 1.

PROSSER 5, EPHRATA 1: At Prosser, Helen Petersen recorded her second straight hat trick, lifting her season total to 21 goals, and goalkeeper Desi Tolcacher made 10 saves for the Mustangs (4-1, 5-2).

First half: 1. Prosser, Helen Petersen (Madison Moore), 7:00; 2. Prosser, Kelli Wilson, 34:00.
Second half: 3. Prosser, Moore (Wilson), 50:00; 4. Prosser, Petersen (Lani Hulse), 60:00; 5. Ephrata, Rocio Mendoza (Justine Hintz), 64:00; 6. Prosser, Petersen (Wilson), 79:00
Saves: Desi Tolcacher (P) 10; Skylar Lund (E) 3.

TOPPENISH 6, QUINCY 0: At Toppenish, Araceli Zuniga tallied two scores in the first half as the Wildcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead at the break.

First half: 1, Toppenish, Nelly Amarillas, 5:00; 2, Toppenish, Araceli Zuniga, 8:00; 3, Toppenish, Esmeralda Cano, 20:00; 4, Toppenish, Zuniga, 25:00; 5, Toppenish, Angie Zuniga, 30:00.
Second half: 6, Toppenish, Janet Moran, 65:00.
Saves: Luz Garcia (T) 4, Raeanna Hand (Q) 13.

OTHELLO 8, WAPATO 0: At Wapato, Lindsey Garza popped in four goals to lead the Huskies.

First half: 1. Othello, Lindsey Garza, 17:00; 2. Othello, Chantel Guzman, 30:00; 3. Othello, Vanessa McDonald, 37:00.
Second half: 4. Othello, Garza, 53:00; 5. Othello, McDonald, 64:00; 6. Othello, Garza, 65:00; 7. Othello, Garza, 73:00; 8. Othello, McDonald, 75:00.
Saves: Jenny Silva (O) 8; Janet Macias 12.

CBBN
WEST VALLEY 1, MOSES LAKE 0: At Moses Lake, Jamie Dolquist’s quick tally in the third minute off an assist from Hayley Curtis held up for the Rams, who leveled their conference mark at 3-3.

First half: 1, West Valley, Jamie Dolquist (Hayley Curtis) 3:00.
Second half: None.
Saves: Lee Hanses (WV) 4; Megan Phelps (ML) 7.

EASTMONT 7, DAVIS 0: At Davis, Kayla Reynolds chipped in the first two goals and finished with three for the visiting Wildcats.

First half: 1. Eastmont, Kayla Reynolds, 3:00; 2. Eastmont, Reynolds, 10:00; 3. Eastmont, Olivia Rogers, 17:00.
Second half: 4. Eastmont, Mac Holman, 46:00; 5. Eastmont, Karinne Tuttle, 48:00; 6. Eastmont, Reynolds, 55:00; 7. Eastmont Tuttle, 76:00.
Saves: Brooke Randles (E) 1; Jessica Mungia (D) 10.

SCAC
LA SALLE 6, WARDEN 0: At Warden, Ally Hernandez, Stephanie Wytko and McKenzie Andringa had two goals apiece and goalkeeper Chelsea Adkins notched a shutout as the Lightning improved to 6-0 in conference.

First half: 1. La Salle, Ally Hernandez (Savannah Bonny), 3:00; 2. La Salle, Stephanie Wytko, 31:00.
Second half: 3. La Salle, McKenzie Andringa (Katie Vickers), 58:00; 4. La Salle, Hernandez (Andringa), 64:00; 5. La Salle, Andringa (Julia Kennedy), 71:00; 6. La Salle, Wytko (Bonney), 73:00.
Saves: Chelsea Adkins (L) 1; Genesis Mendoza (W) 14.

NACHES VALLEY 1, KIONA-BENTON 0: At Benton City, Ashley Koszty’s goal in the 25th minute held up for the Rangers, who stayed unbeaten in league at 5-0 and extended their win streak to seven.
NV goalkeeper Whitney Shirley made four saves in the shutout.

First half: 1. Naches Valley, Ashley Koszty (Chelsea Robles), 25:00.
Second half: No scoring.
Saves: Whitney Shirley (NV) 4; Sheridan McDonald (KB) 5.

MABTON 5, GRANGER 0: At Mabton, Alma Leon scored four goals, three in the first half, to help Mabton’s first-year program record its first victory.

First half: 1, Mabton, Alma Leon, 10:30; 2, Mabton, Leon, 16:36; 3, Mabton, Leon, 22:20; 4, Mabton, Marisela Leon, 27:10.
Second half: 5, Mabton, Leon, 50:30.
Saves: Teresa Flores (M) 1, Valerie Moreno (G) 9.

CLE ELUM 5, GOLDENDALE 3: At Cle Elum, Jordan Mack scored two goals, and Cle Elum built a big lead and held on. Mack sealed the victory with a goal in the 79th minute after Goldendale has scored twice to close within 4-3.

First half: 1, Cle Elum, Kristen Blum, 17:00; 2, Cle Elum, Logan Peppin, 25:00; 3, Cle Elum, Jordan Mack, 29:00; 4, Goldendale, Traci Bailey, 40:00.
Second half: 5, Cle Elum, scorer not reported, 47:00; 6, Goldendale, Sidney Ross (Bailey), 60:00; 7, Goldendale, Carlee Wheelon, 78:00; 8, Cle Elum, Mack, 79:00,
Saves: Sidney Ross (G) 6, McKayla Whitmire (G) 3; Danica West (CE) 8.

CONNELL 5, HIGHLAND 0: At Cowiche, five different players scored in the first half as Connell handed Highland (5-1, 8-3) its first league loss.

First half: 1, Connell, Myra Rizo, 6:55; 2, Connell, Sarah McGary, 11:58; 3, Connell, Debbie Molsbarger, 28:45; 4, Connell, Rosa Hernandez, 34:19; 5, Connell, KieOsha Avery, 38:10.
Second half: No scoring.
Saves: Melissa Cervante (H) 3, Karina Angel (H) 0, Maci Whitby (C) 6.

BOYS SOCCER

RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN 6, SUNNYSIDE CHRISTIAN 1: At Riverside Christian, Jeremy Pynch and Jason Bjur both scored twice to lead Riverside Christian (2-1 league, 3-5 overall).
First half: 1, Riverside Christian, Jeremy Pynch, 12:00; 2, Riverside Christian, Jason Bjur, 18:00; 3, Riverside Christian, Lin Wijiang, 23:00; 4, Sunnyside Christian, Steven Broersma, 28:00.
Second half: 5, Riverside Christian, Derek Byrne, 41:00; 6, Riverside Christian, Pynch, 53:00; 7, Riverside Christian, Bjur, 60:00.
Saves: Loren Button (RC) 1, Jameson Cates (RC) 2, Steven Broersma (SC) 1, Devin Wolfford (SC) 10.

Prep roundup — Davis girls, Ike boys improve to 10-0

WALLA WALLA — Davis’ girls and Eisenhower’s boys easily passed the second of three tests that go toward the Columbia Bason Big Nine’s dual-meet title on Tuesday.

Both teams cruised to four dual wins at Fort Walla Walla Park, boosting their records to 10-0 with the final round set for Oct. 16 on their shared home course at Franklin Park.

The fourth-ranked Pirates dominated the day as Sandra Martinez, Shawna Schooley and Kaitlin Kaluzny went 1-2-3 in the eight-team gathering. The duals that scored for Davis and Ike were against Southridge, Wenatchee, Kennewick and West Valley.

Martinez covered the 5,000-meter course in 19 minutes even.

Eisenhower’s boys, who moved up to second in this week’s state poll, put their scoring five in the top 12, paced by Bryan Simison’s runner-up finish. Simison clocked 15:56 with Davis’ Emmanuel Contreras third in 16:01.

Mayra Chavez’s fourth-place finish behind the Davis trio led Ike’s girls to a 4-0 sweep also on Tuesday, lifting the Cadets to 8-2.

West Valley’s Audrey Urlacher (5th) and Siena Noe (8th) helped the Rams split their four meets. West Valley’s girls and Davis’ boys are both 7-3 after two meets.

Eisenhower, Davis, West Valley and Sunnyside are all competing Saturday in the 35th annual Sunfair Invitational.

BOYS
Team scores: Eisenhower 26, Southridge 29; Eisenhower 15, Wenatchee 40; Eisenhower 15, West Valley 44; Eisenhower 15, Kennewick 50; Southridge 19, Davis 36; Davis 26, Wenatchee 29; Davis 17, West Valley 40; Davis 15, Kennewick 50; Sunnyside 23, West Valley 32; Walla Walla 19, West Valley 41; Southridge 15, Sunnyside 44; Wenatchee 18, Sunnyside 40; Sunnyside 15, Kennewick 50.
Top 10: 1, Andrew Gonzales (So) 15:35; 2, Bryan Simison (Ike) 15:56; 3, Emmanuel Contreras (D) 16:01; 4, Aaron Nelson (WW) 16:15; 5, Ryan Chapman (Ike) 16:28; 6, Andy Romfo (Ike) 16:30; 7, Colby Cravens (So) 16:33; 8, Kyle Sturdefant (So) 16:36; 9, Quinton Olivas (So) 16:36; 10, Timothy Cummings (Ike) 16:37.
Other top locals: 12, German Silva (Ike) 16:38; 16, Alfredo Villasenor (D) 17:02; 18, Jacob Rogers (Su) 17:06; 19, Adrian Espinoza (D) 17:06; 20, Brian Stump (WV) 17:11; 22, Saul Marmolejo (D) 17:21; 27, Alberto Melchor (D) 17:32; 28, Gracen Gonzalez (Su) 17:38; 29, Jose Sanchez (Su) 17:39; 32, Joseph Matheson (WV) 17:41; 35, Ryley Hausken (WV) 17:51; 38, Pablo Espinoza (D) 18:00; 40, Osbaldo Arroyo (Su) 18:12; 43, Patrick Watts (Su) 18:16; 44, Ivan Alfaro (Ike) 18:16; 45, Cody Johnson (Ike) 18:17; 46, Paul Schneider (WV) 18:21; 47, Kyle Jones (WV) 18:40; 48, Chase Mears (WV) 18:54; 49, Glen Johnson (WV) 18:57; 50, Kennedy Sarmiento (Su) 19:09; 51, Shawn Olivares (Su) 19:49.
GIRLS
Team scores: Davis 15, Kennewick 48; Davis 17, Southridge 40; Davis 19, Wenatchee 39; Davis 19, West Valley 38; Eisenhower 15, Kennewick 50; Eisenhower 19, Southridge 42; Eisenhower 21, Wenatchee 40; Eisenhower 23, West Valley 38; West Valley 18, Sunnyside 44; West Valley 19, Walla Walla 41; Kennewick 23, Sunnyside 32; Southridge 19, Sunnyside 43; Wenatchee 18, Sunnyside 45.
Top 10: 1, Sandra Martinez (D) 19:00; 2, Shawna Schooley (D) 19:15; 3, Kaitlin Kaluzny (D) 19:36; 4, Mayra Chavez (Ike) 19:47; 5, Audrey Urlacher (WV) 20:08; 6, Emily Butler (So) 20:23; 7, Skye Pauly (We) 20:30; 8, Siena Noe (WV) 20:34; 9, Kirsten Kaplin (Ike) 20:35; 10, Kirsten Sheffield (Ike) 20:36.
Other top locals: 12, Kathryn Kibbe (D) 20:53; 13, Jessica Montoya (Ike) 20:54; 14, Jocelyn Yanez (Su) 21:01; 15, Hannah Kaluzny (D) 21:01; 16, Katherine Bravo (Ike) 21:06; 17, Sydney Raymond (Ike) 21:09; 21, Rachel Southwick (Ike) 21:19; 22, Aubrey Packard (WV) 21:33; 23, Maria Espinoza (D) 21:28; 25, Ashley Packard (WV) 21:33; 31, Chantel Jaeger (WV) 22:21; 34, Margaret Parobek (WV) 22:37; 38, Marlene Manzo (Su) 22:55; 41, Rachel Davis (D) 23:40; 42, Amy Larson (WV) 24:00; 47, Sarasa Parita (Su) 25:56; 49, Noemi Salmeron (Su) 26:09; 50, Daisy Rodriguez (Su) 27:26.

GIRLS SWIMMING
Relays spark Ike over Kamiakin

KENNEWICK — With wins in all three relays, Eisenhower defeated Kamiakin 104-78 in a CBBN meet on Tuesday.

Laura Ruiz, Kirsta Bezenek, Emilie Pleger and Gabby Ruiz were all double winners for the Cadets.

Eisenhower 104, Kamiakin 78
At Kamiakin
200 medley relay: 1, Ike (Chris Eglin, Emily Pleger, Kirsta Bezenek, Erin Collier), 2:04.13.
200 free: 1, Laura Ruiz (E) 2:18.60; 3, Alyssa DeSpain (E) 2:55.29.
200 IM: 1, Emilie Pleger (E) 2:25.82; 2, Chris Eglin (E) 2:38.15; 3, Beth Klingle (E) 2:51.85.
50 free: 1, Kirsta Bezenek (E) 26.95.
Diving: 1, Danielle Cuevas (K) 163.80.
100 fly: 1, Bezenek (E) 1:03.65; 3, Karli Boggess (E) 1:16.92.
100 free: 1, Gabby Ruiz (E) 1:03.51; 3, Erin Collier (E) 1:12.35.
500 free: 1, L. Ruiz (E) 6:16.73.
200 free relay: 1, Ike (Pleger, G. Ruiz, Eglin, Bezenek), 1:52.28.
100 back: 1, G. Ruiz (E) 1:07.43; 2, Eglin (E) 1:09.66.
100 breast: 1, Pleger (E) 1:13.52.
400 free relay: 1, Ike (L. Ruiz, Anne Smart, Klingle, Boggess), 4:46.06.

Kamiakin 144, Davis 24
(Davis results)
500 free: 1, Monica Favilla, 6:54.82.
100 breast: 3, Julia Shim, 1:35.12.

Local report — CWU’s Wood, Rolsma win GNAC awards

Linebacker Buddy Wood and kicker Garrett Rolsma were named the GNAC defensive and special teams players of the week for their play in Central Washington’s near-upset of nationally ranked Montana last Saturday.

Wood finished with 13 tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and a sack in Central ‘s 38-35 lossto the Grizzlies, who were ranked fourth in the NCAA Championship Sub-Division.

Rolsma was named special teams player of the week for the second time this season. Against Montana, he kicked two field goals, including one that tied the game at 35-all with 2:47 remaining. He also averaged 45.3 yards on four punts.

Rolsma, who shared the GNAC honor with Western Washington kicker Josh Lider, was also honored for his kicking in Central’s season-opening victory at Dixie State.

Despite Central’s close call against Montana, the Wildcats still slipped three spots in this week’s American Football Coaches Division II rankings, falling to 12th.

Central hosts Dixie State at 1 p.m. Saturday at Tomlinson Stadium.

COLLEGE SOCCER

Central’s Clarke honored

Midfielder Lynde Clarke, who scored three times in Central Washington’s two victories last week, was named the GNAC’s women’s soccer player of the week.

Clarke, a senior from Albuquerque, N.M., scored once in a 2-0 victory over Montana State Billings, and then had two more goals in a 4-0 defeat of Northwest Nazarene.

She now has seven career goals, helping the Wildcats to a 5-2-2 record.

GOLF

Stalcup closes tourney with ace

David Stalcup finished up his round in the Sweat Hawg Open on Sunday at Mount Adams Country Club by acing the 18th hole. Stalcup used a 9-iron on the 147-yard shot. Jim Wabaunsee, Joe James and Tony Washines witnessed the shot.

Barrett cards ace at Adams
Tye Barrett recorded his second career hole-in-one Saturday at Mount Adams Country Club. Barrett aced the 147-yard 18th hole, using a 9-iron. Ben Sifuentes, Joe Lafferty and Carol Storkel witnessed the shot.

Fall state allocations

Check out the WIAA’s website for fall sports state allocations. They were posted today.

Sunfair teams in state poll

Here’s Week 4 of the coaches state cross country poll. Teams in bold are entered (as of Tuesday afternoon) in Saturday’s Sunfair Invitational:
BOYS

Class 4A: 1, Jackson; 2, Eisenhower; 3, Mead; 4, Gig Harbor; 5, Kamiakin; 6, Southridge; 7, Issaquah; 8, Ferris; 9, Tahoma; 10, Skyline.

Class 3A: 1, North Central; 2, Seattle Prep; 3, Lindbergh; 4, Mercer Island; 5, Bellevue; 6, Mt. Spokane; 7, Peninsula; 8, Glacier Peak; 9, Capital; 10, Blanchet.

Class 2A: 1, Sehome; 2, Burlington; 3, Squalicum; 4, Cheney; 5, Selah; 6, Lakewood; 7, Colville; 8, Ellensburg; 9, Tumwater; 10, Riverside.

Class 1A: 1, Port Townsend; 2, Charles Wright; 3, Lynden Christian; 4, King’s; 5, Lakeside-Spo; 6, Nooksack Valley; 7, La Center; 8, Bellevue Christian; 9, Freeman; 10, Newport.

Class 2B-1B: 1, Northwest Christian-Lacey; 2, Valley Christian; 3, Mt. Rainier Lutheran; 4, Bear Creek; 5, Northwest Christian-Spo.

GIRLS

Class 4A; 1, Gig Harbor; 2, Eastlake; 3, Richland; 4, Davis; 5, Mead; 6, Jackson; 7, Redmond; 8, Newport; 9, Snohomish; 10, Olympia.

Class 3A: 1, Lakeside-Sea; 2, Seattle Prep; 3, Shadle Park; 4, Glacier Peak; 5, Mt. Spokane; 6, Mercer Island; 7, North Kitsap; 8, Hanford; 9, Bellevue; 10, 10, Capital.

Class 2A: 1, Sehome; 2, Cedarcrest; 3, Deer Park; 4, Squalicum; 5, Sequim; 6, Kingston; 7, Lakewood; 8, Bellingham; 9, South Whidbey; 10, West Valley-Spo.

Class 1A: 1, King’s; 2, La Center; 3, Nooksack Valley; 4, Meridian; 5, Chelan; 6, Lynden Christian; 7, Onalaska; 8, Omak; 9,  Lakeside-Spo; 10, Freeman.

Class 2B-1B: 1, St. George’s; 2, Northwest Christian-Lacey; 3, White Pass; 4, Reardan; 5, Asotin.

Naches Ranger District opts for expensive, but popular, Bumping Road option

When it came to deciding how to deal with the 2006 washouts of two roads leading to popular jumpoff points into the William O. Douglas Wilderness, the bean-counters, analysts and biologists said this: Rebuild one and turn the other into a trail.

But the brain trust at the Forest Service’s Naches Ranger District have decided to listen to someone else: the trail users who so fervently want both roads reopened.

District leaders fully intend to find a way to reopen not only the 1808 road leading south to the Deep Creek Campground, but also the 1800 (Bumping) road as far as the Swamp Lake trailhead, a popular access route to the Pacific Crest Trail and numerous high-country lakes.

It’s a difficult undertaking, considering the $1 million-or-more anticipated cost of building an 1800 bridge spanning Deep Creek, and one more likely to take “a few years than to be done overnight,” said Naches district ranger Randy Shepard.

But the creek’s population of endangered bull trout — the very presence of which necessitates such a bridge — ironically could become the way the district can make it happen.

“It will still be a challenge to find the funding,” Shepard said on Monday. “But we’ve been given some leads on different funding sources — maybe a combination of sources — that would actually get the process implemented.

“The key to the whole thing is, by doing the improvements to fish passage, that would open it up to funding that goes beyond just roads themselves. (The project) would benefit endangered species; there are grant programs that are directed to those kinds of projects, and we’ll explore those as well as road-related things.”

The proposed action in district’s own environmental analysis (EA) was to reopen the 1808 road — the less-expensive reconstruction of the two — but turn 1800 into a foot-and-hoof trail only from the point where Deep Creek washed through it in November 2006, a decision detailed in last Thursday’s Herald-Republic.

But Shepard and district biologist Gary Torretta, who oversaw the district’s EA process, both said the vast majority of public input was in favor of reopening motorized access on both roads.

And Shepard’s plan now is to go not with the EA’s alternative three — the proposed action — but with alternative four, which calls for reopening both roads.

“We thought alternative three was more feasible, and that may indeed be the first phase,” Shepard said. “But with the user-group interest and the amount of access it offers to areas that are, for lack of a better term, near and deer to people’s hearts, we thought it was important to pursue the funding and take it just as far as we can go.”

Elizabeth Lunney, president of the Washington Trails Association, said that with such a “popular, with-used area, it’s certainly nice to see (Forest Service officials) responding to constituent interest.”

Lunney said the district faces two hurdles with alternative four — the “huge, big price tag on that second (1800) bridge,” and “whether or not alternative four would actually be better for aquatic habitat. If the answer to the funding is, yes, we can do it, and the answer to the habitat question is yes, we can do it, and they’re willing to put in that kind of energy into making it happen, that’s terrific.”

As for the bull-trout habitat, Torretta said, a bridge on the 1800 road would be an improvement not only to the area’s status now — in which hikers and horseback riders run the risk of trampling the bull trout redds (essentially fish-egg nests) while fording the creek — but even to the way things were before the flood.

The previous culvert had long made for difficult passage by juvenile fish because of a dropoff that, depending on the creek’s water levels, was as much as 1 1/2 feet — relatively easy for larger fish to move upstream, but difficult for smaller ones.

Alternative four is an improvement, Torretta said, because instead of a pair of 12-foot-wide culverts that all the water has to go through, a bridge would create “a stream channel at least 60 to 70 feet wide that the creek can go through.

“It’s just better for the stream function overall because  it allows those natural channel-forming processes to occur. In a way, you’re removing a dam off the creek. Either alternative three or four will improve the natural stream function.”

That should come as exciting news to day-hikers, campers, backpackers, horse enthusiasts and motorized user groups. (Although the latter can’t use designated Wilderness trails, the Deep Creek campground is a popular destination for all groups, and there are unimproved roads in the Copper City area outside of the Wilderness.)

Those very user groups may be critical to making it happen — and not only in terms of volunteer trail-work hours.

“A key ingredient will be the success of the user groups in helping us locate the funding,” Shepard said. “There may be some (grants) they could qualify for that we couldn’t even apply for as a government agency.
“The more sources we have, the more likely we will be able to implement this in a timely manner.”

Northwest Sportsman — Quail, partridge seasons start rolling on Saturday

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct erroneous information that appeared in the originally published version.

October arrives Wednesday, and for the hunters in the area that means one thing — it is time to go hunting.

While a few hunting seasons have been open for a month or more, the majority of the upland, waterfowl and big game hunting seasons kick off in the month of October, with some getting under way Saturday.

Quail and partridge hunting throughout Eastern Washington opens Saturday, except for on the Yakama Reservation. Partridge hunting opens Wednesday on Yakama Nation lands, but quail season doesn’t open until Oct. 11.

While the partridge numbers are a big question mark, it looks like the quail once again survived the winter and had a decent nesting year. There seems to be plenty of quail wherever there is adequate habitat, which is just about anything from a few fir trees in west Yakima neighborhoods to the edges of the orchards and row crops in the Lower Valley.

Brood-count surveys by Yakama Nation biologists have found the reservation’s quail numbers in pretty good shape again this year.

“Quail numbers are still going strong and are slightly higher than last year,” said Yakama Nation biologist Nathan Burkepile. “And we saw a lot of young quail during the count.”

This year’s count works out to be about one quail per mile, which doesn’t sound like a lot and is less than 2005 when biologists counted three quail per mile. Compared to the early ’90s, though, it’s an increase of 150 percent.

As far as partridge go, no one really does a population survey on chukar or Hungarian partridge, so there are no scientific numbers. In the past few years, the chukar population seems to be down somewhat, but there are still a few birds to be found in the Yakima River Canyon and out on the Yakima Training Center.

On a dry year like this one, hunters will be smart to stick near water sources for the best opportunity for chukar. Finding a stock tank, a small creek bottom or a spring in the bottom of some sagebrush canyons of the Training Center or on the L.T. Murray would be a good place to start.

Pheasant population brood counts on the reservation are showing slightly fewer birds this year than last.

This year’s brood-count survey showed one pheasant every four miles — slightly down from last year’s one pheasant per three miles, but right on the 10-year average.

“It appears that we had a late hatch this year,” Burkepile said. “We saw a lot of young birds on the routes and over the past few weeks.”

Burkepile said it’s hard to predict, but he thinks it will be an average year. Because of the late hatch, he said, hunters could see a good number of young roosters that have not fully developed their adult colors.

The other factor in the pheasant hunting, both on and off the reservation, is the abundance of corn this year. With tens of thousands of acres of standing corn available for the pheasants to escape to, the early season may provide difficult hunting until the corn is cut.

The Yakama Nation sets its own hunting seasons, and while most of its seasons follow the state openings and closings, hunters on the reservation get to start hunting pheasants a week earlier than the rest of Eastern Washington. The pheasant season opens Oct. 18 in Eastern Washington, but opens on Saturday, Oct. 11, on Yakama Nation lands.

Oct. 11 also marks the opening of waterfowl hunting in the region. The duck and goose season opens on the 11th, closes on the 15th and then reopens on Oct. 18 and runs through Jan. 15.

The general deer hunting season opens Oct. 11 as well and, depending on where you hunt, will run until Oct. 19 or later. With the deer population down some 50 percent from just a few years ago, biologists monitoring the health of the local deer herds don’t predict a very good deer season in Yakima County. The deer have been hit hard by an infestation of lice that causes the deer to loose hair, making it difficult to survive the winters.

Deer herds are doing much better in other parts of the state, including Klickitat County and many Northeast counties, and officials recommend hunters concentrate their efforts there instead of in the hills west of Yakima.

No matter where you hunt, or what you hunt for, you can feel it in the air. It is October. It is fall. It is time to hunt.

• 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.

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