Battle in Seattle tickets on sale

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Tickets for the Battle in Seattle, which on Oct. 17 will pit Central Washington against Western Oregon in Qwest Field, are currently available through Ticketmaster outlets and will soon be on sale at the Wildcat Shop on the CWU campus.

The game, scheduled for 6 p.m., will include Western Oregon for the first time. Central opposed Western Washinngton in the first six such games, which averaged 12,392 fans including 16,392 in 2003 for the first one.

That crowd was the largest to see a small college football game in Washington.

The Wildcats, who won five of the six Battle in Seattle games against Western Washington, has beaten Western Oregon 10 straight times.

Ex-UW QB set to enroll at Central

SEATTLE — The athletic career of former University of Washington quarterback Johnny DuRocher may take yet another turn, this one to Ellensburg.

DuRocher, whose UW career ended after he was found to have a benign brain tumor and who later spent a year in the Mariners’ organ-ization as a pitcher, has applied for enrollment at Central Washington with designs on playing quarterback for the Wildcats this fall.

A CWU spokesman confirmed that DuRocher has applied for enrollment but said he could not comment further until DuRocher is officially enrolled. DuRocher could not be reached for comment.

Eligibility rules are different at Division II schools like Central, and the 25-year-old DuRocher would apparently have one season remaining to play. He would not be eligible any longer to play at Washington.

A graduate of Bethel High School in Graham, he redshirted at Oregon in 2003 and sat out 2004 after deciding to transfer. He played at UW in 2005 and 2006 before the tumor was discovered when he suffered a concussion in a game against Stanford late in the 2006 season.

After surgery, he turned out for the UW baseball team and was later drafted by the Mariners. But his baseball career ended when he suffered an injury that would have required Tommy John surgery.

Due to the nature of the different throwing motions, DuRocher has said in the past that the injury doesn’t impair his ability to throw a football.

He spent last fall at UW as a student assistant with the football team. In the spring, he participated at UW’s Pro Day for NFL Scouts, hoping to attract the attention of a professional team, saying he had been cleared by doctors to return to football.

CWU was recently ranked 10th in the nation in the Sporting News’ 2009 Division II preseason poll. But the Wildcats are looking for a new starting QB after the graduation of All-American Mike Reilly, now a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

At Central, DuRocher would be reunited with another former Husky, running back J.R. Hasty, who will be a senior this season.

— Bob Condotta

Local report — Hinton helps Pak to sweep of Hanford

RICHLAND — Lukas Hinton earned a win and save as the Yakima Valley Pepsi Pak battled its way to a 10-7, 5-4 sweep over Hanford on Tuesday to remain firmly on top of the Central Washington  League.

The Pak (11-1, 16-2) scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to win the opener. Hinton, who also pitched a shutout on Monday, combined with Garrett Olson to throw six shutout innings.

Jake Fife drew a bases-loaded walk to break a 7-7 tie in the ninth and finished with three RBI and Ethan Flory was 3-for-3 with three runs scored.

In the nightcap, Cory Urquhart was 2-for-3 with three RBI, including a two-run double in the sixth. Hinton closed the save with back-to-back strikeouts.

Game 1

Yakima Valley    102    120    103    —    10    12    1

Hanford    124    000    000    —    7    7    2

Johnson, Olson (4), Hinton (7) and Snider; Sauressig, Burke (7) and Beebe.

Highlights: Jake Fife 2-5, 3 RBI; Cory Urquhart solo HR, 2 RBI; Dustin Daniels 2-6, Thomas Wilcox 2-5, Ethan Flory 3-3, 3 runs.

Game 2

Yakima Valley    101    102    0    —    5    8    0

Hanford    110    002    0    —    4    8    1

Wilcox, Hinton (7) and Andreas; Burke, French (4), Wagner (6) and Beebe.

Highlights: Cory Urquhart 2-3, 2-run 2b in 6th, 3 RBI.

JUNIOR LEGION

West Valley Baseball Club 12, Pasco 2 (WV: Steven Wagar CG, 5K; Tyler Gallaway 2-4; Tanner Edler 2-3, grand slam, 5 RBI).

West Valley Baseball Club 13, Pasco 3 (WV: Jake Vetsch WP, 2-4; Cody McDonald 2-3, 2b; Gil Plath 2-3, Wagar 3-4, 4 RBI; Josh Owes 2-4, 3b).

Zillah 10, Othello 5 (Zil: Jared Olivas 2-3, 2-run HR; Jacob Olivas 2-2; Cameron Thompson 2-3; 3 RBI; Hunter Curfman WP, 8 K.)

Selah Juniors 10, Yakima Scarlets 9 (Selah: Nick Ranger 2-4, 3 RBI; Frank Rowland 3-4, 2 2b; Scott Graf 2-3, 2 RBI; Taylor Swift 2-3).

Selah Juniors 8, Yakima Scarlets 0 (Selah: Ranger CG, 8 K; Justin St. Aubin 3-3, 2b, 3b).

West Valley Bees 14, Cadet Baseball Club 4 (WV: Derek Thomason 2 hits; Jim Nagle 2 hits; Mikey Bonnett 2 hits; Trevor Hunter 2 hits).

West Valley Bees 8, Cadet Baseball Club 6 (WV: Cody LaRivierre 2 hits; Bonnett 2 hits. CBC: Woodkey 3 hits, Areand 2-run HR).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Kudos for Wildcats, Spevak

ELLENSBURG — It’s only June, but the Central Washington football team and standout receiver Johnny Spevak are already getting some national magazine love.

The Wildcats have been ranked 10th in the Sporting News’ preseason Division II poll and Spevak has been named a preseason All-American for the second straight year.

Central, which has reached the DII playoffs the past two seasons, will rely on a veteran defense while its offense rebuilds under Ryan Robertson or Jordan Rasmussen — one of whom will likely replace All-American quarterback Mike Reilly.

Spevak was named a Little All-American last year by The Associated Press.

Central opens its season Aug. 29 at Mesa State in Grand Junction, Colo.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Borton headed to Vegas academy

Wanting extra time to develop his skills and fully recover from recent knee surgery, West Valley graduate Matt Borton will forego entering college for a year and attend Impact Basketball Academy in Las Vegas.

Borton, a 6-foot-5 guard who averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds in his final season with the Rams, had surgery this spring to correct and fortify a dislocating knee cap that slowed the second half of his senior season.

The Impact Basketball Academy offers a post-graduate training program designed to help players improve their game without losing a year of eligibility. IBA will also help with Borton’s rehab from surgery.

“After visiting Impact and learning more about their track record of success, it became clear how much I could benefit from the program,” Borton said. “While it will be very demanding, in the long run I think it will be the best thing for me.”

GOLF

Mary Roche gets YCC ace

Mary Roche recorded a hole-in-one during her round Sunday at the Yakima Country Club. She used a 7-iron to ace the 133-yard 11th hole.
John Roche, and Bill and Linda Zirkle witnessed the shot.

GNAC honors Reilly

YAKIMA, Wash. — Mike Reilly, Central Washington University’s record-setting quarterback, has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s 2008-09 male athlete of the year.

Reilly was runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the top player in NCAA Division II football, and was also the GNAC offensive player of the year.

The quarterback threw for 3,706 yards and 37 touchdowns in leading Central to a 10-2 record (8-0 in the GNAC) and a second straight trip to the playoffs.

He broke nearly every school passing record, including career passing yards (12,448) and touchdown passes (118). Central had a 34-12 record with Reilly at quarterback.

Reilly signed a free-agent contract with the Super Bowl-champion Pittsburgh Steelers on April 27.

This past Saturday, he was also named Central’s male athlete of the year at the school’s hall of fame banquet.

Reilly is the first Central athlete and the second football player to win the men’s award. Former Wildcat volleyball player LeAnne McGahuey earned the women’s honor in 2005-06.

Seattle Pacific’s Jessica Pixler, who won four national titles in three sports, was named the GNAC’s female athlete of the year for the second time in three seasons. She won her second straight national cross-country title, won her third straight 1,500 meters and the 5,000-meter title in indoor track, and won the 1,500 meters at the outdoor track and field championships.

Central to offer youth football camp

YAKIMA, Wash. — Central Washington’s football program will offer a youth camp next month.

The camp, for athletes in grades three through eight, will be held from 1:30-5 p.m. on June 12 on the practice fields adjacent to Tomlinson Stadium and Nicholson Pavilion.

Cost is $20 per player and the fee covers a meal and T-shirt.

Registration will take place at 1 p.m. on camp day and all forms and physicals must be completed for campers to be eligible.

For more information, contact CWU assistant coach Stacy Collins at 509-963-1935 or at scollins@cwu.edu.

Alabama linebacker to transfer to CWU

YAKIMA, Wash. — Central Washington’s defense, already boasting talent and experience, might be getting more of both with word that linebacker Prince Hall will transfer to the Wildcats from the University of Alabama.

Hall’s move, away from the Crimson Tide and to Central, was disclosed in a four-paragraph university news release from Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Friday.

Central coach Blaine Bennett, however, would not confirm the transfer. Reached by phone Saturday, Bennett said he could not discuss a transfer until he is actually enrolled at CWU, which Hall is not.

A senior-to-be, Hall is a 5-foot-11, 235-pounder from Moreno Valley, Calif. He started 14 times during his 36 career games at Alabama, totaling 152 tackles. Thirteen of his stops were for loss, including three sacks.

“Prince Hall has decided to transfer to Central Washington for his senior season,” Tide coach Nick Saban said in the release. “We wish him the best of luck as he finishes his collegiate career.”

Said Hall, “I would like to thank the University of Alabama, coach Saban and the staff for helping during my career. I think it will be a great opportunity for me to finish my career at Central Washington, and I am looking forward to it.”

CWU football: Spring in their step

Snell’s switch to linebacker helps defense dominate spring game ||

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Most prep football fans will recall East Valley’s Matt Snell as a big-play receiver who was named Class 2A Player of the Year after leading the Red Devils to the 2004 state title game.

Fact is, though, that Snell was also a first-team all-state selection at linebacker.

And now, in his final season at Central Washington, the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder hopes to parlay that pedigree into substantial playing time on what promises to be a standout Wildcats defense.

Having traded his No. 85 wideout jersey for No. 12, Snell was deployed at weak-side linebacker Saturday in the defensively dom-inated 7-3 White spring game conquest of the Crimson in Tomlin-son Stadium.

“After last season, coach (Blaine Bennett) and I sat down and talked,” Snell said. “We tried to figure out how I could get on the field more, how I could play.”

Asked whose idea the switch was, Bennett said, “A little of his and a little of mine. Most of these kids are good enough athletes that they played both ways in high school, and it’s certainly true in Matt’s case.

“With Chris James having graduated, we were looking for someone to fill that position.”

Enter Snell.

On the field for most of Saturday’s action, he shared the Crimson lead for tackles with fellow backer Ryan Buenaflor with three — all unassisted.

“I was a physical player at wide receiver, so I like contact,” Snell said. “I’m out there whenever the offense is in a four-receiver set.”

Which, whether the attack is Central’s or an opponent’s, is most of the time.

After redshirting as a freshman, Snell was unable to gain regular playing time at receiver because the Wildcats were so well stocked at that position. He played in all 12 games last season, but much of his action was on special teams.

In CWU’s air-oriented offense, Snell caught only two passes for 48 yards.

Central returns big names at linebacker this season among eight defensive veterans, most notably middle man Adam Bighill and strong-side backer Buddy Wood.

And they were prominent most of the day against inexperienced offensive linemen and a group of new quarterbacks.

The only touchdown came in the second quarter when redshirt freshman Ryan Robertson connected with wideout Justin Helwege for a 41-yard gain to the Crimson 7 yard line, then on the next play hit a diving tight end Zack Hekker in the back of the end zone.

Hekker was one of four transfers from Western Washington, which dropped football after last season.

The Crimson’s lone score came on Garrett Rolsma’s 39-yard field goal on the final play of the first half.

Robertson was the sharper of the top two quarterbacks, completing 10 of 16 passes for 139 yards. He was intercepted on a ball that went through receiver Mike Waller’s hands.

Jordan Rasmussen, a junior transfer from Montana State and Fresno City College, was 11 for 22 for 69 yards. Sophomore Justin Leonard was the closest thing to a productive running back with 21 yards on four carries.

“We’ve had a good spring and today was exactly what we had hoped for,” Bennett said. “We had nice weather, the field looked great and we had fantastic attendance. We had a good, clean scrimmage.”

Said Snell, referring to a schedule that includes a Sept. 3 date at defending Division II national champion Minnesota Duluth, “I think we can be really good, but we’ve got a long way to go.”

White          0    7    0    0    —    7
Crimson    0    3    0    0    —    3
Second Quarter
Wht — Zack Hekker 6 pass from Ryan Robertson (Sean Davis kick), 3:37.
Crim — FG Garrett Rolsma 49, 0:00.
Wht            Crim
First downs               8                   14
Rushes-yards        10-6    16-(minus 7)
Passing                     171                139
Comp-Att-Int    13-23-2         17-34-2
Return yards               21                 70
Punts-avg.                 5-40         5-34.2
Fumbles-Lost            0-0                 2-0
Penalties-Yards        6-65              6-39
Time of Possession    23:46          36:14
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — White, Dominick Davis 2-5, Kelly Bryson 7-11, David Weisner 1-0. Crimson, Justin Leonard 4-21, Tyler Cardin 2-4, Jerome Morris 4-11, Jordan Rasmussen 3-15, Henry Oliver 3-0.
PASSING — White, Ryan Robertson 10-16-1-138; David Weisner 3-7-1-33. Crimson, Rasmussen 11-22-1-69; Brandon Howell 5-8-0-53; Henry 1-4-1-17.
RECEIVING — White, Justin Helwege 3-60, Hekker 3-55, Jamal Weems 2-29, Mike Waller 2-18, Chris Finlayson 1-9, Jordan Jackson 1-4, Davis 1-(minus 4). Crimson, Johnny Spevak 7-60, Sam Togar 4-23, Griffin Squires 3-45, Morris 2-9, Robert Akeo-Orr 1-2.

CWU QB should be spared Reilly comparisons

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Ryan Robertson wore the fresh-faced smile of a redshirt freshman Saturday. And on occasion he played like one in Central Washington’s spring game.

But after the closest thing the 6-foot-3, 188-pounder had seen to actual college competition, two things remained abundantly clear.

One, Robertson should be given every opportunity to develop — physically, mentally and emotionally — as a Wildcats quarterback. And two, he should never, ever be compared with Mike Reilly.

For starters, Robertson isn’t yet. Even though he had the better of the action Saturday, throwing for 139 yards and the only touch-down in the White team’s 7-3 victory, Robertson did not emerge from the Wildcats’ spring as the clear-cut winner in over Jordan Ras-mussen.

“I don’t think we’re ready to crown — or, rather, name Ryan as the starter just yet,” coach Blaine Bennett said amid the postgame crowd in Tomlinson Stadium.

To which Robertson confirmed, “It looks like a two-horse race right now between myself and Jordan. The thing is, we’re friends. We push each other to get better, and whoever it is that plays will always have the support of the other.

“The only thing that really matters is that we win.”

Of course, effective quarterback play will speak volumes toward that end. But then again this year, with this team, the QB will not be required to win games as much as he will be asked to not lose them.

Bennett has justifiably said that his second Central team will be dominated by defense, and Saturday’s game certainly was.

The teams combined for 22 first downs and 309 yards of total offense. Last year’s Wildcats offense averaged 20 first downs and 424 yards.

But they played Saturday with a running clock for most of the game, and of course they played all of it without Reilly, now property of the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Which brings us back to the comparison issue.

It’s not desirable to be the man after the man — be it Phil Bengtson following Vince Lombardi or Gene Bartow following John Wooden.

Bengtson, a longtime Lombardi assistant, was let go by the Green Bay Packers after going 20-21-1 over three seasons after succeeding the legend. Bartow left UCLA after going 52-9 through two years and taking the Bruins to a Final Four and Sweet 16.

His winning percentage of .852 was better than Wooden’s .808. Problem was, he wasn’t Wooden.

“Putting points on the board is a concern,” Bennett said Saturday, “but we’ve got a lot of time to prepare for our first game, and we haven’t put nearly all of our offense in.”

Said Robertson, who was 10-for-16 with an interception that went through receiver Mike Waller’s hands and into safety Taylor Breitzman’s, “It was not the best performance I’ve ever had.

“But if you compare today to our first two scrimmages, we got better. Two weeks ago in our first scrimmage, our defense killed us.”

With eight starters back, it should have. And both Robertson and Rasmussen can take solace in no longer having to play against it.

More importantly, they shouldn’t have to play against the ghost of Mike Reilly.

NOTE: This story has been changed from what appeared in printed editions.

CWU spring game set for Saturday

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Central Washington’s spring football game, designed by coach Blaine Bennett to in fact resemble genuine competition, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Tomlinson Stadium.

“We’ve split the seniors up and we’ve had a draft,” Bennett said. “We’ll have a crimson team and a white team. We’ll have special teams and we’ll start it with a kickoff and kickoff return, so it will look like a game.”

The game will consist of four 15-minute quarters with a brief intermission, though it will also feature a running clock.

Admission is free, but fans are asked to bring a can of food to help local food banks.

“Our evaluations of players are complete,” Bennett said, “so we want this event to be fun for the fans and the players — but especially the fans, so they can be excited about what we’re doing. And all our players will get a chance to play.”

Offense picks it up for Central football

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — The offense gained ground on the defense during Central Washington’s second spring scrimmage on Friday, according to coach Blaine Bennett.

“We’re progressing,” Bennett said of a unit that must use a rebuilt line, a new quarterback and might well use one or more new running backs. “We had a nice scrimmage and saw some good things.”

Bennett said Montana State and Fresno City College transfer Jordan Rasmussen had pulled even with redshirt freshman Ryan Robertson in the starting quarterback race.

“Both of those guys played well,” Bennett said. “Last week I said Ryan probably was a little bit ahead, but right now it’s a tossup.”

Another transfer, Bryson Kelly, was impressive at running back. Bennett said J.R. Hasty, a University of Washington transfer who was hampered last year by injuries, missed the scrimmage due to academic issues and that incumbent starter Jerome Morris sat out with an injury.

The Wildcats will hold their spring game next Saturday at 11 a.m.

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