To honor Jim Fossum, our Sports Editor, Lincoln City Homepage has dedicated this edition of the Homepage-Mini to sports. With the success of Taft’s athletics its a no-brainer to share all this winning with Lincoln City.
We have known Tom Branford for over forty years
To the Editor:
We have known Tom Branford for over forty years. He is honest, hard working, and down to earth. He is also a dedicated family man.
Although he has worked as a deputy district attorney (1973-1977) and as an attorney in private practice (1977-1989), Lincoln County has elected Tom Branford to serve as a judge for most of his career. Of the candidates, no one knows more about the courts, the law, and the people of Lincoln County than Judge Branford.
Lincoln County needs Judge Branford’s character, good judgment and common sense. Let’s vote to keep him.
Jeff and Louise Waarvick
Lady Tigers outscore Sheridan 56-3 for two softball victories
Say what you want about the Taft High softball team’s spring-break tournament experience last month in California that resulted in five straight defeats to bigger out-of-state schools . . .
The Lady Tigers take losing to heart.
Unbeaten at 6-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state at the time, Taft has transformed the humbling encounters into a six-game winning streak Tuesday by pummeling Sheridan 30-3 and 26-0 on the road.
“Today was actually two of those games that are difficult to play in and to coach,” Taft Coach Sandy Stuart said. “We had the pleasure of being in the warm sunshine, and we were relaxed and hit well, but we had to adjust our game-play quite a bit.”
The Tigers improved to 12-5 and 6-0 in Class 3A West Valley League play by completing a postponed game that started with the score 9-3 with a 27-run five-inning victory. They then went on to defeat the Spartans by 26 runs in five frames in the second game.
Sheridan, which fell to 1-11, 0-6, allowed just 11 Taft hits, but walked 25 batters in the first game. The Tigers, who trailed 3-0 after the top of the first in the uncompleted game, scored nine runs in the bottom of the inning and 11 in the third to roll to the victory.
“It’s hard when the girls are hitting well and wanting to run the bases and you want to encourage their excitement, but also have to remember that there are nine other girls out on the field working hard and struggling,” Stuart said. “We did our best to play and be a classy team through both shortened games.”
Senior third baseman Naomi Rini and sophomore catcher Hailee Danneker had five RBIs apiece in the opener. Winning sophomore pitcher Emma Coulter and senior centerfielder Alyssa Tanksley had three RBIS each.
Outfielder Kyla Knott scored five runs, and fellow freshmen shortstop Claira Tolan and second baseman Kayla Lininger four runs each. All 10 players crossed home plate at least once for the Tigers.
The Spartans walked 15 in the second game, and Taft collected 17 hits as Coulter won again in the circle with a two-hitter and went 4-for-4 with four RBIs at the plate.
Knott, Rini and Denneker joined senior Madison Clanton and junior Lilly Salsbery with three RBIs each for the Tigers, who scored six runs in the first inning, seven in the third and eight in the fourth. Tanksley and freshman Makena Cole had two RBIS each.
All 10 players scored again for Taft, led by Rini with four runs. Knott, Coulter, Tanksley and Cole scored three times apiece.
Fourth-ranked Taft is at seventh-rated Clatskanie (14-2, 3-1 3A Lewis & Clark) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The Tigers host a noon doubleheader Saturday against Colton (5-6, 2-1 3A PacWest).
Taft 30, Sheridan 3
SHERIDAN AB R H BI
S Elston 3 1 1 0
A Miller 2 0 0 0
Z Pacheco 3 0 0 0
M Wofford 2 1 0 0
M Boekhoff 2 1 0 0
M Medina 2 0 1 1
S Olson 2 0 0 0
E Rech 2 0 1 0
M Mehr 2 0 0 0
Lilly Salsbery 1 1 0 1
TOTALS 20 3 3 1
TAFT AB R H BI
Kyla Knott 3 5 1 2
Naomi Rini 3 3 1 5
Hailee Danneker 3 2 2 5
Emma Coulter 3 3 2 3
Alyssa Tanksley 3 3 2 3
Claira Tolan 3 4 2 0
Kayla Lininger 1 4 0 0
Makena Cole 2 3 1 1
Madison Clanton 2 2 0 1
TOTALS 24 30 11 21
SHERIDAN 300 00 — 3
TAFT 93(11) 7x — 30
LOB–SHERIDAN 4, TAFT 10. ERR–E Rech (2), S Olson, A Miller, Kayla Lininger, Claira Tolan. 2B–Claira Tolan, Emma Coulter. 3B–Alyssa Tanksley. HBP–Madison Clanton, Makena Cole, Claira Tolan. SB–Naomi Rini, Hailee Danneker, Claira Tolan.
SHERIDAN IP H R ER BB SO HR
A Miller 4.00 11 28 15 25 2 0
TAFT
Emma Coulter 5.00 3 3 0 2 8 0
PB–S Olson (8). WP–A Miller. BB–M Wofford, A Miller, Naomi Rini (3), Knott (3), Kayla Lininger (5), Madison Clanton, Makena Cole(2), Hailee Danneker (3), Alyssa Tanksley (3), Claira Tolan (2), Emma Coulter (3).
Taft 26, Sheridan 0
TAFT AB R H BI
Kyla Knott 4 3 1 3
Naomi Rini 3 4 2 3
Hailee Danneker 5 2 2 3
Emma Coulter 4 3 4 4
Alyssa Tanksley 3 3 2 2
Claira Tolan 2 2 2 0
McKenzie Evenson 2 2 1 1
Makena Cole 2 3 1 2
Madison Clanton 1 2 1 3
Lilly Salsbery 3 2 1 3
TOTALS 29 26 17 24
SHERIDAN AB R H BI
S Elston 3 0 1 0
E Ayala 2 0 0 0
M Mehr 2 0 0 0
M Wofford 2 0 0 0
M Boekhoff 2 0 0 0
E Rech 2 0 1 0
S Olson 1 0 0 0
A Hermens 1 0 0 0
Gaurdiola 2 0 0 0
TOTALS 17 0 2 0
TAFT 617 84 — 26
SHERIDAN 000 00 — 0
LOB–TAFT 9, SHERIDAN 4. ERR–Naomi Rini, E Rech, M Mehr, E Ayala. 2B–Lilly Salsbery, Emma Coulter. 3B—Alyssa Tanksley, Emma Coulter. HBP–Madison Clanton, Makena Cole, Hailee Danneker. SACF–Madison Clanton, Alyssa Tanksley. SB–Madison Clanton.
TAFT IP H R ER BB SO HR
Emma Coulter 5 2 0 0 2 8 0
SHERIDAN
S Olson 5 17 26 23 15 0 0
PB–M Wofford (5). BB–Lilly Salsbery (2), Naomi Rini (3), Kyla Knott (2), Madison Clanton (2), Makena Cole (2), Alyssa Tanksley, McKenzie Evenson, EmmaCoulter (2), S Olson, A Hermens.
Taft roster/schedule
Class 3A West Valley League standings
Class 3A OSAA rankings
Lefty Kimbrough blazes way for Tigers’ 10th straight baseball win
PHOTOS BY ERIC DEMELLO
Junior reliever Bleiz Kimbrough made the most of a rare start Tuesday with a one-hit, 10-strikeout road shutout of Sheridan for Taft High’s 10th straight victory and seventh in a row shortened by the state’s 10-run mercy rule.
The top-ranked Tigers moved to 16-2 overall and 7-0 in Class 3A West Valley League play behind the southpaw’s 10-0 five-inning victory over the Spartans, who fell to 1-13, 0-7.
“We came out flat tonight and the energy went where we need it to be,” Taft Coach Matt Higers said. “We were glad to get the win tonight, but we know we better be looking ahead and not overlook anyone.”
The Tigers scored a run in the top of the second inning and three in the third before erupting for six in the fourth for a 10-0 lead after defeating the Spartans 28-0 at home on March 21.
Junior second baseman Cody Knott went 3-for-3 with four RBIs to lead the Tigers at the plate. Senior shortstop Josh Salsbery and sophomore Eli DeMello, playing third, had two hits each for Taft.
Senior centerfielder Caleb King drove home three runs, while King, Salsbery and senior first baseman Jack Stempel scored twice each.
Salsbery, Stempel and junior Kam Kessler, starting at catcher, also drove home runs for the Tigers, while DeMello, Knott and cousins Tyee and Trenton Fisher scored once apiece.
Sophomore Josh Rogers had Sheridan’s only hit, while junior starter Cole Arthur suffered the loss.
The Tigers host Horizon Christian/Tualatin (10-3, 4-1) at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at The Pit. The Hawks, who defeated Dayton (6-10, 3-3) 8-6 at home on Tuesday, were the last team to hold Taft under 10 runs despite losing 4-1 to the Tigers at home on April 3.
Taft 10, Sheridan 0
TAFT AB R H BI
Josh Salsbery 4 2 2 1
Eli DeMello 4 1 2 0
Caleb King 4 2 1 3
Jack Stempel 3 2 1 1
Cody Knott 3 1 3 4
Kam Kessler 3 0 1 1
Tyee Fisher 3 1 1 0
Bleiz Kimbrough 3 0 0 0
Trenton Fisher 1 1 1 0
W Mcallister 1 0 0 0
Spencer Adair 1 0 0 0
TOTALS 28 10 12 10
SHERIDAN AB R H BI
Josh McCallister 3 0 0 0
Cole Aurther 2 0 0 0
Josh Rogers 2 0 1 0
Chris Savoldi 1 0 0 0
Brennen Meneley 2 0 0 0
Hunter Hass 1 0 0 0
Donnie Henley 2 0 0 0
Kaden Eggers 1 0 0 0
Tegan Eggers 1 0 0 0
TOTALS 17 0 1 0
TAFT 013 600 — 10
SHERIDAN 000 00x — 0
LOB–TAFT 5, SHERIDAN 4. ERR–Hunter Hass, Kaden Eggers, W Mcallister. 2B–Cody Knott, Josh Rogers. SB—Jack Stempel.
TAFT IP H R ER BB SO HR
Bleiz Kimbrough (W) 5.00 1 0 0 2 10 0
SHERIDAN
Cole Arthur (L) 5.00 12 10 9 2 4 0
PB–Chris Savoldi. WP–Bleiz Kimbrough. BB—Trenton Fisher (2), Hunter Hass, Chris Savoldi.
Taft roster/schedule
Class 3A West Valley League standings
Class 3A OSAA rankings
Taft’s Arce-Torres, Hatton, Rini to sign college athletic letters
Taft High senior track star Gabe Arce-Torres will sign a letter of intent to attend Western Oregon University on Wednesday, May 2, in the Taft High Commons.
Arce-Torres, who turns 18 Saturday, will join senior golfer Maya Hatton and senior soccer player Naomi Rini at 11:45 a.m. in signing letters to attend colleges on athletic scholarships. Hatton has committed to play at the College of Idaho in Caldwell, while Rini has committed to Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton (see below).
“I’m just overjoyed with the opportunity to continue running in college,” Arce-Torres said. “Collegiate sports have always been my dream and it’s amazing to see all the hard work pay off.”
Also a star soccer player, Arce-Torres is the defending Class 3A State titleholder in the 200-meter dash. He intends to study marine biology in the field of natural sciences at the NCAA Division II school in Monmouth.
“As a coach, I am pleased he decided to go D2 rather than NAIA. The competition is much higher and the facilities much nicer,” his father and coach, Joey Arce-Torres, said. “As his father, I love that he is closer to home and that the campus is larger and provides more opportunities for his studies.”
A first-team All-State player and three-time team captain in soccer, the 5-foot, 11-inch, 145-pound National Honor Society member owns a 3.75 grade point average and is the 2017 West Valley League Runner of the Year.
“Ultimately, I am just thankful for all the time I have put into this sport and the fact that I get to continue doing what I love for the next four years of my life,” Arce-Torres said.
Arce-Torres also swam for Taft and was the only swimmer to qualify for State in an individual event (50-meter freestyle). He is the only current Taft athlete to compete at State in every sport he or she has participated in.
“I am extremely proud of him and his work ethic,” his coach and father said.
Stay tuned to LincolnCityHomepage.com for a feature profile on Arce-Torres’ stellar athletic and academic career at Taft High.
The Arce-Torres file
Soccer
2014 — Honorable Mention conference
2015 — Second team conference
2016 — First team conference (17 goals)
2017 — First team conference (24 goals)
Conference Player of the Year
First team All State
Runner up All State Player of the Year
2015-2017 — Team Captain
Track & Field
2016
400 meters: Second at District, third at State
4×400 relay: Second at District, fifth at State
4×100 relay: First at District
2017
West Valley League Runner of the Year
200 meters: First at District, first at State
400 meters: First at District, third at State
4×400 relay: Second at District
PR: 200 meters, 22.47 seconds
2018
PR: 400 meters, 50.44 seconds
PR: 100 meters, 11.39 seconds
Academics
High School GPA: 3.75
2015-2018 — Student Council
2017-2018 — National Honor Society
Activities
2014-2017 — Younglife
2015 — Soccer referee and camp instructor
2016 — Internship at OSU Marine Center
2017 — Summer Employment at Grill 1646
To read about Maya Hatton’s signing at the College of Idaho:
To read about Naomi Rini’s signing at Blue Mountain Community College:
Comeback earns Hatton District Preview medalist honors
Taft High senior Maya Hatton rallied from two shots down at the turn Monday to catch Salem Academy star and longtime rival Katie Goodwin and win the Special District 2 Preview girls golf tournament in Aumsville.
Hatton shot 39 on the back nine for an 18-hole 46-39—85 to win by two strokes over the former Blanchet Catholic player at Santiam Golf Club.
“Again, I can’t say enough about Maya’s hard work,” her coach and mother, Heather Hatton, said.
Taft placed second behind the co-op team of Salem Academy and Blanchet Catholic. A merger of the two squads earlier this season allowed Goodwin to play on a team rather than as an individual this season, Hatton said.
“It created a strong team in our league that will be hard to beat,” she said.
Taft junior Violet Palermini carded her lowest career round with a 102.
“She was hitting her irons very well and has just been working on relaxing and not getting so nervous,” Hatton said. “When Violet just goes out to play golf for fun instead of for score, she does well.”
Junior Olivia Baker compiled a 108 for Taft’s third-best score.
“I’m ready for her to break through 100 any time,” Hatton said. “She works so hard and is striking the ball very well.”
Sophomore Sammy Halferty posted the low round of her career at 110, while senior Jocelyn Arguello shot 121 and sophomore Noa Stoll 127.
“These athletes are working hard,” Hatton said. “Lately, our focus is to just get out and play. They know what to do. They just need to keep playing so they practice how to score low. Short game is key.”
The District 2 tournament is scheduled May 7-8 at Santiam Golf Club.
| 4A/3A/2A/1A
Special District 2 |
| Amity |
| Central Christian |
| Cottage Grove |
| Creswell |
| Junction City |
| La Pine |
| Newport |
| North Marion |
| Regis |
| Salem Academy/Blanchet Catholic |
| Sisters |
| Stayton |
| Sutherlin / Oakland |
| Sweet Home |
| Taft |
| Waldport |
Hospital staff traveled to Uganda for annual medical mission
For the past 25 years, a group of physicians and other staff from Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital have participated in medical mission trips around the world, organized through the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church.
This year’s two-week trip, held earlier this year, included two days at Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement in Uganda. More than 70,000 people live at the settlement, displaced by a brutal civil war in the neighboring country of Congo.
Next, the team spent five days in the city of Ishaka. Stationed outside of Ishaka Adventist Hospital, all care was provided outdoors, sheltered by tents.
Under the guidance of Dr. Erling Oksenholt, this year’s team included Dr. Raj Baman, Dr. Alexa LaFaunce and Dr. Janine VanSant, along with pharmacist Dr. Joe Evans, registered nurse Laura Smith and others from the community, including Johnie Souza, a mental health care provider. While the mission trip is sponsored by the SDA Church, mission participants need only be qualified and willing workers.
Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital has supported the trip all these years by allowing several providers and other clinicians to be away from work at the same time. The hospital has also provided medications for the teams to take.
As a guest on a recent radio broadcast of the “Samaritan Health Report,” Souza told about the trip from her point of view.
“The doctors were busy seeing people with an array of medical problems,” she said. “They saw an incredible garden variety of minor problems to major trauma. Ulcers, significant trauma from physical brutalization, someone suffering from headaches for 10 years, chest trauma from being hit with the butt of a rifle….”
This is the second year she participated. Previous trips have taken medical teams to where there is need and where there are connections to make it happen: throughout Africa, Asia and South America. Those not familiar with conditions in these third-world countries are quick to notice the infrastructure is quite different, the poverty is severe, and the culture is, of course, foreign.
“There is poverty in the U.S. and in Lincoln County, but there is no comparison to what I saw in Uganda,” she said. “Homes don’t have running water and a lot of people work very difficult manual labor jobs.”
As an example, Souza told about a woman with only one usable arm who picked tea leaves 12 hours a day in stifling heat as her only source of income.
While Souza provided some mental health counseling during the trip, her primary task was to provide counseling before and after HIV testing of patients.
“You have to put your western mindset away for a moment,” she said. “I told myself, pretend you are a citizen of the world and don’t place value judgments on others.”
For instance, it’s common in African countries for men to have more than one wife and to have mistresses. The wife has little moral or legal standing. Sexual assault is rampant.
“Their experiences are completely different from mine,” Souza said, “but it was important for me to engage immediately, to develop a rapport right away. People can tell if you really care or if you are just checking off a box. I had to get creative in helping women to be safe.”
The medical mission team members were assisted by the local university’s medical and nursing students, who acted as translators.
“My level of respect for the students is tremendous. Despite the severe poverty, they make every effort to get this education,” Souza said. “Dr. Oksenholt facilitates and encourages us to provide scholarships to the students so they can continue to do their work. A hundred dollars — that’s a month of coffee or soda at Starbucks for some people — that amount of money can help these kids finish their education, to become a doctor, a nurse or a midwife.”
After an incredibly intense and wonderful week of treating patients, the team took a week to decompress. Souza and others hiked into the Bwindi National Forest to see gorillas in the wild.
“It is so cool that Samaritan allows their staff to do this. It’s more than just sending people to work for two weeks. It’s paying it forward so the next generation of doctors and nurses and midwives can serve their own community. We are helping people achieve their goals.”
Winning Tigers warm up to tougher greens in boys golf match
Playing in warm weather and on quick greens on the home course of the 2016 NCAA champion Oregon Ducks, the Taft High boys golf team used a team-leading 81 from junior Logan Merry to emerge victorious Monday at a non-qualifying event in Creswell.
The Tigers, playing short-handed with four players at Emerald Valley Golf Club, defeated previously unbeaten Blanchet Catholic, also playing with just four golfers, 388-397 in a casual 18-hole match that included East Linn Academy and Santiam Christian. Individuals also competed from Waldport, Regis and Amity.
Merry, Taft’s leading player, teed off under blue skies and a little warmer weather than last week’s rainy match at Mallard Creek Golf Club near Lebanon, to shoot 43-38—81, his second lowest score of the season to finish third.
Playing on faster greens that were true but tough, according to Taft head coach Andy Morgan, senior Bonny Patel carded a 48-46—94.
Junior William Brooks came ready to play with “a strong attitude” and shot 51-55—106 under sunny skies, Morgan said.
Anchoring the Tigers was senior Dawson Wood, who carded a personal-low 52-55–107 in his sixth competition of the season.
“Dawson has worked every day on improving upon his consistent fairway play,” Morgan said.
The Tigers will travel to Central Oregon for three days of golf at Quail Run Golf Course over the weekend before hosting the Special District 2 District Championships May 7-8 at Salishan Spa & Golf Resort in Gleneden Beach.
Click here for Taft roster/schedule
Lincoln City swimmers prove there’s no place like home
Come gather ’round people, wherever you roam
And admit that the waters, around you have grown
And accept it that soon, you’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth saving, then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’
Bob Dylan
Huge drops in times were the order of the day throughout the weekend as several swimmers posted their lifetime-best efforts in kicking off the summer swimming season in the Lincoln City Community Center pool.
The Lincoln City Swim Club boys, led by a dominant group of 12-and-under athletes, splashed their way to the team title, while the girls placed third Sunday in the annual April Invitational that featured approximately 230 competitors. More than a thousand family, friends and fans thrust a shot in the arm of the local economy over three days of competition that showcased young swimmers of all ages in various sprint and distance events.
The competition, which began Friday evening with the longer races, included qualifying heat races and finals in the sprints and other events as the weekend progressed. Featured was competitive drama that ran the gamut from early elementary schoolers to teenagers.
Highly decorated Sam Cortes, who had missed practice recently to perform in the orchestra for the Taft High 7-12 production of the Wizard of Oz, confirmed there’s no place like home by swimming four “A” times, while 7-year-old Daisy Cobos won the 200-meter swim in her first-ever event.
“It was a great experience for the kids, sort of a short- and long-course event,” said longtime LCSC and Taft High Coach Lissa Parker of the nine-team meet that was contested in a pool of approximately 33 yards, an unusual length for most Oregon venues.
Among the biggest drops in times were posted by: Abby Halferty, 25 seconds, 200 freestyle; Cooper Holloway, 17, 100 back; Logan Meyer, 28, 200 free; Angel Moreno, 16, 200 free and 17, 200 individual medley; Heidi Moreno, 15, 25 breaststroke; Isabelle Serrato, 26, 100 breast; Noah Serrato, 26, 200 free; and Mike Young, 48, 200 IM.
The Evenson brothers and Jose Luis Cortes garnered several “B” times. Thirteen-year-old Mugen Evenson earned a State time in the 50 free.
For more information on Oregon, Lincoln City Swim Club and Taft High swimming, click here
Taft High’s Knott breaks own school javelin record
PHOTOS BY LON FRENCH
Talk about a short shelf life!
Taft High sophomore Ella Knott broke her own school record in the javelin Friday after setting the mark just two days earlier in Corvallis.
Knott hurled the javelin 130 feet, 6 inches at the Central Coast Invitational track and field meet in Florence mere hours after breaking Rose Hollingsworth’s 13-year-old school record with a throw of 129 feet, 2 inches.
Knott also won the pole vault with a personal-best jump of 8 feet in leading the Taft girls to sixth place in the 13-team event hosted by Siuslaw High School.
The Taft boys, led by senior sprinter Gabe Arce-Torres’ victories in the 200- and 400-meter dashes, placed fifth.
Perennial Class 4A power Philomath won both the boys and girls team titles.
While Knott was the only Taft representative with a top-three finish in the girls competition, senior distance runner Preston Nightingale won the 1,500-meter run, Arce-Torres finished second in the 100 and junior Mad Scott was third in the javelin for the boys.
This post will be updated
Team Scores
| Boys | ||
| 1. | Philomath | 122 |
| 2. | Dallas | 114 |
| 3. | Pleasant Hill | 93 |
| 4. | Siuslaw | 75 |
| 5. | Taft | 69 |
| 6. | Central Linn | 58 |
| 7. | Waldport | 39 |
| 8. | Yoncalla | 27 |
| 9. | Reedsport | 26 |
| 10. | Roseburg | 24 |
| 11. | Sutherlin | 12 |
| Girls | ||
| 1. | Philomath | 187 |
| 2. | Central Linn | 95 |
| 3. | Pleasant Hill | 80 |
| 4. | Dallas | 69 |
| 5. | Siuslaw | 65 |
| 6. | Taft | 43 |
| 7. | Roseburg | 26 |
| 8. | Yoncalla | 23 |
| 9. | Gold Beach | 22 |
| 10. | Waldport | 16 |
| 11. | Sutherlin | 10 |
| 11. | Toledo | 10 |
| 13. | Reedsport | 8 |
