TOM MYKLEBUST ON SPORTS Lower Columbia Sports Round-up

Posted @ Sep. 15 2011 03:13PM by Susan - out-and-about

Summer reflections and the promise of fall ~ tailgating, soccer, Rainier versus Longview high school football

As summer comes to an end and we head into fall, we thought we should take a moment to reminisce about the highlights of the summer and look forward to upcoming sporting events.

Lower Columbia College Softball

The summer began with the end of an era. With 10 NWAACC (Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges) championships under his belt, Lower Columbia College head softball coach, Tim Mackin, has retired. During his tenure he helped lead the program to national recognition, including being named National Coach of the Year. He hands the line-up card to four-year Oregon State University softball standout Traci Fuller.

“We are confident that Traci will perform to the high standard of expectation of Red Devil softball,” said Kirc Roland, LCC Athletic Director. In addition to her role as coach, Fuller will also serve as an educational planner for students, with the hope that athletes will be more connected and retained.

LCC Soccer

Women’s soccer is back at LCC after a two-year hiatus. The season is underway with home games to be played at the Northlake Field or “Pitch” on Olympia Way in Longview. The well known and respected Harlan Cruiser will lead the team.

Another retirement of note is LCC athletic secretary, Carol Carlson. Although she is gone, she won’t be forgotten, as we will be seeing her lend a hand as statistician at various sporting events. Replacing her is Traci Hollgoss, from Tacoma Community College, where she held the position of athletic secretary for 20 years.

Red Devil Sophomore Classic

Fall’s final event at David Story Field is the Red Devil Baseball Sophomore Classic. Scheduled for 9 am on September 24, it will showcase elite players from 32 community colleges, including seven LCC players. Pro and college scouts will be in attendance and the event is open to the public.
Cowlitz Black Bears: Only Corby will be hibernating

Soon the management team of the Cowlitz Black Bears will meet with the LCC Athletic Department to share next season’s big plans for our local West Coast League (WCL) baseball team. Tony Bonacci, owner of the Cowlitz Black Bears, has been pleased with the success of the last two seasons, but knows there is more work to do to close the gap between the WCL and the Cape Cod League, which is the current benchmark.

“Our goal is to be the premier summer league, attracting the best players from across the nation,” Bonacci said. He wanted to give a special thanks to Bryson Leblanc and his coaching staff for all of their hard work and leadership that has brought the Black Bears to where they are. “We believe the new head coach, Tim Matz, selected after a rigorous interviewing process, will meet the high standards set for the Black Bears.”

From the beginning, Bonacci said he wanted the Black Bears’ games to be a gathering point for the community and this was seen during this second season. The fans really showed their support of the special event nights and the final games of the season. The final game, played against the Corvallis Knights on Aug 10, drew 2,000 fans. Bonacci, who lives in Phoenix but also has a home in Longview, has been impressed with the local community support of other sports, including LCC basketball and various youth sports.

Cross-river rivalry

Perhaps the biggest news among youth sports is the cross-river rivalry developing in anticipation of the scheduled football game between Mark Morris High School of Longview and Rainier High School. Both teams have performed well in recent years at their state play-offs. R.A. Long has played Rainier in the past and is also scheduled to play them this season.

As always there are plenty of traditions around tailgating before and events after football games. I personally witnessed some impressive functions last year at Castle Rock and Woodland. Check, via websites or by phone, with your high school of choice for their events and schedules, If you have a tradition you want to share, feel free to post a comment at the end of “Tom Myklebust on Sports” at www.crreader.com.

And don’t forget all the opportunities we have in our region with hiking, biking, golfing and boating to round-up your own sporting event. Fall is a most spectacular time of year for these activities.

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Longview resident Tom Myklebust, a landscape designer/consultant, recently completed the Master Gardener program. He enjoys sports of all types and is often seen at local games, especially Mark Morris High School and Cascade Middle School teams, on which his two sons play. His adivice to Columbia River region residents: “Seize the moment. The weather is so great. People should be out golfing, hiking, whatever. . . Get outside and do it!”