Gorge sports roundup for June 8, 2022
Columbia Gorge resident Joe Wampler has been named the OSAA Softball Umpire of the Year. Wampler was nominated by the Mid-Columbia Umpires Association (MCUA) and Commissioner Robert Jamack. He was chosen by the OSAA as this year’s top softball umpire in Oregon from 16 different nominations across the state.
Appearing in the semifinals for the first time since 2017, the Dufur/South Wasco County High Rangers had an excellent opportunity to reach the OSAA Class 2A/1A baseball state championship game for the first time ever.
The Special District 7 Champion and No. 4-ranked Rangers (24-3) led 3-2 over the Special District 4 Champion No. 1 ranked Umpqua Valley Christian High Monarchs (25-5) in the ninth inning. The Rangers were hoping to extend the contest into the 10th to give themselves a chance to win.
The Dalles High Riverhawks boys doubles tennis team of juniors Paul Capek and Paul Kelly took third place in the OSAA Class 5A state tournament last month at the Babette Horenstein Tennis Center in Beaverton.
On May 7 at the Hood River Event Site, teams from the Hood River, Columbia (Wash.), Lincoln and Newport High Schools competed in the Oregon State High School Sailing Championships — also known as the Forrest Cook Regatta Oregon Cup. The Columbia Bruins, led by team captains Leif Hauge and Cole Newbrook, dominated the competition and won the Oregon State Championship for sailing. In a competition that rewards teams with the lowest scores, the Bruins scored a total of 20 points. The next closest school was Lincoln High School with 46. The Bruins placed first in all but four of the 12 regattas that were held.
In past seasons, losing six seniors off a varsity boys soccer team at Columbia High would lead to rebuilding talk for the subsequent season, but Coach Daniel Mangum’s program enjoyed a large turnout of players this spring. That, and the talent level of some of the younger players, bodes well for the Bruins’ future.
The Hood River girls tennis team sent doubles team senior Brissa Rojas and junior Vivian Olson to the OSAA State Tennis tournament in Portland on May 20. Despite back-to-back losses, head coach Margaret Bogard said both Rojas and Olson grew as tennis players.
The Hood River Valley boys lacrosse team couldn’t overcome the Lincoln Cardinal offense as they placed second in the 2022 Oregon Cascade Cup.
The Eagles did not qualify for the state playoffs, but a consolation tournament — the Cascade Cup — provides those teams with another opportunity at postseason play. Hood River are pretty regular visitors to the Cascade Cup championship. In the last seven seasons HRV has last played in three finals and won the trophy in 2015 when they took down La Salle 11-10.
