Gorge sports roundup for March 8, 2023
Fall finishes, spring plans: Gorge sports roundup for March 8. 2023.
Hood River Valley’s Emily Teets recorded the top individual finish of Gorge-area skiers, and the Hood River Valley boys team posted the top team finish at last week’s Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association state championships at HooDoo.
Hood River Valley’s girls basketball team this season snapped a league losing streak that spanned six years and also recorded the most wins for the program since 2017-18.
Hood River Valley native Jonah Tactay continues to improve his triple jump prowess and, in the process, edge up the University of Oregon’s all-time ranking in the event.
The Dalles High School senior Zoe Dunn fulfilled a goal that she’s had for many years, as she recently received a college scholarship to attend Eastern Washington University in Cheney and compete on the Eagles’ NCAA Division 1 women’s track and field team.
Hood River Valley finished with an 11-13 overall boys basketball record and was 8-8 in its first season in the Class 5A Northwest Oregon Conference after splitting its final two league games.
Former Hood River Valley High School graduate and current Phoenix, Ariz., resident Cody Kunigel led his Canyon Athletic Association (CAA) high school prep basketball team to a state championship last month. Kunigel and the Ridgeline Academy Eagles won four straight games in the CAA Division 2 tournament to be crowned champions on Feb. 21. The Eagles defeated the Southwest Leadership Academy Rams 77-38 in the final on the campus of Arizona State University.
The Dalles High Riverhawks baseball team struggled last year (4-20 overall record, 2-13 league) while competing in the Class 5A Intermountain Conference, finishing last in the six-team league. Reshuffled into the Class 4A ranks, and with a new head coach, the Riverhawks will look for success this season in the six-team Tri-Valley Conference.
A year ago, The Dalles High Riverhawks boys golf team had one of its best seasons in recent history. Led by No. 1 golfer Joe Codding, the Riverhawks won the Class 5A Intermountain Conference District tournament in The Dalles, they finished second in the District 1 regional tournament in Portland and they took eighth in the state tournament in Corvallis.
For the first time in recent history, The Dalles High Riverhawks girls golf team will be able to have a team score in tournaments.
The No. 14-ranked The Dalles High Riverhawks (11-13) fell one game shy of the reaching the OSAA Class 4A boys basketball state tournament March 9-11 at Forest Grove, losing 70-31 in a first-round playoff against the No. 3-ranked Cascade High Cougars (21-3).
The Hood River Valley High School Nordic ski team competed at the OISRAN (Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association Nordic) high school Nordic championships held at Mount Bachelor near Bend on Feb. 24-25. Skiers from 14 teams across the state competed in a 5K skate race on Friday afternoon, then a 4K classic-style race on Saturday morning, followed by varsity and JV three-member team relay races.
The Dalles High Riverhawks begin the Class 4A softball season with high hopes. Many factors indicate that they could be a top contender for the Tri-Valley Conference championship.