The fourth annual Gorge Hoops Invitational featured two days of fiery and competitive action in The Dalles on Jan. 11 and 12, with 22 boys and girls teams from third through eighth grades from Boardman, Hermiston, Hood River, The Dalles, Maupin, Moro, and Goldendale battling it out for bragging rights and some hardware.
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Locking horns against a stout McMinnville squad, The Dalles Riverhawks made the shots and stops when it mattered most in erasing a five-game losing streak 51-48 against the 6A Grizzlies Friday in boys hoops play at Kurtz Gym.
PORTLAND – Numbers can be deceiving. In the case of The Dalles 13- to 15-year-old All-Stars during the Babe Ruth Regional Championships last week in Portland, the team went 2-2 overall, scored 33 runs on 34 hits and the pitching staff gave up nine runs, six earned, on 17 hits in that same span, but the team did not make it through pool play.
Hunter Padberg said he and his teammates are not settling on one accomplishment, they have their hearts set on much more. Even with a state championship in the bag, the focus of The Dalles’ 13-15-year-old All-Stars is putting together another all-around slate of games at the Babe Ruth Regional Tournament at David Douglas High School in Portland.
Two years ago, Greg Cummings fielded a group of baseball players to a runner-up finish at state. With several of those athletes back, the expectations for the 2018 Babe Ruth All-Stars are higher. “I hate to say world series or bust, but that’s where I am going,” Cummings said.
Successful foundation is in place for another deep playoff run Needing to reel off seven straight wins in six consecutive games, The Dalles’ 10 U All Stars had their work cut out for them if they were going to chalk up a state qualification. Tuesday, that thought went by the wayside, as the Stars had their season cut short in a 14-1 final matchup against Hermiston in loser’s bracket play at Lava Ridge School.
