Sports Briefs for Feb. 23

Teams of five are encouraged to sign up for the event, pick a time slot to bowl together and gather pledges that will go to BBBS operations like identifying kids (Littles), recruiting and screening mentors (Bigs), matching Littles and Bigs together and providing professional support for years to come.

If interested in forming a team, contact Kristin Reese, program manager, at bbbs@nextdoorinc.org or 541-386-5440.

Umpires needed for spring season

The Mid-Columbia Umpire Association is looking for a few good men and women to umpire baseball and softball games in the upcoming 2013 high school season. The MCUA covers games for local high schools in the mid-Columbia area. The season starts in March and ends in May. All umpires are paid by the game. Interested individuals should attend a meeting Monday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m. or contact Bob Ford at 541-980-4165.

Young wrestlers star at state

Hood River brothers Noah and Jeremiah Wachsmuth earned a pair of state wrestling titles earlier this month at the Oregon Wrestling Association’s collegiate state championships.

In the novice age division, 80-pound Noah won his third state title by winning five straight matches (three by pin), including a 13-3 technical-fall over Daniel McClung of Salem Elite Mat Club in the finals.

Younger brother Jeremiah, 6, wrestled in the 40-pound class of the bantam division. With low numbers for his age and size, Jeremiah had two byes to advance to the finals, where he pinned Colt Barkow of Fern Ridge.

Both wrestlers were part of the Hood River Wrestling Club but now train out of the Cobra All-Stars gym in Portland.

In the novice division, 65-pound sixth-grader Ryan Zeller finished third in the tournament for Cobra All-Stars. The Hood River wrestler won four straight matches before losing one and forfeiting another (due to injury) to end in third.

Also wrestling out of Hood River was novice 80-pounder Chad Muenzer, who went 4-2 in the tournament to finish just shy of the podium.

The boys train with the Portland mat club and have their sights set on freestyle and Greco roman tournaments this spring and summer (state is April 27-28 in Portland; regionals are June 17-20 in Pocotello, Idaho, and nationals are June 24-27 in Orem, Utah).