Lava Bears best Storm for 1st time this decade

Published 7:56 am Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Bend High on Monday accomplished something no Lava Bears girls golf team had done in nine long years: beat Summit.

“First time since 2008,” said Bend coach Lowell Norby. That was the year the Lava Bears won the Class 5A state title — the program’s fifth and most recent state championship — a week after finishing first to Summit’s third in the Intermountain Conference district championships. That district tournament marked the last time Bend had placed ahead of Summit — until Monday’s Bend Invitational at Bend Golf and Country Club.

Summit had beaten Bend in every matchup since on its way to winning the past eight 5A state titles.

“We’ve been second (to Summit) a LOT,” Norby observed. “This was a special day for our kids.”

Kaylie Hayes, playing with a painful left thumb that, according to Norby, she had slammed in car door last week, led the Lava Bears on Monday with an 11-over-par 83. Virginia Felder shot 87, Megan McCleary 90 and Ascha Kelleher 93 to account for Bend’s 353 total. That was 11 strokes better than the Storm, who were second at 364. Other Central Oregon teams in the eight-team field were Crook County, which finished fifth at 423; Ridgeview, sixth at 456; and Sisters, seventh at 486.

Summit’s Olivia Loberg took medalist honors by four strokes, firing a 1-over 73. Pendleton’s Haley Greb was second at 77, followed by Wilsonville’s Kaitlyn Howe at 78.

Wilsonville was third in the team scoring with a 377, and Pendleton was fourth at 392.

In defending champion Summit, Pendleton, Bend and Wilsonville, Monday’s field included four of the top five team finishers at last year’s 5A state tournament.

“This was kind of a litmus test,” Norby said, with an eye on next month’s state championships.

But for now, Norby said, the Lava Bears will cherish a rare victory over their powerhouse crosstown rivals.

“They’re a class act,” said Norby of the Storm. “They’re an outstanding program, and it was nice for us to get ’em — at least once.”

Also Monday:

Baseball

Madras 6, Gladstone 5: MADRAS — The White Buffaloes scored all six of their runs in the fifth inning of a Tri-Valley Conference win. Kanim Smith finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Madras (2-3 TVC, 3-10 overall) and Tyler Lockey recorded two hits. Lewis Fine struck out three in a complete game.

Softball

Crook County 11, Molalla 1: PRINEVILLE — Emma Ackley finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a double in a five-inning Tri-Valley Conference win for the Class 4A No. 10 Cowgirls. Matney Searcy and Ashley Owens both finished with two hits and two RBIs, while Aspen Christiansen, Hailey Smith and Abby Dalton all finished with an RBI off two hits for Crook County (5-0 TVC, 9-4 overall). McKuenzie McCormick struck out six in a complete game.

Gladstone 9, Madras 0: GLADSTONE — Jiana Smith-Francis struck out two and recorded the only hit for Madras in a Tri-Valley Conference loss. The White Buffaloes fell to 3-2 in the TVC and 8-6 overall.

Girls lacrosse

Summit 24, Marist 5: EUGENE — Fiona Dolan led the Storm with six goals in a Central Oregon Conference win. Julia Stites finished with four goals, and Lila Reineke and Parker Campbell both had three. Spencer Hurley and Nicole Gallivan finished with two goals each and Macy Brundage, Jane Jones and Erin McIntyre all added a goal for Summit (2-0 COC, 6-1-1 overall).

Sisters 11, Cleveland 7: PORTLAND — Bree Papworth and Kaylee Huber led the Outlaws with three goals each in the nonconference win. Mia Cook and Katelyn Josten both finished with two goals and Sydney Head chipped in a goal for Sisters (3-4). Makila Lajko recorded eight saves in goal for the Outlaws.