by Richard Uhlhorn
Sophomore Alexander Marron-Andrade broke free from Cascade defenders to score Chelan’s winning goal in overtime to help the Goats that the CTL Title for the sixth time in eight years.
It was an epic soccer game for the Caribou Trail League Championship between two of the best teams in the CTL on Tuesday, May 1. The Chelan Goats hosted the Cascade Kodiaks at Mt. Goat Field on a beautiful day for soccer. Both teams entered the game with records of 6-1; Cascade losing to Chelan earlier in the season 2-1 at Leavenworth and Chelan losing to Cashmere in Cashmere 0-3 earlier in the season.
The game started out tough against the Goats. “The players told me going in that they were tired,” said Coach Jamie Richards. “That first 20 minutes were scary.” Cascade ruled the offensive side and kept Chelan on its toes as they attacked and attacked, but Keeper Diego Martinez played extraordinary ball, keeping the Kodiaks from scoring. “He is a freshman coming in and he is stepping up when it matters,” said Richards.
Chelan Freshman Keeper Diego Martinez was busy keeping Cascade from scoring more than the two goals they scored in this epic battle between two of the best soccer teams in the CTL.
Chelan looked tired for the first 20 minutes, but dug in and began to play ball. “It takes a while to recover and we were lucky to get through the first half,” said Richards. “We started playing ball.” Both teams had a number of opportunities to score during the first half, but both goalies were able to keep the ball out.
It was in the second half that the action got serious with both teams tied 1-1 with 10 minutes to play. Chelan scored again with 5:25 remaining to play and took the lead 2-1, but Cascade continue to battle back. “They are a quality team,” Richards said.
Chelan was on its way to a win… the clock was stopped at 1:55 and referee’s clock was winding down and the Goats has possession of the ball at Cascade’s end of the field. “I have told them and told them, “We keep the ball… keep it… don’t try to score.” Of course the Goats tried to score that final goal and Cascade went into transition, brought the ball down field and with just a few seconds remaining, put the ball into the net to tie the game at 2-2 forcing a five minute overtime with the first team to score winning the contest.
At the short break between regulation play and overtime, Coach Richards asked the team if they wanted to go for it. “They said they were tired, but lets go for it.” Go for it they did, scoring the winning goal with a few minutes left to play and taking the CTL League Championship title for the sixth time in eight years (2nd place in those years they didn’t win the title.)
“It’s one game at a time now,” said Richards. The team is seeking an automatic berth into the State Playoffs at the District Championships when they face the winner of the Cashmere/Bridgeport game on Tuesday, May 8, at Mt. Goat Field. “This is more than a semi-final game for us,” said Richards.
Senior Erik Cardenas scores Chelan’s second goal of the game to take the lead in Chelan’s win over Cascade on Tuesday.
Chelan’s senior soccer players and their parents were honored at Chelan’s final regular season game on Tuesday. From left to right are Alejandro Avila, Ronnie Barajas, Daniel Lopez Jr. Erik Cardenas, Eleazar Pacheo and Raul Mendoza-Negrette.
IN OTHER SPORTS ACTION:
SOFTBALL:
Chelan Goats Varsity fell behind early and couldn’t come back in a 10-6 loss to Okanogan on Tuesday. Okanogan scored on a grand slam by J Radke, a double by J Ramsey, and a stolen base by Ramsey in the first inning.
Despite the loss, Chelan Goats Varsity did collect 11 hits in the high-scoring affair. Unfortunately, Okanogan had 18 hits on the way to victory.
Okanogan got on the board in the first inning when Radke homered on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring four runs.
Chelan Goats Varsity put up three runs in the seventh inning. Azzia MacDonald, Sierra Shively, and Taylor Boykin all moved runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.
V Bauer led things off on the hill for Okanogan. She went seven innings, allowing six runs on 11 hits and striking out six.
Leanna Garfoot and Taylor Sams pitched for Chelan Goats Varsity. They allowed 18 hits and ten runs over seven innings, striking out one and walking zero.
Chelan Goats Varsity collected 11 hits. Boykin and Ashley Oswald all had multiple hits for Chelan Goats Varsity. Boykin went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Chelan Goats Varsity in hits. Ashley Sams had a big triple, the biggest hit of the day for Chelan.
GOLF:
Chelan Golf Seniors Emily Christenson and Corbin Morley
Chelan’s top 5 boys took on the Rope Rider course at the Suncadia Boys Golf Invitational, Competing under sunny but breezy conditions, against schools of all divisions, Chelan came in 10th of 26 teams represented. Chelan’s Corbin Morley, after a lackluster performance yesterday at Leavenworth, came back to shoot a 79 (38-41) [if I counted correctly, tied for 11th] with teammate Miles Grossberg close behind with an 81 (40-41). With one senior, one sophomore, and three freshman representing Chelan, it suggests some good years ahead for the Chelan boys golf team (and room for improvement!).
Chelan Freshman Ainsley Pehrson
Chelan will finish its regular season matches this Thursday on its home course against non-league Quincy, which will include senior recognition for our two seniors.
The end-of-season District and state-qualifying match will be on May 14th at the Alta Lake Course in Pateros, with state competition the following week in Spokane.
Chelan’s boys ;golf nipped the Cascade Kodiaks by a stroke, 367 to 368, to take team honors today at Cascade’s home course in Leavenworth. Individual medalist honors go to Cascade’s Tim Wells with a 79, followed closely by Chelan’s Miles Grossberg with an 83. For the girls, Cascade took a commanding win with a 426 to Chelan’s 475, with medalist honors going to Cascade’s Maddie Hontou with a 94.
Tuesday Chelan’s top 5 boys take part in the Suncadia Invitational, and the whole team finishes off the regular season on Thursday with a home match against nonleague Quincy.
TENNIS:
Sierra Rothlisberger (FilePhoto)
Chelan @ Okanogan, Tuesday, May 1
Boys: Chelan 4, Okanogan 1
#1 Singles: Micah Larson (C) def Brady Cate 6-0, 6-1
#2 Singles: Alex Gavin (C) def Cody Hawley 6-3, 6-1
#3 Singles: Tyler Higgins (C) def Quinlan McLean 6-1, 6-1
#1 Doubles: Max Cheeseman/Jay Nearents (O) def Wyatt Habich/Tobin Wier 6-0, 6-1
#2 Doubles: Eli Phelps/Steven Williams (C) def Gavin Headlee/Dylan Hinger 6-2, 6-4
The Chelan boys improve to 4-3 in the CTL, and 8-4 overall.
Girls: Chelan 5, Okanogan 0
#1 Singles: Emma McLaren def Hayley Wyllson 6-4, 6-1
#2 Singles: Sierra Rothlisberger def Alexandria Perez 6-0, 6-1
#3 Singles: Madeline Peebles def Jasmine Yusi 6-1, 6-2
#1 Doubles: Abby Martin/Sydney Hawkins def Hanna Smith/Sarah Dixon 6-4, 6-4 <This was a signature win for Abby and Syd over one of the top doubles teams in the CTL.>
#2 Doubles: Elle Rothlisberger/Bella Gatzemeier def Alison Johnson/Felicia Allen 6-3, 7-5
The girls remain strong, with a CTL record of 6-1, and 10-1 overall
Chelan JV wins:
Scott Abel/Aiden Peterson 8-5
Katelyn Deal/Cailee Parham 8-1
Lana Fielding/Madison Latter 8-6
Next up: our CTL regular season finale on Friday in Cashmere
Subject: Chelan Tennis Results for this Weekend’s Inland Empire Tournament
On April 27th and 28th, Chelan traveled to Spokane for our annual participation in the massive Inland Empire Tennis Tournament. This tournament is one of the largest high school tournaments in the nation, featuring 780 athletes from 52 high schools in Washington and Idaho. The tournament utilizes 11 sites and over 80 courts. We attend this tournament in order to test ourselves against the highest level of competition, in preparation for similarly grueling match days in the upcoming post-season. Half our team played three or more matches in difficult heat on Friday, some athletes laboring on the court for more than 5 hours. It was excellent preparation for the same strenuous conditions they will face in the CTL, District 6 and state tournaments next month. We didn’t face many schools of our size, but despite the stiff competition from higher classifications, 1A Chelan performed VERY well.
Chelan’s #1 girls singles entry Emma McLaren (sophomore) opened against a tough opponent from 4A West Valley (Spokane), and gave her opposition everything she could handle before falling 4-6, 4-6. However, Emma bounced back to win her next four matches in a row, claiming the consolation championship and placing 5th overall out of 38 entries. On Friday, Emma won match #2 vs Post Falls (Idaho) 6-4, 6-4 and won match #3 vs 3A Shadle Park (Spokane) 6-4, 6-2. On Saturday, her matches were shortened due to rain, but she won the consolation semifinal 4-0, 4-3 vs Colville and finished the tournament with a comeback win 1-4, 4-1, (10-8) over 4A Central Valley (Spokane).
Our #2 girls singles entry was junior Katelyn Deal, and she also opened with a difficult 1st round opponent, losing 6-3, 6-1 to a 4A Hanford competitor who would eventually play for the bracket championship. However, Katelyn followed up with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win over 3A Rogers (Spokane) before being eliminated by 4A Ferris (Spokane) in her 3rd match on Friday.
Chelan’s #1 girls doubles duo of junior Sierra Rothlisberger and senior Madeline Peebles had a stellar Friday, winning 7-6, 6-2 over Deer Park, 6-2, 6-1 over Lakeside and 6-4, 6-2 over 2A Pullman. Unfortunately, Chelan was in a tough quarter of the bracket, and their 4th match on Friday was against the tourney #1 seed from 4A Wenatchee. Sierra and Madeline played their best tennis of the year, but came up short against the tournament favorite 6-1, 6-3.
Chelan’s #2 girls doubles tandem of senior Sydney Hawkins and junior Abby Martin opened the day with a route of Lind-Ritzville-Sprague 6-0, 6-0. Match #2 was a heart-breaker, with Syd and Abby losing two close sets to 2A West Valley (Spokane) 5-7, 4-6
The future of Chelan girls tennis officially became the present this weekend, as the highest Chelan finish in the tournament went to the #3 girls doubles freshmen team Elle Rothlisberger and Bella Gatzemeier. On Friday, Elle and Bella won three straight matches, defeating 4A Hanford 6-2, 6-2, surviving 4A Central Valley (Spokane) 7-6, 6-4, and handling Riverside 6-1, 6-2. That placed Rothlisberger and Gatzemeier in the tournament semifinals on Saturday morning vs Othello, where they staged a 2nd set comeback to win 6-1, 7-5. The tournament championship match was a back and forth affair, with a junior and senior tandem from 3A Southridge eventually narrowly topping the Chelan frosh team 4-6, 6-3, (10-6). Big congratulations to Elle and Bella, who finished 2nd out of 37 entries. (pic attached)
#1 boys singles senior standout Micah Larson had a stellar opening match on Friday, defeating a talented LaSalle (Yakima) opponent 6-2, 6-0. However, in the 2nd round, Larson fell to rival Caleb Hardestry of Tonasket to end his tourney hopes.
CHS’s #2 boys singles entry Scott Abel, a 1st year senior tennis athlete, had his first ever singles tournament experience this weekend, and drew the big boys as opponents. Scott’s growth this year has been tremendous, despite falling short in his opener to 4A University (Spokane) and his consolation match vs 2A West Valley (Spokane).
In #1 boys doubles, junior Wyatt Habich and sophomore Tobin Wier shined in their opening match, defeating Lakeside 6-4, 6-1. Our #1 boys team also faced an unfortunate draw, falling to tourney #2 seed 4A Wenatchee in round 2. They put up a good fight, losing 6-1, 6-3.
The #2 boys doubles entry of senior Alex Gavin and junior Tyler Higgins made the biggest tourney splash for the boys team this year. Despite losing their opener to Cashmere’s #1 doubles team, Alex and Tyler rebounded to defeat 2A Cheney 7-5, 0-6, (10-6) and finished Friday with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Post Falls. In Saturday’s consolation semifinal, Alex and Tyler struggled vs Moscow (Idaho), losing 2-6, 1-6. Gavin and Higgins finished the tournament with an injury default win over Pullman to take 7th out of 42 doubles teams.
Chelan’s young #3 boys doubles pairing of sophomores Steven Williams and Eli Phelps gained valuable tournament experience on Friday, but lost their opener to 2A Pullman, and fell short in a close match-up with 2A Ellensburg 6-4, 6-3.
Next up: we finish the regular season with week with matches in Okanogan on Tuesday, and Cashmere on Friday.
BASEBALL:
Chelan’s Kenny Reeves swings a mean bat. (File Photo)
The Chelan baseball team took the victory from the okanogan bulldogs by a score of 5 -4 yesterday in a real nail biter. The duo of Connor Wilson and Drake Bird pitched for the Goats, scattering 5 hits in the 7 inning contest. At the plate, Chelan was led by Kenny Reeves, and Breckin Sporseen with 2 hits apiece.
All Things Lake Chelan 