Locally

WSU golfers will pitch in during hurricane benefit

You don’t usually see “golf” and “hurricane relief” mentioned in the same story, but members of the Washington State University men’s and women’s golf teams are helping combine the two today.

WSU golfers made the 5-hour trek to Auburn, Wash., to volunteer as caddies for the “Golf for the Gulf” benefit scramble at the Washington National Golf Course.

Ten Cougars are to join golfers from rival Washington and local high schools to help raise money. Cougars volunteers are Jessica Black, Tracy Broders, Cole Alford, Kevin Chen, Amy Eneroth, Brooke Henderson, Anastasia Kostina, Jeff Langin, Max Reinland and assistant coach Kari Sampson.

“It is a small way to give back to a great cause,” Sampson said. “I hope it’s a gift to us as well. I wanted the team to participate … to realize there are bigger things in life than just collegiate golf.”

The event, sponsored by Seattle-based golf radio show, has a $100 entry fee with the option to have a caddie for an additional $40. Proceeds will help restore the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic 27 miles south of Mobile, Ala. It served folks there for 15 years before being wiped out by Hurricane Katrina.

The Cougars got a $1,000 head start on the fund-raising thanks to the generosity of a Seattle man. Moved by the team’s effort to travel across the state, he originally promised to donate $500. But he changed his donation to $100 for each Cougar who volunteered for the event.

Baseball

Four boys from Spokane and North Idaho are members of the Baseball Northwest Eastern Washington Class of 2007 team that finished second in its pool and had a 2-2 overall record in the Arizona Junior Fall Classic last weekend in Peoria, Ariz.

There were 34 teams from across the country.

Ryan Simmelink of Central Valley led the local contingent with four hits; Alex Capaul of Lake City and Andy Seaman of Coeur d’Alene High each had three hits; and Brandon Hughes of Shadle Park had one.

Jeff Simmelink of Spokane coached the team.

Rodeo

Tahonta’s two-year reign as the Bull of the Year ended.

The bull, which had not been ridden for two years, was covered three times in June. He was taken out of action by Big Bend Rodeo Company owners Don Hutsell of Ritzville and Sonny Riley of Pomeroy because of a suspected injury.

Prior to War Dance of the Broken Arrow string being named the top bull of 2005 by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, bulls from Big Bend or the Flying Five Rodeo Co., which Hutsell and Riley also own, earned the award six times in eight years.

Hutsell and Riley didn’t come up empty as Spring Fling was second in voting for the top bareback horse. The Big Bend mare won the award in 1997 and was the top saddle bronc in 1999 and 2000. Spring Fling was also the runner-up bareback in 2003.

Miss Congeniality out of the Powder River Rodeo string was named top saddle bronc and Real Deal of Smith, Harper and Morgan was the top bareback.

“Sandpoint bareback rider Rowdy Buechner will miss another major Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event because of an injury suffered last month.

Buechner, ninth in the world standings with $68,764, is passing on the Pace Picante ProRodeo Classic in Dallas Nov. 11-13.

Buechner, who ruptured a bursa sac in his hip at the Pendleton Roundup last month, also missed the Pace Picante ProRodeo Challenge last month. However, his winnings should be more than enough to ensure his spot in the top 15 to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December.

Ryan Gray of Cheney, who is fourth in the bareback standings at $94,438, is scheduled to compete in Dallas. Will Lowe leads the bareback riders with $120,382.

The Pace Picante Classic features the top four contestants in each event from the Pace Picante Challenge, which was in Omaha, Neb., and the Pace Picante Chute-Out in Reno, Nev., in June. After those eight, the top four non-qualified competitors from the two-dozen qualifying rodeos head to Dallas, where more than $500,000 in prize money is available.

Wrestling

There will be a rules clinic at West Valley High School on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria.

The clinic is required for all high school coaches and is highly recommended for junior high coaches. The clinician will be Rich Tschirgi.

Info: Mike Sullivan, 467-3036.