Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Sports summary


Sun Valley Storm ninth-grade winners of the Idaho Premier Basketball Tournament in Idaho Falls March 14 were, front, from left, Kaitana Martinez and Haillie Taylor, and, back, from left, coach Russ Dion, Cheyenne Swanson, Emmalie Dion, Tristin Bowers, Cookie Benson, Haylee Thompson and coach Ron Martinez. Photo by

Sun Valley Storm basketball takes title

The Sun Valley Storm girls' ninth-grade basketball travel team won the Idaho Premier Basketball Tournament championship in Idaho Falls Saturday, March 14. Coached by Russ Dion and Ron Martinez, the Storm won its first game of the two-day tournament 61-47 over Rigby, then beat the Boise-based Idaho Hoopsters 46-37. In the title game against the Hoopsters the Storm prevailed 40-32. Players were Cheyenne Swanson, Emmalie Dion, Tristin Bowers, Cookie Benson, Haylee Thompson, Kaitana Martinez and Haillie Taylor.

Heidi Watanabe second in Colorado Nordic race

Ketchum's Heidi Ward Watanabe, 45, finished second among 45-kilometer freestyle women and 13th overall of all 105 skate and classic cross-country skiers in the fourth annual North Routt Coeureus des Bois race March 14 at Steamboat Springs, Colo. Watanabe (2.55:56) was less than six minutes behind women's 45k winner Lenka Palanova, 25, of Boulder, Colo. (2.50:08).

Galena Loppet Nordic tour is Sunday

Galena Lodge is counting down toward its season closing date of Sunday, April 5—but there are a couple of traditional spring events coming up.

The annual Galena Loppet Nordic 20-kilometer tour around the perimeter of the Galena trails is Sunday, March 29 starting at 10:30 a.m. Free of charge, the fun tour has a culinary format because donuts and beverages will be offered along the trails. Wear your costumes, and bring a prize to get as prize. Call 726-4010.

Galena Lodge's Ride-Stride-Glide event is scheduled for Sunday, April 5, with the final details of the course dependent on the weather. Check next week's Express for details.

Taylor is learning with Fifth District cutting horses

Wood River High School freshman Haillie Taylor is riding a cutting horse for the first time and truly enjoying herself on the Fifth District High School Rodeo cutting circuit. Taylor said, "I am learning a lot and having a blast. With each ride I am getting better and better."

She competed with other Fifth District boys and girls at Danny Thomason's in Jerome last week. Taylor had 65-point and 70-point rides in the first and second cuttings and is currently ranked fifth in the season standings with 12.5 points, behind first-place Jamie Lancaster of Valley (20 points) and second-place Chelsey Jones of Richfield (18).

The next cutting is Tuesday, March 31 at 5 p.m. at the Shane Prescott arena in Jerome.

B+ Hockey playoffs are set

First-round match-ups for the B+ Hockey League playoffs have been set. The playoffs begin Sunday, March 29 with three games at Sun Valley Skating Center. Schedule is:

Sunday, March 29—At 6:30 p.m., #1 Isles (8-5-1) vs. #6 Sharks (4-9-1). At 7:45 p.m., #2 Senators (8-5-1) vs. #5 defending champs Hutch's Bad Dogs (4-7-3). At 9 p.m., #3 Vipers (7-6-1) vs. #4 Wildcats (6-5-3).

Other games Sunday are Rangers vs. Devils at 4 p.m. and Blues vs. Hawks at 5:15 p.m.

Lowry finishes DU swim career with a flourish

Denver University women's swimmer Michele Lowry of Hailey finished her collegiate career with record-setting performance in the 1650 freestyle event at the at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships Friday at the Student Rec Center Natatorium on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

A former swimming star for Hailey's Wood River High School, Lowry, 22, is a Dean's List senior and the daughter of Robert and Liz Lowry.

In Texas, Lowry finished 33rd with a time of 16:25.85, breaking her previous record which she set during the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Championships on Feb. 21. Lowry also set a new DU record in the 1000 freestyle with her split time of 9:55.80, breaking another record she set during the SBC Championships Feb. 21.

DU head coach Brian Schrader said, "She had an outstanding race, breaking our school record in the 1000 on the way and her own record in the 1650. It was a great way to see a senior finish her career. To turn around and go faster at NCAAs from the Sun Belt Championships is always a good challenge. She rose to it."

In her first trip to the NCAA National Championships, Sun Belt "Female Swimmer of the Year" Lowry also turned in a 27th-place finish in the 400 IM. Lowry clocked a time of 4:13.40, behind Arizona's Alyss Anderson (4:12.41).

Fifth District Rodeo boxing smoker is April 3

Supporters and friends of Fifth District high school rodeo will attend the 17th annual Fifth District boxing smoker on Friday, April 3 in the Gooding High School gym. Proceeds go to Rotary scholarships and Fifth District rodeo grants. Tickets are sold at the door.

Brundage brings out best J3s for JOs

Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation alpine ski racer Nicole Roos led the way in combined finishes for the eight local 13-14 year olds competing in the Tyson Western Region J3 Junior Olympics held March 20-22 at McCall's Brundage Mountain.

Competing among 75 of the West's best young girls, Roos cracked the top 10 with seventh-place finishes in Saturday's one-run giant slalom and Sunday's slalom, along with an 11th in super giant slalom Friday on Sidewinder/Alpine.

The only SVSEF racer to make the J3 Junior Olympics podium in an individual event was Teagen Palmer, in third place for Friday's SG behind Far West racers Morganne Murphy and Lena Andrews. Like Roos, Palmer is a second-year J3.

Sun Valley's Kipling Weisel, a first-year J3, climbed all the way to sixth place of 95 boys in Saturday's giant slalom that was shortened to one run because of warm weather.

Top local placings:

J3 (13-14) girls: Nicole Roos 11-SG/7-GS/7-SL; Teagen Palmer 3-SG/DNF-GS/8-SL; Cate Fairley 30-SG/35-GS/55-SL; and Amanda Stelling DNF-SL.

J3 boys: Kipling Weisel 16-SG/6-GS/DNF-SL; KJ Savaria 17-SG/19-GS/42-SL; Ben Kanellitsas 49-SG/26-GS/22-SL; and Cole Caulkins 51-SG/77-GS/DNS-SL.




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