SportsPortlandTribune.comTribune PAGE B8 PortlandTribune THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013 KerryEggers

ON SPORTS Peterson gamble pays off Texas sophomore Ryan Crouser, from Barlow High, is still peaking in the shot and discus for OSU as Eugene awaits the NCAA championships, June 5-8. COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS hen you’ve won a pair of national championships, Wyou normally don’t offer a scholarship to a ■ recruit sight unseen. Former Barlow star favored to win NCAA shot put title That’s exactly what Oregon State coach Pat Casey did in the case of Andy Peterson last yan Crouser’s next visit to Hay- for them and a lot of other family and spring. ward Field should be much friends being able to watch me perform.” Peterson was the star short- With injuries more enjoyable than his last. Crouser’s school-record throw of 69 stop at Santa Ana (Calif.) Col- R The last time Crouser set foot feet, 2 1/2 inches — achieved during the lege, and in the historic home of the University of Big 12 Championships at Waco, Texas, on Casey was in Oregon track and fi eld, he was watching May 5 — is light years ahead of Texas the market from the sidelines, injured and unable to Tech’s Kyle Weldon, No. 2 on the colle- for a middle behind him, compete in the U.S. Olympic trials last giate list this spring at 63-9. infi elder who July. Crouser is 12th on the current discus could pro- Nearly a year later, the Texas sopho- list at 194-6, just short of his personal-re- vide immedi- more out of Barlow High is cord 196-1, set while placing ate help with healthy and the heavy fa- fourth at the NCAA cham- the loss of STORY BY Crouser calls vorite to win the shot put pionships last year but well senior short- title in the NCAA champion- KERRY EGGERS behind 2013 leader Julian stop Ryan ships, June 5-8 at Eugene. Wruck of UCLA at 216-8. Dunn. “I thought, “I’m real excited to be “I’m real happy with The Bea- ‘Great, coming home,” says Crouser, an over- where I’m at right now,” says Crouser, on vers were I have to the shots whelming favorite to claim the shot put the watch list for the Bowerman Award, playing at title this season. “My grandparents are given to the nation’s top college track and Southern Cal see the big track fans and haven’t gotten to see fi eld athlete. “But I feel like there’s a fair last May, so coach on me compete in college. I’m really excited amount more I can do.” Casey called It’s a comeback season after a struggle “a couple of crutches. to stay healthy during and after his fresh- guys I trust This isn’t man year at Austin for Crouser, who as and asked, senior at Barlow set three national prep ‘Who should going to go “I’m really excited for (my grandparents) and a lot of records — the indoor shot (77-2 3/4), the I go see very well.’ ” indoor 16-pound shot (63-11) and the out- play?’ ” the — Andy Peterson, other family and friends being able to watch me perform.” door discus (237-6). OSU skipper Oregon State He was hampered when he tore a liga- says. second baseman — Ryan Crouser, Andy Pe- University of Texas, on competing at Hayward Field in two weeks See CROUSER / Page 4 terson, they told him. Problem was, Peterson — hitting .426 with 25 RBIs in just 29 games — had just been shut down for the season with a stress fracture in his left leg. PDXSports Friday, May 24 When Casey called to re- quest a meeting, “I thought, College : It’s the fi nal ‘Great,’ ” Peterson recalls. “ ‘I Thursday, May 23 weekend of the Pac-12 season, have to see the coach on with Oregon State (22-5) in fi rst crutches. This isn’t going to Prep track and fi eld: The two- place by two games over Oregon go very well.’ ” day, Oregon School Activities (20-7) and UCLA (20-7). The But it did. Association Class 3A, 2A and 1A Beavers open a three-game series “I went in there thinking, state meets begin at Hayward at home vs. State, 4 ‘How can I recruit this guy if I Field in Eugene. First fi eld event is p.m. (Pac-12 Networks), while the don’t see him play?’ ” Casey at 10 a.m. First running event Ducks begin a three-game series at says. “But I fell in love with goes off at 1: 30 p.m. Utah, 5 p.m. PT. UCLA is at Stanford his character and makeup. It Timbers U-23s: Portland plays (fi fth in the conference at 14-13), 7 didn’t take me long to make a host to the Vancouver Whitecaps p.m. WSU is 9-19 and next-to-last decision. I could tell, this guy U-23s at Jeld-Wen Field, 11 a.m. in the Pac-12, but 14-15 overall at is real, man.” College golf: The University of home. The Utes are 6-21 in Pac-12 So without seeing Peterson Oregon women swing into the play. ... play, even on video, going on a third day of four at the NCAA Linfi eld, ranked No. 1, opens play hunch and championships at the University in the NCAA Division III champion- the advice More online of Georgia Golf Course. The Ducks ship tournament at Appleton, Wis. of some are among 24 team qualifi ers. The Wildcats (38-7) will face the trusted Read other One of two seniors in the fi ve- Ithaca (N.Y.) Bombers (38-6) at coaching Kerry Eggers columns during player UO lineup is Avery Sills 11:15 a.m. PT. The tourney goes TRIBUNE PHOTOS: JAIME VALDEZ colleagues, Lincoln High’s Allie Hueffner (left) and Kadie Hueffner go for a ball in their states doubles fi nal last Saturday the week at portland from Lincoln High. ... through Tuesday. Casey took tribune.com Concordia’s women are one of Prep track and fi eld: The Class against Jesuit’s Darby Rosette and Sarah Murphy at Tualatin Hills Tennis Center. The Hueffner twins won a chance 27 teams at the NAIA champion- 6A, 5A and 4A state meets begin 6-2, 6-3 to propel the Cardinals to the Class 6A championship by one point over Jesuit. The teams tied last and offered ships at Lincoln, Neb. Today is their two-day run at Hayward Field, year, and Lincoln took the crown in 2009 and 2010. The Hueffners also won the doubles title in 2012. a ride. round three of four at Wilderness and the 3A, 2A and 1A meets con- Good move, I’d say. Ridge Golf Club; the tournament clude. The larger schools’ fi rst fi eld Shockwave (4-2) meet again, this Peterson has been a for- ends Friday. The Cavaliers, who event is at 9 a.m., and the fi rst run- time at 5 p.m. at Milwaukie High, tress at second base for the have won two straight regional ning event is at 10 a.m. For the the Fillies’ home fi eld. On April 20, third-ranked Beavers (43-9 titles, are led by individual region- three smaller classifi cations, fi eld the Fillies beat the Shockwave 6-0 overall, 22-5 in Pac-12), who al champion Sunny Powers, a events start at 2:30 p.m., and run- at Hillsboro Stadium. open the fi nal three-game se- junior from North Medford High. ning events begin at 4:20 p.m. ries of the regular season at Patricia Little, a freshman from : The Portland Sunday, May 26 5:30 p.m. Friday at Goss Stadi- David Douglas, placed third for Chinooks (2-3) welcome the um with a chance to clinch the Cavs (ninth overall) at the Vancouver Volcanoes (7-2) to College baseball: The Pac-12 their fi rst conference champi- regional. Eastmoreland Courts for an regular season concludes with onship since 2006. College track and fi eld: The International Basketball League Washington State at Oregon State, The 5-11, 170-pound junior NCAA West prelims, to qualify ath- game, 7 p.m. The Vancouver roster noon (Pac-12 Networks), and is batting .332 — a point be- letes for the Division I champion- includes Josh Tarver from Oregon Oregon at Utah, noon PT. UCLA hind co-team leaders Michael ships, is on tap through Saturday State and former Portland State wraps up its series at Stanford with Conforto and Dylan Davis — at Austin, Texas. Oregon’s men Vikings Chehales Tapscott, Andre a 3 p.m. game. and has teamed with short- and women are both ranked third Murray, JR Moore and Paul Hafford. College softball: Game 2 of the stop Tyler Smith to form as in the nation, and the Ducks have Goutham Sundaram gets congratulations from his Lincoln High mates best-of-three NCAA super regional good a keystone combination 29 men’s entries and 23 women’s Saturday, May 25 after he defeated Connor Leahy of Jesuit 6-4, 6-3 to win the Class 6A between Oregon and Nebraska as there is in the Pac-12. entries. The top 12 in each event singles title last Saturday at Tualatin Hills Tennis Center. Sundaram starts at noon at Howe Field on the “Andy has been an unbe- advance to the nationals at Timbers: Portland (4-1-7, third in also won in 2012. Jesuit took fi rst at this year’s state tournament with UO campus. If Game 3 is neces- lievable addition,” Casey says. Hayward Field June 5-8. ... the MLS Western Conference) plays 20 points. Sunset was second with 17, and Lincoln placed third with 12. sary, it would start at 3 p.m. “He can bunt, he can run, he Concordia is among the teams the team with the worst record in (ESPNU both games). can defend, he can play short, in the three-day NAIA champion- the league, D.C. United (1-8-2). The Megan Rapinoe (playing in France) in the Pac-12, is at Stanford, 7 p.m. he can play second. And at ships, which start today at Indiana game is at multipurpose RFK and Amy Rodriguez (starting a fami- College softball: The Oregon Tuesday, May 28 times this season, he has been Wesleyan University in Marion, Stadium, capacity 19,647, 4 p.m ly). Opponents have outscored the Ducks are playing host to an NCAA our best hitter.” Ind. Among Concordia’s top con- PT (ROOT). Reign 12-4, and Portland beat them super regional — a best-of-three Prep baseball: The state semifi - Peterson had drawn plenty tenders: Willy Irwin, who ranks fi rst Thorns: Starfi re Sports Complex, 2-1 at Jeld-Wen Field on April 21. series with Nebraska. Oregon, the nals are on tap for 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A of interest from major Divi- in the shot put and second in the a 4,500-seat stadium in Tukwila, Other soccer: The Rose Festival Pac-12 champion, is 49-9; the and 2A/1A teams. sion-I programs but, on the discus; Adam Riddle and Bo Wash., is the site for Portland’s road Soccer Classic runs today through Huskers, who placed second in the Prep softball: It’s the state semis advice of his coach at Santa Johnson, who are ranked second game against the rival Seattle Monday at Delta Park. The tourna- Big Ten, are 43-13. The fi rst game is for 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A/1A. Ana, decided to wait until “the and third, respectively, in the Reign, 7 p.m. The Thorns are 5-1-1 ment has eight men’s divisions 5 p.m. today at Howe Field in perfect school calls.” hammer; Gabriella Dixson, who is (16 points) and tied for fi rst with (from under-18 to over-60) and Eugene (ESPNU). Wednesday, May 29 That was Oregon State. seeded fi rst in the women’s shot Sky Blue FC, which has the same three women’s division (under-18, Prep track and fi eld: It’s the “I liked the coaches,” he and discus and fourth in the mark. The Reign are last in the open and over-30). fi nal day of the 6A, 5A and 4A state Timbers: In a third-round U.S. says. “I liked the way they women’s hammer; Sharayah eight-team National Women’s College baseball: Washington meets at Hayward Field. Field Open Cup match, Portland is one of presented themselves. They Kenady, second in the women’s Soccer League at 0-6-1. Seattle State plays at OSU, 1 p.m. (Pac-12 events begin at 9:30 a.m., and run- 32 remaining teams and plays its guaranteed me nothing but an hammer; and Linsie Michels, sec- has suffered from injuries to Hope Networks), and Oregon is at Utah, 3 ning events start at 12:30 p.m. fi rst game versus United Soccer opportunity to play. That was ond in the women’s 800 and Solo, Keelin Winters, Elli Reed and p.m. PT. UCLA, which went into the Women’s football: The Portland League’s Wilmington Hammerheads, fourth in the 1,500. Kate Deines and still is without weekend tied with Oregon for second Fighting Fillies (5-1) and Portland 7:30 p.m., Jeld-Wen Field. See EGGERS / Page 6