‘Yote Notes – Feb. 15, 2006

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

 

 

 

 

 

ATHLETIC NEWS:

 

FINAL TAILGATE PARTY OF SEASON: The Albertson College of Idaho alumni office will be hosting their final tailgate party of the season on Friday night in conjunction with the Coyote basketball games with Eastern Oregon.  The party will be from 6:30-8 p.m. in Blatchley Hall – to RSVP, contact Mary Bitner at 459-5300.

 

TRACK TEAM HEADS TO MOSCOW: The Albertson College track team will compete in their final regular-season indoor meet of the year, traveling to the University of Idaho for the Vandal Invitational.  The Coyote contingent will be looking to improve on NAIA qualifying times for the Indoor Championships in Johnson City, Tenn. this March.

 

SPEAKING OF THE TRACKSTERS: The Coyote cross country and track team will be holding the first annual “Dash for Cash” to support the travel efforts of both teams.  The athletics will run for 30 minutes at the Caldwell High track on March 15 and donors are asked to pledge money for each lap an athlete (or coach completes).  For more information, contact head coach Pat McCurry at 459-5085.

 

BASEBALL (3-0): ‘Yotes open season with sweep of L&C, host Puget Sound in weekend three-game set

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Lewis & Clark (W 14-0, W 10-2, W 14-12)

 

COMING UP: vs. Puget Sound (DH), Saturday, 11 a.m.; vs. Puget Sound, Sunday, Noon.

 

‘YOTES OPEN WITH SWEEP OF LEWIS & CLARK: The Albertson College baseball team opened up their 2006 season with a bang, outscoring NCAA Division III opponent Lewis & Clark College 38-14 is a season opening sweep of the Pioneers.  The wins extended the ‘Yotes win streak to seven dating back to the 1989 season.

 

BEST START IN YEARS: The 3-0 start by the Coyotes was the first time ACI had won three-consecutive games to open the season since 2000.  Only two other times have the ‘Yotes started better since baseball was brought back to the College in 1987 – the 1990 team opened 4-0 and the 1987 squad won their first five games.  The school record for season opening was 13, set by Babe Brown’s 1958 team that finished 20-4 and won the Northwest Conference championship.

 

STRANDLUND SETS THE TONE: The opening game of the L&C series was started with a bang from senior Charlie Strandlund (Victoria, B.C. / College of Southern Idaho), who punched out ten Pioneer batters en route to the first one-hitter by the ‘Yotes in five years.  The All-American fanned six straight batters at one point, allowing just a seeing-eye single in his five inning stint.  The last one-hitter tossed by a Coyote happened the weekend of April 20-21, 2002 – when Taylor Blair and Chris Eggleston threw one-hitters on back-to-back days against Oregon Tech.

 

IS 19 STRIKEOUTS A RECORD: Strandlund was not the only Coyote getting into the strikeout act in Game 1 of the series, as the ACI staff collected 19 total K’s in the win.  Carson Taysom (Pocatello, Idaho / Century HS) had four strikeouts in two innings of work, Pat Lyon (Bonners Ferry, Idaho / Bonners Ferry HS) and Dominic De La Paz (Nampa, Idaho / Nampa HS) each had one, with Joe Balbas (Boise, Idaho / Lamar CC) striking out the side in the ninth.  The 19 strikeouts is a team record since baseball returned in 1987, however, the most K’s by a ‘Yotes team occurred on April 11, 1961, when Del Smith and the C of I fanned 20 Northwest Nazarene batters in a Coyote win.

 

ERICKSON DELIVERS IN RELIEF: Last season, Paul Erickson (Burlington, Wash. / Everett CC) struggled at times with his command, leading to a 7.93 ERA.  If his appearance in Game 2 Saturday is a preview of 2006, last year is a thing of the past.  The senior tossed four innings of one-hit relief in the 10-2 win, striking out five batters without a walk.

 

FREESE HAS PERFECT AFTERNOON: Not only did the ‘Yotes pitch well on Saturday, they brought out the sticks, pounding out 33 hits in the twinbill.  Leading the charge was senior Nate Freese (Vancouver, Wash. / Skyview HS), who had six hits in six at bats, including a double, a triple, and five RBI.  He finished the weekend with a .778 batting average and six RBI – and a slugging percentage of 1.222.

 

PORTER BACK IN BUSINESS: A key to the success of the 2006 Coyotes is the health of their pitching staff.  One of the key cogs made his return as James Porter (Greenleaf, Idaho / Northwest Nazarene U.) pitched two innings on Sunday.  Porter, who had not pitched in a game for 18 months after elbow surgery, faced eight batters, allowing a hit and three strikeouts in his 32-pitch performance.

 

NEW SHORTSTOP IS A BIG HIT: Fans of ACI baseball were amazed at the play of new shortstop Casey Oliver (Pocatello, Idaho / College of Southern Idaho) during the L&C series.  The junior went 10-for-12 at the plate with eight runs scored – he rapped three doubles, a triple, stole four bases, and knocked in five runs.  Oliver also had a 1.250 slugging percentage and cleanly fielded ten balls in the infield.  He currently leads the entire NAIA in batting average (for players with eight or more at bats this season).

 

TALE OF THE NUMBERS: After the first weekend of play, the Coyotes rank No. 3 in the NAIA in team batting average (.420), while their runs per game average (12.67) ranks No. 2 in the nation.  Albertson is one of multiple teams who have yet to be caught stealing (16-for-16), with their team ERA (2.00) ranking No. 5 in the nation.

 

PUGET SOUND COMES TO TOWN: The Coyotes will play their second-consecutive series against an NCAA Division III opponent this weekend, as Puget Sound comes to Caldwell.  The Loggers (0-1 in 2006, 14-23 in 2005) look to rebound after a tough 2005 season in which they finished in seventh-place in the nine-team Northwest Conference.  UPS returns former All-NWC pitcher Taylor Thompson to the mound, but do not return any All-NWC players in their batting order.  The two teams have met 22 times since 1987, with the ‘Yotes holding a 17-5 series edge.  Albertson and the Loggers have not met since 2003, when the ‘Yotes won 2-of-3 games from UPS in a February series in Caldwell.

 

AROUND THE REGION: No. 3 ranked Lewis-Clark State opened up their season with a three-game home sweep of Vanguard of California.  LC-State needed a four-run eighth to win the opener, 6-4, then swept a Saturday doubleheader (9-7 and 7-0).  British Columbia dropped the first four games of their California road trip (losing to Concordia-Irvine, Cal Poly-SLO, The Masters, and Redlands) before topping Claremont-Mudd on Monday afternoon.  Eastern Oregon, Concordia, and Oregon Tech all make their 2006 debuts this weekend, while Corban does not play until Feb. 23.

 

MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information regarding the Albertson baseball program, head to the official site Coyote baseball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/baseball.htm.  Up to date regional scores and standings can also be found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/baseball/stats/standings.htm.

 

MEN’S BASKETBALL (11-15, 8-9 CCC): ‘Yotes to end regular-season by hosting I-84 Cup rivalry game with Eastern Oregon

 

LAST WEEK: vs. No. 14 Oregon Tech (W 111-104 OT), vs. No. 10 Southern Oregon (L 83-76)

 

COMING UP: vs. Eastern Oregon, Friday, 7:30 p.m.

 

RADIO AND INTERNET: All 27 regular-season men’s basketball games will be broadcast live in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM, the “Home of the Coyotes.”  Mike Safford Jr. begins his fifth season as the play-by-play man for Albertson basketball, with the pregame show beginning 20 minutes prior to every game.  All games can also be heard live on the Albertson Athletic Website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/audio/YoteSports.asx. 

 

CCC POLL: The top three spots in the Cascade Conference coaches’ poll remained the same – as Warner Pacific, Southern Oregon, and Oregon Tech held on to their position.  The next three spots flip-flopped order, as Northwest, Corban, and Eastern Oregon rounded out the Top-6.

 

PLAYOFF PICTURE: Heading into the final weekend of the season, seven of the eight spots in the Cascade Conference tournament have been filled, but the seeding is completely up in the air.  The strangeness of the 2005-06 season has five teams in a logjam between third and seventh-place – separated by a game and a half.  Currently, Corban, Oregon Tech, and Northwest all sit at 9-7, a half game up on Eastern Oregon, with the ‘Yotes a game behind EOU.  At the top of the league are Warner Pacific and Southern Oregon – with WPC holding the tie-break edge, while Concordia and Evergreen State battle for the final playoff slot – with CU holding a game edge in the standings, but Evergreen holding the tie-break edge.

 

CHANGES TO THE TOURNAMENT: This year, the Cascade Conference postseason tournament will not be a straight-bracketed event.  Following the first-round of the tourney, the top remaining seed will host the lowest remaining seed, while the second-highest remaining seed will host the second-lowest remaining seed.  Criteria for breaking of ties in the final CCC standings have also changed – with head-to-head meetings taking preference.  That is followed by record vs. teams .500 or better, record vs. opponents in descending order, usage of the Sempert System, and if needed, the flip of a coin.

 

COYOTE PLAYOFF SCENARIOS: Here are the possible playoff scenarios for the ‘Yotes heading into Friday’s game with Eastern Oregon – with ACI still having an outside chance at a home playoff game.

With win over Eastern Oregon on Friday night:

ACI and Eastern tied for sixth – (6. ACI, 7. EOU)

ACI-EOU-Northwest tied for fifth – (5. ACI, 6. NW, 7. EOU)

ACI-EOU-Corban tied for fifth – (5. winner ACI/EOU flip, 6. loser ACI/EOU flip, 7. COR)

ACI-EOU-Oregon Tech tied for fifth – (5. ACI, 6. OIT, 7. EOU)

ACI-EOU-NW-Corban tied for fourth (with No. 8 seed Concordia) – (4. winner of ACI/EOU flip, 5. loser of ACI/EOU flip, 6. COR, 7. NW)

ACI-EOU-NW-Corban tied for fourth (with No. 8 seed Evergreen) – (4. Corban, 5. winner of ACI/EOU flip, 6. loser of ACI/EOU flip, 7. NW)

ACI-EOU-NW-OIT tied for fourth – (4. ACI, 5. OIT, 6. NW, 7. EOU)

With loss to Eastern Oregon on Friday night:

ACI would be seventh unless tied with Concordia, then ACI would be the No. 8 seed

 

WILD WIN VS. OREGON TECH: Craig McGee (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, including 11 points in overtime, as the Albertson College men's basketball team clinched a Cascade Conference postseason berth with a wild 111-104 victory over No. 14 ranked Oregon Tech in a raucous J.A. Albertson Activities Center on Friday night.  After the Coyotes blew a 15-point first half lead, the two teams battled to nine ties in the second half.  OIT took a 89-87 with 1:25 left on an Andre Lawrence trey, only to be countered by a Dan McFaul (Moses Lake, Wash. / Big Bend CC) fifth three-pointer of the night, to give ACI a 90-89 edge with 59 ticks left.  McGee would split two freebies with 14 seconds remaining and Lawrence would send the game to overtime with a putback with nine seconds left.  In overtime, McGee took over, scoring 11 of the 20 Coyote points, and pulling down five rebounds, three on the offensive end. 

 

MAC’S HAVE MONSTER NIGHT: Both of the ‘Yotes “Mac’s” – Craig McGee and Dan McFaul were the catalysts of the upset of Tech.  McGee’s 30 points and 12 rebounds were career highs, while McFaul scored 26 points and had 11 rebounds – the 26 points also a career high.  As a unit, the Albertson posts outscored the OIT posts, 59-5.

 

RECORDS TIE OR FALL: Multiple records were tied or broken in the ACI-OIT marathon.  Craig McGee broke the school record for free throw attempts in a game with 23 (he had 14 made FT), eclipsing the mark of his head coach, Mark Owen, who had 20 free throw attempts in 1985.  The 54 free throws attempted by the Coyotes equaled the all-time record in ACI and set a new Oregon Tech record for free throws attempted by an opponent.  Rounding out the records were the 17 treys made by Oregon Tech players – which was a new high for an ACI opponent.

 

NEAR TRIPLE-DOUBLE: Lost in the hoopla of the game was an outstanding performance by guard Derek Brown (Las Vegas, Nev. / Desert Pines HS) – who had one of his best all-around games of his career.  The senior made 5-of-6 shots from the floor, scoring 14 points, grabbing ten rebounds, and handed out nine assists – just one shy of a triple-double.

 

SCORING RECORDS IN GYM: The 215 combined points were the most scored in an ACI game in facility history and the 111 points trailed only the 117 points the 1995-96 NAIA championship team scored against Patten College on Dec. 2, 1995.  OIT’s 104 points were the third-highest scoring contest by an Albertson opponent in facility history.

 

TOUGH LOSS TO SOUTHERN OREGON: Shea Washington scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half, including two late three-point plays, as No. 10 ranked Southern Oregon defeated Albertson College, 83-76, in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center on Saturday night.  The win pulled SOU into a first-place tie with Warner Pacific in the Cascade Conference standings and extended their win streak to seven games over the 'Yotes.  After the Raiders opened a 31-14 first half lead and led by 35-22 at the break, the Coyotes opened the second half on an 11-0 run to make it close.  A Derek Brown steal and bucket gave ACI their first lead at 53-52 and the game was tied twice down the stretch.  Tied at 59-59, Matt Cowell gave Southern the lead for good inside the six minute mark with a lay-up, then back-to-back Washington three-point plays helped balloon the lead to 74-64.  The Coyotes would close to within four in the final minutes, but the Raiders put the game away from the line.

 

I-84 CUP A MUST WIN FOR BOTH TEAMS: The battle between Albertson and Eastern Oregon on Friday night is not only the final regular-season game for two Coyotes and three Mountaineers, but with the dizzying playoff picture, a win is a must for both clubs.  Eastern (16-10, 9-8 CCC) has played well away from Quinn Coliseum, winning 7-of-12 games, thanks to the play of Idaho State transfer Maurice Thomas (13.0 ppg, 4.3 apg).  The Mounties also have a solid post presence with Chad Fairbanks (12.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg) – who is nursing a broken thumb, and outside gunners in Mark Carollo (12.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and Eric Orton (10.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg). 

 

MORE ON THE CUP AND SERIES: ACI and Eastern have played every season since 1945 (the longest continuous rivalry for the Coyotes) – with the ‘Yotes holding a 79-35 in the series (Albertson and Northwest Nazarene had played every season from 1946 to 2001, before a two-year hiatus).  The ‘Yotes have now won eight-consecutive games against EOU in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  With the emerging popularity of the men’s game among the respective student bodies, an “I-84 Cup” will go to the winner of each game – the trophy residing at the winning school until the next meeting.  “Albertson has become one of our greatest rivals,” said EOU athletic director Rob Cashell.  “The I-84 Cup represents added incentive to prepare for the 'Yotes and earn a victory. It also gives our fans and boosters an added experience."  The I-84 Cup has been in Caldwell since a Jan. 7, 2005 victory by the Coyotes and will be courtside on Friday.

 
MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information regarding the Albertson men’s basketball program, head to the official site Coyote Basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.
 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (16-12, 10-7 CCC): Lady ‘Yotes earn No. 5 seed in CCC Tournament, host EOU in regular-season finale

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Oregon Tech (L 56-47), vs. Southern Oregon (W 67-55)

 

COMING UP: vs. Eastern Oregon, Friday, 5:30 p.m.

 

RADIO AND INTERNET: All home Albertson College women’s basketball games will be broadcast live on the internet, via the ACI athletic website (www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/audio/YoteSports.asx), with student broadcaster Jake McClean calling the play-by-play In addition, all women’s road playoff games will be carried live on 1490 KCID-AM.

 

FINAL NIGHT FOR THE SENIORS: Friday night will cap the regular-season home careers of four Albertson women’s basketball players.  Desirae Smoot (Provo, Utah / Western Wyoming CC) has scored 410 points and had 322 rebounds in her two-year career with the Lady ‘Yotes.  Annie Roeser (Homedale, Idaho / Homedale HS) has been a role-player for her four years with the squad, seeing action in 43 games.  Angie Gribble (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) has been with the squad for four years, the last two as the starting point-guard.  Gribble has scored 506 points in 79 career games.  Kim Strunk (Twin Falls, Idaho / Twin Falls HS) has been with the squad for four seasons, earning All-Cascade Conference honors last year.  She ranks among the career ACI Top-10 in nine different statistical categories.

 

MORE ON THE CAREER RECORDS: Kim Strunk continues to move up the charts on the ACI career record book.  By converting 8-of-10 free throws last weekend, Strunk is now 337-for-422 all-time at the line (.799 percent), continuing to put distance between her and current Borah High head coach Alyson Pincock in both categories.  She ranks No. 3 in blocked shots (55), is fifth in games played (112) and rebounds (622), sixth in points scored (957) and field goal attempts (707), and is seventh in (125) and field goals made (294). Also on the chart is Angie Gribble, as she ranks third on the all-time steals list (149), is fifth on the all-time three-point field goals made (68), assists (257), and three-point attempts (239) list.

 

CCC AND NATIONAL POLL: The Cascade Conference women’s basketball coaches’ poll was released on Monday and was identical to the past week.  Warner Pacific remained No. 1 in the league after sweeping Corban and Concordia.  Second was Corban, followed by Eastern Oregon, Oregon Tech, and the Lady ‘Yotes.  Warner Pacific was the lone CCC team in the NAIA Top-25, earning a No. 21 national-ranking this week. 

 

LADY ‘YOTES CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT: With a win on Jan. 30, the Albertson women’s basketball team became one of five Cascade Conference clubs to clinch a berth into the CCC postseason tournament.  Beginning February 21, the eight-team tournament will have the top four seeds host first-round playoff games, with the semifinals set for Feb. 24, and the championship to be played on Feb. 27.  The regular-season champion, Warner Pacific, along with the CCC tournament champion, will receive automatic bids to the NAIA Division II national tournament in Sioux City, Iowa.

 

A STAPLE IN THE PLAYOFFS:  Albertson has now advanced to the CCC Tournament in ten of the 11 seasons since women’s basketball was reinstated at the College in 1995.  The Coyotes have advanced to three NAIA Division II tournaments (1998 – first round, 2000 – quarterfinals, 2001 – championship game), but have never won a Cascade Conference postseason tournament (advanced to the finals in 2000, 2002, and 2005).

 

COYOTES STUCK IN THE NO. 5 SLOT: With one weekend left to play, Albertson will be the No. 5 seed in this year’s CCC Tournament.  The ‘Yotes will play either Oregon Tech or Corban in the opening round – on the road.  Two wins by OIT, coupled with two Corban losses would send ACI to Salem for a meeting with the Warriors, otherwise, the Lady ‘Yotes are headed to Klamath Falls to meet OIT.

 

HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE: The J.A. Albertson Activities Center has been the tonic for the ACI women’s basketball team during the last ten years.  This season’s 8-3 home mark has added to the dominance the Lady ‘Yotes have had on their own floor – as Albertson has posted a 92-38 all-time mark in Caldwell.  In fact, the Coyotes have never recorded a losing home record in program history.

 

LADY ‘YOTES TURN UP THE “D”: Defense has been the key for the Lady ‘Yotes, as Albertson has held each of their last ten opponents under 61 points per game.  Opponents are averaging just 53.1 points per game during the streak, while converting just 34-percent of their field goal attempts.  The number is even more disheartening for opponents outside the arc, as the Coyotes have held clubs to just 21-percent shooting from long range in upping their overall mark to 16-12.

 

65 IS THE MAGIC NUMBER: Looking throughout the 28 games this season, the number 65 stands out for the Lady ‘Yotes.  When Albertson scores 65 or more points in a game, they have posted a 13-1 record.  When the club fails to score 65 points, they are just 3-11.

 

TOUGH LOSS TO OREGON TECH: Kelsi Haylett scored eight of Oregon Tech's ten points in a decisive second half run as the Owls defeated Albertson College, 56-47, in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center on Friday night.  With the loss, the Lady ‘Yotes were relegated to the No. 5 seed in the CCC postseason tournament.  Leading 38-37, OIT got back-to-back treys from Haylett at the six-minute mark, then added a driving lay-up a minute later to build a 48-39 edge with four minutes remaining.  The Coyotes, who hit just 5-of-33 shots in the opening half, pulled even with Tech four minutes into the second half at 28-28 on a Kim Strunk trey, but never led in the game.  Haylett led all scorers with 15 points, with Ashley DuBrey adding 12 points seven rebounds.  Jori Grady (Roseburg, Ore. / Umpqua CC) led ACI with 14 points, while Strunk had eight points and 14 rebounds.

 

QUICK START HELPS LADY ‘YOTES DOWN SOUTHERN: A day after hitting just 25 percent of their shots in a loss to Oregon Tech, Albertson College bounced back with strong Saturday night shooting performance and a determined inside attack to roll over Southern Oregon, 67-55, in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  It was the second-straight season that the Lady 'Yotes have swept the season series from the Raiders, as ACI hit 49-percent of their attempts from the floor in the win.  Though they did hit a few dry spells, the night went very well for the Coyotes as they started with a 22-5 opening charge.  Down 2-0 quickly, ACI answered with an Angie Gribble trey, then two Whitney Clark (Jerome, Idaho / Jerome HS) three-balls.  Two Kim Strunk free throws and two Strunk lay-ins made it 15-4. Jori Grady added an 18-footer, Clark a driving bucket, then a Grady trey for 22-5 lead with 10:18 in the half.  Strunk finished with 15 points in the win, while Grady added 13 and seven rebounds, and Clark had 11 points

 

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE MOUNTIES: Although the I-84 Cup, a traveling trophy between Eastern Oregon and ACI, is only awarded following each men’s basketball contest between the schools, the women’s teams from each school battle as well if a trophy was on the line.  The Mountaineers (20-7, 13-4 CCC) have won eight consecutive games (ten consecutive regular-season games) against their Idaho rival, including a 67-47 win in La Grande in December.  The last Albertson win came during the 2002 CCC postseason tournament, when the Coyotes topped Eastern 92-71 to advance to the CCC title game.  It is the 25th meeting between the teams since 1995, with the ‘Yotes holding a 13-11 edge.  Leading the charge for EOU, who has won eight games in a row, is the backcourt tandem of Heidi Horobiowski (13.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Christie Weaver (11.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg), along with Adria Layne (11.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg) and Sheena Henderson (11.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) in the paint.  The Mounties have won games on the glass, outrebounding their opponents by nine boards per night – ranking No. 3 in the NAIA Division II in rebound margin.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For up-to-date statistics, stories, and information about the Albertson women’s basketball team, head to the official website for the Lady ‘Yotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm. 

 

SOFTBALL (0-2): Coyotes fall at Utah Valley State, open home season Thursday vs. Northwest Nazarene

LAST WEEK: at Utah Valley State (L 10-2, L 11-1)

 

COMING UP: vs. Northwest Nazarene (DH), Thursday, 2 p.m.

 

TOUGH OPENER VS. DIVISION I SCHOOL: The Albertson fastpitch softball team opened up their fifth season last Saturday at Utah Valley State and dropped a doubleheader to the Wolverines, 10-2 and 11-1.  The NCAA Division I school pounded out 21 hits in the mercy-rule shortened games, including ten extra base hits.  “Utah Valley has an solid batting order,” said ACI head coach Al Mendiola.  “From one-through-nine in the order, each one of their hitters can lace a ball off the fence.”

 

KIRTLEY STARTS OUT STRONG: A bright spot for the Lady ‘Yotes was centerfielder Heather Kirtley (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), who was the lone Albertson player to record hits in both games.  The junior went 2-for-3 in the opener, including an RBI single, followed by a 1-for-2 performance in the night cap.  A hot start is nothing new for Kirtley, who opened up last season batting .448 after ten games.

 

ILLIAS OPENS CAREER WITH BANG: Catcher Nicole Illias (Beaverton, Ore. / Valley Catholic HS) made the most of her first appearance in a college game.  The freshman ripped an RBI triple off the centerfield wall in the second inning of Game 1 for her first collegiate hit.

 

CONTROL ISSUES: The Coyote pitching staff had trouble with Utah Valley all afternoon in Orem’s cold weather, as ACI allowed seven walks in eight and two-thirds innings of work.  To compound the situation, UVSC batters had a .804 slugging percentage and a .527 on base percentage in the twinbill.

 

GAME ADDED WITH NNU: The Lady ‘Yotes have added a doubleheader to their 2006 schedule, as Albertson and Northwest Nazarene will meet Thursday afternoon in Caldwell for the first of three meetings between the rivals.  ACI will travel to Nampa to meet the Crusaders on March 29, while NNU will return to Symms Field on April 18.

 

ABOUT THE 2006 CRUSADERS: Fueled by their biggest recruiting class, NNU (12-42 in 2005) is very optimistic about the 2006 softball season.  The Crusaders emphasis has been on their offensive attack throughout the preseason workouts, as NNU lost 15 games by three runs or less.  Leading their attack is dual threat Adrian Herman (.338 2 HR 15 RBI, 8-23 4.18 ERA), a two-time All-GNAC selection and infielder Teri Setbacken (.260 23 RBI).  However, the Crusaders must improve on their .208 team batting average and their 5.21 team ERA if they are going to have a successful season at the NCAA Division II level.

 

ALL-TIME SERIES: Since both Albertson and Northwest Nazarene began softball programs in 2002, the series has been dominated by the school in Western Canyon County.  In the 24 games played between the schools, ACI holds a commanding 18-6 edge and has won the season series in each of the first four years.  At Symms Field, the Lady ‘Yotes hold a 7-3 edge against the Crusaders.

 

CONCORDIA OPENS WITH FOUR WINS: The only other Cascade Conference softball team to open up their season has been Concordia, who swept a pair of doubleheaders from George Fox and Lewis & Clark.  Annele Huckins got three of the four wins for the Cavaliers, striking out 20 batters in 18 innings of work.  This week, Southern Oregon will open their season against Lewis & Clark, while Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, and Corban all open their 2006 campaigns at the end of the month.

 

MORE INFORMATION: Updated information and statistics on the 2006 softball team can be found on Albertson softball official website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/fastpitch.htm.  Up-to-date NAIA Region I standings can be found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/softball/stats/standings.htm.

 

SKIING: Men’s and Women’s Alpine teams capture fourth-straight NWCSC title

 

LAST WEEK: at Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference Qualifier #4 (slalom), Mission Ridge Resort – Saturday Men 2nd, Women 2nd; Sunday Men 2nd, Women 2nd.

 

COMING UP: at USCSA Western Regional Championships, Steamboat Springs, Colo. – February 25-26.

 

MEN’S SQUAD COMPLETES CONFERNECE FOUR-PEAT: For the fourth-consecutive season, the Albertson College men’s alpine ski team took home the overall team championship during the eight-race Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference season.  The Coyotes rallied from a poor opening weekend to shine – finishing the final five races with three first-place and two second-place finishes.  The ‘Yotes had four skiers finish in the conference’s top-ten in points – Matt Sylvester (Missoula, Mont. / Sentinel HS) in second, Justin Rackley (Lake Oswego, Ore. / Lakeridge HS) in fourth, Kevin Makinson (Richland, Wash. / Richland HS) in sixth, and William Moss (Bountiful, Utah / Western State Coll.) in seventh.

 

FINAL MEN’S NWCSC STANDINGS: Team – Albertson College 540, U. of British Columbia 520, U. of Oregon 330, U. of Puget Sound 312, U. of Washington 305, Washington State U. 265, U. of Idaho 245, Seattle U. 198, Central Oregon CC 187. 

 

‘YOTES COMPETE WELL VS. DEFENDING USCSA CHAMPS: Head coach Ron Bonneau was excited going into last weekend’s qualifier, as defending USCSA champion Rocky Mountain was headed to Mission Ridge.  The Coyotes finished second to the Bears in Saturday’s slalom race, then placed second to British Columbia on Sunday – but both UBC and ACI finished ahead of the No. 2 ranked team in the nation.  Matt Sylvester capped his banner 2006 regular-season with a fourth and a second-place finish.

 

WOMEN CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE NORTHWEST SKI CONFERENCE: The Albertson College women’s alpine team did not let up last weekend, as the Lady ‘Yotes secured their fourth-consecutive NWCSC championship.  ACI finished in the top-two in all seven races this season, including four first-place finishes as a team.  Five different Albertson women placed in the NWCSC individual top-ten – paced by Molly Bullard (Boring, Ore. / Sandy HS) in second-place.  Cassie Marcial (Whitefish, Mont. / Whitefish HS) finished third, her fourth-straight season on the All-Conference team.  Rounding out the group was Nicki Maxwell (Belfry, Mont. / Red Lodge HS) in seventh, Kelly Farmin (Newport, Wash. / Newport HS) in ninth, and Jessica Wise (Reno, Nev. / Wooster HS) in tenth.

 

FINAL WOMEN’S NWCSC STANDINGS: Team – Albertson College 560, U. of British Columbia 500, U. of Puget Sound 360, Washington State U. 310, U. of Idaho 260, U. of Oregon 251, U. of Washington 238, Oregon State U. 36, Seattle U. 0. 

 

LADY ‘YOTES END SEASON WITH PAIR OF SECONDS: At Mission Ridge, the women’s alpine squad took home a pair of second-place finishes.  Molly Bullard notched a third-place finish on Saturday, while Cassie Marcial followed suit with a third of her own on Sunday.  Albertson finished behind Rocky Mountain on Saturday and behind British Columbia in Sunday’s race.

 

COYOTES HAVE THE WEEK OFF: Albertson will have the week off in preparation for the USCSA Western Regional Championships at Steamboat Springs Resort in Colorado on Feb. 25-26.  The top-five teams at in regional competition will qualify for the USCSA Championships in Sugarloaf, Maine.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For up-to-date statistics, stories, and information about the Albertson alpine ski team, head to the official website for the Coyotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/skiing.htm. 

 

- ALBERTSON -