Sports Memory Lane 010325

A look back at Yamhill County sports

10 years ago

n Vinnie Goonan and Dominique Car shared tournament Most Valuable Player honors as the Sheridan Spartans won the Cougar Classic, hosted by Gervais High School. Jacob Hertel led the Spartans in the championship game with 20 points. In the opening win, over LaPine, coach James Denton started freshman Zac Blake and sophomore Bradley Crowe.

n The Amity boys basketball team was crowned champion of the Regis Tournament with wins over Colton and the host Rams. The opening win over the Vikings was a rematch of the opener of the Warrior Classic, 59-45, though it was a more defense-oriented game than their shootout at the Amity Classic. T.R. McShane knocked down back to back threes after the Vikings pulled within six. McShane led the Warriors with 15 points on five-of-eight shooting.

25 years ago

n A McMinnville resident may have shot the final hole-in-one of the millennium. Jerry Fairbanks, 58, of McMinnville, aced the 189-yard 14th hole at Michelbook Country Club, at 3:05 p.m. on Dec. 31. It was his first ace in three years’ golfing. The family has notified Golf Digest magazine for consideration as the last hole-in-one of the 20th century. “Only Hawaii can beat me,” Fairbanks said.

n The Amity Warriors, who won back-to-back Class 2A football championships, swept the postseason All-Star awards in voting by coaches. Amity coach Jeff Flood was named coach of the year for the second consecutive season.

Justin Hubbard, who rushed for 1,978 yards on the season, was named offensive player of the year, and first-team defense.

Andrew Hawley, was named defensive player of the year. Hawley and Hubbard both are juniors, the only juniors named to the all-star team.

Senior Cory Chodrick joined Hubbard on first team as offensive lineman, and Senior Josh Shields was named to the first team defense as a lineman.

50 years ago

n Joni Huntley of Sheridan broke her own U.S. Women’s Record and set a new one for Canada here Friday during the 10th annual Knights of Columbus Track and Field meet in Saskatchewan. Miss Huntley, a freshman at Oregon State, leaped 6-1 and ¼ to better her own mark by one-quarter of an inch. It was the first meet for Huntley in nearly four months.

A major in PE and athletic administration, Huntley has devoted a lot of time to studies. She’s been working hard on conditioning with running and weight work lately to keep the muscles toned. Now, what’s next for the Sheridanite who has already toured Europe, Asia, Scandinavia and the Far East before her 19th birthday? There’s the world record, now at 6-4 and ¾ set last summer by a German girl. Joni plans to keep working her way up gradually.

n The Heidelberg team won the first three-on-three holiday basketball tournament. Teammates are Ron Erwen, Paul Hall and Craig Engle, who beat the No Stars during the final round in the high school division. No Stars were Craig’s brother, Jeff Engle, Dale Brown and Wilson Bright. In the junior high division, the Bloods beat the Ducks 32-19. Bloods were Pat Garlock, Andy Johnson and Jim Cushing; Ducks were Noel Kneeland, Grant Meicho and John Reiser.