Sports

Ryan Sharpe stands ready to get a runner out at first. The Grizzlies won their last game of the regular season against Anderson High School, 15-5.  Photo by Maddie Musante

May 21 — The Lassen High School Grizzlies faced off against the Anderson High School Cubs in a home game Friday, May 3. The game was the last of Lassen’s regular season league games and the third of a three-game series against Anderson. The Grizzlies traveled to Anderson to play the Cubs in a doubleheader earlier in the week and won both games, making them the champions of the Northern Athletic League. Lassen also won Friday’s home game, 15-5.

Spirits were high among Grizzlies fans who were still elated about the team winning the league championship earlier in the week. Prior to the start of the game, the team honored seniors Jarrell Cunningham, Colby Chavez, Nate Freeman, Joey Beck and their parents by giving them flowers and announcing them to the crowd. The boys wrote thank you letters to their families, friends and supporters, which were read to the crowd by the announcer.

Sophomore Daniel Perry dominated at the plate for the Grizzlies, going 4 for 4, hitting a triple, a double and getting four RBIs. Nate Freeman, Jarrell Cunningham and Garrison Collier each had two RBIs for Lassen. Joey Beck had one RBI.

Beck pitched four innings and stuck out 10 batters, walked one and gave up only one hit and no runs. Cunningham pitched .2 innings and Freeman pitched .1.

The Grizzlies ended their regular season with a record of 11-1 and a league championship. They were the number two seed for the Northern Athletic League section playoffs and hosted the first round at Friday, May 10 at Memorial Park.

May 15 — The Lassen High School Football Boosters have come up with several fun and creative ways to raise funds for the renovation of Arnold Field.

The boosters are offering students, athletes, alumni, local businesses and community organizations a way to permanently make their mark at Lassen High School by selling personalized bricks that will be used in the field’s renovation.

The bricks will be used to pave the walkways being put around Arnold Field and are a different color than the usual grey of cement, so they will stand out more.

The bricks are made by a company called That’s My Brick! and offer personalized characters and graphics. The bricks are eight by eight inches and can be customized with up to six lines of 18 characters. Graphics can also be added to the bricks with a three line, 18-character line limit. That’s My Brick! has many graphics to choose from, but businesses or individuals can also provide the company with their own graphic to put on the brick.

According to Don McMullen, president of the football boosters, the bricks are guaranteed for life and have been tested to ensure they can withstand almost anything. The company that makes the bricks can even remove graffiti easily without damaging the brick.

“This would be a great graduation gift … this is something you could bring your children, your grandchildren (to see),” McMullen said.

Lassen High School’s Arnold Field must be renovated because it is not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A number of improvements must be made by November of 2014 to make the field compliant. The planned renovations will put two wheelchair-accessible viewing stations on the visitor’s side, three wheelchair-accessible viewing stations on the home side, a paved walkway with a railing that will wrap around the pit side of the field, as well as ADA-compliant parking. The Division of the State Architect has already approved the plans, however, the improvements must be completed by November of 2014 or the field could be shut down and the school could be fined.

“This impacts the whole school. If they shut the field down there’s no graduation, there’s no track, there’s no assemblies … that stuff will be gone until they get the thing done. Plus, if we don’t get it done in time there can be fines and all that stuff … it could cost even more. (Making the field ADA compliant) is going to benefit everyone,” said McMullen.

In addition to raising money through the sale of personalized paving bricks, the boosters have also partnered with the Susanville Auto Center to put on a raffle, along with an interactive and entertaining halftime show that will raise money for the program and give participants the chance to win a car.

The name of the game is “Punt, Pass, Kick.” The Lassen High School Football Boosters will sell raffle tickets to football fans, then draw tickets at home football games. The owners of the tickets will be called down to the field at halftime to punt, kick and pass a football to be entered for the chance to win a vehicle.

Participants will stand at one field goal and punt the football as far as they can toward the opposite field goal. They will then pass the football from the exact spot the ball landed on when they punted it. They must then try to kick a field goal from the spot where the ball landed when they passed it. If the participant makes the field goal, he or she will qualify to win a new vehicle from Susanville Auto Center.

Also, from now until the end of August, Susanville Auto Center is donating $75 for every new vehicle purchased and $50 for every used vehicle purchased to the Lassen High School Football Boosters.

Chad Netherly, managing partner at Susanville Auto Center, says he approached the football boosters with the idea and the offer to donate the cars for “Punt, Pass, Kick,” as well as the donations to go along with vehicles purchased between May and the end of August.

“I played high school football, so I personally have an interest in it, but that’s not the only thing. I just think it’s a really good thing for the community,” Netherly said.

The Lassen High School football boosters will decide at which games the contest will be held.

Netherly is looking forward to the upcoming football season and the contest. “It would be cool if somebody won. It would be super exciting,” he said.

According to McMullen, funds donated by Susanville Auto Center with the purchase of cars, as well as funds raised through “Punt, Pass, Kick,” will go toward the renovation of Arnold Field.

All in all, fans of Lassen High School sports have a lot to look forward to in the coming months, especially when it comes to halftime shows and fun ways to support local sports and the high school they love.

For more information on the fundraisers, visit thatsmybrick.com/grizzlypride or email McMullen at donmcmullen@myway.com.

The Lassen High School drill team hits its final pose at the end of a routine during the annual Grizzliette Show Friday, May 3. The show featured routines the Grizzliettes have performed throughout the year.  Photo by Maddie Musante

May 14 — The Lassen High School drill team hosted the annual Grizzliette Show in The Cave Friday, May 3 and saw a huge turnout.

It was standing room only in the gym as the Grizzliettes showcased the routines they performed throughout the year, including the military-style routine that earned them first place in a United Spirit Association competition in February. The Lassen High School cheerleading squad, J and J Performing Arts, House of Dance and the Diamond View Middle School drill team also performed in front of the packed crowd.

Before each routine the Grizzliette’s coach, Shelley Bennett, announced the name of the routine, who choreographed it and the occasion for which it was performed. Impressively, members of the Grizzliettes choreographed a majority of the routines themselves.

More than 350 people attended the show and, according to coach Bennett, the Grizzliettes raised more than $1,000 that will go toward uniform expenses.

“I was so impressed by our turn-out,” Bennett said, “It was wonderful that our local dance studios and drill teams showcased their talent. I hope that those young girls try out to be a Grizzliette some day. Every member of the team worked extremely hard in the weeks prior to the show. I value their time and energy devoted to the drill team. Our seniors will be missed as they are a vital part of our team and have spent the last four years dedicated to making themselves the best they can be.”

The Grizzliettes and their fans are looking forward to another year full of high-energy, talented performances, especially after attending the Grizzliette Show.

The Lassen High School varsity softball team stands together after winning the first game of its three-game series against Yreka High School. The Lady Grizzlies went on to beat Yreka in away game Thursday, May 9, clinching the league championship. Photo by Scott Nordstrom

May 10 — The Lassen High School Lady Grizzlies softball team has taken the Northern Athletic League title and, after an incredible season, can celebrate a hard-earned championship. The team played Yreka High School in a three-game series Tuesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 9. Lassen needed to win two of the three games to take the Northern Athletic League championship.

The first two games were played as a doubleheader on Tuesday, which the Lady Grizzlies split, winning the first game, 10-0, but losing the second, 8-4. The third game of the series was played at Yreka on Thursday and the Lady Grizzlies came away with a solid 9-2 victory, earning themselves the league title.

Shelby Campa was the winning pitcher in the first game on Tuesday. Campa pitched all six innings and threw a two-hit game, striking out eight batters and walking four. Laken Cagle came through at the plate for the Lady Grizzlies, going 2 for 3, hitting a triple and getting an RBI. Taylor Knecht got two RBIs for Lassen. Sara Sella and Lindsay Northrop each had one RBI.

The second game didn’t go as well for the Lady Grizzlies, despite the team playing competitively. Kelsey Pinneo pitched 4.1 innings for Lassen and got six strikeouts, no walks and allowed seven hits and two earned runs. Lauren Cagle took the pitcher’s mound for 2.2 innings, striking out two batters, walking one and giving up two hits and no earned runs. Northrop went 2 for 4 at the plate and hit an RBI. Knecht went 3 for 4 and scored a run.

The Lady Grizzlies had no problem recovering from the loss on Tuesday, as they went on to beat Yreka in an away game Thursday, clinching the league championship.

Northrop dominated at bat for Lassen, hitting three RBIs and a two-run double in the fourth inning. Laken Cagle and Jacqui Smith each hit an RBI. Campa was the winning pitcher, working the mound for all seven innings. She struck out four batters, walked two and gave up six hits and two earned runs.

The Lady Grizzlies ended their regular season with a league record of 10-2.

This is the 14th time in the school’s history the Lady Grizzlies softball team has taken the league title. The last time the team won the championship was in 2009.

“We’re really proud … I’m really happy that these kids got to be a part of our tradition,” said head coach Paul Moore. Moore also said one of the reasons he was so glad this group of girls got to win a championship is because it has been one of the few times in his many years of coaching that a team has had no issues, arguments or complaints. According to Moore, everyone on the team came together, accepted their role and worked hard to win.

“They were a true joy to coach,” he said.

The Lady Grizzlies will host the first round of playoffs at Lassen Community College at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 14.