Document text
Grizz girls coach has no plans to leave By GREG STILES Heather Roberts is admittedly uncomfortable. Every time she hears her name mentioned in connection with the girls basketball coaching position at Corvallis' Crescent Valley High, she cringes. It's not that she wouldn't love to return to her alma mater and succeed her mentor, Craig Ellingsen. But there are other considerations. For one, Roberts has a good thing going at Ashland High. She took a program that reached the state playoffs once -- back in 1985 -- before her arrival four years ago and has gone to the playoffs every season. Ashland won its first Southern Oregon Conference championship two years ago and has made back-to-back appearances in the state tournament. Have that kind of success and you find yourself in demand. Ellingsen, who built the Raiders into a perennial top-10 team, contacted Roberts about the post. "I would love to get her back here," says Ellingsen, who recently stepped down after 17 seasons. "Obviously, she's done a great job at Ashland and I think she would continue doing the same things here. I know she really enjoys it in Ashland and likes living there. She's established there and she's done it on her own. That's a good thing." Crescent Valley hopes to fill the job by early June, when summer camps and leagues begin. "Of course, it would have an appeal," says Roberts, who has compiled a 61-39 record at Ashland. "That's where I went to high school and some of my best friends are up there. But they haven't offered and I haven't made my decision." The extent of Crescent Valley's faculty openings aren't yet known, and husband Jason and their two sons have to be factored into the equation as well. "Whatever happens, I don't want my (players) to think I'm trying to bail out on them," Roberts says. "As of now, I'm planning to stay here and get on with the summer program." REGIONAL HONORS -- North Medford's Dale Jensen has been named Region 8 (Northwest) girls tennis coach of the year. The award comes as the Black Tornado has extended its Southern Oregon Conference dual victory string to 32 straight. Jensen says he long ago lost track of how many district championships his teams have won. But more often than that, Jensen's teams have been highly competitive. Jensen says his success has been aided by the Southern Oregon Tennis Club's Frank Inn and by Cary Collins at the Rogue Valley Swim & Tennis Club. "A tennis club is only as good as its pro, and Frank Inn is top-notch," Jensen says. "He's brought along numerous girls. And more recently, Cary Collins has produced some top quality players. "We have two superior facilities with superior staffs and that really has made my job a lot easier." Jensen, 45, arrived in Medford in 1977, fresh out of the University of Oregon. He first taught biology and now teaches chemistry and physics. He began coaching in 1981. The next year the Black Tornado placed second in the state tournament. That team was led by Susie Ross, who went on to play at Stanford, sisters Patty and Tina Lynch, Dawn Ptacek and Sue Hempy. Ross was the state singles runner-up. A decade later, North had another standout. Kelley Olson, who later was Notre Dame's captain, made it to the state semifinals in 1994. The current squad, led by singles standouts sophomore Jenny Brown, freshman Annie Chaney and junior Leslie Schultz, has the ability to do well at this week's state tournament at Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation Center in Beaverton. "Most of the girls in the program, I also have in class," Jensen says. "The girls have a combined 3.75 GPA. To me, that's as big of accomplishment as winning a district championship." SINGLES SEEDS -- Brown, North's two-time SOC district champion, is seeded No. 3 in the state tournament singles. That comes as a bit of a disappointment to Jensen, who served on the seeding committee. Brown is ranked No. 1 among 16-year-old girls in the USTA's Pacific Northwest Region. She has two wins over second-seeded Staci McKenna of North Bend this year. But neither of those triumphs came during a high school match. "Unfortunately, you can't use matches out of high school," Jensen says. Tara Livesay of Lakeridge, the runner-up a year ago, is seeded No. 1. Jensen says the singles field is much stronger than the eight allotted seeds. "Its difficult to stop at eight," Jensen says. "The doubles are really weak, and I expect to see a lot of upsets. Usually the doubles is stronger, and you see more upsets in the singles." THIS TIME SHE PLAYS -- Senior Chelsea Johnson was an integral part of Ashland High's volleyball success last fall. Then when it came time to enjoy the fruits of her labor, Johnson was sidelined with a broken right ankle and missed the state tournament. Now Johnson is going to a state tournament in tennis. It might lack the glamour and fervor of a volleyball tourney, but she's thankful for the opportunity just the same. Johnson and doubles partner Jenny Spears took third Saturday in the SOC district tournament in Roseburg. "I've looked forward to this for the past three years," Johnson says. "I've finally got the chance, and this is special for me." Johnson was unable to begin tennis workouts until the end of February, after spending some time recovering from the bone break and a severed tendon. "It made me appreciate my health," Johnson admits. Although her ankle isn't as strong as it could be, a brace has kept her from worrying about a reoccurring injury. Johnson and Spears dropped a semifinal match to Roseburg's Becky Correll and Elisa Tryon, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, Saturday before rebounding to defeat North Medford's Kelsey Chamberlain and Andrea Pratt, 1-6, 7-6, 7-6. "Roseburg put their No. 1 and No. 2 singles players together," Johnson says. "I was glad we could get one set off them." STREAK ENDS -- North Medford's SOC-record 45-game softball winning streak ended just as the Black Tornado looked like it was going to be the first team to string three unbeaten conference seasons together. Prior to Crater's 3-2 win over the Tornado at Faber Field on the last day of the regular season Saturday, North's last SOC loss was May 3, 1997, at Fagone Field. Roseburg won the first game of a doubleheader, 5-3. The previous SOC record was 44 games by the Tornado, lasting from the second game of the 1982 season until the third game of the 1985 campaign. "That's a couple of pretty good streaks," says Larry Binney, the North coach, who is stepping down after 19 seasons. The leading candidate to succeed Binney is Sara Barry, a former Tornado infielder who coached Oregon City into the state playoffs last spring before joining North's staff this year. Binney plans to teach one more year at Hedrick Middle School before retiring. An announcement of his replacement will likely come by early June. "Whoever takes over will have a real solid nucleus of juniors," Binney says. "We have a good group coming back." ALL-AMERICAN WRESTLER -- Crater High senior Justin Godley has been selected to Wrestling USA Magazine's 2000 high school All-American team. Godley was a three-time state finalist, winning the Class 4A 135-pound crown as a junior and the 145 title this past winter. He finished with 11 wins, 67 by fall, and was part of a senior class that never lost an SOC dual match and captured three straight state championships. Godley has signed a letter of intent to compete for Oregon. WRESTLING TURNOVER -- North Medford wrestling coach Mike Schaan won't be back as the Tornado's top man next winter in order to spend more time with his family. That means North wrestlers will be working for their fourth head coach since 1996. North Medford athletic director Mike Kay says Schaan will stay on as line coach in football and throws coach for the track team. Kay says a new coach could be named as early as today. Greg Stiles is a Mail Tribune sports writer. He can be reached at 776-4483 or [email protected] Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA