Streaking Falcons Make Postseason Push in Softball

After suffering a dismal pounding from third ranked Junction City two weeks ago as well as the loss of JV pitcher Imari Gabica to injury, the Lady Falcons softball team found themselves at 11-7 and outside the possibility of the play in games.  Ah... what a soothing balm a 5 game winning streak can be. 

Coming off the deck from the bludgeoning that the Lady Tigers took to them, Courtney Haffner took the rubber against Cottage Grove on the road and was spectacular going all the way in a shortened 5 inning game.  Haffner wound up giving up a stingy 2 hits and collecting 8 strikeouts with her baffling off speed pitches.  76% of Haffner's pitches went for strikes.  Meanwhile, Maranda Hanson and Ashley Feltz both homered as part of a brutal 16 hit attack that also feasted on 8 Lady Leo walks as Elmira punished Cottage Grove 19-0.

Elmira then pulled off a stunning road upset of Thurston 11-10.   Hanson got the win and needed to pitch her best because her teammates committed 5 errors, 3 in the second inning that helped stake Thurston to an early 5-1 lead.

But the Lady Falcons' murderer's row answered in the top of the third.  Hanson doubled, followed by  Feltz, who also doubled, scoring Hanson in front of her.  Then Cheyenne White crushed a 2 run homer over the left field fence scoring Feltz and drawing Elmira within one. 

In a back and forth contest by two heavyweight teams, Elmira wrestled the lead away for good in the sixth inning when Madison Wisner walked to open the inning enabling the top of the order to come to the plate.  After a Carly Grossmiller ground out,  Hanson doubled again, scoring Wisner.  Back to back doubles by White and Josie Dickson gave the Falcons a lead they would never loose.

Hanson then took control winning the next three consecutive games including a sweep of a road double header against Marshfield 16-9 and 7-3.  Dickson jolted a 3 run homer in the first inning to set the table for Hanson's win. 

Finally, Hanson was again solid in a final road win against Siuslaw.  She gave up only 1 earned run, going the full 7 innings and tallying 12 Ks in the 12-1 victory.  The win saw Carly Grossmiller step up as the offensive hero, moving into the lead off position and going 4 for 5 with 2 RBIs and 4 runs scored.

So now it comes down to Friday, May 10, as 8th ranked Marist comes in with a 20-3 mark in virtual tie with Junction City for the league championship.  Both teams are assured of a playoff spot.  A sweep of the Lady Pirates would almost guarantee that Elmira would probably rise in the rankings and secure a home field play in game next week.  A split will probably keep them in the remaining top 8 in 4A.  Two losses could spell an early summer for the softball this year.

TRIBULATION TUESDAY: Three Elmira Teams go into Battle with Mixed Rusults.

All aspects of emotion and success were on display Tuesday September 25 as three Elmira squads  felt the joy and agonies of three different results.

Elmira and Cottage Grove Fight to a Draw

At Swartz Field, the boys' soccer team rebounded from a horrid 10-0 drubbing at the hands of Henley to wage a scoreless draw with Cottage Grove in the Falcons' first league contest of the year.

"I was actually very pleased with the game," head coach Ryan Chambers said in an email.  "Clearly, a win would have been nice but I felt the score was indicative of the game as a whole. It was very evenly matched and both teams played pretty well."

In one of the best defensive performances of they year, Chambers kept midfielder Riley Chambers back to patrol the middle, a strategy that flummoxed any sense of rhythm that the Lions' offense was trying to muster.  When Cottage Grove was able to pressure the goal, Jaden Palmer was laying in wait, rejecting 9 shots on goal, unofficially, and registering his third shut out of the season.

Elmira Volleyball Team Returns to Winning Ways

After absorbing a first set loss to upstart Suislaw, the Lady Falcons flexed their combined talents and won the final three games as Elmira rolled past the Lady Vikings 3-1 at Elmira High School, Tuesday September 25.  

Putting the first game behind, the Lady Falcons began to methodically carry out their game plan with Sydney Green leading the team in assists.  The beneficiaries of Green's generosity were Maranda Hanson who led the team with 11 kills and Carly Grossmiller who added 8 kills.

"It was a rough first set," commented Elmira volleyball head coach Sarah Wartenbee in an email.  "They finally started palying together and completing the plays that they are capable of.  It was nice to see."

The improvement is easy to see in the record.  After suffering a dismal rut, losing 9 consecutive sets the week before last to league opponents Marist, Junction City and Cottage Grove, The Lady Falcons have rallied to go 6-5 in sets in the last week.  This is just in time as Elmira has a road tilt with 10th ranked Marshfield, who despite being in second place in the league sport a sparkling 12-3 record going into the match.  

Lady Falcons fall at Cottage Grove

Elmira's girls' soccer team was equally scrappy as they stayed within two goals of the 11th ranked Lady Lions until the 10:00 minute mark of the second half before a third goal and a penalty kick late spelled a 4-0 loss.  

Elmira's Paige Reichenberger delivers a header in front of a Cottage Grove defender in the Falcon's 4-0 loss to the Lady Lions, Tuesday September 25 at Cottage Grove High School.  Photo Kimberly Lillie

"Cottage Grove has some very talented and fast players," noted Elmira girls' soccer head coach Rob Lee in an email.  "(they) were very aggressive getting after loose balls."  

The Lady Falcons fell behind on an inexplicable deflection off a corner kick snuck past the goal line.  However, Lee saw continued progress from his young team. 

"We defended very well most of the time," Lee said.  "(Goalkeeper) Andrah Cobb made some incredible saves to help keep the score where it was."

Goalkeeper Andrah Cobb fires the ball out of the Falcons zone during their game with Cottage Grove.  Elmira fell to the Lady Lions 4-0, Tuesday September 25 at Cottage Grove High School.  Photo by Kimberly Lillie.