Page 10 SPORTS - February 27, 2008
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SweetHome 60, Central 42
Comfortable after Tuesday's
win, the Huskies expertly delivered
some vengeance and a loss to the
Central Panthers. who had defeated
them at home last in their last go-
around, on the road Friday.
Win or lose at that point, the
Huskies could have been league
champions.
"We wanted to take care of
business," Little said. "We also
wanted to carry the momentum."
Central's single win over the
Huskies was enough to keep Sweet
Home from winning the title in the
end.
The Huskies dominated Central
from the start.
"I think a lot of it was revenge,"
Emmert said. "They cost us league,
and we were upset about that. We
knew if we didn't come out focused,
we could've lost it."
The Huskies led 14-6 after one
quarter and 32-23 at halftime. Cen-
tral got within five points a couple
times during the second quarter, but
the Huskies shut down any chance
for the Panthers to come back in
the third, expanding their lead to
46-32.
Little once again credited his
bench for doing well. Moyer didn't
score, but 5-7 sophomore pulled
down six rebounds. Marchbanks
showed up with nine points. Jerome
Coleman added two points, and
Zane Wise, Brandon Oswalt and
Drew Emmert all made appearances
in the game.
"It's nice to have the young-
er guys come in," Emmert said.
"They're not too nervous to play."
"It definitely helps to have guys
come in and start scoring 10 points
off the bench " Kauffman said.
Earlier in the season, the younger
guys would look a little nervous.
That's gone.
Marchbanks and Moyer are
peaking the same way Graville is.
Little said. "A guy coming off the
bench contributing is exactly what
we need at this time.
Emmert led the Huskies with
20 points. Graville scored 14:
Marchbanks, a season-high nine:
Kauffman, eight: Olsen, six: Cole-
man, two; and Josh Riggs. two.
For Central. Hedrick and Ham,
Photo by Scott Swanson
Josh Riggs, left, throws his weight around in a batttleJbr a rebound against New-
port as Gabe Kauffmanm right, waits for the ball! to come out of the scrum
ilton led scoring with 10 points
each. Girard added eight; White-
man, six; Pratt, three; King, two:
Phillips, two: and Wallace. two.
As they prepare for upcoming
games, intensity is key, bringing "it
to every game and not waiting to
the second half to bring it." Kauff-
man said.
The Huskies need to make sure
they put all 32 minutes together,
Emmert said.
"We've just got to win Friday,"
Little said. "We know that's our
best opportunity to get to the state
quarterfinals."
The Huskies will play for state
tournament seeding in the Val-Co
playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday night at
home.
They will meet the winner of
Tuesday's game between Newport
or Taft.
If the Huskies win and finish
second seed, they will travel toTil-
lamook, and their next game will
be at Giill Coliseum. If the Huskies
lose Fricday, they will travel to Scap-
poose o~r Seaside and then play one
more game before reaching the
quarterlfinals in Corvallis.
Every coach thinks his team has
a shot at the state title when they're
in the s:tate tournament, Little said.
He's no different.
"A, nything is possible, espe-
cially im a one-game scenario." he
said. "Anything is possible, and our
kids. when their backs are against
the wall, tend to play really well.
They raise the intensity when ev-
erything is on the line."
Sweet Home High School Ath-
letic Diirector Dave Goetz is remind-
ing fans that they will not be able
to use their season passes to attend
Friday, night's Val-Co playoff game.
Conta~ct Sweet Home High School
at 36"7-7144 for prices, which
i
werem't available at press time.
Kauffman makes McDonald's list
Sweet Home High School se-
nior Gabe Kauffman was recently
nominated to the McDonald's
All-American High School Boys
Basketball Team, recognizing him
as one of the top prep standouts in
the nation.
He was among 1,500 nomi-
nees who competed to fill 24
positions on the boys team, which
features an East-West showdown
on March 26 in Milwaukee, Wis.
ESPN will air the game, which
begins at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Stan-
dard Time.
Kauffman was nominated by
the McDonald's All-American
Basketball Team Boys Selection
Committee, a group of 32 promi-
nent basketball experts, including
nationally renowned coaches and
top high school sports journal-
ists.
Kauffman is the first Sweet
Home player to be nominated,
said Coach Tim Little, Kauffman's
coach He is one of four Oregon
4A players and about 30 high
school players in the state to be
nominated.
"It's an honor," Kauffman
said. "I didn't expect it at all."
Kauffman has been play-
ing basketball as long as he can
remember, he said. His father
played ball, and his brother Garrett
played for the Huskies. He has two
younger brothers, Gavin. a fresh-
man. and Grant. sixth grade, who
both play basketball. He is the son
of Pete and Jodi Kauffman.
He started playing organized
basketball in the first grade on a
Boys and Girls Club team.
"I started playing when I was
little," Kauffman said. "It was
Photo by Sean C. Morgan
Coach Tim Little presents Gabe Kauffman with a certificate recogmzing
him as a nommee for the McDonald's All-American basketball team.
just a lot of fun. especially with all
my friends.'"
Kauffman doesn't know for sure
whether he'll play college ball.He
plans to be a diesel mechanic, and
some schools with that program don't
have basketball teams.
A portion of the proceeds from
the all-star games are donated to the
Ronald McDonald House Charities
to directly improve the health and
well-being of children around the
world. Since 1977, more than 700
male players have competed in the
games, including Michael Jordan.
Magic Johnson, LeBron James,
Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant
and current college standouts.
Four Huskies, coach, named all-Val-Co
Four Huskies and their coach
received Val-Co all-league honors
in boys basketball with the end of
regular season Friday night.
Gabe Kauffman, averaging 18
points per game during league play,
nine rebounds per game and four
assists per game. was named to the
first tearfl. ~ ~- ~-".
Colton Emmerl, averaging ~ 1~3
points, three rebounds and three as-
sists, and Ryan Graville, averaging
11 points, were named to the second
team.
Graville also scored 22 threes
during league play, shooting 46 per-
cent from the three-point line.
Josh Riggs, averaging five re-
Coach Tim Little was named Val-
Co Coach of the Year. He credited the
"good kids" around him for winning
the award.
Philomath's David Sturner was
named Val-Co Player of the Year.
The girls basketball awards will
be announced on Friday, Sweet Home
bounds pergame, received honorable High School Athletic Director Dave
mention. -- - Goetz said.
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