Morrow's Musings
- By Jeff Morrow
509-582-1507
Posted June 2, 2000
Tri-City fishermen crank up the bass
Last Saturday, a Washington team dominated by Tri-Citians won the team title at the B.A.S.S. Federation Western Divisional Championships fishing tournament at New Mexico's Elephant Butte Reservoir.
The team led from start to finish the three-day event, and it finished with 221 pounds of bass.
Oregon finished second with 180 pounds, 11 ounces.
Olympia's John Semken led the Washington team with 12 fish totaling 28 pounds, 1 ounce, and finished fourth overall.
Right behind Semken was Kennewick's Mitch Ratchford, who finished seventh overall at 11 fish and 26-10; Pasco's Gene Batey Jr. was 15th overall at 12 fish and 24-7; Kennewick's Tracy Kenworthy was 38th overall at 10 fish and 17-8; Kennewick's Michael Whitlow, 46th overall at eight fish and 15-4; Kennewick's John Mace, 68th overall at six fish and 11-13; and Benton City's Clint Johanson, 95th overall at three fish and 6-10.
"It's really amazing how good the bass fishermen are from this area," Ratchford said. "We all drove down to New Mexico, and we met each night and talked about what we were going to do the next day. There was so much lying going on."
The majority of the Tri-Citians who competed in this tournament also will compete in the Tri-Cities when the professionals compete here in October.
"There are only nine of these tournaments held in a year in the world, and we're getting one of them," Ratchford said.
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Kennewick's Sara Senske finished 21st out of 23 drivers in The Dodge Dealers Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, Conn., on Monday. Senske, who spotted for Lyn St. James last week during Indy 500 qualifying, has been racing in the Skip Barber Dodge Pro Series.
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Royal City's Zach Niessner finished sixth in the Pepsi 125 Northwest Tour race May 20 in Tenino. Niessner started 13th in the 22-car field, and finished the race one lap behind winner Ron Eaton of Tacoma.
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Things are looking up in Benton City when it comes to girls sports.
Last fall, the Kiona-Benton High volleyball team finished second at the Class 2A state tournament, led by Nichole Rose, the all-area player of the year who is headed to Minnesota State University-Mankato on a volleyball scholarship.
In March, the basketball team competed at the state 2A tournament for the first time in school history.
This spring, the softball team qualified for the district tournament for the first time since 1993.
And the track team finished 15th at state. Mackenzie Burgess placed third in the shot put - even though her toss of 40 feet, 2 1/2 inches is third all-time in state history for freshmen - and Lindsey Thompson did the same in the 400 meters. Burgess also threw 126-4 in the discus during the season, fifth all-time for a freshman.
But it was the 4x400 relay team that came away with a first-place finish to lead the way.
Sophomore Natasha Scott, freshman Janie Thompson, and juniors Lacey Lyon and Lindsey Thompson combined to go 8-1 this year - their only loss coming at the Pasco Invite.
Track coach Jim Perry said the relay team ran a 4:06 at regionals, but weather conditions were terrible in Cheney with high winds and rain.
"They went in thinking about winning the state title and breaking the state record," said Perry, whose squad finished in 4:12.46. "Under ideal conditions they may have."
Meanwhile, Perry reports that 30 girls have turned out for summer basketball, well above the 14 that turned out last summer.
- Jeff Morrow can be reached at 582-1507 or via e-mail at jmorrow@tri-cityherald.com
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