Maniac football and girls' soccer

Maniacs get rolled by Bulldogs 58 – 20

But their fans keep homecoming rolling

By Ron Hanes

Every football game starts with the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, so why not start a football article with a word about the incredible performance by Orofino High School junior, Katherine Alverson of our nation’s anthem last Friday night at Maniac Field?

Wow!

The top ranked Grangeville Bulldogs may have still been watching the “streaming ramparts,” or making some equipment adjustments after Katherine hit that high note; whatever, they along with a lot of others, were in disbelief as the Maniacs marched the ball from their own 35 yard line for a score on their opening drive.

Orofino went on to tally 274 yards of offense and score two more times behind solid running from Cannon Lanier and Tanner Schwartz and some nicely timed passes from freshman quarterback, Drake Kuykendall.  That is the most times anybody has scored against the Bulldogs this season…including the Kamiah Kubs, who were held scoreless by Grangeville when they met in week four of the season.

Orofino’s senior linemen, Thad Goodrich, Dillon Ford and Cody Terres played solid on both sides of the ball. They were able to control the line of scrimmage most of the time on offense and  on defense, many times slowed up the Bulldog’s speedster, Justin Robie, just enough so one of the backs could get him…except for about six times!  And, those six times ended up being six touchdowns. Robie, after amassing 326 yards on 24 carries, was finally benched in the 4^th quarter after taking a hard hit from Goodrich, but by then, it was too late.

A bright spot: One bright spot for the Maniacs was their kickoff coverage. That, you’ll recall, was a huge problem in week two when Asotin returned three for touchdowns against the Maniacs. Grangeville had the weapons to do that as well, or worse, but they never came close to breaking one.

There could be any number of reasons for this successful “shoring up” and one of them is #57. There was no such number on the roster so I took particular interest and noticed that #57 was dishing out some pretty good hits as well as always seeming to end up in the area of the ball carrier. Some times it takes something extra for a player to get noticed like their number not being on the roster (or hiking the ball over the punter’s head) and it is also possible to never get noticed at all. This time though, #57, Jesse McCollister, that didn’t happen.

A really bright spot: Another exceptionally bright spot for Orofino was attendance. Not only did a good sized crowd show up, they were a fired-up crowd, and even with a score that could have dampened any fan’s enthusiasm, they never gave up.

Way back, when I was a Maniac we relied totally on the band to perform the fight song. It never occurred to us to sing it, and nobody would have known the words, anyway. Last Friday night, while jotting down the stats from the Casey Miller (or maybe: K.C. Miller) post game show, I could hear the Maniac fans in the background still proudly singing, “On Orofino.”

What a way to thumb your nose at an opponent who just racked up a lop-sided victory against your team. What a way to say, “You can beat us at football (this time) but you can’t ruin our Homecoming. It sure didn’t ruin mine…..On Orofino, On Orofino. Fight, fight for your fame……fa, da daa, da, da… da,  da, daaaa….mumble mumble Go! Fight! Win!”

Maniac fans, you are fantastic! Maybe next season we can print the words to our fight song in the paper and we’ll all be able to sing along. One thing is for sure: It will be one heck of a lot easier than trying to sing the National Anthem.

Next action for the Maniacs is at Kamiah. The Kubs held Orofino scoreless when they met here three weeks ago, but the young Maniac offense has improved a lot since then. What should be a much closer game this time around starts at 7 p.m., tomorrow (Friday) at Kamiah High School Field. Back the Maniacs!

***

Lady Maniac booters twice fall behind, fight back

By Pete Crecelius

The Orofino High School girls’ soccer team dropped one, then drew one in their past two games in league play as they approach the class 3A district tournament.

Playing at Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake on Sept. 24, the Lady Maniacs took an early lead on a sixth minute goal by senior Jessica Gutenberger, but then proceeded to quickly fall behind on quick goals by Timberlake in the 8th and 12th minutes, and trailed 1-2 at the half.

Changing from a 5-3-2 to a 4-3-3 formation at the half did generate momentum as Orofino outshot their opponents 8-7 in the second half, but were unlucky to give up a third goal in the 69th minute to trail 1-3. However, our ladies showed their fighting spirit and midfielder Kate Connor scored from distance in the 72nd minute to set up a real scramble in the remaining 8 minutes. Several good opportunities came to naught and Orofino trailed 2-3 at the final whistle.

This past Saturday, Oct. 1 saw the Lady Maniacs’ final home game of the season and a special Seniors Day for elder squad members, facing a stiff test from league leader Kellogg at the OES field. A closely contested first half went scoreless, but Kellogg broke the stalemate in the 48th minute. Again, the Orofino squad demonstrated their character with a spirited display and drew when Connor scored off a corner kick in the 67th minute. The Orofino defense was stiffly tested with a potent Kellogg attack in the last few minutes, with senior goalkeeper Mikayla Moser coming up very big with a triple save moment to hold on to the draw.

Seniors Moser, Rachel Jones, and Jasmen O’Hara along with early graduating juniors, Kaitlin Lame` and Victoria Zweifel celebrated the last home game of their high school careers with family after the game. Alas, senior Jessica Gutenberger missed the game due to National Guard duty.

After the senior celebration, a ceremony was also held to retire the No. 3 jersey in memory of former Lady Maniac defender, Kelsey Anderson, who was lost to us this past summer and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Orofino completes their regular season league play this Saturday at Bonners Ferry in a game to establish seeding for the following week’s district tournament to be played at Lakeland High School in Rathdrum, Oct. 14 and 15, times to be determined.

Lack of funds put Pierce youth challenge on hold

The National Guard sponsored Youth Challenge program at Pierce has been put on hold due to lack of funding.

The school was intended to go into the vacated Pierce Elementary School which is owned by the School District.

The program would have employed about 50 persons and could serve 100 youth at a time in two 22-courses per year.

A public affairs officer for the National Guard reports the program will not be opening anytime soon but remains a priority for Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and the Guard.

The program is funded three-quarters by the federal government and one-fourth by the state. The program is designed for at-risk youth between 16 and 18 to help them get back on track with their education.

In the case of Idaho the Guard had been given the authorization to start the school but no funding according to a Guard public affairs officer.

The initial cost would be $4 million with $1 million from state sources.

Gov. Otter tried to seek private donations after the Idaho legislature indicated last year it would not put money toward the program. But so far that has not worked out according to the Guard spokesperson.

The program would have employed about 50 persons and could serve 100 youths at a time in two 22-courses per year.

WWII Orofino vets visit national monuments

Waiting at the Spokane Airport for the trip of their lifetime are WWII Veterans: Robert M. Goodwin (Navy Quartermaster First Class 1941-1946) (left) and Perk Lyda (Navy Seaman First Class 1946-1947) (right). Harmon Cross (Army First Sgt. 1967-Viet Nam and 2009-Iraq) is pictured in the rear.

By Alannah Allbrett

Two longtime Orofino residents, both WWII Veterans, got the trip of a lifetime to visit the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC, Sept. 24. Perk Lyda and Robert M. Goodwin got to participate in the Inland Northwest Honor Flight (INWHF) program which makes it possible for WWII veterans, who are physically able, to see the memorial created with them in mind.

Harmon Cross (First Sgt., US Army) a veteran of both Viet Nam and Iraq, volunteered to escort them to the airport in Spokane and back home when they returned. Jerry McDuffy, Marine Corps veteran, served as their official Guardian and helped them every step of the way on this historic trip.

This, all-expense paid trip, was not one for the faint-hearted. Their itinerary had them scheduled for breakfast each morning by 6 a.m. They were kept busy with trips to Arlington National Cemetery – viewing the Changing of the Guard, visiting the Women’s Memorial at Arlington, the World War I Memorial, the Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials, the Navy and Marine Corps Memorials, and the Air Force Monument.

As the INWHF website says, “Support for these trips is provided by volunteers, and is at no cost to the veterans. Top priority is given to our most senior heroes - survivors of WWII and any veteran with a terminal illness who wishes to visit their memorial.” If you wish to become involved in supporting trips like this for other veterans, the web address is: www.inwhonorflight.org.

From this Chair...

By Cloann McNall

Orofino is saying goodbye this week to Roy Clay, former mayor, current councilman and longtime businessman who passed away Friday at the local hospital.

His presence will certainly be missed by the entire community.

Roy is one of the first persons I met when I moved here in 1969 and I always admired him and his three children, Mike, Kathy Hanson and Cindy Freeman. I often commented that Roy and his late wife Rose did a fine job of rearing their three children.

I was treated with respect and courtesy by Roy during our 40 plus years of doing business together through the Ponderosa and Tribune.

When my family broke up in 1984 Roy was the one business person who approached me and said he was sorry for the loss I had experienced. He was never chauvinistic and to me, being a female in the business world in Orofino in the 1980’s, made Roy a lasting star in my world.

I will miss him, his graciousness and leadership and offer sympathy to his family who will suffer a great void in their lives as all three of them continue to live here.

Quote: A man can have no better epitaph than that which is inscribed in the heart of his friends.

Locals get “dirty”

Wendy Ray of Orofino (center) with daughter’s Stacy (Ray) Fish of Boise (left) and Melissa (Ray) Elkinton of Portland after they finished The Dirty Dash in Boise Aug. 27.

Wendy Ray of Orofino and her two daughters recently got very “dirty.”

Ever hear of The Dirty Dash? It’s a fundraising mud run obstacle course at Boise’s Bogus Basin. According to the website, http://www.thedirtydash.com/, The Dirty Dash “is a mud run obstacle course where a military boot camp meets your inner five-year-old’s fantasy and subsequently converts boy to man and then…man to swine.”

The Dirty Dash is held at different locations throughout the country, and courses are either 5K or 10K. Boise’s event, held Aug. 27, raised funds for the YMCA.

Participants in the event are encouraged to wear costumes, with awards given for things like the muddiest suit or dirtiest boss. Spectators may purchase water balloons to throw at participants during the Hog Wash.

“Stacy, my youngest, decided that it would be a great thing to do on the day of her bachelorette party. It was a great success and we all made it!” said Wendy.

Stacy (Ray) Fish, a 2001 graduate of Orofino High School, and older sister Melissa (Ray) Elkinton, a 1998 OHS graduate, were joined in the event by Missy Coblentz and Carly Geidl, both of Boise.

Maniacs overpowered by Kubs, 42 – 6

Where’s the beef?

By Ron Hanes

It didn’t take long for the young Orofino Maniacs to find out what it is like to play in the CIL. For you non-football fans, that stands for the Central Idaho League. And, especially when you consider it’s size, with only three schools: Orofino, Kamiah and Grangeville, the respect this league receives state wide is amazing; rightfully so. Ask any of the coaches from the larger 3 –A programs from McCall to Bonners Ferry and they will tell you the same thing. Most of them cannot remember the last time they beat a smaller CIL opponent. One big reason for all the respect for our league: KAMIAH!

They were not any bigger, faster, or quicker. They didn’t run any fancy offense, and they rarely even threw the ball. So, how did the Kamiah Kubs offense rack up 42 points against the Maniacs defense? How did they stifle an offense that was a scoring machine one week ago against Kellogg? (Orofino had only 85 yards on the ground and less than 150 yards through the air).

For the answers, I went looking…where else, but the Fair Barn. And, that’s where I found Coach Kuykendall shopping the pigs, sheep and, undoubtedly, “the beef.” He was looking over the quality of the animals, but I think he, like some others, was probably looking harder at the names of the kids who raised them and who might need a little “help”. He’s a funny guy, our coach. He doesn’t get enough out of spending his time and money on the kids in the football program; as many are aware, he gives some pretty hefty support to the 4-H program as well.

“Sure!” Coach responded when I surprised him with a request for an interview.

“They were a lot more physical than us, but we’re real happy with some of the things we saw, and we know we will keep getting better. Tanner (running back, Tanner Schwartz) had some great runs and a few things worked for us. Kamiah’s line just totally disrupted our offense. We couldn’t run the middle, and they were too quick for us outside. Drake (Coach’s son, and quarterback for the Maniacs) had defenders hanging off him almost every time he threw the ball. Anytime you are starting a freshman and four sophomores this may happen…They were just a little more mature overall and therefore more physical.”

The Maniacs went into Friday’s contest dinged up, with their senior lineman, Thad Goodrich, on the sidelines. He should be back for next week, though, and that should help beef-up the Maniac’s line. And, speaking of beef, while on my way to the OCI parade, I happened on to a big part (well, two big parts) of the future of the Maniac football program: freshmen linemen, Cody and Austin Fugate.

The six foot-plus twins already tip the scales at over 520 pounds (combined weight, of course). They tell me they have a buddy, another freshman, who goes by the name, Alaska (Tyler Batterman) and is as big as them and also plays ball on the JV team. I can’t wait for this to all come together, and I’m sure the Orofino coaches can’t either… And, neither should the Orofino fans. Next action for the Maniacs is at home against the St. Maries Lumberjacks. Game time is 7 p.m. tomorrow at OHS field.

In my opinion

The athletes who are playing football currently for Orofino (the high school and the COMMUNITY) are exceptional kids and really deserve a little more support from their community. So, why wait?  A lot of you fans will be there when the championship games are played, but where are you now when the kids really need the encouragement? “Little Kamiah” showed up with as many fans as Orofino at our own home field last Friday…maybe more, by game’s end. Perhaps that is why they win so consistently. Why not support your team, and all the high school athletic programs, and your community, by attending a game?

So, where’s the beef? It’s hanging some where in a locker probably by now, or maybe starting to show up on the dinner table at Coach’s home or any of the other awesome supporters of the 4-H youth  livestock programs. If you need to hire a contractor, purchase groceries, book a room, or anything else, why not look to those who do their share to support our youth here, locally. There is a list of these livestock purchasers in this week’s Clearwater Tribune.

Two likely heat related deaths in Clearwater County

By Alannah Allbrett

When one thinks of deadly heat waves Arizona, Chicago, or a tenement in New York City might come to mind. According to Clearwater County Coroner, Will Rambeau, there were two deaths in the county in August that were likely heat related.

Though the hot season has basically passed for our area for this year, there is always next year to consider. People with chronic illnesses and the elderly are particularly at risk.

Rambeau said, “There are people here who try to cool themselves with only a fan, as air-conditioning is not the norm for this area.” He went on to point out that some medications make people more sensitive to sunlight as well.

Preventative steps to take to take to avoid heatstroke or possible death are: (a) Keep well hydrated and drink lots of water. (b) A person with known chronic illnesses should advise their doctor if they do not have air-conditioning. (c) Arrange to spend the hottest part of the day with a family member or even in a public building such as a library to keep body temperatures at a safe level.

“It would be ideal,” said Rambeau, “for a family member or friend, to check on the person regularly.” It’s a matter of life and death.