Graff, Dohrman named Spalding award winners as 2008 top athletes

ANDREW CHRISTIANSEN
Reporter

     Part of school tradition is remembering the great athletes who once led the home team against league rivals, putting up numbers that will be remembered for years to come. Goldendale honored two such athletes at this year’s graduation ceremonies. Kayla Graff and Nick Dohrman were presented the Spalding award designating them as the outstanding girl and boy athletes from the class of 2008. The two will join the ranks of those who built the tradition of athletic achievement at Goldendale.

Kayla Graff
     Graff closed out her career with 11 varsity letters, and nine all-league selections. In four years of varsity play, she climbed the list of all-time Timberwolf rebounders, finishing second with 824. During her senior year, Graff joined the elite, 200-200 club for scoring and rebounds in one season. She was voted team MVP three times.
     Graff was a key player on volleyball teams that logged a 37-1 record, claiming three league championships, a district championship, and fourth and fifth place trophies at State. She was second team all-league as a junior and first team selection as a senior. Graff was selected to play in the all-state, 1A/2A team, comprised of players who are invited by the Washington State Coaches Association for exhibition, summer play. Graff is one of 21 players who will play in the event at Fife High School on July 19.
     As a softball player, Graff was reliable with the glove at third base, and was a power hitter on the team. She was a four-year letterman and was selected to the all-league team as a junior and senior. In making the presentation, Coach Jodi Bellamy pointed out that Graff’s on field accomplishments were matched by her scholastic achievement, as she was fourth in her class with a 3.88 gpa.

Nick Dohrman
Nick Dohrman finished his high school career in a flourish of post-season honors. After leading his team to the State 1A playoffs, a team first, Dohrman was named Player of the Year for the SCAC league.
At the conclusion of the playoffs, he was selected to play in “feeder games” ahead of the state all-star game. His great pitching performance earned him the MVP award and a spot on the state team.
     Dohrman pitched two innings in the state game, striking out four batters. Missed in all the adulation about Dohrman’s pitching, is the fact that he was a near .500 hitter for his high school career, and counted on for timely homeruns by his Timberwolf teammates.
     Dohrman leaves Goldendale high school with the single season rushing record. He was first team running back and second team linebacker as a junior and senior, and honorable mention all-state running back as a junior.
     Dorhman was selected to all-league and honorable mention 10 times in three sports, the third being basketball. He too exemplified the student athlete as a member of the national high school honor society.

Sanchey concludes record setting career at Klickitat High School

ANDREW CHRISTIANSEN
Reporter
     
     One might guess that Hershel Sanchey’s most satisfying moment in track would have something to do with winning. After all, the Klickitat senior is a four-time state champion in the 3200 and has numerous wins at other distances. Perhaps it would be when he broke the old school record in the 3200 or the fact he holds every record from the 800 to 3200 at Klickitat High School.
     But, no. Sanchey’s most satisfying moment occured just a week and a half ago when he was one of six Washington runners invited to compete in the Meet of Champions, against six of Oregon’s finest. Sanchey didn’t win the race…he was third. It was a new PR of 9:30.53, but his satisfaction was based on the fact he was there and he showed the runners from much larger schools, that he belonged in the race.
     It is a common theme for Sanchey, a small guy from a small town, demanding respect. Sanchey is medium height and muscular, not the frame of a distance runner. He’s more suited to the sport he loves most, football.
     According to Sanchey, ‘I love the contact. I love hitting people.” He even played basketball as a contact sport, frequently mixing it up inside and always on the floor, diving for loose balls.
     Sanchey played football his first two years in high school, but was knocked unconscious in his sophomore year and was advised to skip football as a junior. He was back in pads as a senior. By then, his future in college was secure as a runner, so why risk injury playing football?
     “I love football. I don’t think about getting hurt.” But the wear and tear of Friday night football and Saturday morning cross-country began to wear him down. By the end of last fall, Sanchey was worn out. He says he felt it at the state cross country meet. explain the fact he felt exhausted with one mile left in the race, in which he settled for third.
     Sanchey graduated from Klickitat with an astounding 15 varsity letters. In addition to his three years in football, he lettered in baseball as an eighth grader and as a junior. He was a four-year letterman in basketball and track, and picked up two letters in cross-country. He says he was a football, baseball guy who liked to party until the seventh grade. He was forced to compete in the 800 in a meet at Stevenson, by then track coach, Mike Steindorf. Up to that point, he was satisfied running the 400 and competing as a long jumper. He blew away the field in the 800 and when the girl with a stop watch told him his time, she said “that’s a pretty good time for a seventh grader.”
     From that moment on, he was destined to become the best distance runner in Klickitat school history. He ran a sub-five minute mile as an eighth grader, which helped him realize he could be a good runner. At the State meet during his freshman year, his ire was raised by a teammate to the point that he entered the race, angry. With two laps left, Sanchey realized he had a big lead, and although he went out too fast and was tired, he decided he wasn’t going to lose the race. It became the first of his four straight championships in the 3200.
     Now, he gets pumped up to race, not necessarily mad, but pumped up by rock music. He describes it as an “I’m gonna win attitude.” On the training runs, he tones it down a bit to what he calls, techno-rock. It helps with the rhythm of running. He used to lift weights, but realized he needed to sacrifice that pastime for less bulk, if he was to take his running to the next level. He saw immediate improvement and had seven races this year that were under 10 minutes, six times under his previous PR.
     It hasn’t been all fun for Sanchey. During this year’s B league championship basketball game, things got chippy against TLG. Klickitat won the game, but Sanchey was still hot, long after the game as the team posed for pictures.
     And it was a track moment back in 2007 that quickly comes to mind as his most disappointing moment in track. He was aware that Goldendale’s Asa Israel was looking for a PR in that meet, so Sanchey tried to encourage Israel along the home stretch, looking back and saying “come on Asa, come on.” Sanchey won the race by inches. To the crowd in the stands, it looked like a bad case of taunting. He was stunned by the crowd reaction and verbal abuse inflicted by another team’s coach.
     “I don’t regret it, but I wish I could tell people what I was doing. It was a learning experience for me. I have to realize what other people see,” says Sanchey.
     Sanchey graduated last Saturday and will move onto the college scene in Spokane. Even that decision reflects Sanchey’s attitude of wanting to compete. “I could have gone to a bigger school and sat on the bench, but I am going to Spokane Falls where I will get to compete against those schools, like WSU.” He was also enticed by the track reputation at Spokane Falls, one of the better schools in the nation. More money was offered by Portland State and Cascade Catholic and Great Falls, but Sanchey was impressed with the campus and the track tradition. He will run the steeplechase and maybe some five and 10 kilometer races.
     He has nothing but praise for the Klickitat school system. He laments that the town is lacking in things for kids to do, and he wants to return and help. He will major in criminal justice and would like to be a policeman.
     “It’s a great town. I’ve had so much support. Even had I come in last in the 3200 at state this year, I would still be supported.” He has much praise for the teachers, administrators and staff at the school. “They help you any way they can. Mrs. Duus (Lynn Duus, school counselor) has the biggest heart ever.” He also credits his basketball coach, Kirk Huwe with “teaching us to be strong.” He also taught us that we represent the school.”
     Sanchey won boy athlete for cross country.
     At the time he couldn’t explain the fact he felt exhausted with 1 mile left in the race, in which he settled for third place. “I don’t know what that was,” he said at the time. He knows now that it was fatigue.
     Sanchey graduated from Klickitat with an astounding 15 varsity letters. In addition to his three years in football, he lettered in baseball as an eighth grader and as a junior. He was a four-year letterman in basketball and track, and picked up two letters in cross-country.
     He says he was a football, baseball guy who liked to party until the seventh grade. He was forced to compete in the 800 in a meet at Stevenson, by then track coach, Mike Steindorf. Up to that point, he was satisfied running the 400 and competing as a long jumper. But, he blew away the field in the 800 and when a girl with a stop watch told him his time, she said “that’s a pretty good time for a seventh grader.”
     From that moment on, he was destined to become the best distance runner in Klickitat school history. He ran a sub-five minute mile as an eighth grader, which helped him realize he could be a good runner.
     At the State meet during his freshman year, his ire was raised by a teammate to the point that he entered the race, angry. With two laps left, Sanchey realized he had a big lead, and although he went out too fast and was tired, he decided he wasn’t going to lose the race. It became the first of his four straight championships in the 3200.
     Now, he gets pumped up to race, not necessarily mad, but pumped up by rock music. He describes it as an “I’m gonna win attitude.” On the training runs, he tones it down a bit to what he calls, techno-rock. It helps with the rhythm of running.
     Sanchey lifted weights until this winter, realizing he needed to sacrifice that pastime for less bulk if he was to take his running to the next level. He saw immediate improvement and had seven 3200 meter races this year that were under 10 minutes, breaking his previous PR six times.
     It hasn’t been all fun for Sanchey. During this year’s B league championship basketball game, things got chippy against TLG. Klickitat won the game, but Sanchey was still hot, long after the game as the team posed for pictures.
     The worst of it all was an incident that happened back in 2007 , that quickly comes to mind as his most disappointing moment in track.
     He was aware that Goldendale’s Asa Israel was looking for a PR in that meet. As Sanchey ran away with the race in typical Sanchey fashion, he decided to help Israel set his PR by encouraging the Goldendale runner down the home stretch, looking back and saying “come on Asa, come on.”      Sanchey won the race by inches over Israel. To the crowd in the stands, it looked like a bad case of taunting.
     Sanchey was stunned by the crowd reaction and verbal abuse inflicted by another team’s coach. “I don’t regret it, but I wish I could tell people what I was doing. It was a learning experience for me. I have to realize what other people see,” says Sanchey.
     Sanchey graduated last Saturday and will move onto the college scene in Spokane. Even that decision reflects Sanchey’s attitude of wanting to compete and show the big guys what he can do.
     “I could have gone to a bigger school and sat on the bench, but I am going to Spokane Falls where I will get to compete against those schools, like WSU.”
     He was also enticed by the track reputation at Spokane Falls, which Sanchey says is one of the better track schools in the nation. More money was offered by Portland State, Cascade Catholic and Great Falls, but Sanchey was impressed with the campus and the track tradition. He will run the steeplechase and maybe some five and 10 kilometer races. He looks forward to having someone to run with, for a change.
     Sanchey has nothing but praise for the Klickitat school system. He laments that the town is lacking in things for kids to do, and he wants to return and help. He will major in criminal justice and would like to be a policeman.
     “It’s a great town. I’ve had so much support. Even had I come in last in the 3200 at state this year, I would still be supported.”
     Sanchey has much praise for the teachers, administrators and staff at the school. “They help you any way they can. Mrs. Duus (Lynn Duus, school counselor) has the biggest heart ever.” He also credits his basketball coach, Kirk Huwe with “teaching us to be strong.” He also taught us that we represent the school.”
     Sanchey’s year was crowned last week with his selection as cross-country althlete of the year at the Yakima Valley Athletic Awards ceremonies.
     He once said that track was his way out. Out of Klickitat and the life he lived in the small town. But things have changed. Sanchey wants to be part of the solution to Klickitat’s challenges, and he says he will return and be a positive factor in the town along the canyon.

Kiwanis tournament provides books to kids

     The Kiwanis’ Golf for Kids tournament tees off at the Goldendale Golf Course on June 21, at 8 a.m.      The tournament is for ages 21 and older with proceeds benefiting the Goldendale Kiwanis’ “free book program.” Over the years, the local Kiwanis have distributed over 10,000 books, according to Kiwanis member, Jim Allyn.
     The tournament will be played as a best ball scramble with a shotgun start. Entry fee is $35 per person with slots available for the first 18 teams that enter. Teams of threesomes and foursomes are preferred, but single and double entries are encouraged and will be grouped. The event is a fun tournament with novice golfers encouraged to participate.
     A lunch and drawings for prizes will follow 18 holes of golf. Any business interested in supporting the Kiwanis Golf for Kids can purchase a four-foot by two-foot painted sign for $250. Signs will be displayed at each hole. Contact Allyn at 773-4796 for details. Tournament entries can be made through Columbia River Bank.