Chambers and Cameron earn place in National high school rodeo finals
Mason Chambers and Lexi Cameron led the way among Goldendale riders at the State rodeo finals over Memorial Day weekend. Chambers qualified for the Nationals as the number four calf roper in the State. He will also compete at the Silver State International rodeo in Fallon, Nev., with his roping partner Kane Thiele. Thiele and Chambers finished ninth in the state. Thiele will also represent Washington at Silver State in calf roping as the seventh place roper in the state.
Cameron will go to Nationals in break-away roping after completing her freshman year ranked fourth in the state. Cameron was also chosen Rookie of the Year and earned her way to Fallon in goat tying and pole bending. The Rookie of the Year award began eight years ago to recognize the outstanding first year high school rodeo athletes.
Also qualifying for the Silver State rodeo is Cole Cameron. Cameron, a senior, is a veteran of both the national rodeo, which he participated in as a freshman and sophomore, and the Silver State rodeo. Cameron was seventh in team roping with his partner, Cody Jess, and 10th in calf roping and bull riding.
Rounding out the team qualifiers is Gavin Cooper. Cooper entered state competition in fourth place in bareback bronc riding, but a broken arm suffered in the Coolee City rodeo prevented him from participating in the state event. As a result, Cooper finished sixth overall and will make his first trip to Silver State. “I’ll make nationals next year for sure,” Cooper promised.
National High School Rodeo qualification requires athletes place in the top four in their state for an event. Others, through 10th place, are invited to Silver State. Out of 10 rodeos during the year, individuals are allowed to drop the score from their four poorest finishes. The score in the state event cannot be dropped.
The National High School Rodeo will be in Farmington, N.M., July 19-25. The Silver State Rodeo is July 4-9.
Bellamy, Israel take home Spalding award
Public perception might be that athletes aren’t the best students, but they generally are in Klickitat County and this year’s Goldendale High School Spalding Award winners prove it.
The female winner announced at graduation is Kylee Bellamy, a 3.993 GPA student and winner of 12 letters in her four year high school career. Bellamy, twice named to the All-State volleyball team, lettered all four years in volleyball and basketball, was named to the SCAC league team three times and qualified for State tennis twice, once in singles as a junior and this year she and teammate, Ryell Carley placed fourth in doubles.
Bellamy was part of two teams that qualified for State in basketball, but it was volleyball where she truly shined. She was voted team captain as a freshman and every year thereafter. She was a first team All-State setter as a junior and senior and second team hitter. The Goldendale team earned three State trophies during her career.
Bellamy will attend Northwest Nazarene on a volleyball scholarship. Her plaque will be added to the GHS Wall of Fame.
Asa Israel received the Spalding Award as the outstanding male athlete in the class of 2009. Israel graduated with a 3.2 GPA and was one of the more popular athletes in the state due to his sincere interest and goodwill he expressed toward his competitors. Israel was Goldendale’s 2008 Homecoming King.
Israel was stellar at individual sports, making it to State eight times in cross-country and track. He earned eight letters and placed at State four times. He was fourth in the 1600 meters and fifth in the 800 meters at the 2009 State 1A track meet. He won district track titles as a freshman, junior and senior. Israel also placed 13th and 14th in the State cross country meet as a junior and senior, respectively. Israel will also join the GHS Wall of Fame.
Second annual football camp primes future Timberwolves
Andrew Christiansen
Reporter
Grooming future Timberwolves is just one of the goals of the second annual Future Timberwolves football camp, which completed four days of activity at Barthlow Field last week.
The camp was above all fun for campers and coaches, and it helped further the goals of Coach Don Strother to build a cohesive football team for Goldendale High School.
The camp attracted a younger crowd this year, although it was open to kindergarten through seventh grades. It provided for a more uniform sized group for the coaches to work with. Participants spent time working on specific skills and ended each day with some spirited touch football scrimmages.
Assisting Strother were several of the GHS football team. Their participation gave them a volunteer opportunity and enhanced their learning of formations, plays and fundamentals.
Proceeds from the camp help fund the GHS team participation in summer football camps. This year the group will travel to Whitworth University in Spokane, June 22-25.
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