Lubach makes impacton Hofstra softball team

The Hofstra University softball team is having a great year, and so is their catcher.

Junior catcher Carolann Lubach from Langley has started every game for the Hofstra team, which had a 42-12 record headed into regional action.

Lubach is second on the Pride with 26 RBIs with 26 and is batting .271 overall. She has also been a clutch hitter for the Pride throughout her career. She is not a home-run hitter – posting just six in her career – but has homered in each of the last two Colonial Athletic Association championship games, helping the Pride to win back-to-back titles.

The Hofstra softball team advanced to the regional finals with a 5-1 win over Canisius College May 11 at the Hofstra softball stadium. With the win, Hofstra extended its school record for wins in a season.

The Pride then lost 10-0 to top-seeded Arizona in five innings on May 17.

Sign-ups for youth football starting soon

Younger South End players are encouraged to attend a meeting to sign up for summer football programs.

Sign-ups for participation in the South Whidbey Youth Football Association football program are scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 27 at the community room in the South Whidbey Intermediate School.

The SWFA is a member of the North Cascade Youth Football League, the foremost youth football league in the North Puget Sound area. The association plays against teams representing Oak Harbor, Everett, Mount Vernon and several other communities north of Everett and south of Bellingham.

The football association has three teams for South End youth: PeeWees, ages 7-8, midgets, ages 9-10 and juniors, ages 11-12.

Practice begins on July 28 and the season runs through late October.

For information, call Jean or Carolyn at 579-1789.

South Whidbey moves closer to state meet

Cayla Calderwood and Lauren Sandri once again showed why they are the Falcons to watch as track state finals approach this week.

In the second day of action in District 1 championships at Cedarcrest High School – featuring athletes from 13 schools in the Cascade and Northwest leagues – Calderwood placed first in the javelin, throwing 115 feet, 1 inch.

“Cayla was in seventh place in the javelin going into her last throw when she uncorked a personal best to win and secure her fourth state qualifying mark,” said Falcon coach Doug Fulton. “She has qualified in the long jump, triple jump – ranked second in the state – and high jump as well.”

Sandri was first in the 200-meter dash in 25.78 seconds.

Gwen Bakke, McKenzie Walker, Laurie Robinson and Sandri combined for a win in the 200-meter relay event in 1:46.24.

Other highlights for the girls included Sandri’s second place showing in the 100-meter dash in 12.41 and a second place in the 100-meter relay for Bakke, Sandri, Autumn Walker and Laurie Robinson in 50.48.

“Sandri broke two school records in the 100- and 200-meter dash and ranks first among 2A schools in the state,” Fulton said. “Lauren took the baton in the 200-meter relay in third place and powered past Sehome and Blaine down the stretch. South Whidbey ranks first in the 400-meter relay for 2A schools, followed by Sehome and Blaine.”

In the boys 100-meter dash, Hisahi Sanda was fourth in 11.38.

In the boys 400-meter relay Jon Poolman, Andy Bennett, Hisashi Sanda and Ramsey O’Brien came in second place with 44.04.

In the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, Bennett placed third with 41.51.

Earlier in the week, Bennett placed second with a 21 foot, 2 inch long jump.

It was a personal best for Bennett and good enough for a berth at the state meet.

In the girls triple jump, Calderwood took first place with a 35-foot effort and second in the high jump at 5 feet even, just an inch lower than Burlington-Edison’s Danielle Nordlund. Emily Martin placed fifth in the 3,200-meter distance for a PR run in 11 minutes, 52 seconds – the fastest freshman time in South Whidbey track history.

Calderwood, Sandri, McKenzie Walker, Bennett, Poolman, Chandler Thompson, Sanda, Robinson and Eric Stallman all qualified for the state meet in Tacoma, May 23-24. Alternates are Laura Barrow, Autumn Walker and Ramsey O’Brien.

In team scores, the girls were third with 89 points, behind Burlington-Edison with 144.5 and Sehome with 93.5.

The boys placed seventh with 49 points.

The state track-and-field finals begin Friday, May 23 at Mount Tahoma High School.