LOCAL REPORT -- N.Y. Jets sign former CWU punter


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YAKIMA -- Former Central Washington punter Joe Smith joined the Yakima Mavericks looking to improve his professional football chances and accomplished just that.

The former first-team NCAA Division II American Football Coaches Association All-American signed a free-agent contract with the NFL's New York Jets on Tuesday. Smith also spent two seasons with the semipro Mavericks as a kicker/punter, taking home Evergreen Football League Special Teams Player of the Year in 2007.

Phone calls to Smith's cell phone for comment weren't returned, but Maverick general manager Nathan Soptich wasn't surprised by the news. He said Smith often attended NFL tryouts during his time with the Mavs hoping to get noticed.

"All of us who knew him and watched him kick, we wondered when he would get his shot," Soptich said. "He had the ability to make an NFL team."

The Enumclaw native finished his college career averaging 43.24 yards per punt -- still the best average in CWU history. He played in the Cactus Bowl all-star game after his senior season in 2003 and was a two-time, first-team selection in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference as a punter.

 

GOLF

Crimp's 68 leads Senior Amateur

BLAINE -- Ellensburg's Keith Crimp took a commanding lead with a 4-under 68 during the opening round of the 44th Pacific Northwest Senior Men's Amateur Championship on Tuesday.

Crimp, who was the only player in the field under par, recorded four of his seven birdies on the back nine at Loomis Trail Golf Course. Tom Phillips of Seattle sits in second after an even-par 72.

The tournament is a 54-hole stroke play event open to amateur golfers 55 years of age or older.

 

COLLEGE RODEO

Yonaka, Ferguson set for nationals

Bull rider Levi Yonaka, who constitutes the entire Perry Technical Institute rodeo team, and Central Washington University's Jaclyn Ferguson will make historic return appearances at next week's College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo.

It marks the second straight CNFR berth for Yonaka, a Selah graduate who last year became Perry Tech's first qualifier for the national finals. He qualified by finishing third in the regional points standings, the same as last year -- but with 110 more points this year. Last year he didn't stay on for the full eight seconds on his three CNFR rounds.

"I just wasn't riding good at the time," said Yonaka, who added that he's feeling more confident and riding with more consistency this time.

Ferguson, a former volleyball standout at Goldendale, is believed to be the first CWU rodeo athlete to qualify for nationals four straight years. Her coach, Kay Davis, called that "an amazing feat in itself."

A recent CWU graduate in visual arts, Ferguson was the Northwest region's goat-tying champion and was reserve all-around champion, and will compete in breakaway roping and goat tying at nationals.

Ellensburg native Manda Mellergaard, now a student at Walla Walla Community College, has also qualified in breakaway roping and goat tying. Mellergaard is expected to compete next year for CWU.

 

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Central baseball signs four

ELLENSBURG -- Central Washington's baseball team added some significant depth to its pitching roster with the signing of four right-handed pitchers for the upcoming season.

Coach Desi Storey announced that Richie Carmichael, Jordan Dallas, Ryan Graves and Justin Reed have signed letters of intent with the school.

Carmichael, from La Grande, Ore., and Reed, from Decatur High School in Federal Way, will be true freshmen, while Dallas and Graves are junior college transfers.

Dallas attended River View High School and most recently pitched for Columbia Basin College. Graves, from Puyallup, was at Lower Columbia College this past season.

Carmichael is also a middle infielder.

Central will lose 13 players off its 2008 team that went 30-21 and finished second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

 

YOUTH BASEBALL

Bees sweep Pepsi Juniors

Steven Wagar and Tyler Ueltschi both pitched complete games as the West Valley Bees swept the Yakima Valley Pepsi Juniors 12-3, 10-3 on Tuesday.

Josh Owens was 4-for-4 and Tyler Gallaway collected three hits in the opener for the Bees (5-1), and teammate Jake Nell was 3-for-5 in the second game.

* Tyler Torres went 3-for-3 with a triple and three RBI to lead Lower Valley to a 5-3 win over Liberty Christian at Wapato. Michael Deleon pitched six innings for the win, and Jared Olivas and Cameron Thompson had two hits apiece.