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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
March 1, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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March 1, 2012
 
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Shelton-Mason County Journal By EMILY HANS()N emily@masoncounty.com When two Shelton men first started throwing darts together last fall, they never expected to win a state championship. But in January, that's exactly what Mat- thew Gilbert, 29, and Daryl Alvarez, 24, did. Gilbert and Alvraez, longtime friends from Shelton, began throwing darts in the Golden Pheasant league every Sunday last fall. After 10 weeks of league dart-throwing at theGolden Pheasant, the two were invit- ed to the Northwest Fall League Finals at Tacoma's Emerald Queen Casino Jan. 6-8. Gilbert said he and Alvarez learned their dart-throwing skills through an unconven- tional method. "We play beer pong a lot and it's the same concept," Gilbert said. "Our friends would come over and play in tournaments." When Alvarez's father -- a longtime dart-thrower -- suggested they start throw- ing darts, the guys decided to try it out. "It was a lot of fun," Gilbert said. "I guess Shelton used to be the Mecca of darts; a lot of good teams came out of Shelton and we're looking to start that again." At the championship in January, there were 97 boards side-by-side and teams threw all day long, Gilbert Said. "We play two games: 501 and cricket 501," he said. In cricket 501, teams must hit three 15s, three 16s, three 17s, three 18s, three 19s, three 20s and three bull's eyes. In 501, teams start at 501 and count down, hitting every number to zero or they bust. "We're better at cricket," Gilbert said. The tournament was best two-out-of- three matches and double elimination. To win a match, Gilbert said the team had to win two-of-three games. "We won our first match, lost the second and then won the third match," he said. "Then we had to beat the team we lost to twice, because they had not lost at all." Gilbert and Alvarez's team, BangaRang, defeated Jessica Hester and Anthony Kel- ley on the team Just Left Dartalica for first place in the C Flight Doubles champion- ship. In the championship game, Gilbert said BangaRang lost the first 501 game and won the first cricket game. "Then we lost the 501 game and won the cricket game again;" he said. "My partner closed out the next 501 game to win the championship." See Darts on page C-4 Shelton Special Olympics team member Charlie Yang stops to put up a shot while guards him during the Special Olympics versus SHS staff game on Thursday, Feb. Journal photos by Emily Hanson SHS staff member Josh Parker 23. SHS Special Olympics team takes 2nd at regionals By EMILY HANSON had good support from the ernily@masoncounty.com cheerleaders and parents. That was very important." The game came at the The Shelton Mini Dome end of the Special Olympics was filled with smiles 'and basketball season, which laughter during the annual takes place during the first Shelton Special Olympicsweek of December to the versus Shelton High School first week of March. staff game on Thursday, This season was also the Feb. 23. second time in 14 years that "The main thing about the Shelton team did not Special Olympics is it rein- make it to the state tourna- forces and gives us a chance ment in Wenatchee. Two of to practice what we teach in the Shelton teams finished the classroom -- workingin second place at region- for a common goal, dealing als this year while the other with stress, learning lead- team took third. ship skills and dealing with "Our teams did really winning and losing," SHSwell this season," Thornton special education instructor said. "We had to fight for sec- Gar Thornton said. ond place and it was a little Thornton, along with disappointing because state Nate Sartori, Scotty Crump is our big payout. Competi- and Steve Belcher, coaches tion has gotten harder and three Shelton Special Olym- some teams have left the pics teams, region so it's a more concen- "We have a team of high-trated pool of competition." . ly skilled players, a team of The Shelton Special players that have learned Olympics team used to the basics and are prac-bowl, but when the bowling ticing them and an intro- alley in town burned down, ductory group that is just that became difficult for learning about basketball," the group, since the closest Thornton said. bowling alley is in Olympia. During Thursday's Thornton said the team game, most of the programs' has also participated in 27 athletes faced off against ~rack and field in the past, nearly one dozen SHS staff but that's more for an indi- members and students in vidual sport. the annual game. This is"I really like to spend the fifth or sixth year of the more of our time on team game, Crump said. sports because they build on "The game was really, our life skills more," Thorn- really fun," Thornton said. ton said. "It's a playful banter that The life skills class at goes on between the kidsSHS teaches junior high and the staff all day. We through full-grown adults. Shelton Special Olympics team member Mike Geddings drives to the hoop with SHS staff member Tom Toney in pursuit during the Special Olympics versus SHS staff game on Thursday, Feb. 23. She,ton-Mason County Journal Rudy Award winner will play in college By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.com Walking into the winter sports assembly, Nic Gove didn't suspect he was about to receive an award. Gove, a senior at Shelton High School, was therefore surprised when head foot- b,all coach Matt Hinkle an- nounced he was the fall 2011 winner ofthe Rudy Award. "Nic exemplifies what the Rudy Award is all about," Hinkle said. "He came from being a non-trust- worthy, non-dis- Nic ciplined, Gove non-com- mitted player to one that was well-respected by his coaches and well- liked by his teammates. He dealt with personal hard- ships and struggles yet al- ways seemed to have a posi- tive demeanor and outlook." Gove said he didn't really know what the Rudy Award was about before Hinkle told him it was for people who overcome challenges. "I felt honored to win the award," Gove said. The challenge he over- came was one not many peo- ple knew about. "My sophomore year, I had a seizure that stopped me from playing," Gove said. "No one really knew at first why I stopped going to practice that season because I was really upset." That was Gove's third seizure. Gove's first seizure was caused by sleep-depri- vation, his doctors told him. After having one seizure, Gove said his doctors told him the next two were be- cause he was now suscep- tible to them. "The only reason I couldn't play was that it happened right during foot- ball season," Gove said. Being unable to play foot- ball affected Gove so much that he stopped caring about school, he said. As a senior, he's turned his academic performance around. "I averaged a 3.5 GPA last semester and I'm hop- ing to do that again this se- mester," Gove said. He returned to the grid- iron his junior year and See Athlete on page C-4 - Thursday, March 1, 2012 - Page C-1