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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
April 28, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
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April 28, 2011
 
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Shelton-Mason County Journal TRA(:K Courtesy photo Former North Mason High School football coach Phil Pugh. NMHS to rename stadium a rter former coach Pugh By DEAN SIEMON During Thursday's North Mason School Dis- trict's board meeting, it was decided that North Mason High School's football sta- dium would be renamed "Coach Phil Pugh Stadium" in time for the 2011 season. "Well it's somewhat overwhelming but certain- ly I feel very gratified," said Pugh, the former Bulldogs football head coach for 27 I years, as well as 22 years as the track and field coach. Pugh began as the head football coach in 1974 until 1994 wherP-he decided'o -- retire. He would return in 2004 and then retire after a loss in the state playoffs in 2009. Pugh's resume includes eight trips to state tour- naments, four seminfinal appearances and a Class 1A state championship in 1982. "This is a big bonus for all of Belfair," said Bud McKay, a 1978 North Ma- son graduate. "There will now always be a connection to our great coach." While McKay admitted he was part of the only los- ing team under Pugh's ten- ure in 1978, McKay was one of the masterminds behind the renaming of the stadium. In the spring of 2010, McKay spoke with former coaches and athletic staff about ways the community could honor Pugh. "It seemed a no-brainer to name the football stadi- um after the coach," McKay said. After writing a letter to NMSD superintendent David Peterson, McKay learned that there was no school policy on renaming the stadium. According to a press re- lease sent by North Ma- son athletic director Mark Swofford back in January, the school board revised Policy 6870 and Procedure 6970P to "give the group a path to follow in attempt- ing to rename the facility." After gaining support, with students, parents and alumni, as well as a Face- book page "Coach Phil Pugh Stadium," the district's school boad mnanimously approved the renaming of the NMHS Stadium on Thursday. "Phil is a popular man that supports the commu- nity," Swofford said. Swofford said that the Associated Student Body has helped raise money through a golf tournament See Pugh on pageC-6 Journal photo by Dean Siemon SheRon High School's Bryton Rodgers was one of several Highclimbers to earn personal best records this week. Highclimbers break streak to Oly By DEAN SIEMON To say the least, it was a busy week for Shel- ton High School track and field. For the first time in 85 years, the Shelton boys defeated Olympia High School during a home meet on April 20. The Highclimbers won 91-54 against their 4A Narrows League rivals, while the girls lost to Olympia 89-60. Shelton head coach Doug Sells said the win at home for the boys showed the track and field program has progressed, "primarily due to in- creased numbers of athletes and a stable coach- ing staff." "A win over the Olympia boys is significant, but we need to stay grounded knowing that Olympia is an outstanding program and we need to back up this win in years to come if we want to put ourselves on Olympia's level," Sells said. Junior Skylar Core (boys 400 meters)junior Kyle Cloyd (boys 800 meters) and freshman Cody Williamson (boys 1,600 meters) were two of the Highclimbers that had first place finish- es. While Olympia's top distance runner, Nate Bennard, was not at the meet, Sells said Shel- ton still would have won the overall meet. "Kyle [Cloyd] has been working very hard in practices and it is beginning to show on the track," Sells said. "Both Skylar [Core] and Kyle are important members of our 4x400 meter re- lay as well." The girls also had a number of personal bests, with eight first place finishes. Senior Brenna Thompson gained her best time of the season in the girls 400-meter dash with a time of 59.63 seconds, which Sells said brings her closer to her goal of a 4A state cham- pionships. "Brenna is an outstanding competitor who knows just what it will take to be successful at the end of the season," he said. But Shelton also competed in the Viking Re- lays on Saturday at Curtis High School in Uni-. versity Place. Shelton's boys team finished in seventh, while the girls finished 10th. There were 13 schools represented at the event. "This is a very unique and fun meet for the kids," Sells said. "The field events are contested as a 'relay,' combining the top three marks for each competitor of the same team and scoring it for placing." In the boys pole vault, Shelton junior Bry- ton Rodgers had a personal best of 13 feet and three inches, which qualifies him as the top seed at the league and West Central District meets. "Bryton's technical side is improving through great coaching and focused practices," Sells said. "As the season takes a turn, he will have to focus on competing as he will be facing some great competition." The Highclimbers are now prepared for the 51st Shelton Invite, which is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 at Highclimb- er Stadium. More than 60 schools throughout the state of Washington will bring some of the top athletes in each event to Shelton. See Climbers on page C-6 : BAS E BALL Journal photo by Dean Siemon North Mason High School's Riley McKean delivers a pitch to a Klahowya Second- ary School batter during Thursday's home game, Strong pitching gives North Mason league win at home By DEAN SIEMON North Mason High School pitching got back on the winning track .with strong pitching at home on Thurs- day against Klahowya Sec- ondary School in the 5-1 win. The Bulldogs (7-8, 7-6 1A/2A/3A Olympic League) were led by starting pitcher Riley McKean, who earned his first win of the season with a complete game. McKean allowed one run on four hits while collect- ing seven strikeouts against Klahowya (2-7, 1-7 Olympic League), including three from the bottom of the sev- enth to close out the game. "[McKean] was always ahead all day," said North Mason head coach Bill Gey- er. "He threw a first pitch strike and stayed ahead." The Bulldogs also turned Klahowya's ground balls into outs, which Geyer said was important for the win. "When Riley pitches, we have to play good defense," Geyer said. North Mason first scored on an RBI single from Bran- don Dunham in the second inning, who led the team with two hits out of his three at bats. But two errors from the Eagles helped North Mason score four runs in the bot- tom of the fifth inning. "We got hits but [Klahow- ya] had a lot of passed balls that helped us," Geyer said. North Mason's Nick Acos- ta was one for three, but his big hit was in the fifth in- ning with a two-run double. The Bulldogs combined for seven hits with leading hitter Kasey Bielec held to one out of two with a walk. Different North Mason players could be moved around in th lineup with the handful of regular sea- son games left before the 2A See Bulldogs on page C-6 Thursday, April 28, 2011 - Shetton-Mason County Journal - Page C-1