.... 4B The Daily Sentinel • Tuesday, March 9, 2010 SPORTS GRAND VALLEY ALUMNI WATCH Driving dilemma ‘Boys, have at it’ attitude results in frightening accident, leaves NASCAR debating what to do By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The boys sure backed NASCAR into CENTRAL GRADUATE SEAN WHITE, right, qualified for the NCAA a corner on this one. Division III national championships last weekend for Wartburg College. Determined to give drivers White is one of many former valley athletes succeeding in college. more leeway this season when it came to policing each other on the track, NASCAR opened the year with a relaxed “boys, have at it” attitude. It was interpreted White wrestling well to mean NASCAR would look the other way at a nudge here, a spin there, and all the retalia- tory bumping and banging that goes on over a very long season. at Wartburg College No one could have predicted, By ALLEN GEMAEHLICH same time, I know I’ve put in though, that NASCAR’s first Allen.Gemaehlich@gjsentinel.com a lot and I’m ready to move true test would come a mere forward with the next step. four races into the season after a Sean White’s wrestling “Right now, my focus is to frightening accident at Atlanta. career didn’t end the way he finish school and graduate. NASCAR on Monday found hoped, but the 2006 Central With wrestling, I’m going to itself smack in the center of a High School graduate has no look to coach and still be a dilemma over what to do with regrets. part of the wrestling com- Carl Edwards, whose inten- White qualified for the munity. Wrestling is always tional wrecking of Brad Kes- NCAA Division III national going to be a part of my life elowski late in Sunday’s race championships last week- somehow.” ignited a heated debate about end in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Here’s a look at how some just what’s permitted under this but finished one round shy college athletes with local new policy. of placing and earning All- ties fared recently: Emotions are high in almost American honors. SWIMMING every corner, and no decision “It was a good experi- Angel Forsling (Grand Junction, 2006), NASCAR makes will satisfy ence overall,” White said. Colorado School of Mines: The junior will everyone. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS “It didn’t turn out the way I compete in the NCAA Division II Championships What first must be figured would’ve liked it to, but I was this weekend in Canton, Ohio, in three events: out, though, is what is everyone BRAD KESELOWSKI, CENTER, IS HELPED TO AN AMBULANCE after being involved in a crash Sunday during happy I got to experience be- 100-yard breaststroke, 200 breaststroke and 200 individual medley. She is seeded 11th in is so upset about? the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Emotions are still high after Carl Edwards intentionally ing there. the breaststroke (1:05.25), 29th in the 200 Is it that Edwards returned to crashed Keselowski’s No. 12 Dodge. “My goal was to win it. breaststroke (2:24.30) and 46th in the IM the track down 153 laps, intent That’s where my head was (2:10.52). on retaliating against Keselows- tween the two knocked Edwards But because Keselowski penalty, then other drivers won’t at.” Chelsea Tompkins (Fruita Monument, 2006), ki, and after trying for at least The Wartburg (Iowa) Col- Air Force Academy: The senior diver finished out Sunday, at a track where he’s went airborne, bounced hood- ever dare test the limits. 10th on the platform with a season-best score of one full lap, finally succeeded won four times in two series, he first off the retaining wall, and A significant fine, points de- lege 133-pound senior (31-9) 214.05, took 16th on the 3-meter springboard with a deliberate nudge? was ready for revenge. He 100 had to climb from a cockpit so duction or probation will likely entered the national tourna- after a career-best 250.60 in the preliminaries Is it that the high-speed con- percent deliberately wrecked crumpled it looked more like back Edwards into a conserva- ment with an Iowa Intercol- and was 21st overall in the 1-meter event with tact sent Keselowski airborne Keselowski and has so far been an accordion than a car, there’s tive mode that could alter the legiate Athletic Conference a score of 197.20 a couple of weeks ago at the in a spectacular flip that could rather unrepentant about his a been cry for NASCAR to is- way he races the rest of the year. title. Mountain West Conference Championships in have caused serious harm to “After conference, I was Oklahoma City. action. sue serious sanctions against And no action at all, aside Keselowski or any number of Edwards, who was imme- Edwards. from infuriating an enraged pretty pumped up to go na- TRACK & FIELD fans in the grandstands? tionals,” White said. “I felt Rafael Cote (Grand Junction, 2009), diately parked for his actions, Fans want him suspended, mass of fans, well, that could University of New Mexico: The freshman Or, maybe, the issue is that had little to say after a postrace and many analysts have agreed. promote repeat behavior from like I was ready for nationals. placed fourth in the 800-meter run (1:52.79) NASCAR wasn’t properly pre- meeting with NASCAR. But he Even Keselowski seemed to Edwards or others. I had a great two weeks of recently at the Mountain West Conference Indoor pared to deal with the ramifica- minced no words in a Facebook taunt NASCAR into cracking Whatever NASCAR decides practices.” Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. The Lobos’ tions of allowing drivers free posting late Sunday night. down on Edwards. won’t satisfy everyone, but White, seeded fourth, won men’s team finished third. rein on the race track. “My options,” he wrote, “It’ll be interesting to see how there are some guarantees go- his first match at nationals, 8- Steve Kasica (Fruita Monument, 2008), All three are valid argu- 4, to reach the quarterfinals. University of Colorado: The sophomore placed “Considering that Brad wrecks NASCAR reacts to it,” he said ing forward. ninth in the 800-meter run at the Big 12 Indoor ments. me with no regard for anyones after the wreck. “They have the Keselowski, for one, got the There, he lost 8-4. Championships the last weekend in February with First up is Edwards, who is safety or hard work, should I: ball. If they’re going to allow message loud and clear that “That second match, if one a time of one minute, 50.80 seconds. on a long list of drivers who A-Keep letting him wreck me? people to intentionally wreck some rival drivers have been or two things go differently, it WRESTLING have been on the losing end of B-Confront him after the race? C- each other at tracks this fast, trying to deliver for a while now, could’ve gone the other way,” Tucker Lane (Nucla, 2007), University of Keselowski’s aggressive charge Wait til bristol and collect other we will hurt someone either in and he’s likely going to think White said. “The same with Nebraska: The sophomore heavyweight took third into NASCAR’s top level. Al- cars? or D-Take care of it now? the cars or the grandstands. It’s twice before bulldozing his way the next match that put me place in the Big 12 Championships on Saturday in though Denny Hamlin had the “I want to be clear that I was not cool to intentionally wreck through a pack of traffic. out of the tournament. I was Norman, Okla., and qualified for the 2010 NCAA most public feud with Kesel- down 5-2 and made one mis- Championships on March 18-20 in Omaha. surprised at his flight and very someone at 195 mph.” Edwards, after a night to sleep Joe LeBlanc (Meeker, 2007), University of owski, there is no shortage of relieved when he walked away. It’s left NASCAR to sift on it, probably wishes he’d done take that put me out of reach Wyoming: The 184-pound sophomore (35-4) won top-name drivers who privately Every person has to decide what through the evidence. On one things a little differently and of winning that match. One a regional title last weekend and was chosen the pledged they’d exact their re- code they want to live by and hand, this is no different than a will likely give deeper thought mistake in a big tournament NCAA West Regional Outstanding Wrestler by the venge this season. hopefully this explains mine.” traffic infraction: run a red light to how he exacts his revenge in like that can put you in a bad coaches. He qualified for the NCAA Championships Edwards’ most obvious run- Opinions were split, though, and nothing happens, you may- the future. situation.” on March 18-20 in Omaha. LeBlanc, who earned in with Keselowski was on the Although White’s wres- All-American status last season, is ranked eighth perhaps fueled by the severity be get a ticket. Run a red light And NASCAR? Well, NAS- in the nation. final lap of last April’s race at of Keselowski’s crash. and kill someone, now you’re CAR knows for sure it needs a tling career is over, he is still Charlie Pipher (Hotchkiss, 2004), Western Talladega, where Keselowski’s There was no similar outrage looking at vehicular homicide. quick handbook on how to deal focused on becoming a coach State College: The 184-pound senior (22-3), who nudge sent Edwards flying into when Hamlin fulfilled his prom- So now NASCAR plays judge, with these issues. one day. is ranked No. 1 in the nation in NCAA Division II, the fence in a wreck that some ise of payback on Keselowski in jury and executioner, and its de- Nobody wants to see the Wild “The whole experience I will wrestle for a national title this weekend in may argue was more frightening last year’s Nationwide Series cision will reverberate through West re-enacted on the track don’t think I could’ve gotten Omaha. He won an RMAC title and West Regional than Atlanta. But the two race anywhere but at Wartburg,” title with two pins in the tournament. He was finale at Homestead. And it the rest of the season. every weekend, but “boys, have sidelined by an injury for three weeks before the against each other weekly in sure seemed that the cheers far A severe punishment against at it” was a well-intentioned he said. “I’ve learned a lot tournament. two series, and Edwards’ hinted outweighed the jeers when Juan Edwards is akin to a death idea that doesn’t deserve to be about wrestling and life in If you know of local athletes who are at a far deeper history with the Pablo Montoya and Tony Stew- sentence on the “have at it” atti- scrapped because one incident general. I don’t think it’s playing in college, please contact us at unapologetic Keselowski. art played retaliatory bumper- tude. If the first driver who actu- took everyone — including Ed- quite hit me yet, but at the sports@gjsentinel.com or 256-4203. So when early contact be- cars a day later. ally “had at it” is hit with a stiff wards — by surprise. MACKEY: Mackey said he will never race in the Iditarod and Yukon Quest in same year again ® Continued from page 1B Yukon Quest rules don’t Jeff King. who was third last year. tor a musher and felt much Mackey plans to skip both specifically address drug use “He’s always the team to beat, However it turns out, this better for the Iditarod. He the Iditarod and the Quest al- “There’s been a lot of rumors, among mushers. in my opinion,” Mackey said. looks like the last time fans will ran both again this year even together next year. Instead, he a lot of innuendo over the Mackey has won that race Gatt, who came in 10th in the see Mackey and King squar- though he has been coaching hopes to try out the lower 48 years and our organizational four times in a row. In February, Iditarod last year, also considers ing off in the Iditarod. King, a rookie from Jamaica, Newton mushing circuit, including the response to this was, ‘Well, you he came in second by about an King a strong contender, noting 54, said he is running his final Marshall. 345-mile International Pedigree know what? Let’s implement a hour. But he considers the win- the Denali Park musher’s out- Iditarod. “My body’s just getting beat Stage Stop Sled Dog Race in drug testing program and find ner, 51-year-old Canadian Hans standing team. There are other Mackey said he’ll never run up,” he said. “If I’m not having Wyoming. out just what is happening or, Gatt, a lesser rival in the Idi- veterans to heed as well, he said, the Iditarod and Yukon Quest fun and my body’s not holding “Now, if I go and win the or hopefully not happening,’ ” tarod. The one he’s watching for including perpetual front-run- in the same year again. He up, then I don’t see what the Iditarod this year, it’d be pretty Hooley said. is four-time Iditarod champion ner John Baker of Kotzebue, skipped the 2009 Quest to men- point is.” hard not to go back,” he said. BOWLING: Warriors sending two teams to state Tigers, ® Continued from page 1B And it’s a sport Zimmerman with your team, then they move you to a different lane,” Zimmer- man said. “They have 50 lane al- leys, and you’ll bowl a lane, then fun no matter what.” The competitive atmosphere might be most appealing to Ivan Beale, the captain of Central’s Bulldogs, is great at playing. Central’s White team is the equivalent of a varsity team, and Zimmerman move down 20 lanes.” At Saturday’s state tourna- ment, each team bowls six Red team, which is going to state. Beale, a senior, has been bowling for five years, including Wildcats... is the team leader. He averages a 208 in the high school league. “Tyler does two sports (tennis and bowling) and has a 4.1 GPA,” games, using the total pin fall with a handicap for scores. After the six games are bowled, the top five teams the past two for Central. He’s never been to the state tourna- ment. “Being on the team’s been Robbins said. “I let him run his advance to a stepladder final pretty cool,” Beale said. “I’ve got- team. He knows what guys are (the fifth-place team bowls the ten a lot of help from the team- on and what guys are off.” fourth-place team, with the win- mates, and being around bowl- Zimmerman is joined on the ner moving on to bowl the third- ing is something I love to do.” White team by Richie Staats, place team). The Baker scoring Beale is joined on the Red team and Warriors. Oh My! Jessica Knott, Derek Hampton and Richard Reed. Zimmerman’s role as captain is to help the other four bowlers system is used, where a bowler rolls the first and sixth frames, another team member bowls the by Stephen Brown, Cody Blair, Bridger Nelson, Nikki Zimmer- man and Sarah Robbins. Being second and seventh frames, and in the state tournament will be GJSentinel.com on his team with strategy and so on. a good experience for Beale, who figuring out oil patterns on the “I’d love to finish in the top 10, has high aspirations. lanes. Zimmerman has already but the tough part is these guys “I actually want try to become We’re all over the news. been to the state tournament twice, and said it’s a hectic day. have to bowl six games, and that a pro at some point,” Beale said. can be a good six hours of bowl- “I love being in the bowling alley, “You bowl a game on a lane ing,” Robbins said. “But it’ll be the sounds; it’s just amazing.”