The Kansas City Star from Kansas City, Missouri • 72

rwi A WlVtStfMftMt ffISR -W iSporte In Brief i coach says Eagles can improve Softball -The Longview Community College Softball Complex will be the site for the SpotbUt Fall Softball Classic to be held Saturday and Sunday The double elimination tournament will consist of one open division Oh Sept 9 a home run hitting contest will be held Prises will be awarded to the top three teams-and top three home run hitters Entry fee for the tournament is 5100 (softballs will be furnished) And the entry fee for the home pm hitting contest is 5 for 10 swings For more information contact Bret Wagner during daytime hours at 340-4545 Miniature aoH The first King Patterson Memorial Golf Tournament will be held at 8 am Sept 18 at Cool Crest Miniature Golf Course New volleybaU By Clarence Hill Jr MmMt Grain Valley volleyball Coach Fawna Harrison who li coaching the sport at the varsity level for the first time makes no pretentions about her goals for her inaugural season Like most first-year coaches she is excited and hopes to start her high school career on a winning note But when ashed what impact she would have on Grain Valley's program she was hard pressed to find ad answer But after a couple of sighs Harrison proving that she did her homework on her new school found what she was looking for thinh 111 give a little stability in coaching" Harrison said with varsity experience returning from last year's 10-13 squad Harrison thinks the Eagles can be improved in 1980 Grain Valley had S3 girls show up for preseason workouts "We should do at least as well but hopefully better than last Harrison said "I think we can definitely contend in the (1-70) conference We have that kind of Grain Valley whose season began last night with a match against Englewood ChristUta will count on lbeplay of Junior Patty Freeman senior Bepther Paine and Junior Dawn have gone well" Harrison paid girls have worked hard We all are very excited about the season We hope to surprise some Pleasant Hill graduate in 10713 East UA 40 Highway Participants will play all four courses (73 boles) And prises will be awarded to the (op three finishers Cash prises wu) also be awarded for boles-in-one on designated holes The entry fee is 520 and needs to be sumbitted by Sept 10 Proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society To register Mop by Cool Crest or call 358-0088 Tennis The Raytown Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor the Raytown Fall Classic Sept 32-34 Divisions include: mixed open men and women open A 35 singles and doubles mixed open and A Entry fees are 59 for singles 514 for doubles Deadline is Sept 19 For more information call Mike at 358-4100 real well He really established himself as a Another strength of the Tigers is senior Chad Gardner who qualified for the state track meet last year in the 3300-meter relay year the team finished 10th in the state cross country 'meet and we lost our No 4 Children said of our top' seven we have five seniors and two juniors With the exception of maybe one runner they all have some state excellence me the meet (Park Hill Invitational) is a good indicator -'of where We am at' that time and where We would liki to be a( the Urtieof "They have had several coaches over the years I want to stay and build a program sure 111 be here for Harrison took the Job after coaching four seasons at a junior high is Waynesville Mo Stability is something Grain Valley athletic director Marc Hill is pleased to hear her thlk about "We are very happy to have her" Hill said "We think die is going to be for us Her attitude and dedication are something we In building the program Har-rison said she plans to get the entire town of Grain Valley involved want to get everybody interested in Harrison said important to have interest at the local Despite only four players desire and the will those are his biggest pluses right now He works hard and he wants itM Manager Brian Poldberg playing baseball He try out for a team until the summer following his graduation from Pleasant Hill High School in 1984 He played second base for an American Legion team in Pleasant Hill was Just awesome to Shifflett said decided to play to see how well I could do" Shifflett played one season at Longview Community College then transferred to Central Missouri State the following year where he started as a third The Central and North By La VelieE Neaim itaN writer One thing that no one can take away from Steve Shifflett is his penchant -for working hard Ultimately he hopes that it will pay off in the form of an opportunity to pitch in the major leagues Shifflett just completed his first year with the Royals' Class A Midwest League team in Appleton Wis He finished with a 3-3 record and a 415 earned run average In 18 games including two starts he allowed 35 runs (18 earned) and 34 hits He walked 10 and struck out 13 in 39 innings one of the hardest workers we had on the Appleton Manager Brian Fold-berg said was always ln early in tye morning and is one of the last to Shifflett said he uses a variety of pitches including a fastball that has been clocked in the mid-80s He also throws curve-balls sliders and change-ups he could add a few miles E- hour to his fastball it could to a better change Poldberg said Shifflett- lacked confidence when he first thought about Class A ball baseman before being converted into a pitcher "The way I threw from third the way I set up and followed through They thought I had the Shifflett said But a series of ailments and a lack of money forced Shifflett to leave Central Missouri after one season He went back to Longview the next season but he was receiving no offers so he spent time training and working out Things turned for the better after he went to a tryout camp in Kansas City and was offered a scholarship from Emporia State University He pitched two years there compiling a 13-8 record In June of last year Shifflett met Royals scout Cart Blando at a tryout camp at Johnson County Community College Blando invited him to a tryout camp at Royals Stadium did pretty Well Shif- flett said that they would wait until the end of my senior year at Emporia That same night the Seattle Mariners called and offered him a contract Shifflett declined stating he wanted to finish school He signed a Class A contract with the Royals this summer Shifflett intends on working harder to achieve-Ms goal of making it to the major leagues got the desire and the those are his biggest Poldberg pluses right now' said works hard and he Shifflett said Just like to play If the Royals release me I'll Just go somewhere else to play not ready to quit yet come from the bottom and I have a long way to go I know i i 4- 1 1 Running continued from pg 15 team this year and we lost a bumper crop of good Childress meanwhile said nice to be that highly thought Of but right now just Blue top runner Parker said is senior Doug Miller who was selected to ne Start All-Metro team last season Summit's chances depend heavily on the performance of Junior Jason Gauert my No 1 Childress said potentially he could be the bat runner in the city Middleton (Northeast) and Ladd McClain (SM Wot)' are the only runners to beat him' last yearand gone Right now" bel running' Jackson County Star September 5 1989 tPage lt Central and North Jackson.