I’ve always tried to be the type of person who doesn’t complain about something I can’t change.
But, geez, enough with this rain already.
I know this is still March, and this is the Pacific Northwest. But it shouldn’t be too much to ask for a sunny day or two here and there. I mean, 20 consecutive days of measurable rain is a bit much.
I know spring sports coaches and athletes would love that.
The Skyview baseball field has been described as “a swamp.”
Columbia River’s soccer home field at Jason Lee Middle School is “mud.”
And Hockinson’s home soccer field is so mud-filled that a recent game had to be called while it was in progress because the officials deemed the field unplayable.
In in addition to these, I’ve come up with 10 good reasons why I hope we see more warmer, sunnier and drier days in the very near future.
No. 10: Spring sports athletes in Clark County are spending more time in the gym than their counterparts did in the winter sports season.
No. 9: When coaches tell their players that it’s time to sink or swim, they mean it!
No. 8: Paul Valencia really needs to work on his tan.
No. 7: It’s been so soggy this spring that when fans see a guy who is especially proficient at hitting the baseball, they say “Boy, that guy can really mop.”
No. 6: The old man’s snoring is getting on my nerves.
No. 5: Home courses of Clark County golf teams are NOT called Tri-Island, Green Fountain, Water Hazard Village or The Cedars IN Salmon Creek.
No. 4: The grass in my backyard is getting so tall that you could lose a small child in it.
No. 3: On my list of all-time favorite Beatles tunes “Here Comes The Sun” and “Good Day Sunshine” rank much higher than “Rain.”
No. 2: Even the Skyview Storm and Mountain View Thunder are sick of this weather.
No. 1: I look good in sunglasses.
Here are some highlights of the prep schedule this week … weather permitting:
This week is spring break week for the schools in Kelso and Longview, so it will be a quiet couple of weeks in the Class 2A Greater St. Helens League.
Washougal is slated to play a baseball doubleheader at Hockinson on Thursday. Also on Thursday, Woodland and Hockinson are competing in a 2A GSHL track and field meet at Washougal.
On Saturday, Woodland hosts a baseball doubleheader against Mark Morris. Also, R.A. Long plays at Woodland and Washougal is at Mark Morris in boys soccer, just as the Longview schools are ending their spring break, and the other 2A GSHL schools are starting theirs.
And Kelso’s baseball and softball teams also have league game scheduled on Saturday. Kelso baseball will host Prairie, while the Hilanders’ softball team plays at Mountain View. These are the only league games for these Kelso teams this week.
The rest of the 3A GSHL softball teams are scheduled to be in action today with two league games part of schedule: Camas at Mountain View and Prairie at Columbia River.
League play continues for 3A GSHL softball teams with games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
The 4A GSHL softball league schedule also opens today with Heritage at Skyview and Evergreen at Union.
Columbia River meets Camas in boys soccer Tuesday night at Doc Harris Stadium in a meeting of league unbeatens in the 3A GSHL. The Papermakers have posted a 3-0 league record with all three wins being shutouts.
On Friday, the Papermakers will play Union in a potential matchup of first place teams in the 3A and 4A GSHLs. Union leads the 4A GSHL with 3-0 league mark.
And, for what it’s worth, the forecast this week calls for more showers early in the week and potentially drying out and warming up late in the week.
Yeah, right. We’ll believe that when we see it.
Tim Martinez is the assistant sports editor/prep coordinator for The Columbian. He can be reached by phone at (360) 735-4538 or email at tim.martinez@columbian.com.
