Grubb leads Monte in opening win

Montesano seniors Glory Grubb and Savannah Dilley came up big for the Bulldogs in a season-opening win Saturday at Montesano High School.

“These were two state tournament teams (in 2017) playing today. … It was good to see a quality opponent and get a win,” Monte head coach Fidel Sanchez said.

After a close, scoreless first half, the Bulldogs broke through the Grubb found a deflected ball at her feet approximately just inside the 18-yard box. With several players bunched up in front of the Cashmere goal, Grubbed chipped the ball over the head of the Cashmere goalkeeper and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute.

The midfielder struck again just five minutes later when she took the ball down the right side, dribbled around her defender and let loose a blast that deflected off the leg of a Cashmere fullback and into the net for a 2-0 lead.

That was all the scoring Dilley, the Montesano goalkeeper, would need. Dilley kept a clean sheet, stopping all five shots she faced while she combined with her defense to thwart any set piece attempts.

Cashmere totalled six corner kicks in the game to Monte’s one.

Sanchez admitted that in a close, “stalemate” of a game, it’s good to have a solid goalie such as Dilley minding the net.

“She had a great game,” he said. “She really stepped up and played great for us.”

Montesano (1-0 overall) faces Tumwater at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Tumwater.

Halstead leads Team USA to gold

Aberdeen’s Kailand Halstead had six home runs to lead Team USA’s 12-and-under baseball team to a 9-0 record and gold medal at the Pan Am Championships last week in Agusascalientes, Mexico.

The team capped off its undefeated tournament run with a 10-2 victory over Mexico on Sunday.

Halstead’s hot hitting played a big role in the team’s success as the Aberdeen native was named the tournament’s batting champion.

Halstead hit .667 with six home runs and 16 RBI in nine games.