High School Sports
Rolfe wins hammer at national meet

By Patrick O'Neill
Special to The Seattle Times

Nate Rolfe of Inglemoor is headed for Cal.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Nate Rolfe took the advice of an aging Olympic champion and won a high-school national championship yesterday at the Adidas Outdoor Track & Field Championships at North Carolina State University.

Rolfe, a recent Inglemoor graduate who will be attending California on a track scholarship, won the hammer throw by a whopping 32 feet with an opening toss of 221 feet, 1 inch. Matthew DiBuono of New York was second at 188-8.

Recent Roosevelt High graduate Norris Frederick came back after Friday's disappointing 11th-place finish in the long jump to take a strong second place in the high jump with a leap of 6-10-3/4. After an hour rain delay, Frederick failed to clear 7 feet. The event was won by Katy, Texas, junior Scott Sellers, who jumped 7-2-1/4.

Rolfe said he took the advice of 1956 Olympic hammer champion Harold Connolly, who said Rolfe should win even if he has a bad day.

"On your good days you should set records," Rolfe said Connolly told him. "On your bad days you should win."

Connolly draped the gold medal around Rolfe's neck during the awards ceremony.

Rolfe, 18, also finished third in the discus (190-10) to go with his 12th-place performance in the shot put (57-3-1/2) on Friday.

Rolfe, the third-best prep all-time in the hammer, said his technique was off all day.

"It was frustrating," he said. "Things just didn't line up today. That's how it goes with the hammer. I tried hard."

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Rolfe said he likely would throw just the hammer and discus in college, and eventually focus on the hammer. Connolly, who watches videotapes of Rolfe's performances, has been giving Rolfe advice in telephone calls.
 
Frederick hyperextended his left knee Friday on his first long jump, then failed to reach the final.

Despite the injury, Frederick, who said his left knee was still hurting during the high jump, came back to win the silver medal in the meet that is recognized by many as the unofficial high-school national championships.

In the boys mile, Tacoma's Tommy Wyatt was fourth in 4:08.53 in a quick race that featured six runners bettering 4:10.

Oregon wins All-Star baseball

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Darwin Barney blasted three home runs to lead Oregon over Washington 17-4 at the DeMarini Cascade Classic All-Star Baseball Series at Propstra Stadium.

Oregon also beat Idaho 6-4 to earn bragging rights for the three-state event. Washington topped Idaho 15-3.

Barney, from Southridge High School in Beaverton, hit two-run home runs in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings. He added a run-scoring single for his second hit of the eighth as Oregon scored 10 runs.

Washington's runs came on a two-run home run from Sonny Garza of Othello and a two-run double from Scott Suttmeier of Issaquah.

Washington fared better against Idaho. Matt Fields of Lake Stevens was named the game's offensive MVP, going 3 for 5 with a double and two runs batted in.

Brandon Verley of White Salmon also went 3 for 5 with a double.

Paul Valencia of the Vancouver Columbian contributed to this report.