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Show sports t Sports editor: Andrew Aragon Phone: 626-7983 River rafting offers By Angela Wiidinsin asst. sports editor-Signpost Despite tlie scorching temperatures of the summer season, floating down a river can be a chilling experience. Plunging through white-capped waves of water, the rafter has one goal in mind: to make it down alive. Many people envision this as they venture out into the rapid-paced sport known as Whitewater rafting. "River rafting fills a need just like anything else. People like to be in the outdoors. They like to be around water, and rafting can be extremely exciting." expert Whitewater guide Mike Henrie said. He has been river rafting for 13 years. Henrie adds that he continues guiding because of his love for the outdoors, and the challenge it poses. "It's like the river is alive and you're alive. The river has its own temper and you have your own. You're trying to tame each other. Also, it's nice to get people wet." Some favorite rivers in or near Utah include the Colorado, Green, San Juan and Yampa. which make up the great Colorado water system. Other close rivers that are popular with rafters include the Snake and Salmon, flowing through Idaho and Wyoming. Utah has many commercial rafting companies as well as places to rent equipment for people wanting to do it themselves. Henrie advises uncertified rafters to consult a certified guide before they begin their river adventure. "You can get yourself in a lot of trouble in a short amount of time. Don't take on more than you can handle," Henrie said. Rivers are classified as big and small. Parts of the Colorado are considered big, and the Snake is small. The difference is that on the bigger rivers, one must obtain a permit before floating; whereas smaller rivers allow anyone on the water. "The big rivers are classified three to six, and smaller rivers are classified one to three," he adds. Due to the demand, getting on the water is difficult. Most of the 22,000 slots for riding the Colorado River Eight-run By Andrew Aragon sports editor-The Signpost Before Sunday's game at Lindquist Field, the Helena Brewers had lost five straight games to the Ogden Raptors, and they looked like they tried to make up for all five losses at once. . The Brewers routed the Raptors 1 9-6 on the strength of 23 hits, and wild Raptors pitching. The Raptors and the Brewers played an even game for the first two innings, and the game was tied at 3-3. But things turned ugly for the Raptors in the top of the third. Raptors pitcher Mark Watson gave up three straight singles to load the bases at the start of the third. He then walked in a run. Brian Moon and Wellington Sanchez each singled in runs to give Helena a 6-3 lead. Watson was then pulled from the game, and his stat sheet read like a pitcher's nightmare: two innings pitched, and six runs scored off of eight hits. T' Millions of thrill seekers adventure toward the various rivers. Utah has many wonderful rivers that one can raft for rafter of all levels. The Salt Lake City-based Western River Expeditions offers a five-day river trip for $350. Call 1 -800-453-7450 for information and reservations. through the Grand Canyon go to commercial companies. Individuals face a minimum waiting time of three to five years. The toughest permit: the one to traverse Northern Idaho's Selway River, a rafter's prize because it is navigable only a few weeks of the year. The odds of winning a pass are 33 to 1. Henrie adds that on the bigger rivers the best way to go is with the commercial companies. "The bigger rivers are more dangerous, and they carry more of a dirty, muddy water. The object on these rivers is to make it down in one piece and to stay in the raft." Local rivers, particularly the Snake, are experiencing increasing popularity and user numbers each year. With this more crowded condition, people are advised to be more tolerant, remain good sports, use common sense and be courteous. Also, the wilderness is very Brewer inning dooms Raptors' Sunday ? 2 ' Raptors second baseman Chris Rowan slides safely into second base. The Raptors were blasted 1 9-6 on Sunday. Raptors pitcher Joel Arroyo was inserted to try to stop the bleeding, but had a bit of a control problem. He hit the first two batters he faced. Helena's nature's ' yC fragile and can easily be affected. Utah offers a variety of trips ranging from a couple of hours to several days. The average cost per person ranges from $30 to $40 for a day trip. For those who prefer to float without a guide, rafts are available to rent for $40 to $100 a day, depending on the size. "Riding with or without a commercial company is about the same. I personally couldn't ride with a commercial company, because I want to get out there and get wet and dirty," he said. Most commercial companies, because of their insurance, take the safest route down the river. Henrie suggests to those interested in riding without certification to call a commercial company and ask if there is a freelance guide that can take down a group. Safety is an important issue. People Vi Antoine Bunkley then hit a shot that bounced off of Raptors second baseman Chris Rowan's face to score two more runs. The next batter, Jake Krous, hit a extremes need to be as alert as possible and use common sense. "A lot of people don't have it," he said. Skills and traits rafters need are knowing how to swim, confidence and being humble. A non-swimmer is allowed to go, but heshe needs to tell the guide before getting on the water. 'The guide will place them in a safe spot, normally close to him just in case anything happens." "If you get on the river and it scares you, you loose your confidence. You've got to be confident in the task in front of you. Fears start coming up and common sense starts going away," he said. "Everybody needs to do it, at least once in their lifetime." For more information, call the Idaho Outiftters at (800) 847-4843 andor the Utah Travel Council at (800) 200-1160. sacrifice fly to make the score 1 1-3 to conclude the scoring in the eight-run inning. The Brewers added two runs in the fourth inning and four runs in the fifth inning to hold a commanding 17-6 lead. Raptors center fielder Brandon James said the team couldn't come back after the Brewers' third-inning barrage. "That eight-run inning killed us," James said. "We were out in the field for a long time." Raptors shortstop Garret Osilka admitted the third inning took the life out of the Raptors. "At a certain point you realize the game's out of reach, and you just wait for the next game," Osilka said. Helena's offensive outburst was surprising, considering they have the Pioneer League's lowest batting average."It's a long season, and you have games like this," Raptors manager sp Gardner hired as assistant coach Former Weber State University basketball player Rachelle Gardner was hired last week as an assistant women's basketball coach. She will replace Lynne Andrew who resigned in April to take an assistant's position at Idaho State University. Gardner will coach the team's guards. Off the court, she will be responsible for scouting, promotions, team travel and recruiting assistance. Gardner was a four-year letter winner for WSU between 1992 and 1996. She led the Big Sky in scoring during her junior year with a 1 4.9points-per-game average. Last season, Gardner was a student-assistant coach for the women's team while finishing her degree. Deadline approaches for Sportsman Permit applications Applications are available for 1998 Sportsman Permits and will be accepted Aug. 15-29. Utah residents can pick up applications at any Division of Wildlife Re- sources throughout the state. The 1998 Sportsman Permit hunt runs Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. The permits are a prized item because of the long season dates and the ability to hunt every open hunting unit in the state. Bernie Moncallo said, offering no excuses for his team's dismal performance."We played lousy." Moncallo said. "They just kicked our butt." The loss to Helena was particularly bitter for the Raptors, because both teams are members of the Milwaukee Brewers farm system. The Brewers split their rookies to form the two teams at the start of the season and will sometimes trade players within the two teams during the season. "It's fun to play them because we know a lot of them, and it's even funner to beat them," Osilka said. The loss to its rookie team rival didn't hurt the Raptors confidence. "We beat them five times in a row," James said. "If we just come out and play hard and play our game, we'll be OK." Ogden's second half record in the Pioneer League's southern division fell to 3-5, while the last place northern division Brewers improved its record to 3-5. |