Sports briefs: Camas alum honored with national tennis award

June 6, 2019 5:30 am
Sports

Camas native Rod Morasch holds the teaching award he received at a national awards ceremony in Minneapolis from the United States Tennis Association. (Photo courtesy of Rob Morasch)

CHS alum honored with national tennis award

Camas native Rod Morasch was recently honored at the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) Hall of Fame Banquet in Minneapolis.

Morasch, who played tennis for Camas High School in the early 1980s, currently works as the director of tennis programming for the City of Bismarck, North Dakota.

After a successful real estate development career in Camas, Morasch returned to his love of tennis and started teaching at the Vancouver Tennis Center about 10 years ago

“I really enjoyed it, and my classes started to grow, and then about five years ago I was offered the head tennis pro job for Bismarck parks and recreation,” Morasch told the Post-Record by phone.

USTA honored Morasch with the Jack Down Adult Development Award, which honors the individual whose efforts have had the greatest impact on improving adult competitive and recreational play.

Morasch is credited with positively changing the environment at Capital Racquet and Fitness Center in Bismarck and growing adult programming, especially at the beginner and wheelchair levels.

State football championships search for new home

The Tacoma Dome will no longer host prep state championship football games after the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) executive board voted to not renew its contract with the facility.

“Costs of renting the facility have continued to increase, and the WIAA staff received criticisms regarding the new seating arrangement for football,” WIAA executive director Mike Colbrese in a news release issued last week.

The executive board and WIAA are surveying potential sites to host the championship games and will finalize locations this fall.

The decision will most likely bring an end to the single-site championships format. The WIAA is looking at holding championship games at various sites across the state.

WIAA officials say fans will see lower ticket prices by no longer paying the service fees associated with the Tacoma Dome, which will continue to host the WIAA’s Hardwood Classic and Mat Classic state championship events.

The Camas High School football team won the 4A state championship game in the Tacoma Dome in 2016.

Stride run raises $24,000

More than 700 runners and walkers competed in The Washougal School Foundation’s (WSF) 16th Annual Student Stride for Education on May 18.

The event, which featured student runs, a community 5K run and a community 5K walk, raised $24,000 for the foundation.

“Judging by the number of runners, overall efficiency and funds raised by event sponsors like Discovery Dental, this was one of our best years for the Stride,” event director Stephanie Eakins said in a news release. “Returning runners and newbies alike had a wonderful time while making a positive impact on the community. We’re already talking about how to build upon this momentum for 2020.”

The Student Stride for Education is the primary fundraising activity for WSF, which is dedicated to enhancing the quality of public education and improving the lives of children in Washougal. The foundation uses the proceeds from the event for classroom grants and college scholarships.

Top placers in individual categories included: Owen Leifson, fifth grade (7:05), David Grice, fourth grade (6:37), Joshua Grice, third grade (7:12), Connor McClement, second grade (6:09), Kaden Butler, first grade (6:38), Graham Huffman, kindergarten (7:10), Maki (unified), Jacob Arata, 5K walk (17:24) and Keyser Jackson, 5K run (17:30).

For complete results, visit washougalschools foundation.org/stride.

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