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Thursday NBAPlayoffs —Heat at Bulls, 5:30 p.m., TNT French Open — Second Round, 9 a.m., ESPN2 MLB —Mets at Cubs, 11:10 a.m., WGN MLB— Athletics at Angels, 12:30 p.m., CSNC MLB— Marlins at Giants, 12:30 p.m., CSNB PGA —Byron Nelson Championship, Noon, TGC Sports 1B By RICH GREENE DN Sports Editor The Eastern Athletic League announced it’s All-League teams, Wednesday, for girls soccer, base- ball and softball. A look at the Red Bluff athletes who were honored. SOCCER A pair of Lady Spartan sopho- mores were recognized by the Eastern Athletic League in its annual All-League awards. Midfielder Jill Bilodeaux was named to the All-League team and defender Brenna Grooms received an honorable mention. “It’s significant to see a younger player gain that type of recognition and they certainly deserve it,” Red Bluff coach Geoff Barrow said. Barrow described Bilodeaux, who scored a goal against Shasta, as an explosive midfielder. “She has a natural ability to set up other players for opportunistic chances at scoring,” he said. Meanwhile Grooms provided consistency on the Spartans’ back line. “She’s a heads up player and does a good job of maintaining possession and trying to play the ball to her teammates’ feet when- SOFTBALL ever possible,” Barrow said. As you would expect a 24-6 team has it’s fair share of All-Lea- guers, as the Lady Spartans were represented with five of them in 2011 — Bryce Etzler, Brittney Fletcher, Haley Harris, Megan McColpin and Emily McEnaney. “When you put team goals first, usually individual accolades come,” Red Bluff coach J Howell said. Etzler played third base and batted fifth in the Spartans’ lineup. The sophomore played in every game and batted .280, driving in 18 RBIs and hit a home run. “A true softball player in every sense of the word,” Howell said of Etzler, adding she became the team’s vocal leader as the season wore on. Fletcher started every game behind the plate for the Spartans and was the team’s cleanup hitter and was consistent in both areas. The junior batted .430 and drove in 27 RBIs. “She’s a very fiery competitor,” Howell said. “If I could bottle her competitiveness — I’d be a really, rich man.” Harris led the team in batting average (.462), runs (35), hits (49) and doubles (11). The sophomore played every game, flashing a stel- lar glove at second base and spark- ing the Spartans’ offense by bat- ting lead off. “It just seemed like when Haley was on, we were on,” How- ell said. McColpin went 20-5 as the Spartans’ primary starting pitcher and batted .359 from the No. 2 hole. She pitched 161.1 innings and struck out 113 batters, while holding a 1.87 ERA. “It impresses me she can take on that burden and that pressure,” Howell said of the junior, who threw nine shut outs. McEnaney set the Northern Section’s all-time home run record, belting out six homers in her senior year to go along with a .448 batting average and a team- high 31 RBIs. Her on base plus slugging percentage was an out- standing 1.431. “It’s going to be really hard saying goodbye to her,” Howell said. “She’s meant so much to the BASEBALL program. She’s a class act from the word go.” Gerald Baker, Jordan Fox, Storm Lewis and Modesto Ramirez made the EAL-South All-League baseball team and Robby Lasby received an honor- able mention. Baker batted .366 with a home run and 19 RBIS as the senior led the team in runs (23) and doubles (11). “He’s a good d kid. He’s worked pretty hard to get his body where it is and I’m glad to see it pay off for him with this award,” Thursday May 26, 2011 Spartans take their places on All-League teams Red Bluff coach Joe Gallaty said. Gallaty described Fox as the head of the class when it came to second baseman in the league. The senior batted .306 and drove in nine RBIs from the No. 2 hole. “He battled for us,” Gallaty said. “Tough to see him graduate.” Lewis made All-League as a pitcher. The senior went 6-2 with a 2.77 ERA and struck out 49 bat- ters in 48 innings. “A great year actually on the mound,” Gallaty said. “He led us in innings pitched and had quite a strikeout total.” Ramirez bounced around the Spartans lineup, until settling in as their starting catcher the second half of the season. The junior led the team with a .459 batting average and 26 RBIs as well as in walks and hits. He also popped a pair of homers. “An outstanding year, played everywhere for us,” Gallaty said. An honorable mention, Lasby batted .321 with 15 RBIs as he adjusted to a new role in the out- field. “Heck of a year as a junior,” Gallaty said. Mavericks knock out Thunder, head to NBA Finals DALLAS (AP) — Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks are going back to the NBA finals. Nowitzki swished a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:14 left and Shawn Marion followed with a three-point play off a steal, the pivotal plays in yet another fourth-quarter comeback, this one sending the Mavericks to a 100-96 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night that closed out the Western Conference finals in five games. After clawing back from down 15 with 5:04 left in Game 4, the Mavericks were down by six with 4:37 left in this one when they rallied again, outscoring the Thunder 14-4 the rest of the way. Dallas has never won a championship, and neither has any of its players. Nowitzki and Jason Terry were part of the only Mavericks team to make the finals, in 2006. Dallas could get another crack at the Heat. LeBron James and Miami lead the Chicago Bulls 3-1 in the Eastern Con- ference finals. If the Heat win Thursday night, the finals will begin Tuesday in Miami. If the Bulls win Thursday night, the finals will begin next Thursday in the East winner’s city. Nowitzki and Marion each scored 26 points, and were at their best in the fourth quarter. Nowitzki scored nine in the final period, and Marion had 15. J.J. Barea added 14 and Terry scored 12 in a victory that set off the biggest on-court celebration in franchise history. The only other time the Mavs made the finals, they won in Phoenix. This time, the home folks got to enjoy it, including franchise founder Don Carter, who traded his signature white cowboy hat — the one that used to be featured in the team’s logo — for a black hat that read ‘‘The Finals 2011’’ with a Mavs logo and the cham- pionship trophy. Fans roared again when the overhead video board showed Nowitzki wearing the hat. Russell Westbrook scored 31 points and seemed to be on a mission to force the series back to Oklahoma City. But he had two crucial turnovers during the furious finish. Kevin Durant and James Harden finished with 23 points apiece. MCT photo Dallas’ Brendon Haywood and Oklahoma City’s James Harden collide under the basket,Wednesday. Tehama athletes head to section finals TRACK &FIELD By RICH GREENE DN Sports Editor Colin Dahlberg should have an extra foot on his competition at the NSCIF Track and Field Champi- onships. No, the Red Bluff star senior isn’t a triped, but he will enter the long jump with a qualifying leap a good foot better than any- one else in the competition. Dahlberg, who hasn’t lost an individual competi- tion this season, may find the long jump to be his best bet at a section title when action starts 4 p.m., Friday, at West Valley High School. Only one other athlete in the section, Foothill’s Tyler Halverson, has even hit the 22-foot mark this season. Dahlberg’s season best jump is 22’9.25”. Stronger challenges await in the 100 and 200 meters, particularly from Wheatland’s Derick Seward. In the 100 meters, Seward has posted a sub 11- second mark this season (10.86) while Dahlberg’s best has been 11.00. In the 200 meters, there’s a possibility neither Dahlberg or Seward will come away with the win as the top mark this season belongs to Live Oak’s Kaleb Allen. Dahlberg may very well end Friday with a first place finish — alongside his teammates in the 4x400 relay. The Spartans team of Zach Iverson, Jonah McIn- nis, Jeff Foster and Dahlberg qualified with the top time, almost a full sec- ond ahead of Enterprise. Chico and Las Plumas could factor in the race as well. One more Red Bluff ath- lete will be the favorite entering their competition, Friday. Shot putter Meaggan Rector has the section’s best mark at 37’11.50”. Her biggest competition will come from last year’s run- ner-up, Paige Adkins of host West Valley. Rector is also competing in the discus in an event where Shasta’s Hanna Per- son is the heavy favorite. Freshman Adrienne Hinkston will enter the girls 400 meters with the No. 2 seed, behind Kody Atkins. The Chico junior is consid- ered a favorite to win the Bob Russel Award for top female performer at the championships. Hinkston also qualified for the 200 meters where she’ll take on Dallane Bartlett (Enterprise), Gabrielle Finley (Pleasant Valley) and Miya Wilson (Wheatland). A look at Tehama Coun- ty’s other participants Boys shot put Red Bluff’s Zak Stroing and Los Molinos’ Kevin Garnica will compete against favorites Cody Ramage (Shasta) and Tyler Lamott (Chico). Boys triple jump McInnis grabbed an at- large qualification in an event favored to be won by Enterprise’s Jovon Cun- ningham. Girls pole vault Corning’s only qualifier, Nicole Mason, sets her sights against a field that includes Kelsey Moynahan (Enterprise) and Kayla Vasquez (West Valley), the only girls to hit 10-feet this season. Girls 4x100 relay Joanna Smith Conrad, Roxanne Luppino, Jessie Slade and Hinkston take on the likes of West Valley and Pleasant Valley. Boys 4x100 relay Foster, Michael Stone, Brandon Ragone and Andrew Reedy’s time at the Division 1 Championships, just squeezed Red Bluff into an outside lane. But this could be a wide open event. BASKETBALL CAMPS The Spartans Basketball Camp returns June 13-17 at Red The section’s best time this season was posted by Foothill, but their not even in this race. The stadium record is held by Red Bluff’s 1999 team. Boys 400 meters Iverson comes in as the top ranked underclassman, but he may have to wait a year with Austin Lamkin (Enterprise) and Dillon Dow (Yreka) in this year’s field. Girls 800 meters Unfortunately for Red Bluff’s Erin Eicholtz, Atkins is also competing in this event. Girls 1600 meters Red Bluff’s Jessica Tay- lor is one of 12 athletes competing in this event. Lassen’s Tiffany Heflin comes in with the section’s best time. Girls 4x400 meters Shasta comes in as the favorite with Red Bluff’s team of Eicholtz, Slade, Smith Conrad and Hinkston likely to battle Chico for second place. Alternates The following athletes are on the alternates list Fri- day: Jeff Foster (Red Bluff, boys 200 meters), Cody Lehman (Red Bluff, boys 110-meter hurdles), Jeremie Jones (Mercy, boys shot put); Riley Kittle (Red Bluff, girls high jump) Bluff High School. Instruction is led by current high school coaches. The cost of the camp is $50 and flyers are available at most school’s main offices as well as the Red Bluff High School Student Store. Campers must be registered by the first day of camp. Boys and girls entering fourth through six grades will play at the Red Bluff Field House from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Boys entering seventh through ninth grade will meet at the Field House from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Girls entering seventh through ninth grade will meet in the gymnasium from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Girls entering 10th through 12th grade will play in the gym from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Boys entering 10th through 12th grade will camp in the field house from noon to 2 p.m. For more information call Stan Twitchell at Red Bluff High School at 529-8710. NBA PLAYOFFS Conference Finals Wednesday’s result Dallas 100, Oklahoma City 96 Dallas wins series 4-1 Today’s game Miami at Chicago, 5:30 p.m., TNT Miami leads series 3-1 NHL PLAYOFFS Conference Finals Wednesday’s result Tampa Bay 5, Boston 4 Series tied 3-3 Other series Vancouver beat San Jose 4-1 MLB American League Wednesday’s results Oakland at Los Angeles, late Baltimore 9, Kansas City 2 Boston 14, Cleveland 2 New York 7, Toronto 3 Seattle 3, Minnesota 0 Texas 2, Chicago 1 Tampa Bay at Detroit, ppd., rain Today’s games Oakland (Anderson 2-4) at L.A. (Pineiro 2-0), 12:35 p.m.,CSNC Kansas City (Francis 1-5) at Baltimore (Guthrie 2-6), 9:35 a.m. Boston (Aceves 1-0) at Detroit (Scherzer 6-1), 10:05 a.m. Chicago (Humber 3-3) at Toronto (Morrow 2-2), 4:07 p.m. National League Wednesday’s results Florida at San Francisco, late Arizona 2, Colorado 1 Atlanta 4, Pittsburgh 2, 11 innings Houston 2, Los Angeles 1 Milwaukee 6, Washington 4 New York 7, Chicago 4, 7 innings San Diego 3, St. Louis 1 Cincinnati at Philadelphia, late Today’s games Florida (Ani.Sanchez 3-1) at S.F. (Vogelsong 3-0),12:45 p.m.,CSNB Cincinnati (Bailey 3-1) at Philadelphia (Cl.Lee 3-4), 10:05 a.m. New York (Dickey 2-5) at Chicago (Zambrano 4-2), 11:20 a.m. Arizona (Owings 0-0) at Colorado (Mortensen 1-1), 5:40 p.m., MLBN Red Bluff Spartans Red Bluff Spartans Red Bluff Spartans DAL Oklahoma City 100 Dallas 96 4-1