Unbearable heat and tough competition made for a challenge for the Northwest Extreme, a 16-and-under fastpitch softball team featuring several Canby girls, at the ASA "A" National Finals in Garland, Texas, Aug. 8-13.

The Extreme wound up winning two of its five games, taking two of its first three before running into a string of bad breaks against the Chehalis Boom from Chehalis, Wash., and the Louisiana Patriots.

In the end, the girls placed 33rd out of 89 squads.

"Obviously we were disappointed we didn't go further, but it was a good experience for us," head coach Greg Herman said of the trip. "The competition was intense, but we felt we could play with them. It basically boils down to mistakes - the teams that make them generally lose, and the teams that don't win."

The Extreme ran into that dilemma in its final two games, allowing a string of unearned runs against the Boom and the Patriots. The end result was a pair of 5-2 defeats that eliminated the Extreme from the tournament.

The squad, made up of girls from Canby and Tualatin high schools, opened the event on a positive note, beating the Lady Wildcats from Topeka, Kan., 2-1 on Aug. 8.

Pitcher Toni Herman of Canby struck out seven to pick up the win.

That sent the Oregon representative up against Roseville, Calif., in another pool-play game. Once again, the contest was tight - the Extreme clung to a 1-0 lead through six innings - but Roseville rallied to score twice in the bottom of the seventh to win 2-1.

The 1-1 showing gave the girls the No. 2 seed from their pool, and the squad was given a bye for the beginning of the double-elimination portion of the tournament.

Then, on Thursday, the Extreme got back to its winning ways with a 1-0 shutout of the Texas Sluggers. Tied 0-0 after seven innings, the teams went to an International Tiebreaker, necessitating a runner be put on second to open the inning, in the eighth.

After Canby's Herman struck out the Nos. 9, 1 and 2 hitters, all the Northwest Extreme had to do was score the runner from second to win it. Lisa Ash was the runner on, and she moved up to third on a passed ball. That set the table for Lisa Allen, who drove her in with a hard-hit ball to the shortstop.

After another bye, the girls took on Chehalis, which set the tone for the game with a four-run first inning. Kate Allen came on in relief in the second, and after allowing an unearned run in that inning, she shut the opposition down.

Unfortunately, the Extreme couldn't buy the clutch hits that would have driven runners home.

"We were getting the hits - just not with runners on," coach Herman said. "To make matters, worse, the temperature on the field was about 122 degrees. That's when you really need a lot of girls to sub."

In their finale against the Patriots, the Extreme lost again when the opposition erupted for four unearned runs in the top of the seventh. Two hits and a series of errors opened the door for the comeback, erasing a 2-1 Oregon lead.

Even so, Herman was pleased with his team's effort.

"We left feeling with could play with those teams - we just had some bad breaks," he said. "For example, the team that won it, Tuff E Nuff from California, is a team we only lost to 4-0 at a North Marion tournament earlier in the summer. And that particular game was our fifth of the day."

The Extreme finished the summer 50-14 and qualified for nationals by virtue of its fourth-place finish at the Hall of Fame tournament in Oklahoma.

Next up for the girls will be the prestigious Bat Busters tournament in California - an event teeming with college scouts - on Nov. 17-18.

For the first time in recent memory, a local cowboy came away the big winner from the Clackamas County Rodeo last week at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds in Canby.

Ross Coleman, a 1997 graduate of Molalla High School, earned all-around cowboy honors with his exploits in bull riding and bareback, pocketing $3,459.45 in winnings for his efforts.

Coleman was the star attraction Saturday night, winning bareback with a score of 78 and taking the bull riding competition with an 89-point ride. Still yet another local cowboy, Matt Weishoff of Molalla, won Sunday's bareback finals with an 82 score, and Canby team roper Randy Brown paired with Tim Phillips of Oregon City to place third in Friday's team roping event.

The rodeo itself again drew many of the sport's biggest names, including several former and current all-around champions on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit.

Following is a rundown of results from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For Tuesday through Thursday results, see story in Saturday's Canby Herald.

Friday, Aug. 18
Bareback riding: 1. Matt Weishoff, Molalla, 81; 2. Joe Ketter, Roy, Wash., 75; 3. Cody Jesse, John Day, 72.

Calf roping: 1. Marty Becker, Manyberries, Alberta, Canada, 9.4; 2. Tim Pharr, Resaca, Ga., 9.5; 3. Shane Eberline, Dillon, Mont., 10.3.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Ira Slagowski, Carlin, Nev., 79; 2. (tie) Bret Franks, Goodwell, Ore., and T.C. Holloway, Eagle Butte, S.D., 74.

Steer wrestling: 1. Linn Churchill, Valentine, Neb., 4.2; 2. Preston Oyloe, Williston, N.D., 4.3; 3. Thomas Thompson, Goldendale, Wash., 4.5.

Team roping: 1. David Motes, Fresno, Calif., and Kirt Jones, Lubbock, Texas, 5.5; 2. Chance Kelton, Mayer, Ariz., and Brent Lockett, Ivanhoe, Calif., 6.6; 3. Tim Phillips, Oregon City and Randy Brown, Canby, 8.9.

Bull riding: 1. J.C. Bean, Glendale, Wash., 87; 2. Cody Hancock, Taylor, Ariz., 78.

Women's barrel race: 1. Nicki McKay, Bend, 16.25; 2. Ruth Haislip, Acampo, Calif., 16.29; 3. Gayle Grogan, Scio, 16.44.

Saturday, Aug. 19
Bareback riding: 1. Ross Coleman, Molalla, 78; 2. Marvin Garrett, Belle Fourche, S.D., 78; 3. J.D. Garrett Jr., Newell, S.D., 74.

Calf roping: 1. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, Alberta, Canada, 14.8; 2. J.Billingsley, Glasgow, Mont., 16.0; 3. 3. Paul Cope, Nampa, Idaho, 16.1. Saddle bronc riding: 1. Adam Newman, Gustine, Texas, 87; 2. Jess Martin, Dillon, Mont., 83; Scott Johnston, Gustine, Texas, 76.

Steer wrestling: 1. Teddy Johnson, Chechotah, Okla., 5.1; Sid Steiner, Austin, Texas, 6.5; 3. Sean Mulligan, Laramie, Wyo., 6.5.

Team roping: 1. Wade Wheatley, Stephenville, Texas, and Kyle Lockett, Ivanhoe, Calif., 6.2; 2. Guy Gregg, Touchet, Wash., and Will Schmidt, Benton City, Wash., 6.7; 3. Chris Branham, Canyon Country, Calif., and Steve Sherwood, Snowflake, Ariz., 7.2.

Bull riding: 1. Ross Coleman, Molalla, 89; 2. Rory Oster, Hermiston, 86. Women's barrel race: 1. Renee Gossett, Wittmann, Ariz., 15.90; 2. Dawn Gibson, Auburn, Wash., 15.92; and 3. Jackie Johnson, Clarkston, Wash., 16.07.

Sunday, Aug. 20
Bareback riding: 1. Matt Wieshoff, Molalla, 82; 2. Wes Stevenson, Kaufman, Texas, 79; 7. Marvin Garrett, Bell Fourche, S.D., 79; 8. James Boudreaux, Cuero, Texas, 78.

Calf roping: 1. Marty Becker, Manyberries, Alberta, Canada, 17.7; 2. Mike Johnson, Henryetta, Okla., 19.5; 7. Joe Beaver, Huntsville, Texas, 19.7; 8. Shane Eberline, Dillon, Mont., 20.5.

Saddle bronc riding: 1. Adam Newman, Gustine, Texas, 87; 2. Jess Martin, Dillon, Mont., 83; 5. Ira Slagowski, Carlin, Nev., 80; 3. Dan Mortensen, Manhattan, Mont., 80.

Steer wrestling: 1. Luke Branquinho, Los Alamos, Calif., 9.0; 2. Rod Lyman, Victor, Mont., 9.1; 7. Trav Cadwell, Oakdale, Calif.; 9.2; 8. Marty Musil, Cresent, Okla., 9.5.

Team roping: 1. Kevin Stewart, Glen Rose, Texas, and Martin Lucero, Stephenville, Texas, 11.4; 2. Bobby Hurley, Ceres, Calif., and Steve Northcutt, Odessa, Texas, 11.8; 3. David Motes, Fresno, Calif., and Kirt Jones, Lubbock, Texas, 12.2.

Bull riding: 1. Dan Wolfe, Redmond, 90; 2. Ross Coleman, Molalla, 89; 3. J.C. Bean, Glendale, Wash., 87; 4. Gregory Potter, Whitt, Texas, 86; 4. Rory Oster, Hermiston, 86.

Women's barrel race: 1. Renee Gossett, Wittman, Ariz., 15.90; 2. Marlene McRae, Ramah, Colo., 15.91; 3. Dawn Gibson, Auburn, Wash.; 4. Gloria Freeman, Calhoun, Ga., 16.01.