Cascade’s Short to row for Irish

Figure skating and rowing seem to have as much in common as curling and rugby.

But Kendra Short has excelled at the former pair and she said both sports require similar skills, namely determination and hard work. Short, a 5-foot-10 senior at Cascade High School, has traded in her ice skates for oars. She recently signed an NCAA national letter of intent to row for the University of Notre Dame.

“It’s such a good school academically and I really liked the coach,” said Short, who also considered Cal Berkeley, Penn State and Boston College.

Notre Dame isn’t a traditional rowing powerhouse but, led by coach Martin Stone, it has become one of the nation’s rising programs.

“If I went to Cal it would have been being part of something (more established),” Short explained. “I could be part of something bigger or I could be part of something growing.”

Short, an Everett native, began competing for the Everett Rowing Association in spring 2003 after spending nine years competing as a figure skater. Her synchronized skating team, the Seattleites, participated at the West Coast Sectionals twice and advanced to the U.S. Nationals in 2001.

She always enjoyed skating but her first rowing experience was unusually stimulating. “I was just like ‘Whoa, this is a really cool thing.’”

After attending prestigious rowing camps at Cal and Wisconsin last summer, Short has high hopes for next fall when she begins her collegiate rowing career. “It’s such a great sport and I look forward to going to Notre Dame.”

E-W’s Hardy signs with Portland: Blaine Hardy, a left-handed pitcher for the Edmonds-Woodway baseball team, signed an NCAA letter of intent with the University of Portland.

Hardy, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound senior, was 4-1 with a 5.18 earned-run average last season. He struck out 41 hitters in 50 innings. Hardy also plays outfield and had a .296 batting average.

Portland, which plays in the West Coast Conference, was 12-44 last year.

Cascade’s Bergstrom picks Menlo: Cascade girls soccer player Ryanne Bergstrom has signed an NCAA letter of intent with Menlo College.

Bergstrom, a midfielder who plays for the Evergreen Soccer Academy select team, also considered Point Loma (San Diego) and Linfield. She said Menlo’s Owen Flannery, the California Pacific Conference Coach of the Year, won her over. “He really is the biggest reason why I’m going there. He’s a good guy and the most positive coach I’ll probably ever play for.”

Menlo, located near Palo Alto, Calif., went 13-6-1 this season and advanced to the California Pacific Championship game for the first time in school history.