Kanekeberg, Dizard spurn pros for college

By AARON COE

Herald Writer

The pros will have to wait a while for two hard-throwing area pitchers. Fraser Dizard of Meadowdale and Kamiak’s Ryan Kanekeberg will be using their arms – albeit in very different ways – in the Pacific-10 Conference in the upcoming school year.

Kanekeberg’s flirtation with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who selected the right-hander in the 24th round of the June amateur draft, appears to have ended. Kanekeberg, who was The Herald’s Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Kamiak football team to the state playoffs, will instead honor his commitment to play quarterback for coach Dennis Erickson at Oregon State.

"He’s going to Oregon State," Kamiak football coach Dan Mack said. "Of course I’m biased, but I think he’s going to have some opportunities in football that I wouldn’t want to see him pass up. It’s a tough decision, when (the Pirates) are offering you money."

The Baltimore Orioles are still trying to lure Dizard, a left-handed pitcher with a 93-mph fastball. But the USC signee was in California this week registering for classes.

The head scout for the Orioles is planning to see Dizard pitch in the near future, but it seems unlikely Baltimore’s offer would be enough to entice Dizard out of a Trojan uniform. Dizard made it clear to major league scouts that it would take a first-round signing bonus of $1.2 million to sign him. He was rated by most scouts as a second-to-fifth-round talent, but Baltimore nabbed him in the 21st round.

" (The Orioles) have two messages on the answering machine for Fraser to call when he gets home," said Mary Lee Dizard, Fraser’s mother. "But I think he’s really always wanted to go to school."

As soon as Kanekeberg and Dizard set foot in a four-year-college classroom, they become ineligible to play professional baseball until 2003, unless they were to drop out and attend a junior college. Kanekeberg has said he will not be a two-sport athlete, and will only play football at Oregon State.

Cascade outfielder to attend EdCC: Scouts lined up during the spring’s baseball season to watch Grady Sizemore, who recently signed with the Montreal Expos. When their eyes wandered, they noticed that another Bruin outfielder was pretty good, too. Sean Patterson was drafted by Cincinnati in the 37th round as a first baseman.

"It looks like a draft-and-follow," Cascade coach Bob Smithson said. "The want to watch him swing the wooden bat at Edmonds for a year."

The Reds will hold the rights to Patterson until the 2001 draft.

Local players shine in East-West game: Three Kamiak Knights and a Cascade Bruin helped lead the West to a 34-16 victory over the East in last Friday’s 36th Annual East-West All-Star Summer Football Classic in Spokane.

Kanekeberg completed two passes, including a 29-yarder to Kamiak teammate Pat Loney, a tight end who will play for Oregon State with Kanekeberg in the fall. Cascade fullback Blake Walker rushed four times for 19 yards, and also caught a nine-yard pass. Walker, who will attend Central Washington, also played a series at linebacker.

Mack, who was an assistant on the West team, said he enjoyed having Walker on his team.

"After having to defend that guy for the last three years, it was fun," Mack said. "You can see why he’s such a fine player. He comes to play every down. He caught a pass from Kanek, and I think he was having an absolute blast."

Team West snapped the East’s seven-game winning streak.

Mack said he enjoyed having the opportunity to be a part of event for the first time.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience," Mack said. "It was an honor. They treat the kids like royalty. I think I ate more steaks in one week than I did in the last year."

City-State hoops game Saturday: Several area players will participate in 26th Annual All-State Game on Saturday in the Yakima SunDome. Snohomish’s Will VanDuine will play for the City Team in the Class 4A game at 7 p.m. Mountlake Terrace’s Seamus Boxley will play for the Class 4A State Team.

Everett’s John Richer and Jackson’s Scott Kaloper were selected to play on the Class 3A State Team, and will compete against Lake Stevens’ Scott Lowery, a City Team member, at 5:30 p.m. Darrington’s John Fromong will play for the State Team in the 2:30 p.m. Class A game.