PREP WEEK BRIEFLY.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Making track more accessible

Eugene's Kevin Hansen, executive director of World Wheelchair Sports, has started a program that allows any disabled high school student in Oregon to borrow adaptive sports equipment.

The organization has worked with the Oregon School Activities Association since 2002 to coordinate wheelchair events at the state track and field championships. Hansen's goal is to increase the number of disabled kids participating on their high school track and field teams by lending out racing chairs.

`Track season is right around the corner,' said Hansen, a wheelchair athlete and local track coach. `We're encouraging more disabled kids in Oregon to participate on their track teams. Right now, we're trying to get more racing chairs to the kids before Christmas so they have time to practice prior to the upcoming season.'

Besides making the racing chairs available, the WWS offers coaching, wheelchair maintenance and expertise for the wheelchair athletes, their parents and local track and field coaches.

For more information about WWS or the equipment loan program, contact Kristin Hunt at [phone] or [e-mail].

Former Highlander nabs gold

North Eugene's Dreason Barry, a former standout at UC-Irvine, was a member of the USA national water polo team that won the gold medal at the recent ASUA Pan American Cup in Brazil.

Barry, who was nominated for the Cutino Award this past summer - the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy for water polo - scored four goals in a victory over Puerto Rico and two goals in a semifinal win over Colombia.

Team USA will compete in the World championships, to be held in Melbourne, Australia, in March.

'Keepers turn in solid seasons

Two local soccer players made big impacts as starting goalkeepers at Portland's Concordia University this season.

Sheldon's Garrett Staples, a sophomore, was chosen to the all-Region team for the second straight year.

The Cavaliers (12-6-3), who were co-champions of the Cascade Collegiate Conference and NAIA Region I champions, lost 1-0 to Millegan (Tenn.) in the first round of the NAIA championships.

South Eugene's Lela Mansfield was the starting goalkeeper for the Concordia women's soccer team, which reached the NAIA championship semifinals before falling 2-1 to Azusa Pacific.

Mansfield, a junior, helped the Cavaliers record a 21-2-2 mark as they reached the NAIA semifinals for the second time in the past three years.

Anderson earns first-team spot

South Eugene's Meghan Anderson, a freshman on the Willamette University women's soccer team, was one of four Bearcat players to earn first-team all-Northwest Conference honors.

Anderson, a midfielder/forward, was one of two freshmen on the first team. She played in all 20 games this season and started 12 contests. Anderson finished with six goals and a team-high nine assists to tie for second on the squad with 21 points.