YOUTH SPORTS: Pitch, Hit & Run, soccer and more

PITCH, HIT & RUN

Loffer, Cogley qualify for national finals: Two Hayden youths are going to Cincinnati to compete in the National Finals of Major League Baseball's Pitch, Hit & Run skills competition during All-Star Week.

This will be the second trip to the National Finals for Haley Loffer, who will compete in the 13-14 year-old girls division. She was a finalist in 2013 in the 11-12 year-old girls division at the 2013 Pitch, Hit & Run Finals at Citi Field in New York.

The other finalist is 10-year-old Trevor Cogley, who will compete in the 9-10 year-old boys division. Trevor is a member of the Hayden Little League All-Stars.

Hayley and Trevor earned their spots by placing first in their age divisions at the Pitch, Hit & Run Team Championships at Safeco Field on June 21, and then having the top scores among all competitors in their age divisions.

The 24 national finalists in the Pitch, Hit & Run program, the official youth skills competition of Major League Baseball, will compete at the National Finals and participate in activities during MLB All-Star Week.

The competition will take place on the field at Great American Ball Park on Monday, July 13 at noon PDT prior to the 2015 Gillette Home Run Derby.

The 2015 All-Star Game will be played at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, July 14.

Friesz, Loffer, Cogley place first at team championship in Seattle: Three Hayden youths placed first at the Pitch, Hit & Run Team Championship on June 21 at Safeco Field. Carter Friesz placed first in the 13-14 year-old boys division, Haley Loffer placed first in the 13-14-year-old girls division, and Trevor Cogley placed first in the 9-10 year-old-boys division. The region consists of Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Alaska and British Columbia.

All three winners' scores were compared to all the winners of the other 29 Team Championships to determine if their score is in the top three in the nation. If in the top three, they would advance to the Pitch, Hit & Run National Championship being held during All-Star Week in Cincinnati. Loffer and Cogley advanced to the National Finals.

SOCCER

Headed to National Cup: Four North Idaho soccer players are advancing with their respective Washington East Soccer Club teams to the US Club Soccer National Cup XIV, scheduled for July 17-20 in Westfield, Ind.

Idaho players Isaiah Higbee (Timberlake High) and Kyle Sanchez (Post Falls High) both play for Spokane-based Washington East Soccer Club B99 coached by Mitchell Weller. They won the National Cup XIV Northwest Regional Under-15 Super Group which was played over June 21-24 in Pasco, Wash. They defeated Highline, a Seattle-based club, in the final 2-1 in OT. Both boys have elected to play Washington premier soccer during the fall season. Isaiah is also a member of the Washington PSPL Surf Academy B99 travel pool. Kyle played with the Coeur d'Alene Sting U15 team this spring.

Kaylie Higbee (Timberlake Junior High) and Zoe Potter (Timberlake Junior High) play for Washington East G01 coached by Rik Robles. They won the National Cup XIV Northwest Regional U13 Super Group in a round-robin style format. They will also be advancing to the National Cup in July. Zoe is also a member of the Washington PSPL Surf Academy G01 training pool.

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Information: 664-8176, Ext. 2019