At the Lake: Man faces multiple charges after chase

A man who allegedly hit a traffic light pole at the corner of Highway 50 and Pioneer Trail and blew out a tire in the process led police on a chase Sunday that ended four miles later at Lyons Avenue in South Lake Tahoe.

The suspect, Patrick Peare, 24, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, hit and run, and evading a police officer. Bail was set at $2,500.

Police scanner reports had officers clocking the chase at around 40 mph at about 3 p.m. The red Chevy pickup was moving without a right tire, with sparks flying from the rim. The pickup came to a stop after apparently hitting a curb during the chase. Police surrounded the pickup and Peare was arrested.

Sugar bugs, shiny stars, open like a crocodile.

No, it's not a poor attempt at a poem, but words uttered by dentist Deanna Brothers as she checked the oral health of preschoolers.

One had signs of tooth decay. Another received a stellar evaluation. Some simply shook their heads, stepped back from the dental chair and went to the playground.

This year more young students in California will be required to go to the dentist. Assembly Bill 1433 mandates new students who enroll in either kindergarten or first grade to submit proof of an oral health assessment.

Students must have oral assessments completed by May 31 for the 2007-'08 school year or else risk not being accepted into school.

There are no X-rays or fluoride treatments. During the few assessments done Friday at St. Theresa Catholic School, Brothers quickly checked children's teeth with the familiar small, oval mirror with a metal handle.

Fellow dentist Vincent D'Ascoli provided his RV, a converted mobile dentist office complete with four examination chairs parked on the blacktop.

D'Ascoli said children around the age of 5 usually have really good teeth or really bad teeth.

"It's rarely somewhere in between," he said.

St. Theresa preschool teacher thought the law was a good one, but said students at St. Theresa have good teeth.

"Overall I think it's a really good habit to get into," she said.

What a Saturday it was for the Whittell High School baseball team.

Freshman Jordan Morgan and junior Carter Amaral threw back-to-back no-hitters against Carlin and West Wendover, respectively, in the Yerington tournament in Smith Valley.

In his high school debut, Morgan struck out the final seven Carlin hitters and 11 of his 12 outs came on strikes. Morgan walked three in the four-inning contest.

"He kept the ball down and jammed them the entire game. The only ball they hit was cued to first base," said Whittell coach Don Amaral, who credited Morgan's masterpiece to the work that pitching coach Richard Kreager has done with the freshman.

Anthony Taricco led the offense with two hits and three RBIs.

Carter Amaral picked up where Morgan left off against West Wendover. Carter fanned six batters in four innings work.

"It's his first pitching win at any level," said Carter's dad and coach.

Whittell's first 11 batters scored, with senior Oznowics leading the way with a double.

The Warriors were impressive on the mound on Friday as well, with R.J. Gardner throwing a one-hitter in a 4-4 tie with Dayton. Four errors, however, led to three of the Dust Devils' runs.

Whittell scored three times in the final inning to salvage the tie. Carter was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and freshman Sam Harris collected a double.

The Warriors missed a couple of ideal scoring situations, leaving the bags full twice after loading them with nobody out.

Whittell's only defeat came against Smith Valley 5-4 on Friday. Harris and Adam Laub pitched well, according to coach Amaral, and Tarrico, Gardner, Carter Amaral and Nick Werner accounted for the team's four hits.

"I'm pleased with the team's togetherness. We just have to get confident swinging. We are taking way too many pitches," coach Amaral said.

Whittell travels to Coleville on Wednesday

Whittell High was glad to have another shot at a golf tournament on Saturday.

After finishing fifth out six teams last Thursday in the Icebreaker at Genoa Lakes Golf Club, the Warriors placed fifth out of 11 teams in a Hawthorne event on Saturday at Walker Lake Golf Course.

"We improved 60 strokes," said Whittell coach Steve Maltase. "The course was a little easier, but we also had a couple more days practice. We should improve throughout the year. My seniors can definitely shoot better than they did. I'm impressed with the young kids shooting in upper 80s. That's nice if they can keep that up."

Kirk Baines and Marty Rahbeck led Whittell with 18-hole scores of 89 and 90, respectively, at the Icebreaker, which was won by Douglas.

At Walker Lake, junior Tyler Fairbank finished third overall with a sizzling 76. Baines was the next Warrior at 88 and was followed by sophomore Jonathon Szendrey 89, freshman Michael Koskin 89, Rahbeck 91 and Lucas Kalisz 91.

Whittell plays Thurday in Fernley.

If first-year Whittell softball coach Rich Barna needed a sign to show the Warriors can be successful in 2007, he didn't need to wait very long.

In her first at-bat of the season, junior Abby Kingman blasted a home run over the center field fence to lead Whittell to an 11-2 win over Smith Valley on Friday in its first game of the Yerington tournament. Kingman went 2 for 3 against in that game for the Warriors, who finished with a 2-2 tourney record.

Whittell beat Smith Valley and Mammoth and lost to 3A North Tahoe and Incline.

"I was very pleased with how the girls played," Barna said. "Except for one inning, we played good defense in these games. I came away encouraged about things."

The Warriors committed 10 errors in the four games, though six of them came in one inning against North Tahoe, which beat Whittell 11-4 on Saturday.

In the inning preceding the error-filled one, the Warriors turned a triple play to get out of the third inning tied 4-4 with the Lakers. But North Tahoe scored seven runs in the fourth and cruised to a seven-run, mercy-rule victory.

Megan Esquivel went 1 for 1 with a three-run double against the Lakers, who also gave up a hit to WHS freshman Chaine Paradis.

In its other game against a Nevada 3A opponent, Whittell trailed Incline 7-6 going into the fourth inning. Then in the top of the fourth inning, the Warriors scored two runs to go up 8-7 and had two runners on base when time was called.

Tournament rules stated that when the 1 1/2-hour time limit is exceeded, the score at the end of the last completed inning is official. Joan Browne went 2 for 2 with a double to lead the Warriors against the Highlanders.

In the final game of the tournament against Mammoth, sophomore Justina Pritzker collected the win on the mound and Megan Esquivel went 1 for 2 with a home run.

In their 11-2 win over Smith Valley in the tournament opener, the Warriors' Austyn Harrington got credited with the win and was 1 for 3 offensively. Harrington had five strikeouts and no walks while allowing just one hit for Whittell, which also saw Courtney Fields go 3 for 2.

Whittell, which went 5-14 last season and 2-4 in the Northern 2A, plays at Smith Valley in a nonleague game on Wednesday.