In the glory days of the Oakland Athletics, the A’s had a couple of players, Mark McGuire and Jose Canseco, who were affectionately known around the league as the Bash Brothers.

The 2008 Oak Harbor High School softball team has two players on the roster who could be dubbed the Smash Sisters.

Leadoff batter Nikki Mowbray, who was recently moved to the No. 3 position in the batting order, and Jessica Kallander, who continues to bat second, hit the ball long, hard and often.

Already this season Mowbray has hit two balls out of the park while Kallander has collected one round tripper, but this doesn’t take into account the numerous triples, doubles and hard-hit balls with teammates on base the pair has recorded.

All of this has taken place early in the season, in the cold weather. What’s going to happen when the weather warms up and the humidity gets higher?

I’ll tell you what — the ball is going to fly farther. It might be a good idea for anybody living in the vicinity of, or parking their vehicles in close proximity to the outfield fence near a softball diamond where these gals are playing, to check and see if they are in good hands with Allstate. Somebody’s aluminum siding or rig is going to get dented!

Archbishop Murphy hires a good one

Just like here in Oak Harbor, football is a big deal in Mill Creek near Everett.

For years, Archbishop Thomas Murphy High School has been a powerhouse in Class 2A football and the Wildcats just got a bit tougher with the signing of Dave Ward as the new head coach.

While at Oak Harbor High School, Ward employed a modified wing-T offense, similar to what Archbishop Murphy runs. I can imagine under Ward’s tutelage, the Wildcats from Mill Creek will continue with the wing-T and probably pass the football more than they have in past seasons.

Coaches in the Cascade Conference better begin working on their defensive game plans, like right now!

Jets fly on Wildcat Way

That roaring sound folks hear in the vicinity of Oak Harbor High School does not come entirely from the Prowlers on training flights from NAS Whidbey Island.

Some of that “sonic boom” is created by runners on the Wildcats’ track team on the new surface at the stadium.

Right now, junior Carson McKole is the second-ranked Class 4A 100-meter sprinter in the state and teammate, Mietra Smollack, is sixth ranked at 800 meters.

Smollack, a senior, also holds down sixth place in the 1,600-meter run.

Rumor has it that track fans will be able pick up ear protective devices in addition to programs at the ticket booth in preparation for the April 10 home track meet against Everett and Mountlake Terrace.

For the Oak Harbor boys, it’s height and distance that come into play.

Senior Rodrick Rumble is tied for third place among Class 4A high jumpers at 6 feet, 4 inches, and sophomore Donovan Hunt is ninth ranked in the long jump at 20-9.