Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
The Scio High cheerleading team has brought home a state title.
Competing in the Class 4A-3A-2A-1A game day classification at the OSAA championships on Feb. 11 at Oregon City High, Scio scored 111 points, 5.5 better than second place Westside Christian (105.5). Creswell was third at 102.50.
The victory marked the first cheer title in Scio history.
Scio, coached by Jordan Carlson, scored first in two of the three judging categories, situational/crowd leading and composite. Scio finished second behind Westside Christian in fight song/band dance.
Basketball: The Santiam High boys basketball team is just one win away from a return to Pendleton for the Class 2A tournament.
The Wolverines, 18-5 overall and ranked No. 8 in Class 2A by the OSAA, were enmeshed in the Tri-River Conference playoffs at The Canyon Weekly’s presstime. But the combination of the team’s 13-2 league record and state ranking makes a spot in the round of 16 on Feb. 25 a certainty.
“We have already qualified for the state round of 16 because our league gets four bids to that round and we are in the semifinals of our league playoffs,” coach J.D. Hill told The Canyon Weekly. “Winning our league playoffs can guarantee us a state playoff home game in the round of 16, otherwise we will rely on ranking to determine if we play that game home or away.”
Hill’s Wolverines won a state title in 2017 with a team led by current assistant coach Julian Downey. Santiam also advanced to Pendleton in 2019, where they finished 6th and 2020, when they were fourth.
Julian Downey’s younger brother Ezra has had a standout senior season for the Wolverines, but Hill noted that he has had plenty of help.
“I think we all expected Ezra Downey and Gage Twede to be as good as they are, but Quentin Clark’s toughness and overall good play has taken our team to the next level,” Hill said. “Also, Xavier Vital and Jesse Dana have both improved significantly from last year, which has made us a much more well rounded team.”
Overall, Hill said “I knew we were capable of doing well, but with such a tough league I am surprised we survived with only 2 losses. I know we’re capable of winning a state championship, but there are about 7 teams in my estimation that are all pretty even and it will come down to who is playing the best at the end.”
The state tournament runs March 2-4 at the Pendleton Convention Center and Pendleton High.
Wrestling: The Wolverines wrestled at Knappa last weekend in the district meet. Wyatt Dayton, third at state a year ago, took fourth at 145 pounds at districts and is awaiting the results of the wild card process to see if he qualifies for the Feb. 23-25 state meet in Portland.
Also wrestling well for Santiam were Randy Fox (5th at 145) and Lukus Lebahn (5th at 160).
“Didn’t go quite as we thought but we are young and will be back stronger next year,” coach Kerry Crowston told The Canyon Weekly.
