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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 2
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 3
CONTENTS Sportsmanship above all...........4 Bruins Fall Highlights.................6 Panthers Fall Highlights.............8 Bruins Winter Highlights.........10 Panthers Winter Highlights.....12 Bruins Spring Highlights.........14 Panthers Spring Highlights.....16 Bruins All-Stars.........................18 Panthers All-Stars.....................20 Many thanks.............................22
Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 4
Sportsmanship above all “One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it.� — Legendary Norte Dame football coach Knute Rockne By Ryan Sparks Pilot Sports Editor
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
Brookings-Harbor High School track and field head coachTerry Axel shakes hands and congratulates North Bend’s Nick Hossley after a race at the Far West League District Championships in May at BHHS.
So here we are my friends, another high school season in the books. With summer just around the corner, the Curry Coastal Pilot thought it would be a good idea to look back on some of the highlights, teams and athletes that made the 2014-2015 season memorable. And believe me, there were many. From league titles, state championships, countless all-league and all-state honors, there is plenty to remember about this past high school season. We also decided to put together a boys and girls all-star team for both Brookings-Harbor and Gold Beach
High schools. This may have been the toughest part about putting this special section together. Thee are so many great athletes from both schools that it was near impossible to narrow the list down to five per team, per school. Weighing one athlete’s contributions, accomplishments and accolades to another’s to decide who makes the list is mentally draining and, quite honestly, gut-wrenching. After going through this process I can empathize, at least on a smaller scale, with coaches that have to make difficult decisions to cut athletes from making a team. Not a process I would wish on my worst enemy.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 5
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
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loser.” If that is true then Hart, as well as a multitude of Curry County prep student-athletes, are winners. Cheap shots and underhanded tactics are not how teams at BrookingsHarbor and Gold Beach are coached. I can tell you from personal experience, it’s inspiring to watch. Whether in victory or defeat, the sportsmen and sportswomen of Curry County held their heads high, looked their opponent in the eye and said, “Good game.”
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Brookings-Harbor’s Iva Hart after her team just lost a heartbreaking playoff game against Mazama in overtime. “I’m proud of Mazama and I’m proud of our girls. We all played our hearts out,” said Hart, a senior who had just played her last game in a BHHS uniform. Hart’s response reminded me of a famous quote by Dartmouth athletic directory Harry Sheehy. “It is your response to winning and losing that makes you a winner or a
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
Lady Bruins co-captain Krystal Rodriguez (left) comforts winger Hanna Leonard after Leonard was fouled and injured making a play.
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Gold Beach’s Colton Pearson (right) assists teammate Raef Williams with his chinstrap during a playoff game last Fall.
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After much debate and deliberation, we feel like we have a solid list. Each and every one of the athletes on the list has earned their spot and deserves to be recognized as an all-star. Of course, similar to any all-star selection, a few names get left out. It doesn’t mean they weren’t deserving, but we had to limit the list to the top-5, so naturally names were going to be left off. We looked at all aspects in comprising this list — from number of sports played, all-league and allstate honors, leadership and stats. We tried our best to take it all into account. Another aspect of this process is that we wanted to avoid naming just one or two athletes “MVP” or “Athlete of the Year.” It’s such a subjective process that it’s unfair to the athletes to just pick one, so we chickened out and picked five. All kidding aside, it is a privilege for us to honor these athletes. They deserve all credit possible for their dedication, determination and, above all else, their sportsmanship. In my first full season covering Brookings-Harbor and Gold Beach sports, I was inspired to see the amazing amount of sportsmanship I consistently witnessed throughout the school year. I saw players helping up their opponents, shaking hands and sharing laughs during and after competition. In this all about me, trash-talking society we live in, I saw nothing but class and integrity. I remember having trouble processing the comments from
Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 6
Brookings-Harbor High School Fall Sports Highlights
Soccer teams’ success leads to thrilling winner-take-all matches
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
The Brookings-Harbor Lady Bruins soccer team celebrates a 1-0 victory over North Bend in the regular season finale on Oct. 21.The win gave the Lady Bruins the Far West League title for the first time since 2010.
To put it mildly — the year started out with a bang. Both the Brookings-Harbor High School Bruins and Lady Bruins soccer programs looked to continue their winning ways in hopes of adding another Far West League title to the trophy case. The only problem was, a longtime rival and league foe stood in their way — the North Bend Bulldogs. The Bruins and the Bulldogs have been jostling for Far West League control over the past several seasons, and little would change during the 2014 campaign. Once again, the two teams found themselves locked in battle atop the Far West League late in the season, setting up what would be an epic afternoon of
soccer when both boys and girls teams would face each other on October 21. The boys game was up first, with the Bruins entering the contest trailing North Bend by one game. BHHS had to win to force a tie atop the league, and a large home crowd was there to cheer them on. The Bruins looked nothing like the team that lost to the Bulldogs, 5-0, earlier in the season at North Bend — they played aggressively and with confidence. The Bruins attacked North Bend and put pressure on the ball, not allowing the Bulldogs to work in space. Their defensive persistence paid off early in the game. Far West League coMVP Alex Anaya won a ball at midfield and sent a perfect pass 25-yards downfield to Bruins forward Jay Sharp.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 7 Sharp then streaked towards the North Bend goal. When the North Bend goalie made a move towards Sharp, the Bruins senior sent cross to forward David Daniels, who promptly buried the ball in the back of the net — giving BHHS a 1-0 lead. It was the only league goal North Bend had allowed all season. The Bulldogs responded late in the first half, when Coy Woods scored in front of the goal on a cross from Stewart Lyons, tying the score at 1-1. In the second half, both defenses tightened up, with neither team being able to score. The game ended 1-1 with North Bend winning the league title. Though it wasn’t the result the Bruins had hoped for, it was a terrific game nonetheless. As exciting as the boys game was, the girls game would be one that anyone who witnessed it would not soon forget. North Bend and BHHS entered their final FWL game tied for first place; the only blemish on either’s record a 1-1 tie when they played each other on October 2 in North Bend. With a league title on the line, the
league’s MVP, Siena Worthey, made the type of play an MVP makes. Worthey, the league’s leading scorer, drilled a free kick from 25-yards out over the outstretched arms of North Bend goalkeeper Kadie Forderer, giving the Lady Bruins a 1-0 lead and sending the crowd to their feet. The Lady Bruins defense, which had been stout all season, held back North Bend barrage after barrage — thwarting each and every Lady Bulldog attack. When the final whistle blew, all the tension was released and the Lady Bruins, as well as the crowd, erupted into the type of celebration only a league title can bring. ““It’s amazing,� said Worthey after the game. “It’s a feeling that we’ve been waiting for so many years and it’s finally here. It feels amazing.� It was the Lady Bruins first league title since 2010.
Bruins end 17-game losing streak by throttling Douglas Many, if not all of the seniors on the 2014 BHHS football team had never
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
The Brookings-Harbor Bruins soccer team huddles before a game this season.The Bruins finished second in the Far West League, just a half-game behind North Bend.
won a varsity game. A losing streak dating back to the mid-2012 season prevented that. That all changed on Oct. 11, when the Bruins, led by Christian Hooper’s three touchdowns, trounced the Douglas Trojans, 54-6.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 8
Gold Beach High School Fall Sports Highlights
Panther football keeps rolling along under first-year coach
foe in their path on the way to a 9-0 regular season record and Sunset Conference title, and they didn’t play an easy schedule. Gold Beach hit the road to pick up wins against 3A St. Mary’s of Medford and 5A North Eugene. Gold Beach cruised to a 30-0 opening round playoff win over Oakridge before falling to playoff rival Regis, 29-0 in the quarterfinals, ending their season at 10-1. Upon the season’s end, the accolades started rolling in — and there were many of them. Gold Beach garnered 18 Sunset Conference awards, including offensive co-MVP (J.R. Keeler) and defensive MVP (Mauricio Boydston) and nine conference first-team awards. Four Panthers were named to the 2A AllState team, including tight end Raef Williams, who was named to the first team in his senior season. Storns, deservedly so, was named Sunset Conference Coach of the Year. The message had been received by the competition — Gold Beach football has no plans of relinquishing their spot among the section’s elite.
Photo by Mandy Pearson
Gold Beach’s Robert Moore chases Coquille quarterback Zach Breitkreutz during the Panthers’ 42-30 season-opening win over the Red Devils.
Freshman Gaston finishes ninth at state cross country meet Gold Beach’s Avi Gaston, a distance runner who trains for the regional Junior Olympic team when not dawning the green and gold, began her first season representing Gold Beach by running a 20:08 at the OSAA 3A/2A/1A State Championships on Nov. 1. “When I saw my time and result I got really excited,� said Gaston, who earned her first state medal in her
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first state championship race. Only a freshman, Gaston’s performance at the state meet bodes well for the future of Gold Beach’s cross country team. Gaston, along with the return of Kaitlin Armstrong, who couldn’t compete in 2014 due to a leg injury, and the emergence of fellow freshman Bethy Myers, means Gold Beach should be competing for not just one, but three possible state medals next season.
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When a legendary head coach with multiple league and state championships to his credit resigns, what are you to do? Often the toughest jobs for a coach to come into, at any level of sports, is following in the footsteps of a giant — those are big shoes to fill. When Gold Beach head coach Kevin Swift stepped down as football coach in the offseason, it left many wondering what the Gold Beach program would do next? Swift was largely responsible in not just reviving the Gold Beach program, but raising it to a level of state prominence by winning 2A championships as recently as 2011. Enter new head coach Justin Storns, who worked as an assistant under Swift for several years and would bring a level of continuity that only someone from inside the program could bring. Any doubts about the future of Gold Beach football were quickly dashed as the Panthers under Storns resembled the Panthers under Swift — knocking down opponent after opponent on their way to another league title. The Panthers dispatched every
Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 9
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Gold Beach freshman Avi Gaston (far right) finished in ninth place at the 3A/2A/1A OSAA Cross Country State Championships on Nov. 1 in Eugene.
Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 10
Brookings-Harbor High School Winter Sports Highlights
March 7: The greatest prep basketball game I’ve seen
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
Bruin Isaiah Ross wrestled his way to a spot at the OSAA State Championships.
If I were to sum up the BrookingsHarbor Lady Bruins basketball team’s style of play it wouldn’t be with a thoughtful insight or witty simile. It could be with one simple expression: Phew! That is often how I felt after watching the Lady Bruins run their opponents ragged. From tip-off to buzzer, BHHS used a stifling trap defense to swarm their foes before running circles around them. All too often the Lady Bruins opposition were left out of breath and out of will power. The Lady Bruins might not be the tallest team (only one player stood 5’10”) or the most athletic team, but the Lady Bruins are going to come at you for every minute of every game. They are going to find out if you are in good enough shape to keep up
with them. Last season, nobody in the Far West League was. The Lady Bruins won the Far West League Championship by completing an undefeated 10-0 league season, earning them a first-round home playoff game against the Mazama Vikings. Now I’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands of prep basketball games in my 17-plus year career as a sports reporter. I can’t think of a better game than the one I saw on March 7. The Lady Bruins, who fought gallantly in the second half to force the game into overtime, lost 53-52 after Lady Bruins guard Drew Farmer’s last-second lay up attempt rolled just off the edge of the rim. But they have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. “That was an absolutely fantastic
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high school basketball game,” said Lady Bruins head coach Chris Schofield after the game. I couldn’t agree with him more. We use cliches in sports all the time but rarely do they actually apply. On March 7, both teams really did leave it all out on the floor — and I, as a sports editor and sports fan, couldn’t be prouder of them. I’ve covered championship games, league title match ups, and even games between nationally ranked teams — but I’ve never seen a game as competitive and exciting and dramatic as that one. I’d like to personally thank both the Lady Bruins and the Vikings for playing the best high school basketball game I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness. I will never forget the greatness I saw on March 7.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 11 Ross earns BHHS’ first state meet wrestling berth since 2013 For a young BHHS wrestling team whose roster you can count on one hand, sending one of their own to the OSAA 4A State Championships is quite a feat. Isaiah Ross did just that when he finished in fourth place in the 152-pound weight class at the district championship meet in mid-February. Ross won four of his six matches in a two-day span to qualify for the state meet, which was held on Feb. 27-28 in Portland. Though Ross went 0-2 at the state meet, his accomplishment showed the Bruins wrestling program is getting back on the right track.
Despite turnover, Bruins nearly make state playoffs For all intents and purposes, the BHHS Bruins basketball team had no business competing for a playoff spot. They lost every starter from last season to graduation and had a roster that featured only two seniors that had any varsity experience. Yet there
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
Lady Bruins point guard Drew Farmer dribble-drives on Mazama’s HannahThompson during their epic first-round playoff game on March 7.
they were, tied with a higher ranked South Umpqua team for the Far West League’s third and final playoff spot. The Bruins lost to the Lancers, 6054, in the league playoff game, but
the fact that they were even there shows that head coach Buell Gonzales Jr. and his staff did an amazing job of coaching, and there is plenty of talent to compete in the tough FWL.
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
BHHS point guard Brandon Curtis calls a play during a game against Siuslaw.
Wishes all of our Panther Graduates a Great Future!
Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 12
Gold Beach High School Winter Sports Highlights
Piper wins state championship to extend amazing GBHS streak
Photo courtesy of Northwest Sports Phtography/www.4nsp.com
Gold Beach freshman Jade Piper wears her state championship medal after capturing the 145-pound class title. It’s the 14th straight year Gold Beach crowned a state champ.
When she was in third grade, Jade Piper saw her older cousin, Shawnee Wallace, wrestle for Gold Beach High School. Piper was inspired by the tenacity her older cousin, a four-time state wrestling champion, exhibited on the mat. She told herself then that she wanted to be just like Shawnee. She wanted to be a four-time state champion too. Now a freshman, Piper, the only prep female wrestler in Curry County, set out to meet her lofty goals. She wrestled both boys and girls in the 145-pound weight class this season and, under the tutelage of Gold Beach head coach Beau Hanson, improved match-to-match over the course of the season. Piper qualified for the state meet by placing second in a state qualifying tournament; losing a narrow 3-0 decision to Grants Pass sophomore Olivia DeMars. Piper then bested Maelynn Locke of Cottage Grove by pinfall in the state championship semi-final, setting up a high-stakes rematch against DeMars for the girls 145-pound state title. Their championship would be-
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come an instant classic as they were deadlocked 1-1 late into the final period. It wasn’t until late in the third round, when Piper countered a Demars shoot, that the deadlock was broken. “She shot and I got a cow-catcher on her,� said Piper of the exchange. “I got two points for a takedown, three points for getting her on her back, and then two more points for back points.� By the end of Piper’s superb counter attack, the freshman had an 8-1 lead. The buzzer sounded and Piper had earned her first state wrestling championship. After arriving home, Piper had one person in mind that she still had to thank. So she sat down and wrote a letter to Wallace, who is currently serving in the Marine Corps. “I told her, “It’s all for you,� and “Thank you for doing all this for me.� She’s the one who inspired me to do this.� Piper’s win extends Gold Beach’s incredible streak of crowning at least one state wresting champion for 14 consecutive years.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 13 In addition to Piper, Wes Turner (120 pounds), Rocky Lilly (145 pounds) and J.R. Keeler (195 pounds) all reached the final match of their respective with classes, but were upended in the final.
Lady Panthers honored as MaxPreps Oregon Team of the Week in February It was a great season for the Gold Beach Lady Panthers basketball team. With an overall record of 20-6 (13-2 in the Sunset Conference) the Lady Panthers finished just one game behind Myrtle Point for the league title. In early February, they were honored by MaxPreps as the Oregon Team of the Week and were presented with a plaque by the National Guard, commemorating the occasion. Their 20 wins on the season was the most wins for a Gold Beach girls basketball team since the early-2000’s, when the Lady Panthers won two state championships in a three-year span. Gold Beach’s season was also highlighted by a stellar 30-26 win over
Photo courtesy of Northwest Sports Photography/www.4nsp.com
ABOVE: Gold Beach senior J.R. Keeler (left) wrestles at the state championship meet in late February. Keeler was one of four Panthers to wrestle for a state title. RIGHT: Lady Panthers point guard HaileyTimeus helped lead Gold Beach to a second-place finish in the Sunset Conference. Photo courtesy of Mandy Pearson.
Myrtle Point in the regular-season finale. It was the only league loss for the Bobcats all season. With a young core and Hailey Timeus, one of the 2A section’s lead-
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Photo by Mandy Pearson
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 14
Cross Country Brookings-Harbor High School Spring Sports Highlights
Graham adds more accolades to decorated career Fluidity, grace, speed, coordination, athleticism — all are traits needed to be a great hurdler. If you ever had the chance to see Bruins senior Shaine Graham run the hurdles, then you know he has these traits and then some. Graham ended his illustrious hurdling career at BHHS as one of the most decorated hurdlers in school history. Over his four-year prep career, Graham has won four district championships in hurdling events (110and 300-meter hurdles), broke a 28-year-old school record in the long hurdles (40.26), and competed at the WesCom News Service / Michael Zogg state championship meet in each of BHHS senior Shaine Graham, who races his four high school seasons, collectin the 110- and 300-meter hurdles, won ing four state medals. his fourth district championship and Graham also ran the anchor leg for fourth state medal this season. the men’s 4x400-meter relay team
that earned a trip to the state championships this season.
Bruins golf team awarded grant, roster number soar The BHHS golf team was in limbo in June after the resignation of former coach Chris McConnell. Enter new head coach Gary Early, who went right to work to get the Bruins golf team back on course, literally and figuratively. Early secured a $1,400 grant from the Wild Rivers Foundation on behalf of the Ed and Barbara Brattain Memorial Fund. The new head coach then got to work on creating a tough, competitive schedule as well as leaned on his senior leaders Sven Rodne and Alex McKee to help recruit athletes to the team. His plans paid off, as the approxi-
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mately 17 athletes golfed for BHHS this season and the team finished a respectable eighth at the district meet. With Early at the helm of the program, the BHHS golf team should see continued improvement and success for the next few years to come.
Lady Bruins end season on five-game winning streak The Lady Bruins softball team experienced the same growing pains many other BHHS endured in the 2014-2015 school year. With only one player returning from 2014’s senior-heavy team, BHHS was filled with young, but inexperienced talent. Throw a first-year head coach into the mix and you have a recipe for a disastrous season.
Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 15 At times this season the Lady Bruins looked as though they could compete with the Far West League’s elite; at other times you just hoped they wouldn’t self-destruct. To the team and coaching staff ’s credit, they persevered and once they bought into Garvin’s aggressive, keep-the-wheels-in-motion type of offense, they started winning games, and they kept on winning. The Lady Bruins climbed back into the Far West League playoff race late in the season by winning their final five games, including a sweeping a season-finale doubleheader against South Umpqua, who they were chasing for third place in the FWL. Their lone senior, pitching ace Courtney Kay, threw the bulk of the inning for the Bruins staff — often pitching 10-14 innings on Friday doubleheaders. Kay also helped keep a young team focused on the game rather than the scoreboard. With returning talent like speedsters Tyrah Baron and Jonna Leddy,
and prodigious hitters like Mishonne Marks and Hailee Murray, the Lady Bruins should have the ability to put runs up on the board at an alarming rate, and continue their winning streak well on into next season.
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
LEFT: BHHS golfer Sven Rodne hits a fairway shot during the Salmon Run Invitational in April. ABOVE: Lady Bruins pitcher Courtney Kay shares a laugh with third baseman Cassidy Chandler in a game against the DouglasTrojans.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 16
Gold Beach High School Spring Sports Highlights
Lady Panthers dominate league; track team makes huge strides Last season the young, upstart Gold Beach Lady Panthers softball team was surprisingly in first place in their league with just a few games to play. I say “surprisingly� because the Lady Panthers were filled with underclassmen who, though talented, lacked experience. After the league playoffs ended, Gold Beach found themselves in third place, having to travel to take on the state’s 2nd-ranked team in Weston-McEwen/Griswold. Entering the 2015 season the Lady Panthers were still young, with only two seniors on the roster, but they were much more experienced. Gold Beach’s combination of speed, timely hitting, and the right-arm of ace Savanna Rucker led the Lady Panthers to the 2A/1A - Special District 5 league championship after posting an impressive 11-1 league record. Wanting his team to be challenged, Gold Beach head coach Jerry Ross scheduled tough 2A, 3A and 4A opponents for his team throughout the season. Ross knew that when the playoffs arrive, his team would need the experience of playing tougher competition.
His plan worked. Gold Beach went 19-7 on the season. Five of their seven losses were to opponents in higher divisions than them, including a 6-4 loss to Far West League champion Marshfield on May 21, just before the league playoff were scheduled to start. They defeated Reedsport in the league playoffs to secure the topseed in the SD5 league, where they hosted 10th-ranked Gaston Greyhounds on May 27. With Gold Beach leading 3-2 in the fifth inning, Gaston had the tying run on third and go-ahead run on second base with two outs. That’s when Rucker made one of those veteran plays that team’s expect from their leaders. Gaston’s Abigaile Zwodny went halfway to third base in a delayed steal attempt, trying to entice a throw to second from catcher Jade Piper. Piper threw to Rucker, who ran Gaston’s Jaycie Endicott back to third base. She then threw a strike to shortstop Hailey Timeus, who tagged the retreating Zwodny to end the threat. Gold Beach’s Jordan Rucker and Hailey Timeus used a similar delayed steal tactic of their own to
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
Speedy centerfielder Jordan Rucker, who is just a freshman, set the table for the Lady Panthers prodigious offense this season. Gold Beach averaged over 10 runs per game this season.
score two additional runs in the bottom half of the inning, blowing the game open and giving Gold Beach a home playoff win they so desperately
worked for. “It took us by surprise but we practice those situations so we knew what to do with it,� said Timeus.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 17
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
Gold Beach track athletes (left to right) sophomore Kaitlin Armstrong, freshman Avi Gaston and freshman Bethy Myers are talented young runners that have fans excited about the future of the Gold Beach track and field team.
Gold Beach’s season ended to 2ndranked Central Linn, 8-1, the following Friday. With athletes like Timeus, Piper, Jordan Rucker and Kayleanna Ridens returning next season, Gold Beach should be a front-runner for a league and state title.
and returned with five state medals. Lincoln, the team’s only senior, finished his high school career by winning his first every state medals — finishing fourth in the shot put with a mark of 45 feet, 6 1/4 inches and fifth in the discus, throwing a 131-03 mark. Paris, who was hampered by injuries during the track season, threw the shot put 32-03.50 for a seventhplace finish and topped that performance with a personal best 94-04 in the discus to earn a sixth-place medal. Kaitlin Armstrong earned her third state finals medal, finishing sixth in the 800-meters with a time of 2:28.34.
Gold Beach track and field earns five state medals They aren’t flying under the radar anymore. Gold Beach High School’s track and field team, led by siblings Lincoln and Paris Newdall, sent four athletes to the state championships
The Pilot / Ryan Sparks
Hitters in the 2A/1A - Special District 5 League got pretty tired of seeing Gold Beach’s Savanna Rucker on the mound.The senior ace led the Lady Panthers to an 11-1 league record. Gold Beach won the regular season league title and the league playoffs in 2015.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 18
The 2014-2015 Brookings-Harbor High School All-Stars
Alec Darger
David Daniels Daniels was one of the leading scorers in the Far West League and was named a first-team all-league forward for his efforts. Daniels also earned first-team all-league honors on the baseball diamond, where he played a stellar second-base and hit .422 to lead the Bruins starters.
Darger, who was voted male athlete of the year by BHHS, was a three-sport star who earned all-league accolades in every sport he played this season. He was an honorable mention at linebacker; named to the FWL All-Defensive team in basketball, and was a first-team centerfielder.
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The speedy Baron was named to the Far West League first-team in two sports this season. On the soccer field, she was the Lady Bruins second-leading scorer. On the diamond, she was among the league leaders in stolen bases and was named a first-team shortstop.
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On the soccer field Anaya is simply a magician.The sophomore midfielder was voted Far West League co-MVP and was named as a first-team All-State player. Anaya had approximately 20 assists on the season, including a masterful through ball that led to a goal against North Bend.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 19
Christian Edwards Edwards was the model of consistency, leading the Bruins basketball team in scoring at 11 points-per-game and hitting .333 for the Bruins baseball team. He was named first-team all-league in basketball and Far West League honorable mention at first base.
Drew Farmer
Shaine Graham
Only a junior, Farmer is already known throughout the 4A section as one of the most talented point guards in the state. She was named Far West League MVP and second-team all-state. Farmer was also named first-team all-league fullback on the soccer field.
Graham established himself as one of the most prolific, decorated hurdlers in the long, illustrious history of BHHS track and field. He won the 300-meter hurdles district championship — his fourth league hurdles title, and won his fourth overall medal at the state meet.
Vanessa Hernandez Hernandez is how you spell “Defense” at BHHS. The junior was named a firstteam all-league fullback on the girls soccer team and was a Far West League first-team guard on the hardwood, largely because of her uncanny ability to force turnovers anywhere on the court.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 20
The 2014-2015 Gold Beach High School All-Stars
Courtney Kay Kay, who was voted female athlete of the year by BHHS, won all league honors in three sports - honorable mention for volleyball, first-team forward in basketball, and a first-team Far West League pitcher as the only senior on the Bruins softball team.
Only a sophomore, Worthey helped the Lady Bruins win league titles in soccer and basketball this season. She led the FWL with 24 goals and was named FWL MVP and first-team all-state as a forward. On the court, Worthey was named second-team all-league at power forward.
Kaitlin Armstrong
Mauricio Boydston
Armstrong ran a personal best 2:28.34 in the women’s 800-meters at the OSAA 2A State Championships, finishing in sixth place. It was her third state medal.
Boydston was voted the Sunset Conference Defensive MVP, a first-team allleague linebacker and was voted to the 2A All-State team as an honorble mention at linebacker.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 21
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The senior center was voted Sunset Conference first-team all-league center and was named the league’s defensive MVP, leading the league in blocked shots.
Keeler was named league offensive coMVP and was All-State honorable mention ar running back. He also finished 2nd in the state, wrestling at 195-pounds.
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Lincoln Newdall
Maxwell was voted first-team all-league offensive line and second team defensive lineman. He was also voted a second-team All-State offensive lineman.
Newdall was voted the Sunset Conference’s first team center and earned OSAA 2A state medals in both the shot put (4th) and discus (5th).
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 22
Jade Piper
Savanna Rucker
The freshman phenom had a tremendous year. Piper won the 2A state wrestling championship at 145-pounds and also earned league honors as an honorable mention at Designated Player for the Gold Beach softball team.
Rucker was simply brilliant this year. She earned second-team all-league honors on the baseketball court and was voted as a first-team all-league pitcher as she dominated the 2A/1A-SD5 league, leading GBHS to a 19-7 record.
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Brookings’ Abby Walker
Timeus was the leading scorer for the Lady Panthers baseketball team, earning first-team all-league honors at point guard. She also was named a first-team infielder as a shortstop and one of the leading hitters on GBHS’s softball team.
Raef Williams Williams garnered some of the highest accolades for the Panthers football team. The tight end was voted first-team All-State as he led the 2A section in receiving yards (297) and yards-per-catch (29.7). He was also named first-team all-league LB.
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0HOTO COURTESY OF ,ANA 7ALKER
#RESCENT #ITY 3WIM #LUB BREASTSTROKER !BBY 7ALKER By Ryan Sparks Pilot staff writer
g If there is a swimmin equivalent of a “gym rat� Crescent City Swim Club’s Abby Walker would be it. The 10-year-old fifth s grader from Brooking would rather be in the pool than on dry land, practicing the breastfor stroke in preparation a meet. At last month’s Sun Oaks Aquatic Racing Meet held in Redding, California, Walker blew in away the competition the her signature events, 9-10 year old 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke, winning by more the in seconds than five in 50 and seven seconds the 100-meter race. More importantly, Walker’s times in the two races the have qualified her for USA Swimming PC Ju-nnior Olympic Champio ships July 11-13 at Indein pendence High School San Jose, California. “I was really happy. Nobody I know on my swim team has qualified
Hailey Timeus
0HOTO COURTESY OF $OUG 7ALKER
MPICS IN QUALIl ED FOR THE *UNIOR /LY T IN 2EDDING #ALIFORNIA 7ALKER O THE POOL DURING A RECENT MEE !BBY 7ALKER FAR RIGHT DIVES INTOKE THE AND METER BREASTSTR
said for Junior Olympics,� the enthusiastic Walker. Walker’s times of 42.09 in the 50-meter breaststroke beat the qualification time (48.19) by more than six seconds. Her 1:41.66 time in the 100-meter event beat the qualification time ½ (1:43.19) by nearly 1 seconds. The times were not meet, available during the
so Abby and her family had no idea she had qualified for the Junior Olympics until the official results were posted online the following day. “I didn’t realize till after the meet,� said Abby’s mother, Lana we Walker. “At the meet her only thought she got double-A time so when and they posted her time her she got first place in
Abby to get home from good division that’s as high school to tell her the as we thought it would news. go. When we looked at “She told me after the national database school, “Abby you just we scanned down and qualified for the Junior triple-A her hit she said, I saw Olympics,� and retime. I thought, “Where “Oh my gosh.� I was our does that put her in ally happy and laughing� at zone?� When I looked and was really shocked, the zone and she qualified said Abby. “I thought, I was for Junior Olympics “Jeez this is cool�. This could I just really, really excited that g somethin is for her.� tell my friends.� Lana then waited for
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 23
Many thanks for another great season The top sports photo from the 2014-2015 prep sports season — a dejected North Bend player walks off the field while the Lady Bruins celebrate winning a Far West League championship.
By Ryan Sparks Pilot Sports Editor
I’m honored to have an opportunity to thank so many of those that make my job that much easier. Covering sports for two high schools and their respective communities can be a daunting task for just one person, but I have been blessed to have so many great freelancers, contributors, coaches and parents who all have played a part in making this prep sports season a memorable one. I’d love to be able to mention everyone by name but we would need to add a few extra pages to accommodate all the great people who have helped. A few of the major contributors I will mention have sent volumes of stories, photos, and information to the Pilot — sometimes just minutes before a deadline. These folks help us get the most current and updated information
to your doorstep every Wednesday and Saturday morning. We simply wouldn’t be the same paper without them. • Randy Robbins — A freelancer who
has been instrumental in providing information and stories for Gold Beach football and basketball games as well as covering various events in Gold Beach.
•Mandy Pearson — Mandy’s photography of various Gold Beach sports is frequently on display in the Pilot’s sports pages. She has an excellent eye and is one of the county’s best sports photographers. •Chaulene Worthey — Chaulene has provided some excellent photos for BHHS soccer and basketball games and has always been willing to provide us with great content. •BHHS athletic director Buell Gonzales Jr. and Gold Beach athletic director Kevin Swift — I simply couldn’t do my job without the valuable information and access these gentlemen provide.
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Saturday, June 6, 2015 – 2014-2015 HS Sports Year in Review – Page 24
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