Warrior Watch: All-state volleyball, state track entries and baseball preview

Philomath High School senior Carson Winder earned a spot on the Oregon High School Boys Volleyball Association’s all-state first team following last weekend’s 4A tournament in Hillsboro.

Winder, outside hitter-middle blocker, helped the Warriors in their first-ever boys volleyball season to a 17-8 record, league co-championship and sixth-place trophy at state.

The other Philomath players also received recognition on the all-state honorable mention list — senior libero Raul Sanchez, senior setter Isac Marcelo and junior opposite hitter/defensive specialist Mayson Wallace.

Cascade senior Romel McCloud was named the 4A championship’s Most Valuable Player. McCloud plans to play collegiately at Maryland Eastern Shore. Molalla’s Lauree Nelzen was named Coach of the Year.

Joining Winder on the first team were Estacada’s Dallan Champma and Isaac Crandall, Crook County’s Hoyt Kudlac, Molalla’s Chester Smith, Cascade’s Zeben McCloud and Newport’s Becker Wills.

Philomath went 1-2 at the tournament with the win coming in the consolation bracket over Marshfield. The Warriors dropped matches to Cascade in the first round and to Newport in the fourth-/sixth-place match.

Girls track and field chasing history

In the history of Philomath High athletics, no sports program has ever won four straight state titles. The Warriors could pull off that feat this weekend in girls track and field at the Class 4A State Championships in Eugene. It would also be a first among 4A schools.

The meet begins Friday at 9 a.m. and Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Hayward Field.

“As of this date, no other girls 4A track and field team has won the state team title in the new Hayward Field,” Coach Joe Fulton wrote Thursday in an email to his team. “We plan to keep it that way.”

Here’s a rundown of the qualifiers for the girls:

• Janice Hellesto — 4-by-100, 100, 200, long jump
• Natalie Dunn — 4-by-100, 4-by-400, 400
• Kya Bolton — 4-by-100
• Petra Hernandez — 4-by-100, 300 hurdles
• Reagan Nuno — 800, 4-by-400, triple jump, 4-by-100 alternate
• Cassidy Smart — 1500, 3000, 4-by-400
• Adele Beckstead — 1500, 3000, 4-by-400
• Anneka Steen – High jump
• Hanna McDaniel – High jump
• Aspen Russell — Pole vault
• Hailey Eckhold – Triple jump
• Melea Lattin – 4-by-400 alternate
• Brooke McDaniel — 4-by-400 alternate
• Jordyn Hood — 4-by-100 alternate

The boys qualified several athletes as well and expect to be in contention for a top-six finish, possibly even a top-four trophy. Here’s a list of the qualifiers for the boys:

• Warwick Bushnell — 200, 400, 4-by-100, 4-by-400
• C.D. Nuno — 100, 200, 4-by-100, 4-by-400
• Dreyton Nuno — High jump, 4-by-100, 4-by-400
• Leo Pausch — 1500, 3000
• Kaden Howard — 4-by-100, long jump, triple jump, 4-by-400 alternate
• Lukas Hernandez — 3000, 1500, 4-by-400,
• Sam Hernandez — High jump
• Josiah Peters — Javelin
• Jamin Peters — Discus
• Blake Hauck — Pole vault
• Tiernan Bovbjerg — 4-by-400 alternate
• Galen Murch — 4-by-100 alternate
• Bryce Hruska — 4-by-100 alternate

For those planning to attend, tickets can be purchased in advance online ($9 for students, $18 for adults). 

Baseball team headed to Scappoose

The PHS baseball team will face a tough test on the road Friday with a trip to Scappoose in the quarterfinals of 4A playoffs. The sixth-seeded Warriors advanced with a 2-0 win over Tillamook while the third-seeded Indians moved on with a 4-1 victory over Stayton.

The first pitch has been scheduled for 5 p.m.

As reported in a story on the first-round victory, Philomath will be trying to improve at the plate while continuing to perform well on the mound. Coach Levi Webber threw junior Caleb Babcock vs. the Cheesemakers and if he continues to follow the rotation, senior Joe Barnes would be up next. Junior Wylie Griffith is also a possibility.

Philomath (21-6-1) and Scappoose (22-5) had played five common opponents this season and the Indians have fared slightly better. Against Marist Catholic, Gladstone, Junction City, Tillamook and Stayton, the Indians had a 7-1 record. Against those same schools, the Warriors had a 5-2 record.

(Brad Fuqua is publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He can be reached at News@PhilomathNews.com).

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