The Newberg Graphic
| 2008-2009: What a sports season! | ||||
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| The past year -- The local high school and college sports seasons saw national and state champions | ||||
From September to June high school and college athletic seasons are in full swing. Records are broken. Teams and individuals seemingly appear from nowhere to win at the regional, state and, sometimes, national level. This season was no different. For the residents of Newberg, St. Paul and Dundee, there's been a little bit of everything. There have been national champions, state champions and some teams and athletes who have risen from obscurity and into the spotlight. Here's a list of some of the top moments this season. -- The George Fox University women's basketball team. Prior to this season, the Bruins were an unknown quantity. Guided by seven seniors the previous season, the Bruins went 25-5 and earned a trip to the national tournament. With all of those seniors gone to start this season, George Fox didn't make anyone's preseason list of national title contenders. After all, the Bruins had 10 freshmen and no returning starters. The team's lone senior, 6-foot-4 center Kristen Shielee, wasn't even a lock to return to the team this season. All the Bruins had were a bunch of new faces, four upperclassmen to help teach the younger players the ropes and the detailed scouting reports of head coach Scott Rueck. As the season played out, George Fox won and continued to win. At the end of the regular season, the Bruins were 25-0. Not bad, considering the Bruins were picked to finish fifth in the Northwest Conference this season. The Bruins, buoyed by their stingy 2-3 zone defense, continued their season in the national tournament and stormed through it. They eventually made it to the national title game in Holland, Mich., and defeated Washington University-St. Louis 60-53 to finish with a 32-0 record. Rueck was named Coach of the Year in Division III women's basketball. Freshman guard Sage Indendi was named Freshman of the Year by D3hoops.com. Shielee was an incredible force, both offensively and defensively. She never fouled out of a game, despite being the focal point of the opposition. She was named the national tournament's MVP. Just about everyone, with the exception of Shielee, returns next season for the Bruins. It could be the start of a dynasty for George Fox. -- Alec Ortiz, Newberg High School wrestling This winter, the senior did exactly what everyone thought he would do - he capped his high school wrestling career with a fourth consecutive title. He also earned elite status when he won his last state championship - a 9-2 victory against Canby's Miles Hygelund - and finished out his high school career with a 104-0 record. Ortiz was almost as well known for his offbeat sense of style as for his wrestling abilities. He would routinely wear various outfits, including a pink sarong, at dual meets and tournaments. While his outfit choices might have made him an outsider to the blue collar wrestling community, it actually endeared Ortiz to legions of wrestling fans because people simply understood that was his personality. None of that might be more evident than at a meet early in the season. While a Newberg Graphic photographer was shooting photos, Ortiz was in the midst of his long preparation process (he'd often warm up for more than an hour for a match that usually lasted less than four minutes) when a woman came and sat next to the photographer near the wrestling mat. "Oh, great," she said begrudgingly. "My kid has to wrestle Ortiz." The pair struck up a conversation and the woman said she had seen Ortiz the previous season and from an outsider's perspective, Ortiz was a little odd. After all, while out on the mat, he never lost focus and was always intense. Off the mat, his outlandish outfits threw some people for a loop. The woman went on to tell the photographer that she had talked to Ortiz at the state tournament last year and she came away impressed. She found Ortiz to be smart, articulate and thoughtful, just like many did. "He was like the nicest kid," she said. Ortiz, who earned a full-ride wrestling scholarship to the University of Minnesota, went on to pin the woman's son in the first round of that match early in the season. She wasn't particularly upset, though. "If he's going to lose, I'd like it to be to (Ortiz)," she said. Seems like Ortiz converted the toughest of people - a mother of an opposing wrestler. It's doubtful she was the only one. -- The Newberg High School wrestling team It was a long 11 years, but the Newberg High School wrestling team finally won a state title under coach Neil Russo. After being so close for so many years, Russo helped orchestrate perhaps one of the most unlikely state championships in recent memory. Roseburg, the defending state champion, entered the state tournament in the driver's seat and was the odds-on favorite to repeat this season. That didn't happen, though. Roseburg suffered a couple of key losses in the tournament and Newberg was able to capitalize. Ortiz won his fourth state title. Junior Tommy Siciliano put the finishing touches on his third straight state title. Tazz Tinner, Jacob Kaufman and Clint Peebles all made it to the finals, but fell (Peebles didn't wrestle due to an injury) and settled for second. The state title for the Tigers was especially gratifying for Russo because his uncle, Tony, and father, Pete, had coached Newberg to success in previous years. Under Neil Russo, Newberg finished second at the state tournament in 2008, 2002, 2000, 1999 and 1998. Newberg had also finished third in 2003, fourth in 2001 and 2005, fifth in 2004 and 2007 and eighth in 2006. Newberg High School boys and girls water polo teams It's easy to overlook the success of these two programs. After all, there aren't hundreds of teams throughout the state like there are in basketball that would create more parity among teams. Throw in the fact that Newberg is dominant and has been for years and it creates little buzz. Still, nothing can be taken away from what both programs accomplished this season. Both were simply outstanding as both captured their fourth straight state championships this past fall. The boys team lost most of its key players from the previous season and essentially figured this season would be a rebuilding year. That didn't happen, though. Newberg dominated throughout the year. The Tigers cruised to the state tournament and eventually met Southridge in the state finals and won 12-9. Junior Craig Cheney was named the tournament's most valuable player. Junior Brian Cheney and freshmen Taylor McMaster were both first team selections. Senior Blake Thomas, along with freshman Kale Rogers were second team selections. Newberg will enter next season as the favorite to win their fifth straight state championship. The Newberg girls team was as dominant as the boys team on the way to its fourth straight championship. Newberg faced Pacific Conference rival Tualatin in the state finals and came away with a narrow 9-7 victory. Sophomore Keilani Ladrini was crucial for the Tigers. She scored six goals in the title game and took away MVP honors. Her older sister, junior Pammela Ladrini, was a first team selection at the state tournament. Newberg sophomore goalkeeper Meghan O'Halloran was a first team pick for the second straight year at the state tournament. Jamie Hockema was a second team selection and Kindra Fish was an honorable mention pick. The Tigers return every player next season - with the exception of graduating senior Dusty Palmore - and are the early season favorites for the 2009 state championship. -- The Newberg High School boys basketball team There might not be a better bittersweet story than that of the Newberg boys basketball team this year. The Tigers were figured to have its best year in decades. And in fact, the Tigers delivered. They finished second in the Pacific Conference and hosted a pair of state tournament games. The first was against Barlow - the same team that crushed Newberg 85-38 in the first round of the playoffs the previous season. Newberg remembered that loss and went on to post a thrilling 92-86 triple-overtime win. Newberg even managed to earn the win after senior Taylor Braun, a first team all-state selection, fouled out midway through the first overtime. Junior AJ Grant took over and ended the game with 26 points and 11 assists. He also shot 13-14 from the foul line in the win. Braun finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Newberg advanced and earned a narrow 57-54 home win against Clackamas in the second round, thanks to 21 points by Grant. The win earned the Tigers a trip to MacArthur Court - the site of the eight-team state tournament on the campus of the University of Oregon. Newberg appeared to be a team with momentum, but just days before the tournament started, four of Newberg's five starters were stricken with flu. All suited up and Newberg actually held a halftime lead against Grant, but the effects of the flu eventually caught up with the Tigers and Newberg fell 54-35. The following day, Newberg never could get momentum going and fell 66-33 to Lake Oswego to be ousted from the tournament. Newberg finished 19-8 overall, but still managed to make school history with its appearance at the state tournament. It was the furthest any team Newberg had ever advanced. -- St. Paul High School boys basketball The Bucks played the entire season without its leading scorer from the previous season, David Ferguson, who suffered a knee injury during the fall. Still, the Bucks went on and not only qualified for the state tournament, but scored two road playoff victories to earn a trip to play in the state tournament in Baker City. St. Paul went 0-2 there, but laid the foundation for next season when Ferguson and most of his teammates return. -- George Fox University baseball The Bruins found themselves tied with Pacific Lutheran at the end of the Northwest Conference regular season. The two played a playoff game to decide which team would earn the conference's automatic bid to the west regionals and George Fox pounded out an impressive 24-6 victory. The Bruins moved on to the west regionals and suffered a first-round loss, but came back and defeated then No. 1-ranked Pomona Pitzer then earned a win against then No. 11-ranked University of Texas-Tyler. George Fox needed to beat Chapman twice in order to earn a berth to the Division III world series and scored a 5-4 win in 10 innings in the final day of the tournament before losing the second game. George Fox finished 36-11 overall. Senior outfielder Matt Wyckoff set a new George Fox single-season hits record (84) and senior outfielder Kyle Kuenzi set a school record for most runs in a season (72). * C.S. Lewis Academy boys basketball The Watchmen had easily their best season in school history, led by senior guard Gabe Leatherman, the Casco League player of the year, who averaged 22.5 points per game this season. The Watchmen finished second in the Casco League regular season behind Country Christian, but managed to defeat the Cougars in the district tournament for the No. 1 seed to the state tournament. C.S. Lewis earned a first-round bye and later faced Columbia Christian in the second round. C.S. Lewis fell 47-35, but the Watchmen finished with a 19-5 record. * Newberg High School football team It was the year Newberg (3-2 Pacific Conference, 5-5 overall) finally returned to the postseason. Newberg clinched a playoff berth with a 35-21 win at rival McMinnville. Newberg went into the playoffs and faced David Douglas of the Mount Hood Conference. Newberg took a 28-16 lead early in the third quarter, but a David Douglas score on the final play of the third quarter pulled the Scots within 28-23. Brian Teague scored with 4:03 to play in the game to give David Douglas a 31-28 lead. Newberg could never score again and fell by three points. -- Coaches come and go during the seasons The 2008-2009 season also brought a few coaching changes to area schools. Mike Murphy, who had been at St. Paul for 11 years, resigned in March. He finished with a 249-64 coaching record, including a 137-5 Casco League coaching record. During his tenure, the Bucks won the league title every season except 2001-2002 when the team finished second. The Bucks also won seven district titles during his tenure and finished second once and third three other times. St. Paul placed in the state tournament seven times: first (once), second (once), third (twice), fifth (once), sixth (once) and seventh (once). Under Murphy, St. Paul had 32 all-league first team players, 11 second team and 24 honorable mention selections. He also had 24 all-district tournament players and 16 all-state players. In 2006 and 2007, St. Paul made appearances in the state finals and faced Joseph both times. In 2006, the Bucks scored an overtime win in the title game; they suffered a championship game loss in 2007. Jerry Grant was hired to replace Murphy on the sidelines in St. Paul. Grant, a former C.S. Lewis girls basketball coach, had served as an assistant coach for the Newberg High School boys basketball team last year under coach Mark Vernon. Bryce Court resigned from the St. Paul boys basketball position in April. Court posted an overall record of 44-32 in three seasons as the team's head coach. He also guided the Bucks to three state playoff appearances during his tenure. This season, the Bucks won their first two state playoff games - both on the road - to earn a trip to Baker City to play in the Class 1A state tournament. Jon Halstead took over the Newberg High School girls soccer team this season from Nick Chapman, who resigned after the 2007 season. Newberg finished 6-5-3 overall and 4-4-2 in the Pacific Conference, good for fourth place. Newberg had the unenviable task of facing Westview in the first round of the playoffs and fell 5-1. Lisa Lykins completed her first season as the coach of St. Paul's volleyball program and led the Bucks to a third-place finish at the Class 1A state tournament. The Bucks went undefeated in the Casco League and finished with a 29-5 overall record. Judy Brown assumed the head coaching roles of the C.S. Lewis Academy girls basketball and volleyball teams. The basketball team finished 6-14 overall; the volleyball team finished 2-11 overall. | ||||
