Newberg Graphic Online

OSAA moves Canby out of Pacific league; three Hillsboro schools in

Pacific League — Newly aligned league now has eight schools; Canby to Three Rivers

• By: Frank Graham  
• Published: 10/27/2009 4:26:42 PM

    The Pacific League, where Newberg sports teams compete, is changing.
    The Oregon School Activities Association Monday approved a reclassification plan that moved Canby from the Pacific League and into the Three Rivers League.
    Joining the new eight team Pacific League will be three Hillsboro schools – the Century Jaguars, the Glencoe Crimson Tide and the Hillsboro Spartans.
    Forest Grove, McMinnville, Tigard and Tualatin will remain in the Pacific League.
    The new league alignment will begin in the fall of 2010 and will last until 2014.
    Newberg Athletic Director Tim Burke said the changes will be better in terms of scheduling. He said with only six teams in the league, the basketball teams were forced to play each other three times and coaches did not like that.
    Burke said school officials met the OSAA earlier in the process and protested the initial plan that blew up the league. He said they wanted to keep Newberg, McMinnville and Forest Grove’s history of competition intact.
    “We are a highly functioning league,” Burke said. “Since 2000, all six schools in the old Pacific League have won a state title in something.”
    “They listened to us,” Burke said. “We’re happy about that.”
    “We’re sorry to see Canby go since they’ve been so competitive with us but we understand the reasoning,” Burke said.
    Eric Carlson, NHS football coach, said the move makes sense since the Hillsboro schools are in the area and about the same size. 
    The Casco League, where St. Paul and C.S. Lewis play, will remain the same.

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