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Newberg boys team to take aim on third straight state title |
It appears the Newberg High School
boys water polo team is a bit unique.
For the majority of high school teams in just about every sport,
any time a squad loses a few key players to graduation after winning
a state title, that team will embark on a rebuilding process geared
toward returning to a run for a state championship.
Such is not the case for the Tigers this season.
Newberg, the two-time defending state champion, graduated two-time
state tournament MVP Keary Schlactus, along with Matthew Insley, Jon
Maxwell, Paxton Roy and John McCarthy after the Tigers defeated
Westview 18-2 in the title game. But of those players, Schlactus and
Maxwell, a second-team all-state tournament pick, were starters.
The Tigers relied on several other players — Cray Rogers, Austin
McKenzie, Craig Cheney, Nate Bush, Jeff Hockema, Jordan Anderson,
Casey Brown and goalie Chase Hansen — to finish with an overall 36-1
record. All of those players return this year for Newberg, making a
third consecutive state title a distinct possibility.
“That’d be nice, but a lot of things can happen between now and the
second week of November ...,” coach Jim McMaster said. “We just need
to play the way we’re playing and hopefully everybody keeps their
noses clean. I never take anything for granted, but they’re good
enough to beat anybody in the state, as well as in other states.”
As part of Newberg’s state title last season, four members of the
team were selected to the first-team all-state squad: Schlactus,
Rogers, Bush and Hansen. Rogers, a senior this season, ranked third
on the team in scoring (77 goals), first in assists (72), first in
steals (78) and third in earned ejections (46). Bush, a senior,
ranked second on the team in goals (90), fifth in assists (28),
sixth in steals (40) and fourth in earned ejections (22). Hansen, a
senior, blocked 217 shots for Newberg. He also had nine steals and
two earned ejections.
McMaster said one hurdle the Tigers must clear is the team’s
relative lack of size. Most players on the squad are about 5-foot-8
and approximately 150 pounds. McMaster said while the Tigers are
small, they’re also quicker than just about every other team in the
state so he is trying to create an offense that he can tailor to the
strengths of the squad.
“Plus, the benefit of last year was that we had a lot of depth,”
McMaster said. “With that, we were able to sub, but this year we’ve
got less experienced guys coming off the bench so that’s the big
difference. Plus, (Schlactus’) outside shooing was a big
difference.”
The Tigers open their season Sept. 4 with a 7:30 p.m. home game
against Sandy. The team plays at the Chehalem Aquatic Center near
the intersection of Haworth Avenue and Villa Road. |
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From
Aug. 25, 2007, Newberg Graphic
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