By James Day
High school athletes are already practicing hard for fall competition. The first date for contests is Thursday, Sept. 4 with most football teams opening Friday, Sept. 5. Football teams received an extra week of practice this year because there were no OSAA endowment games and many squads participated in scrimmages or jamborees Aug. 29.
Here is a look at what is new this fall.
Cascade High School welcomes a new girls soccer coach, Skip Collins.
“We are excited about the experience and enthusiasm that Skip is bringing to our girls soccer program,” Cougars Athletic Director Heidi Hermansen told Our Town.
Hermansen noted Collins’ previous experience with the Cascade Youth Soccer program. Roberto Leon will be the assistant coach and will be heading up the girls junior varsity program.
Stayton High School has a new athletic director, Darren Shryock, formerly the basketball coach at Silverton High, and new coaches for both cross country (Erin Holm) and volleyball (David Shewey).
“He has been a very successful coach at North Marion High School and is now teaching at Stayton Middle School and coaching our high school kids,” Shryock said of Holm, who also will coach track and field in the spring.
“There is great enthusiasm already, and we anticipate tremendous things under Erin’s leadership,” Shryock said.
Shewey takes over the volleyball job after serving as an assistant last season.
“He is doing a tremendous job of putting his own stamp on the program already,” Shryock said.
“Both Dave and Erin live in the community, and the ties they have here will go a long way in building and
re-establishing the athletic prowess that Stayton traditionally is known for.”
Shryock said he still is learning about his new position.
“I have very much enjoyed sitting down with many of the coaches and anticipate the philosophies I want to incorporate will be well-received,” he said. “There is a lot to do both specifically with athletics and with overall administration as we get ready for school.“
Conference realignment is a big story for all five schools in the region.
The Class 4A Oregon West Conference, which includes Cascade and Stayton, lost Central to the Class 5A Mid-Willamette Conference and Taft to the Class 3A West Valley League.
The league added North Marion from the Tri-Valley and Yamhill-Carlton from the Cowapa.
Regis and Santiam remain in the Class 2A Tri-River Conference but the league, lost Toledo, Waldport and Culver while adding Perrydale and St. Paul, although Perrydale will play as an independent in football.
Scio will continue to play in the Class 3A PacWest Conference, but the league loses Harrisburg, Santiam Christian, Pleasant Hill and Creswell while gaining Gervais, Colton and Chemawa.
Here is a look at Sept. 5 football openers: Cascade visits Scappoose, Stayton travels to Tillamook and Regis visits Knappa, while Santiam and Scio both will play up a class, with the Wolverines hosting Class 3A Jefferson and the Loggers visiting Class 4A Sutherlin.
The 36th annual Sublimity Harvest Festival Fun Run is Saturday, Sept. 6. The 10K, 5K and 3K races start at 9 a.m., Sublimity School, 431 E. Main St. There is a $10 entry. and a free Sunday Harvest Festival pass to participants. Register at sublimityharvestfest.com or day of race at 8 a.m.
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