The Cascade High football team, which rampaged through the Special District II season undefeated and was still alive in the playoffs at Our Town’s presstime, dominated the district all-star team.
The Cougars swept all of the major awards, with Bryce Kuenzi earning offensive player of the year, Matthew Hinkle receiving defensive player of the year, Bryce May taking home lineman of the year and Shane Hedrick receiving the coaching honor.
On the first-team offense were QB Cade Coreson, Kuenzi and Hinkle at running back, wide receiver/tight ends Josiah Hawkins, Jamison Walsh and Jay Erickson and offensive linemen May, Jace Johnson and Sabby Hlavinka. Hinkle and Walsh earned first-team line spots on defense, while Morrisen Craig and Vicent Medina were honored at linebacker and Hawkins and Dalton Kuenzi at defensive back. On special teams Hawkins was honored for returns as was specialist Walsh.
Second-teamers from Cascade included Max Park (DL) and Erickson (LB), punter Bryce Kuenzi and specialist Carter Clark. Wide receiver/tight ends Brody Anundi and Kaiden Bernards received honorable mention, along with Owen Wall and Jacob Roden (OL). Defensively, the HM list included defensive linemen Roden and Mason Coelho, linebacker Bernards and DB Cole Drager.
Stayton, which finished 7-3 overall and 2-2 in the district, earned eight spots on the first team. Honored on offense were RB Wyatt Kerrigan, wide receiver/tight ends Hunter Mollerstrom and Bryce Schaan and offensive lineman Abraham Richter. Linebacker Travis Conklin and defensive back Wyatt Black earned defensive slots, while place-kicker Carter Vinson and punter Owen Mitzel claimed special teams slots.
On the second team offense for the Eagles were QB Madden Hughes, wide receiver/tight end Charlie Benefiel and offensive lineman Ryan Thiessen. Defensively, second-teamers for the Eagles included linemen Jake Lacey and Daniel Camacho, linebacker Mitzel and DB Mollerstrom. RB Wyatt Fred and offensive linemen Hunter Etzel, Ayden Coleman and Tyler Jentzsch received honorable mention on offense, Defensively, the HM list included linemen Etzel, Collman and Richeter, LB Fred and DB Myles Emmert.
Volleyball: Cascade made another strong run in the Class 4A playoffs, taking fifth place in the state tournament at Marshfield High in Coos Bay. The Cougars, who won the Oregon West Conference title with a 9-1 record, advanced to Marshfield with a 3-0 win against St. Helens and took the No. 4 seed to state. Cascade opened with a 3-1 quarterfinal win against league rival Philomath but fell in straight sets to eventual champion Marist Catholic in the semifinals. Cascade then lost to Henley 3-2 in the match for third place, losing 15-12 in the fifth to wind up 17-7 overall. Cougars senior Irene Rocha-Ibarra was named to the all-tournament first team, while the Cougars also took home the sportsmanship trophy.
Regis, meanwhile, fell one game shy of the Class 2A tournament, losing 3-1 to Myrtle Point in the round of 16. Hadley Foster and Abby Searles were named first-team all-Tri-River Conference by the league’s coaches. Lexi Lulay was placed on the second team and Mylah Etzel received honorable mention for the Rams, who finished 14-8.
Cross Country: The Regis boys cross country squad captured the Special District II championship in Lebanon and then moved on to take fourth in the Class 2A state meet in Eugene. Stuart McLaughlin took second in 17:11.52 at districts and 10th in 16:56.1 at state, while teammate Harper Stoops was fourth (17:21.92) at districts and 14th (17:16.7) at state.
Stayton, meanwhile, took second in the girls competition and third in the boys at the Oregon West Conference district meet at Philomath. The Eagles boys went on to finish 10th as a team at state, while the girls were 11th. Individual leaders were Brandon Wagar for the boys (5th at districts in 16:50.27 and 24th at state in 17:19.0) and Ruby Strawn (7th at districts in 20:41.66) and Amalia Bell (38th at state (21:09.1).
Alumni watch, Addison Samuell: The former Stayton boys soccer standout played in 11 matches and started five for Chemeketa Community College. Samuell scored two goals for the Storm, who finished 3-7-3.
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