By James Day
Regis High School, which is celebrating its 50th year this fall, has a cross country milestone to honor as well. The Rams’ program will note its 40th year, all under coach Mike Bauer.
The Regis girls team returns several runners from a 2012 squad that came within one slot of qualifying for the state meet. Junior Erica Stuckart was 11th in the district meet, while senior Jodi May was close behind in 13th. Also in the mix, said Bauer, will be seniors Sarah Tabor and Brianna Martinez, juniors Emily Warren and Haley Ballard, and sophomore Elish Gormley.
The boys team returns David Haren, who finished 14th at the district meet as a junior. Also on the squad are senior Brenden Gormley, junior Taylor Hill, and sophomore Sam Nieslanik. Bauer also noted that Regis has a large freshman class of 33 boys, which should provide some depth.
Bauer said that Kennedy and East Linn Christian look like the teams to beat in Special District 2 but that “the Rams always seem to be competitive at the district meet.”
Veteran Cascade coach Dan Petersen, meanwhile, said that “both (Cougars) teams have the potential to be very good.”
Key returners for the girls include defending Oregon West district champion Kristen LaChappelle and Melyssa LeDay (seventh at districts). The Cougars lost the district title by two points to Stayton. John Roth, fourth at districts, leads the boys, who were third in the district team race.
Petersen sees Philomath as the team to beat in the boys race and Stayton in the girls competition.
The Stayton girls must replace Raquel Albee, who was fourth in the district meet last year, but then-sophomores Jackie Chandler, Kourtney Hernandez and Imilia Hernandez plus freshman Kymberlin Bush all finished in the top 20.
American Legion baseball: The Canyon Crushers, representing Stayton, Salem and the Silverton area, captured the 2013 American Legion AAA state championship Aug. 4 at Harry & David Field in Medford. The Crushers, in just their second year of existence, rallied for six runs in the eighth inning to beat Grants Pass 8-3 to take home the state title. The Crushers did not lose a game in the state tournament after winning just eight games total in their first year.
The Crushers moved on from there to the Northwest Regional in Eugene, but they were ousted in their first two games, falling 9-3 to Richland, Wash., and 5-3 to Cheyenne, Wyo.
Stayton-area players on the team were second baseman Tim Frith of Regis High and catcher Hunter Gates of Stayton High.
The team was coached by JJ Mascolo of Chemeketa Community College.
Football: The high school football season opened too late for Our Town’s presstime, but here are the first weekend matchups for Stayton-area schools: Cascade at Banks, Madras at Stayton, Scio at Siuslaw, Regis at North Marion and Santiam at Jefferson.
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