The Stayton Highlights dance and drill team finished an undefeated season with a sterling performance at the OSAA state championships at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.
The Highlights won the Class 4A-3A-2A-1A team title on March 16 in overwhelming fashion, scoring 91.48 points, more than five points ahead of runner-up Valley Catholic. Stayton turned in the highest score of the event, regardless of class, while also establishing the largest margin of victory in the competition.
It was the 14th dance and drill state title in the past 19 years for the Highlights, who finished second the other five times during that span.
“We are beyond excited about our state championship finish this year,” coach Robin Meier told Our Town, “I would say they definitely saved the best for last. Their performance Saturday night was flawless. They definitely peaked just at the right time. After they were finished performing there was really no doubt in my mind that the championship would be ours. They were just that good. We went into state this year feeling extremely good and positive. The team was so pumped and ready for it. I knew it was going to be a great day for us.”
The theme of the state routine was “She needed a Hero, so that’s what she became!”
“It was a very empowering message about being strong and not waiting around for anyone else to come save you,” Meier said. “You need to save yourself.”
Two of Stayton’s senior captains, Chloe Stinson and Emily Smith, were named to the four-person all-state team for Class 4A-1A. Also serving as a captains were senior Bailey Fuson and juniors Macey Frost, Jasmin Johnson, Ashley Kintz, Kaitlin Sandall and Hailey Searles.
Also participating were senior Lucy Garcia, juniors Riley Craig, Brylie Digesualdo, Daphne Gaul, Kaelyn Hill and Abby Schneider; sophomores Reighlee Allen, Sierra Baker, Kirsten Birt, Laura Camacho, Youcelyn Diaz, Karissa Flatman, Maddie Fuson and Charly Beth Woodly; and freshmen Ashlynn Brunner, Sophia Casarez, Jocelyn Christison, Lynsie Duchateau, Sophia Harmon, Leah Hill, Adrianne Holgado, Ashlee Moore, Elizabeth Perez, Lesley Rios, Kaitlynn Solbert and Justize Taylor.
Meier, finishing a 24th season that also includes a state title and a runner-up finish at McKay, was assisted by Alyssa Russell, April Herrmann and Adrienne Simpson.
Hoops: It was also a memorable season for Stayton’s basketball squads. Both teams won Oregon West Conference championships and both played in the Class 4A state tournament in Forest Grove. The boys finished third, while the girls were 0-2, including a close loss to eventual champion Baker.
It was the best combined showing for the Eagles at state since 2007, when the girls won the state title and the boys finished second. And the season marked the first time since 2006 that both squads won league titles.
The boys squad defeated Henley 57-53 in the quarterfinals, fell to eventual runner-up Seaside 49-40 in the semifinals and rallied to defeat Oregon West foe Woodburn 49-42 in the game for third place. The squad finished 22-4.
“Overall we were happy to win on the last day and bring home some hardware,” Stayton coach Joseph Kiser told Our Town. “It was also sweet to do that against Woodburn and beat them for a third time. We were of course disappointed not making it to the title game but we didn’t dwell and we responded well the next day after losing to Seaside.”
Stayton senior Kaleb Anundi (16.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game) was named first-team all-tournament, while fellow senior Riley Nichol (18.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game) earned second-team honors. Junior Logan Classen was second in assists with 10 and senior guard Jordan Butler was one of three tournament “iron men” who played all 96 minutes. The fifth starter, senior Micah Jenkins, scored 8 points and added an assist during a 17-0 run at the start of the 4th quarter that rallied the Eagles past Woodburn.
The Stayton girls squad lost its opener to Baker, 42-36, and then were eliminated by Banks 42-35. The team finished 20-6.
“The girls competed at the tourney,” Eagles coach Darren Shryock told Our Town. “We had eventual champion Baker on the ropes up 10 with five minutes to play, but couldn’t quite seal it. Banks is a tough match-up for us from a style and personnel perspective. I’m really proud of them for simply getting to the tournament.”
Senior post Marri Martinez was 4th in the tournament in rebounding average at 7.5, while junior wing KJ Nyquist finished 9th in the tournament in scoring average at 12.0 and senior guard Alli Nyquist was 9th in field goal percentage. Senior post Bizz Smart played all 64 minutes for Stayton but in an extraordinary display of selflessness she never took a shot. She did contribute 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The Santiam boys, meanwhile, finished sixth in the Class 2A tournament in Pendleton.
The No. 6 Wolverines, who finished the season 23-9, opened tournament play Feb. 28 with a 68-61 loss to Toledo. Santiam came back the next morning to eliminate Lost River 49-31 before falling to Tri-River Conference foe Kennedy 39-28 in the game for fourth place.
It was the fourth meeting of the season between Santiam and Kennedy. The Trojans took the two league matchups, but the Wolverines claimed a 50-44 win at Kennedy in the conference playoffs to clinch one of the league’s two automatic state playoff berths. Kennedy entered the 2A tournament as an at-large team.
Santiam junior Colin Thurston was named second-team all-tournament at Pendleton. Thurston scored 19 points in the opener vs. Toledo, was 7th in the tournament in minutes played at 29.0 per game and was 7th in free throw shooting at 75 percent (6 for 8).
Thurston had plenty of support from his teammates.
• Aiden Aerni made 5 3-pointers, including a 4-for-6 showing in the win vs. Lost River. Aerni also was 9th in foul shooting at 63.6 percent ( 7 for 11).
• Jesse Sendlinger was 4th in shooting from the field after hitting 7 of his 11 shots. Teammate Trevor Whitmire was 6th (9 for 16).
• Hunter Reeser was deadly from the foul line, hitting 9 of his 11 free throws to finish 5th.
• Scrappy Dustin Keys was 5th in assists (2.7 per game) and 4th in steals (2.0) per game.
Follow me on Twitter.com @jameshday. Got a news tip? Email me at [email protected]. Follow Our Town on Facebook.
