It’s been a season of change for Stayton and Cascade basketball, and thus far the changes are working out just fine.
Three of the four varsity hoops jobs turned over after last season:
• Wendi Nyquist took over for Darren Shryock with the Stayton girls.
• Aaron Muhic succeeded Joe Kiser with the Stayton boys.
• And Calvin Molan is running the Cascade boys after Steve Ball stepped down.
The Cascade girls program remains in strong hands with Mark Stevens, once a state champion and five times a state runner-up. Now in his 30th year with the Cougars, he started coaching the squad before Molan was born.
Here is how the teams stood heading into Jan. 31’s first round of the Oregon West Conference rivalry games between the two schools.
• The Stayton girls are 12-4 overall, 4-1 in league and ranked No. 8 in Class 4A by the OSAA. The Eagles’ lone league loss came against top-ranked Philomath.
• Stevens’ Cougars are on the move. After a slow start Cascade has won four consecutive league games to tie Stayton at 4-1. Just as with the Eagles, the Cougars’ lone league loss was to Philomath. Cascade is 9-8 overall and ranked 17th in Class 4A.
• Molan’s Cascade boys squad is 14-3 overall and 4-1 in the Oregon West. The Cougars started 8-0 and took two out of three in a tournament in Ketchikan, Alaska. Their lone league loss was to No. 2. Philomath, which also is undefeated in boys play. Cascade is ranked seventh.
• Muhic has Stayton lurking one game behind Cascade at 3-2 in league. The Eagles lost by three vs. Philomath and by six at Woodburn, which is 4-1 in league and tied with the Cougars for second. Stayton is 12-4 overall and ranked 14th.
Looking ahead to the playoffs it should be noted that only the top two finishers in the Oregon West and the other five Class 4A leagues automatically qualify for the playoffs. There are, however, eight at-large berths that are determined by the OSAA rankings.
Looking ahead it also should be noted that the second round of the rivalry doubleheader between Stayton and Cascade is set for Feb. 25, the final day of the regular season. Cascade will host, with the boys playing at 5:30 p.m. and the girls at 7 p.m.
Seems to me a lot is likely to be at stake that night. Put it on your calendar – if you haven’t already done so.
Wrestling: Cascade has seven wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes, led by Mauro Michel, No. 1 at 113 pounds with a 25-0 record and Kane Nixon, No. 1 at 145 and 18-2 overall. The Cougars are ranked fifth as a team in Class 4A.
Also ranked in the top 10 for Cascade are Noah Thompson (2nd, 152), Matthew Clark (6th, 200), Joe Baxter (10th, 145), Kaden Lindquist (10th, 170) and Wayon Wymore (10th, 182).
Johnny Sylva (tied for third at 182) is the top-ranked Stayton wrestler, with teammate Elijah Howard ninth at 126.
Looking ahead the Eagles and Cascade will compete in the regional meet Feb. 21-22, with Stayton hosting. The state meet is the following week.
Santiam, meanwhile, has two wrestlers in the top 10: Brody Davidson is sixth at 160 and Tyson Patton is eighth at 113. The Wolverines will attempt to qualify athletes for state at the Feb. 14-15 district meet at Vernonia.
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