Regis captured the OSAA Cup for Class 2A for the 2021-22 school year. The all-sports competition, which also features academic and sportsmanship components, had not been awarded the past two years because of COVID-19.
Regis finished with 2023 points to oust Kennedy (1942.5), which had won the honor in the four previous non-COVID seasons.
Top performing teams for Regis included girls track and field (2nd at state) and boys basketball (4th at state), boys golf (7th), baseball (quarterfinals) and the first-year wrestling program, which took 8th.
Cascade, which won Class 4A titles in volleyball, boys basketball and softball, finished 6th in the 4A competition. Stayton, whose dance and drill squad was 2nd, finished 12th.
New boss: Cascade has a new athletic director, James Rise, who is moving to Turner after a four-year run at Silverton. Rise’s teams had their best school year in his reign in 2021-22, with state titles in football and boys track and field and runner-up finishes in boys basketball and girls golf.
Rise replaces long-time Cascade fixture Tim Ganfield, who coached the Cougars to a pair of state softball titles in his 24 years with the district as a teacher, coach, counselor and athletic director/assistant principal. Ganfield, 54, is moving to Central Oregon because his wife, Cyndi, got a principal’s job in the Redmond district.
Moving to the high desert has long been a dream, Ganfield said, adding “I’m not officially considering myself retired yet.”
Ganfield grew up west of Eugene and went to Elmira High. He met his wife at Western Oregon and worked eight years as a special education teacher in Myrtle Point before coming to Cascade.
“I have to say I’m excited about the next chapter,” he said. “I get to choose what is next, which is weird.”
Rise, in a release issued by the Cascade district, said “I’m excited for the opportunity to join a great team at Cascade High School. This is a great chance for a new adventure in a tight-knit community where athletics plays a major role.”
“Rise will be a great addition to the administrative team at Cascade High School,” said Superintendent Darin Drill. “His background in coaching will help him hit the ground running. He understands the important role athletics play in students’ social and emotional well-being.”
Academics: Regis teams finished first academically in three spring sports and second in another, according to grade-point average data released by the Oregon School Activities Association.
The Rams were first in their class in boys golf (3.80), boys track and field (3.66) and baseball (3,63), while finishing second in girls track and field (3.83).
Stayton, meanwhile, took first in boys golf (3.75) and Cascade scored a top GPA of 3.81 in finishing 7th in girls tennis.
Here is a look at other Cougars and Eagles teams with GPAs at 3.0 or above:
• Cascade: Girls track and field (3.61, 12th), boys track and field (3.45, 12th), baseball (3.25, 12th), boys track and field (3.26, 17th), boys golf (3.21, 17th), softball (3.32, 19th).
• Stayton: Girls tennis (3.75, 10th), boys tennis (3.62, 10th), softball (3.48, 10th), baseball (3.24, 13th), girls golf (3.42, 15th), boys tennis (3.33, 15th).
Softball: Class 4A and Oregon West Conference champion Cascade swept the major awards on the all-OWC team. Marty Jeppsen was named coach of the year, Hannah Walliman earned pitcher of the year and Kailee Bode was named player of the year. Infielders Crystal Campbell, Malia Scanlan and Abby Jeppsen also made the first team for Cascade as well as outfielder Emma Hilfiker. Infielder Jaimy Bangert, outfielders Caylen Metcalf and Lexie Gidcumb were on the second team, while infielder Sadie Ambrosek and catcher McKenna Gramzow received honorable mention.
Stayton, which finished second behind Cascade in the OWC and advanced to the 4A semifinals, placed four players on the first team, infielder Isabelle Trevino, outfielders Christine McCants and Brielle Kessler and pitcher Jessica Rule. Catcher Abigail Archuleta made the second team, with infielder Kenzi Hollenbeck and outfielder Brooke Morley earning honorable mention.
Baseball: Stayton landed two players on the Class 4A all-state team, with Cascade earning one slot. Nick Frith of the Eagles was the first-team utility player and teammate Cody Leming earned 3rd-team pitching honors. Infielder Caleb Boyles of Cascade also was placed on the third team.
In the earlier Oregon West Conference awards, Frith was named pitcher of the year and was joined by Leming on the first team. Cascade’s Boyles also was a first-teamer.
Infielder Connor Hollenbeck, first baseman Jared Jungwirth, catcher Eli Brown and utility player Wyatt Hooper were named to the second team from Stayton. Earning honorable mention were infielders Conner Choate of Stayton and Jaimen Whelden of Cascade and Cougars first baseman Jackson Walsh.
Equestrian: Tori Turner represented Stayton well in a prestigious equestrian competition in Moses Lake, Washington. The Pacific Northwest regional event brought together top finishers at statewide meets in Oregon and Washington. Turner participated in three events, taking fifth in dressage, ninth in saddle seat equitation and tenth in reining.
