The Silverton High Athletic Hall of Fame banquet is returning Oct. 7 at The Oregon Garden. The event, which includes dinner, a silent auction and the induction ceremony, costs $50 and you can make reservations at silvertonfoxes.com soon, if not today. Organizers tell me they are on a “short timeline” this year so please bear with them if the signup mechanism is not yet in order by the time you read this.
Inducted at the gala will be the 1968-69 boys basketball team, girls basketball coach Tom Steers, three-sport girls athletes Mary Purdy (Class of 1989) and Linda Riedman (Class of 1993), former NFL player Scott Gragg (Class of 1990) and special contributor Chuck White.
This is the first Hall of Fame event since 2011. Inductions also were held in 2009 and 2010. I will have more on the event in my next two columns.
Volleyball: The first high school polls of the season are out, and the Silverton volleyball team is rated fourth in Class 5A by a statewide coaches panel.
The Foxes were 23-5 overall and 12-1 in the Mid-Willamette Valley Conference a year ago under coach Reilly Rosecrans. Kirsten Barnes, who won eight league titles during the 1996-2010 period, has returned to coach the squad.
Silverton advanced to the state tournament a year ago before falling to Bend and South Albany. Foxes standout setter Alexis Haury, who has committed to play at Washington next season, was a second-team all-tournament selection.
The coaches poll seems to be predicting another fierce Mid-Willamette season. Defending state champion Crescent Valley is rated No. 1, with Silverton and West Albany tied for fourth, South Albany ninth and Lebanon 12th.
Girls Soccer: Silverton’s girls soccer team is ranked 11th in the pre-season poll. The Foxes were 4-5-5 a year ago and advanced to the round of 16 in the Class 5A tournament before falling to Ashland.
Mid-Willamette teams seemed destined to play a key role in 5A girls soccer as well. Crescent Valley finished second to Wilsonville a year ago and the Raiders are ranked fourth in the first poll. West Albany is ninth and Corvallis is 13th.
Running: The 5K run/walk and the 10K Mount Angel Abbey run return for the 2023 Oktoberfest on Sunday, Sept. 17. Both races start at 9 a.m., and for the second consecutive year the events will start at John F. Kennedy High School on East Marquam Street.
Runners and walkers can sign up online through 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 at https://runsignup.com/Race/OR/MountAngel/Oktoberfest5kand10k or register the morning of the races at JFK. Oktoberfest-themed attire is encouraged.
Both races will for the most part use pavement, but there will be some gravel sections. Only the 10K event will go up the hill to the Abbey.
The races will be chip-timed, with overall awards and age group winners honored with beer steins and ribbons. Each participant will receive a pint glass and those 21 and older will receive a ticket for a free beer at Oktoberfest.
The race is sponsored by the Silverton Runners’ Club, with proceeds benefiting cross country and track and field programs in Mount Angel and Silverton.
Runners and walkers are encouraged to bring their own water bottles. Race organizers will have bulk water available for refills.
