By James Day
The Kennedy High School cross country program has been one of the best in the state for more than a decade. The Trojans, under Coach Steve Ritchie have qualified for the girls state meet for 11 consecutive years and have gone 14 for 15 on the boys side.
This year Kennedy should be in the thick of things again, although the Trojans will be tested by depth issues on its girls squad.
Kennedy won the Special District 2 girls championship a year ago, but lost its No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 runners to graduation, and Ritchie is still trying to recruit enough runners for a full team.
The good news is that the Trojans return district champion junior Lauren Stokley, who won the title in 20:58 a year ago as a sophomore. Senior Cheyla Moranchel had a great summer, according to Ritchie, and will be looking to improve on her 27th-place finish at districts. Senior Irene Osorio also is on hand.
Ritchie thinks his boys team has a shot at a top five finish at state, led by senior Dalton Susee, who was third at districts and 13th at state last season. Sophomore Adrian Parra broke the freshman school record for 5,000 meters by 35 seconds a year ago and took fifth at the district meet. Senior John Savage, 15th at districts in 2012, had a breakthrough track and field season, and sophomore Kyle Kinyon (21st at districts) is another solid contributor.
Ritchie also has freshman Noe Jines, who has been tearing it up in area road races the past two years.
“He is the most experienced freshman I have ever had, and has tremendous potential,” said Ritchie. “He will really help out our team.”
Kennedy will host its annual Silver Falls/Oktoberfest Invitational on Sept. 11 on the “Monster” course at Silver Falls State Park.
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.
Silverton-area players on the team were catcher Brad Cock of Silverton High, first baseman-pitcher Sam Moreno of Kennedy High and utility player Ty Sawyer of Kennedy.
The team is coached by JJ Mascolo of Chemeketa Community College.
Football schedule: The high school football got under way too late for Our Town’s presstime. Silverton opened with a home game vs. Springfield on Aug. 30, while Kennedy was playing up a class at 3A Rainier.
Hood to Coast – Congrats to all the local runners who competed in Hood to Coast Aug. 23 and 24 including a high school team of Silverton and Kennedy runners who ran from Portland to Seaside.
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