The Silverton High wrestling team turned in a strong performance Jan. 21 at the Colton Holly Memorial Tournament in Wilsonville. The Foxes finished with a 4-1 record and took third place. The win total includes victories against two Class 6A schools, No. 11 Cleveland and Beaverton.
“The wrestlers are really starting to come together as a team,” Coach Keegan Davis said. “Although we are giving up a few forfeits at the upper weights, our strength in the lower weights and through the tenacity of the guys stepping on the mat we have been able to compete.”
Three Silverton wrestlers finished the day undefeated, Kaden Kuenzi (No. 2 in Class 5A at 106 pounds), Jacob Whitehead (No. 4 in Class 5A at 113), and freshman Matthew Guenther (120).
Davis also singled out Tristan Lanier for “leading by example.” Lanier, a senior at 132 pounds, improved to 25-4 at the tournament. His pin in the final dual meet of the tournament gave the Foxes a 37-36 win against Beaverton.
Coming up for the Foxes are the Mid-Willamette Conference district meet Feb. 10-11, with the state meet two weeks later Feb. 24-25.
Girls basketball: Silverton is 12-2 overall and 6-0 in league and has risen to No. 2 in Class 5A. The Foxes continue to shine on defense, giving up just 32.2 points per game and just one team, South Albany, has managed to score more than 50 points. “We have played pretty well defensively,” Coach Tal Wold said. “The girls really believe in what we do and love who they are doing it with.”
Wold noted senior Kayce McLaughlin took four charges in one game and that senior Hailey Smisek and junior Brooke McCarty “really do a great job of setting the tone on the defensive end pressuring the opponents’ guards.”
Junior Maggie Roth, Wold said “just gets it. She is all over the floor and anticipates so well.”
Through their first 13 games the Foxes had seven different leading scorers as they faced the challenge of replacing top scorer Alia Parsons, who is now in college.
“I am really pleased with where we are at offensively,” Wold said. “We have had to play against a variety of teams, and the girls have found ways to be successful.”
Freshman Paige Alexander “has really provided a spark for us,” Wold said. “She brings a different level of athleticism to us off the bench and competitive spirit.”
The Foxes faced a key test Jan. 27 against No. 3 Corvallis after Our Town’s presstime, with a second meeting between the two schools set for Feb. 24.
Kennedy, meanwhile, was clinging to a one-game lead in the Tri-River as Our Town went to press. The Trojans are 6-1 in league, 10-7 overall and ranked No. 6 in Class 2A.
Boys basketball: The Foxes are 3-3 in the balanced Mid-Willamette and 7-9 overall. Six of the eight teams will advance to the 5A playoffs and Silverton Coach Steve Roth said, “there is more parity in our league this year than any year I can remember. Each game will matter to post-season prospects. I don’t see any team in our league running away from all the others.”
Junior sharp-shooter Cade Roth continues to lead offensively, but Coach Roth said he is getting scoring help from sophomore Levi Nielsen and junior Easton Ashwell.
“Defensively, we are very good for stretches, but lapses have cost us games,” Roth said. “As we mature and extend our focus for full games we will give ourselves the chance to contend with anybody in our league.”
Kennedy, meanwhile, is staying in the hunt in the Tri-River. As Our Town went to press the Trojans were 5-2 in league, tied with Western Mennonite for second place behind 6-1 Santiam.
The league has just two automatic playoff berths, but the Tri-River is well-positioned for the two at-large slots because four squads, including No. 9 Kennedy, are ranked in the top 10.
Swimming: The Foxes’ boys and girls squads are both 9-1 in dual meets and both teams finished first in an eight-team invitational hosted by Blanchet Catholic.
“Things are going very well,” Foxes Coach Lucky Rogers said. “The swimmers are working hard and improving and we’re trying to get everyone healthy and ready for the (Feb 10-11) district meet. It could be an awesome meet for us.”
The deep Foxes are especially strong in the relays, with all six relay teams in the hunt for top three times in the district.
