The Silverton High baseball program is working under new management. Easton Bennett, 28, has taken over for Jeremiah Runion, who led the Foxes to the Class 5A quarterfinals in 2019.
The year 2020, however, will always occupy a blank spot in the records because COVID-19 wiped out the season.
Bennett, who formerly coached at Madison High in Portland, also his alma mater, said that lost year has proved a challenge.
“The hard part about it,” he said, “is that the tradition and grit that got us to the quarterfinals… how do you transfer that to upcoming classes?”
At presstime the Foxes were 6-6 overall and 4-3 in the Mid-Willamette Conference and riding a three-game winning streak.
“It took those six losses to find out how to win together,” Bennett said. “It took a lot of time. I think this team has improved every game. Most teams stay flat, but we’ve made progress.”
Like other teams all across the state Bennett had to cope with quick turnarounds between seasons. The football players on the squad, first baseman Kyle Kramer, catcher Vandon Fessler and outfielder Tyler Pfeifer,
were in pads April 10 for a football game against Sherwood. On April 14 they were taking on Lebanon in the baseball opener.
“I was a multisport athlete and I support that,” Bennett said. “But it’s been a little
different this year.”
Bennett played community college ball at Clackamas and earned his bachelor’s at St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He earned his master’s in education from Pacific University and is substitute teaching in the Silver Falls, Woodburn and Salem-Keizer districts.
Bennett has a background in American Legion ball and plans to run a Single A Silverton team this summer.
The undefeated: On March 5 the Kennedy High football team lost its football opener at Class 3A Santiam Christian. That was the last time a Trojans team has lost a game.
The football team ran the table after the SC loss to finish 5-1, while the volleyball squad was rampaging through a 16-0 season in which the team won 48 sets and lost just three.
There has been no change in the OSAA’s Season 3. Kennedy baseball is 12-0 and has outscored foes 141-10. Softball has been just as dominant, with a 10-0 record and a 145-4 edge in runs scored.
That’s a 43-1 record. Kennedy would be a
lock to win another OSAA Cup, the all- sports trophy, but the association is not running the competition during the virus year. 43-1. That’s insane!
Gymnastics: Silverton Gymnastics Academy came back from a regional competition in Boise, Idaho, with 17 medals among its diamond, platinum and gold athletes.
Diamond: Ella Storey won a silver in floor and bronze in all-around.
Platinum: Makayla Chase took a bronze in floor.
Gold: Avery Fox won silver in the vault and bronze in the all-around. Aspen Etzel won gold in the vault.
Samantha Lore won silver in the vault. Kaylah Lazo took gold in the beam and silver in the bars.
Jenica Gerasimenko won bronze in floor. Chloe Koster took silver in the beam and bronze in bars.
Addie Gerasimenko won bronze in floor. Ellie Hudson won silver in floor.
“We are so happy to be creating lifelong memories for our athletes,” said coach Celia Storey. “Can’t wait to hang up all of our new banners!”
Storey said the entire gymnastic club will participate in the May 21-23 state championships at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem.
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