Silverton High has filled in its final coaching and administrative gaps for the fall sports season.
Andy Jones is the new athletic director/assistant vice principal, with Renee Cantrell taking over the girls soccer program and Reilly Rosecrans now running Foxes volleyball.
Here is a look at the new staffers:
Jones, who replaces James Rise, now at Cascade, has been in the education/athletics pipeline for 28 years and was a 1978 graduate of Silverton. Most recently Jones served as AD at Oregon City, where he was Oregon School Activities Association Class 6A athletic director of the year in 2022. Jones received a similar honor in 2012 when he was at North Marion. Jones also has served as teacher, coach and AD in Mount Angel and at then-Mark Twain Middle School in Silverton.
“I am very excited about joining the Silver Falls district and high school team,” said Jones in a statement released by the Silver Falls School District. “I am looking forward to serving the district, SHS staff, students, coaches and Silverton community.”
In the same press release Silverton principal Sione Thompson said Jones “has a passion for building strong educational experiences and positive relationships. As a Silverton alum and longtime resident of the community we welcome him back home.”
Cantrell replaces Gary Cameron in the girls soccer position. She grew up in Arizona, moved to Salem when she was nine and played in high school at Cascade and West Salem. After college careers at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Tiffin University in Ohio she coached at Sprague and Cascade and also serves as an assistant coach for the Capital Soccer Club Athletica semi-pro team.
Cantrell told Our Town that she heard about the position from Foxes boys coach Marty Limbird “and of course I was very interested. I have been looking to get back into coaching since the crazy COVID season. I love coaching in small communities because the support is amazing from the school, the players and the parents.
“Also, the soccer program out at Silverton has always been strong and successful. I am excited to get this season underway and see what these girls can do. My goals this season are to play hard, and have fun while doing it. We have a lot of talent on both varsity and JV. This is going to be a strong year for the Lady Foxes.”
Rosecrans takes over the volleyball program from Kate O’Connor. Rosecrans grew up in Stayton, graduated from Sprague High in 2015 and played college ball at Eastern Oregon and Kentucky Christian, where her team twice finished second in the National Christian College Athletic Association nationals. Rosecrans, a setter, was NCCAA national player of the year in 2017 and national tournament MVP the same season.
Roserans, who has coached at Sprague, Chemeketa Community College and with local club teams Silverton Bearcats and Capitol City Elite, told Our Town “the Silverton job kind of found me. I had been approached by a few people in the volleyball community regarding the job but as a new first-time mom, I didn’t jump at it at first. But I felt like God continued to place the position in my path, so I decided to pursue it and quickly loved the school, athletic staff, and program. Silverton is a special community, with so much support for the high school (and) with a group of girls with so much potential that are hungry for a shot at a state title.”
JFK updates: The Trojans also have some new faces. Karishma Brooks takes over the JFK volleyball program, and Miguel Ramirez has been hired as the school’s first head soccer coach. Kennedy fielded boys and girls soccer teams in cooperation with Salem Academy a year ago. This year there will be no girls program, but Kennedy will be flying solo with its boys program. The Trojan boys, who will play in the 10-team Class 3A-2A-1A Special District 2, open Sept. 1 with a home match vs. Willamette Valley Christian.
Officials needed: With the fall high school sports season set to get underway later this month, the OSAA and the Oregon Athletic Officials Association are hoping to recruit more referees and officials.
“Oregon has an urgent need for officials in all sports,” said Jack Folliard, executive director of the officials association. “Officials provide valuable service to high schools and students, make a positive impact in the community and build relationships.”
The registration period for football, volleyball and soccer officials ends Sept. 30. Visit www.osaa.org/officials to register for the fall season
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