By James Day
The Silverton High volleyball program is off to a strong start under “new” coach Kirsten Barnes, who is back leading the program after guiding the Foxes to eight league titles during her first stint with the team from 1996-2010.
Silverton was 7-4 overall at Our Town presstime and 4-2 in the pressure cooker that is the Mid-Willamette Conference. The Foxes were ranked 9th in Class 5A by the OSAA after dealing Corvallis its first league loss by a 3-0 margin on Sept. 21. The rankings are top heavy with MWC teams. Defending 5A state champion Crescent Valley is No. 1, West Albany is third and South Albany is seventh. West won the 2021 state title and Corvallis took the 2018 crown.
Silverton’s two losses were to South Albany and West Albany. The West match on Sept. 19 was an instant classic with the Bulldogs taking a thrilling 4-setter, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23 and 26-24.
The top four teams from the MWC advance to the state playoffs, with two state-wide at-large slots also open.
The Foxes are led by senior Alexis Haury, who has committed to play for the University of Washington next season. Haury is a terrific all-around player, but the talent level is strong throughout the lineup. Olivia Boyd and Gabriella Haury are tough at the net, while Brooklynn Pfeifer and Gracelyn Jensen are constantly on the floor digging out balls. High-energy Helen Schmitz tops the team in assists … and enthusiasm. She easily leads the league in high 5s.
Cross country: A total of 34 teams and nearly 500 runners participated in the Silver Falls Oktoberfest Invitational on Sept. 13 on the fire roads and the Maple Ridge Trail at Silver Falls State Park. The meet included teams from Class 1A through 5A, with a big-school team, Class 5A Corvallis, dominating the proceedings. The Spartans sent out 56 runners and won team titles in all 4 events, boys and girls varsity and boys and girls JV. Corvallis also produced one individual champion, Miles Betts in boys JV.
In the 5K boys varsity race Matthew Resnik of South Albany triumphed in 15:19.8. Silverton’s AJ Aker was 10th in 17:16.2, while Kennedy’s Johnathan Kintz was 13th in 17:25.9. Silverton finished 5th in the team race. In the girls varsity race Daisy LaLonde of Class 2A East Linn Christian took first in 18:48.4. Briar Hachenberg of Kennedy was 13th in 21:33.3, while Lauren Ortega (2:15.24) of Silverton was 15th. The Foxes finished second in the team race.
The girls junior varsity race of 3,400 meters, was won by Clara Persons of Regis in 14:20.3. Sophia Seeder of Silverton was 9th in 15:29.1. The Foxes took second in the team race. Silverton took 4th in boys JV, led by Aiden Schaecher (14th in 13:02.8).
Soccer: The Silverton boys were 5-1 and ranked No. 9 in class 5A heading into its Mid-Willamette opener after Our Town presstime at perennial power Woodburn. The Foxes girls are 1-3-2 after non-league games. The Kennedy boys are 1-2-1 overall and 0-1 in Special District 2. The Kennedy girls, competing on a cooperative team with Gervais, are 0-5 and had yet to play a district match at presstime.
Alumni watch-Lopez: Former Kennedy High athlete Alejandra Lopez is a senior at Southern Oregon, where she has helped the Raiders to a No. 9 ranking in the NAIA. In the Raiders’ first meet of the 2023 season, the Jim Hunt Humboldt Invitational in Arcata, California, Lopez ran 23:22.4 for the 6-kilometer race and finished second, just 0.10 seconds behind the winner. Lopez earned All Cascade Conference honors in both track & field and cross country in the 2022-23 seasons.
Alumni watch-McCarty: Ex-Silverton QB Jordan McCarty is providing a spark off the bench for the Western Oregon football team. McCarty, who transferred to the Wolves from the Air Force Academy, has hit all 7 of his passing attempts for 103 yards, including a 48-yarder on Sept. 23 against Central Washington. McCarty has rushed for 33 yards, including a 9-yard TD against South Dakota State. McCarty is backing up redshirt junior Gannon Winker for WOU, 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the Lone Star Conference.
Running: Christopher Buxton of Tampa, Florida, 44, captured the 5-kilometer event in the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest races at Kennedy High. Buxton ran 17:54.2, with Yesenia Hanson, 28, of Salem third overall and the first female finisher in 19:02.8. The 10K race was won by Todd Coblentz, 55, of Stayton in 40:22.6. Amelia Cuomo, 24, of Eugene, was fourth overall in 44.50.0 and was the top woman runner. Approximately 450 people entered the races.
