By James Day
The Kennedy High girls volleyball team is off to a strong start, with a 4-0 overall record and 2-0 Tri-River Conference mark under third-year coach Staci Sprauer.
“The team is looking promising with solid players all the way around,” Sprauer said. “Our strength will be in that there is not any one player we will depend on, but spread it around so the other teams won’t know where the ball is going to be played.”
The Trojans were 11-11-3 in 2011, including an 8-6 Tri-River record, good for fourth place in the regular season. Kennedy was upset in the first round of the conference playoffs by Western Mennonite.
“We have a quiet confidence this year as a team,” Sprauer said. “Solid girls. Level headed. Keeping cool under pressure. It’s going to be a good year and maybe the first year we go to state. One day at a time.“
Kennedy played at Santiam (Tuesday) and Central Linn (Thursday) as well as hosted its Oktoberfest Tournament in matches that were not completed by presstime.
Sprauer said she thinks Culver and Regis will be the teams to beat in the Tri-River. The Trojans host Culver on Sept. 18 and visit Regis on Sept. 25.
Silverton’s volleyball team is 1-2 this season after defeating Marist and losing to Westview and Crook County in the Mountain View tournament in Bend. The Foxes, who were 7-13 last season, including a 6-8 mark in the Mid-Willamette Conference, opened league play after presstime Tuesday against Lebanon.
The Silverton football team improved to 2-0 with a 27-0 thumping of visiting Bend at McGinnis Field. The Foxes opened Mid-Willamette play Friday at Dallas.
Kennedy is now 1-1 after a 22-20 win against Willamina in another game in which the Trojans played up a class. Kennedy played another Class 3A team on Friday when Dayton visited.
Odds and ends:
Oregon State Quarterback Sean Mannion completed 29 of 47 passes for 276 yards and one touchdown last Saturday as Oregon State upset No. 13 Wisconsin 10-7 at Reser Stadium. Mannion, who played high school football in California, is the son of Silverton football coach John Mannion. The Beavers (1-0) are off this week and open Pac-12 Conference play Sept. 22 at UCLA.
Mac’s Place and the Wooden Nickel in Silverton will be showing live TV broadcasts of all University of Oregon games this season. See the Ducks’ schedule at goducks.com.
Former Silverton High player Tyler Hagen has started all four matches and has two assists for the Corban University men’s soccer team. The Warriors are 1-1-2 this season. Note to readers: If you know of ex-Silverton or Kennedy athletes participating on college teams, ship me an email so I can include them in the column.
Kennedy is looking for a head boys basketball coach as well as an assistant boys basketball coach. Interested parties can contact athletic director Kevin Moffatt at 503-845-2703. Applicants also can view the postings and download a coaching application from the district website, mtangel.k12.or.us. Refer to the Departments tab, Human Resources page, and the Current Openings and Forms links. Applications can be submitted to Nancy Bochsler at [email protected].
