By James Day
Both Silverton High School basketball teams turned in gutty, unexpected performances this season that left them one game short of advancing to play in the Elite 8 teams at Matt Knight Court in Eugene.
The boys team, which lost its top six players from a squad that finished third in the 2013 Class 5A tournament, finished third in the Mid-Willamette Conference with a 10-4 record (16-8 overall), won a playoff game against Marist and lost 41-31 on March 8 at Sherwood with a berth in the final eight on the line.
The girls team, meanwhile, performed similar magic, taking third in the Mid-Willamette (9-5 league record, 14-11 overall) and also coming within one win of state, falling 62-52 on March 7 at Hermiston in a matchup that required a 440-mile roundtrip.
“This team overachieved as much as any team I have ever had,” Silverton boys coach Darren Shryock told Our Town. “Winning 16 games was a tremendous feat.”
The glue that held the Foxes together was 5-7 guard Ian Sucich, the lone senior on the squad.
Sucich averaged 18.5 points per game during the regular season and proved to be one of the deadliest shooters in the state. Sucich hit 79 of 165 3-pointers, a sterling 48 percent and was 51 for 59 at the line, 86 percent.
“Ian has had a wonderful year,” said Shryock, who noted Sucich averaged just four points per game a year ago. “As the lone senior, his contributions have gone beyond the game as well. He has shown tremendous leadership through his toughness and work ethic. Our kids have worked unbelievably hard for the success they have achieved, and Ian is one of the mainstays of hard work.”
Sucich proved particularly difficult for South Albany to handle, hitting 14 of his 22 3-pointers in the Foxes’ two wins against the Rebels. Sucich also was 5 for 8 against Crescent Valley, Woodburn and Springfield as well as 4 for 5 in the team’s preseason loss to Sherwood.
Sucich was named to the all-MWC first team, where he was joined by sophomore teammate Sam Roth. Juniors Cole Chandler and Logan Munson earned honorable mention honors.
The Foxes’ girls team was in its first season under first-year coach Tal Wold. Silverton led Hermiston by two with four minutes left, but the Bulldogs pulled away down the stretch for the 10-point win.
“In the last four minutes Hermiston did a much better job execution-wise; that is on me,” Wold told Our Town. “In terms of everything you want from a high school team, we displayed it. Attitude, effort, leadership, teamwork, perseverance were all as much part of the game as dribbling and shooting. The people of Hermiston packed the place and could not have been more cordial and respectful. I think they were as impressed with the Lady Foxes as I was. I am a very proud coach who is still trying to get over the fact that we will not be meeting on Monday to practice, I have been pouting all weekend!”
Three Silverton Lady Foxes were names to the Mid-Willamette Conference girls basketball team: Sophomore Alia Parsons, first team; Senior Megan Ratliff, second team and Senior Lilly Paradis, honorable mention.
Wrestling: Silverton finished seventh at the state tournament with 45 points. Top finisher for the Foxes was senior David Horsey, who captured fifth place at 170 pounds. Sophomore teammate Boston Merrifield advanced to the semifinals at 106 and wound up sixth.
Austin Reed (sophomore, 113), Ben Griesenauer (senior, 138) and Cameron Clokey (junior, 285) all won two matches a piece but did not place. Cody Gubbels (junior, 220) also competed for Silverton.
Kennedy hoops: The Trojans’ girls team had to be the best fourth-place team in the state. Kennedy finished 17-9 overall, with seven of the losses to Tri-River Conference rivals Regis, Santiam and Western Mennonite. And all three of those teams advanced to the semifinals of the Class 2A state tournament in Pendleton, with Regis beating Western Mennonite for the title. Kennedy’s only other losses were to Triangle Lake in December and a Feb. 28 loss to Lost River that prevented a fourth Tri-River team from advancing to Pendleton.
New season: Spring is here, whether it looks like it or not. March 3 was the first date for teams to begin practicing baseball, softball, golf, tennis and track and field. The OSAA date for first contests is March 17.
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