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James Day

Silverton football: Foxes enter bye week after strong 3-1 start

The Silverton High football team is 3-1 at the end of a grueling nonleague schedule that featured two Class 6A teams and another wild duel with longtime rival West Albany. The Foxes are ranked seventh in Class 5A and had a well-deserved bye Sept. 27 as they prepare for the league season in a new league. Silverton opens Class 5A […]

James Day

Foxes football: 11-1 year shows continuing strength of program

The Silverton High football program wound up another superlative season on Nov. 17 when the Foxes fell 43-19 to Mountain View of Bend in the Class 5A semifinals. Silverton finished 11-1 and downed long-time rival West Albany twice by a composite 90-42 score The Foxes, now in their second year under coach Dan Lever, have made the playoffs every season […]

A solid fall – New Foxes coaches shine in debut seasons

This fall was one of change for Silverton High athletics. Gone were athletic director James Rise, football coach Josh Craig and volleyball coach Kate O’Connor, with Gary Cameron, the girls soccer coach, stepping back to an assistant’s role. As we approach the end of the regular season the results are in, and they are very good indeed: • The football […]

New coach – Dan Lever chats about Silverton Fox football

I sat down with new Silverton football coach Dan Lever the other day after a morning workout. The setting was informal. His two kids, Hudson and Jade, were on hand, with swimming lessons next on the family’s summer schedule. Lever, 36, who led Tualatin to the Class 6A championship game a year ago, takes over a Foxes program that has […]

Fall update: Football teams fill in schedule slots

The high school football schedules for fall are taking shape, with Silverton High opening on Friday, Sept. 2, with a Mid-Willamette Conference game at Dallas. The Foxes, under new coach Dan Lever, will prep for the Dallas game with an Aug. 26 scrimmage at Sheldon of Eugene against both the host Irish and West Salem. The Foxes will be playing […]

Phenomenal year – Foxes awash in titles for 21-22

“What a year for the Foxes!” said Silverton athletic director James Rise. With two teams – baseball and softball – still in the playoff hunt, the 2021-22 school year has produced state titles in football and boys track, runner-up finishes for boys basketball and girls golf and quarterfinal appearances for volleyball, boys soccer and girls basketball. How did all this […]

Coaching changes – Foxes have key openings to fill

By James Day In the midst of one of its most successful sports seasons ever Silverton High finds itself posting a series of help wanted signs. The good news is that Athletic Director James Rise and school administration already have filled one slot. Josh Craig, who led the football program to a 41-11 record in five years and last fall’s […]

New boss – Foxes football reels in 6A coach Dan Lever

By James Day The Silverton High football program lost just once last season in a magnificent 12-1 year that saw the Foxes claim their first state title since 1991. Now, the school has hired the coach who dealt them that lone defeat. Dan Lever of Tualatin has taken over the Foxes from Josh Craig, who stepped down in January because […]

Craig steps down – Foxes looking for new football coach

Silverton High football coach Josh Craig, who led the Foxes to the Class 5A state title this past season, has announced his resignation. Craig, 31, is stepping down because of family considerations. “My wife gave birth to our second daughter (Colby on Jan. 4), and now we have a 19-month-old (Murphy) and a newborn,” Craig said. “When I got the […]

Wrestling preview – Kennedy, Silverton both looking to make some noise

Dewey Enos continues to build a solid foundation for wrestling at Kennedy High. Enos, a Silverton High grad, started in 2017 with just 10 wrestlers. This season, he has 26 athletes on the roster and some good momentum based on a second-place finish at districts during last spring’s COVID-influenced season. “To be honest there were some very hard years, and […]

Magical season – Foxes have a new trophy for the case

Somehow you get the feeling that folks in Silverton will be talking about the final play of the 2021 Class 5A football title game for a long time.  Here is the setup: The Foxes were clinging to a 26-20 lead against Thurston and were facing 4th and 17 at the Colts’ 26 with 12 seconds left. No timeouts left.  Let’s […]

State champs! Foxes hold off Thurston to claim 5A football title

By James Day HILLSBORO – The Silverton High football team raced out to a 23-0 lead Saturday against Thurston and then held on in resilient fashion to take a 26-20 victory against the Colts and earn the Foxes’ first state football title since 1991.  Silveton also got payback for 2019, when Thurston dominated the Foxes 44-14 in the semifinals. The […]

Briseno power – Ball-carrier keeps Foxes offense balanced

When the football season started we knew that Silverton boasted some potent offensive weapons. Quarterback Jordan McCarty was back for his third season as a starter. Veteran wide receivers Vandon Fessler and Austin Ratliff also were on hand, as well as a sizable and seasoned offensive line. That left running back. During fall camp fifth-year coach Josh Craig suggested it […]

Champs again! Foxes hold off West Albany in instant classic

When the football schedules come out you always circle the Silverton-West Albany match-up. The past 8 times the two teams have played, including Friday night’s 28-21 Foxes win at McGinnis Field, either a league title has been on the line or the game has been in the playoffs. The two schools are 4-4 in those eight contests, with Silverton holding […]

Football frenzy – Foxes, Trojans getting ready for openers

Silverton was 3-2 in last spring’s shortened football season and the Foxes are hoping for a full nine-game regular season – and perhaps success beyond that point as well, starting with the Sept. 3 home opener against Grant of Portland. Fifth-year coach Josh Craig noticed a surge of energy, particularly after the state opened up from COVID restrictions June 30. […]

Get out the pads: Fall sports season set to get underway

Monday, Aug. 16. It gets real. Conditioning week is over and high school sports teams begin practice for what they hope will be a normal school year. The 2020-21 sports year turned into a compressed sprint of six-week seasons that started with February football practices and ended with a state wrestling tournament that occurred more than two weeks after graduation. […]

COVID Lessons: Foxes football coach looks back

Weird high school football season, wasn’t it? Games in March and April. COVID postponements. The record shows that Silverton finished 3-2, while having its annual showdown with West Albany postponed because of a Silverton outbreak. But it was a season full of highlights and accomplishment, said fourth-year head coach Josh Craig. “Highlights would be how mentally tough the team stayed […]

Music, muscle and milk: Do-gooders deserve a special shout-out

It is so easy to talk about the multitude of things going awry in the world, and then have to suffer the “slings and arrows of outrageous” barbs for offering a viewpoint counter to those who lie in wait for the attack, like a cheetah stalking the herd’s wounded or youngest gazelle. That being said, I told my daughter that […]