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Which team in the Salem-Keizer area had the best overall season?
It's time for you to decide.
High school teams across all sports and all classes in and around the Salem-Keizer area won conference championships, OSAA state championships and more. So many found and created historic success, but only one can be crowned the best of the best.
Here are the nominee’s for Statesman Journal’s Team of the Year, brought to you by Maps Credit Union.
Vote for who you think was the Statesman Journal's Team of the Year should be at statesmanjournal.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Sunday, July 5.
Amity won an OSAA 3A/2A/1A girls soccer state championship on the back of a dominant season. The Warriors scored a classification-best 88 goals to finish the season 17-1-1 with gold medals. Amity delivered a perfect 8-0 conference campaign as Special District 2 champs, too. Senior Eliza Nisly was named 3A/2A/1A state player of the year, coach Andy Dyer was voted coach of the year and an additional five players earned all-state status.
Read: Amity girls soccer claims state title after penalty shootout
Cascade football marched through a perfect 13-0 season and capped it off with one of the most dominant state championship wins in recent memory. The Cougars scored the most points in 4A by quite a margin and were juggernauts on both sides of the ball.
Seniors Bryce Kuenzi and Matthew Hinkle won 4A offensive and defensive player of the year awards, respectively, and an additional eight players earned first-team all-state honors. Coach Shane Hedrick won 4A coach of the year and Cascade cemented itself as one of the most revered football teams in Oregon.
Read: Cascade football completes perfect season with state title game rout
This junior-heavy Panthers (24-7) team jumped ahead of schedule and claimed a 5A state championship after a dominant run of games against the classification's top competition. In the final, junior Joe Mendazona, who was named 5A co-player of the year, threw an eye-popping no-hitter. Teammate and junior JT Girod, who plays all around the diamond and on the mound, earned 5A's pitcher of the year honors. Coach Ben Kramer was awarded 5A coach of the year honors as this historic Central junior class claimed its first state title.
Read: Central pitcher throws 'incredible' no-hitter as Panthers win 5A title
Kennedy baseball continued its reign as a top program in 2A/1A baseball with its third state championship in five years. Kennedy (28-3) won an astounding 22 games by 10 or more runs, including the state championship which ended 13-0. The Trojans scored a state second-best 366 runs and allowed a state-best 53 runs. A trio of seniors earned first-team all-state status and an additional four players claimed all-state honors.
Read: Kennedy baseball caps season with third state title in five years
The Celtics' softball team grabbed its first Central Valley Conference championship since 2023, ending a run by West Salem. Along the journey McNary (23-5) scored a 6A-best 294 runs and allowed 74, which was the third least in the classification. McNary bowed out of the state tournament second round but four different Celtics reached all-state status to cap a successful spring.
North Salem quickly turned itself into a program to fear on the wrestling mats and collected the accolades this winter to back it up. The Vikings finished second at the 6A/5A Special District 3 meet with four champions and four runners-up, then were the only 6A/5A program to win multiple weight classes at the OSAA state championship meet. State champions Aileen Paniagua, Madelynn Littlejohn and the lion's share of Vikings wrestling talent are slated to return to the mats next winter, too.
Regis girls basketball completed one of the most dominant basketball seasons to date with a 29-1 record and 2A state championship trophy. The Rams led all classifications in scoring (2,065 points) and swept the Tri-River Conference with a perfect 13-0 record. Freshman Frankie Koehnke was named 2A player of the year, coach Tim Manning earned coach of the year honors and two more Rams garnered all-state honors.
The Crusaders won the OSAA 4A/3A/2A/1A state title for the third straight year. Salem Academy took it to the field May 18-19 at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond to finish 59 strokes above second place with a 36-hole final score of 659 (+83).
"That's three state championships in a row, and to win state by 59 strokes is ridiculous," coach Melissa Turner said. "It's emotional because this is unheard of ... you don't see this stuff."
Chloe Johnston was the individual winner and fellow junior Ellie Gladow tied for third to lead the Crusaders.
In the first officially sanctioned season of boys volleyball in Oregon, South Salem established itself as one of the best. The Saxons went 16-0 in 6A/5A Special District 3 for a conference title and reached the state championship game off an overall 21-2 record. Three Saxons stamped their names on the all-state rosters as they lost just seven sets across the entire regular season.
Sprague went on a tear last fall as the top-ranked volleyball team in Oregon with one of the most feared front lines in the state. The Olympians' season ended just one win shy of a 6A state championship, but an 11-1 Central Valley Conference championship campaign along with a 17-match win streak midseason cemented this Sprague team as one of the best Oregon had to offer. Two Olympians earned first-team all-state and two more earned additional all-state status, and coach Anne Olsen earned 6A coach of the year honors.
Read: Resilient Sprague falls just short of OSAA 6A volleyball title
The Eagles rolled through the program's first-ever undefeated season (17-0-1) that resulted in a 4A state championship. Stayton boasted one of the best offenses and defenses in the state, featuring just eight goals allowed; which was the best in Oregon across all classifications. Stayton senior Isaiah Dixon was named 4A player of the year, coach Chris Shields was named coach of the year and an additional three Eagles earned first-team all-state status.
Read: Stayton boys soccer lives 'dream scenario' to claim OSAA 4A state title
Stayton continues to make history as it claimed its second consecutive 4A state championship this winter. The junior-heavy squad with just one senior allowed the least amount of points of any team in the classification as its 24-3 record (7-1 in conference) dominated the field for the second year running. Junior Kathryn Samek was named 4A player of the year, coach Tal Wold won coach of the year and junior Breeci Hampton collected second-team all-state honors.
Read: 'It feels even better' Stayton girls hoops repeats as state champs
Silverton won a 5A state championship with one of the most explosive offenses and brick-wall defenses that Oregon saw all fall. The Foxes finished the season 12-1 (5-1 in-conference) and marched through the state tournament in momentous fashion with wins over Crater, Wilsonville, Mountain View and Summit. Junior Lincoln Teeney was named 5A defensive player of the year and an additional seven players earned all-state honors at the conclusion of the historic season.
Read: Silverton football creates its 'forever memory' with 5A state title
Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X, TikTok or Instagram @bartlelo.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Vote for the Salem-Keizer area high school Team of the Year
Continue reading...
It's time for you to decide.
High school teams across all sports and all classes in and around the Salem-Keizer area won conference championships, OSAA state championships and more. So many found and created historic success, but only one can be crowned the best of the best.
Here are the nominee’s for Statesman Journal’s Team of the Year, brought to you by Maps Credit Union.
You must be registered for see images attach
- Amity girls soccer
- Cascade football
- Central baseball
- Kennedy baseball
- McNary softball
- North Salem girls wrestling
- Regis girls basketball
- Salem Academy girls golf
- South Salem boys volleyball
- Sprague girls volleyball
- Stayton boys soccer
- Stayton girls basketball
- Silverton football
Vote for who you think was the Statesman Journal's Team of the Year should be at statesmanjournal.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Sunday, July 5.
You must be registered for see images
Amity girls soccer
Amity won an OSAA 3A/2A/1A girls soccer state championship on the back of a dominant season. The Warriors scored a classification-best 88 goals to finish the season 17-1-1 with gold medals. Amity delivered a perfect 8-0 conference campaign as Special District 2 champs, too. Senior Eliza Nisly was named 3A/2A/1A state player of the year, coach Andy Dyer was voted coach of the year and an additional five players earned all-state status.
Read: Amity girls soccer claims state title after penalty shootout
You must be registered for see images
Cascade football
Cascade football marched through a perfect 13-0 season and capped it off with one of the most dominant state championship wins in recent memory. The Cougars scored the most points in 4A by quite a margin and were juggernauts on both sides of the ball.
Seniors Bryce Kuenzi and Matthew Hinkle won 4A offensive and defensive player of the year awards, respectively, and an additional eight players earned first-team all-state honors. Coach Shane Hedrick won 4A coach of the year and Cascade cemented itself as one of the most revered football teams in Oregon.
Read: Cascade football completes perfect season with state title game rout
You must be registered for see images attach
Central baseball
This junior-heavy Panthers (24-7) team jumped ahead of schedule and claimed a 5A state championship after a dominant run of games against the classification's top competition. In the final, junior Joe Mendazona, who was named 5A co-player of the year, threw an eye-popping no-hitter. Teammate and junior JT Girod, who plays all around the diamond and on the mound, earned 5A's pitcher of the year honors. Coach Ben Kramer was awarded 5A coach of the year honors as this historic Central junior class claimed its first state title.
Read: Central pitcher throws 'incredible' no-hitter as Panthers win 5A title
You must be registered for see images attach
Kennedy baseball
Kennedy baseball continued its reign as a top program in 2A/1A baseball with its third state championship in five years. Kennedy (28-3) won an astounding 22 games by 10 or more runs, including the state championship which ended 13-0. The Trojans scored a state second-best 366 runs and allowed a state-best 53 runs. A trio of seniors earned first-team all-state status and an additional four players claimed all-state honors.
Read: Kennedy baseball caps season with third state title in five years
You must be registered for see images attach
McNary softball
The Celtics' softball team grabbed its first Central Valley Conference championship since 2023, ending a run by West Salem. Along the journey McNary (23-5) scored a 6A-best 294 runs and allowed 74, which was the third least in the classification. McNary bowed out of the state tournament second round but four different Celtics reached all-state status to cap a successful spring.
You must be registered for see images attach
North Salem girls wrestling
North Salem quickly turned itself into a program to fear on the wrestling mats and collected the accolades this winter to back it up. The Vikings finished second at the 6A/5A Special District 3 meet with four champions and four runners-up, then were the only 6A/5A program to win multiple weight classes at the OSAA state championship meet. State champions Aileen Paniagua, Madelynn Littlejohn and the lion's share of Vikings wrestling talent are slated to return to the mats next winter, too.
You must be registered for see images attach
Regis girls basketball
Regis girls basketball completed one of the most dominant basketball seasons to date with a 29-1 record and 2A state championship trophy. The Rams led all classifications in scoring (2,065 points) and swept the Tri-River Conference with a perfect 13-0 record. Freshman Frankie Koehnke was named 2A player of the year, coach Tim Manning earned coach of the year honors and two more Rams garnered all-state honors.
You must be registered for see images attach
Salem Academy girls golf
The Crusaders won the OSAA 4A/3A/2A/1A state title for the third straight year. Salem Academy took it to the field May 18-19 at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond to finish 59 strokes above second place with a 36-hole final score of 659 (+83).
"That's three state championships in a row, and to win state by 59 strokes is ridiculous," coach Melissa Turner said. "It's emotional because this is unheard of ... you don't see this stuff."
Chloe Johnston was the individual winner and fellow junior Ellie Gladow tied for third to lead the Crusaders.
South Salem boys volleyball
In the first officially sanctioned season of boys volleyball in Oregon, South Salem established itself as one of the best. The Saxons went 16-0 in 6A/5A Special District 3 for a conference title and reached the state championship game off an overall 21-2 record. Three Saxons stamped their names on the all-state rosters as they lost just seven sets across the entire regular season.
You must be registered for see images
Sprague girls volleyball
Sprague went on a tear last fall as the top-ranked volleyball team in Oregon with one of the most feared front lines in the state. The Olympians' season ended just one win shy of a 6A state championship, but an 11-1 Central Valley Conference championship campaign along with a 17-match win streak midseason cemented this Sprague team as one of the best Oregon had to offer. Two Olympians earned first-team all-state and two more earned additional all-state status, and coach Anne Olsen earned 6A coach of the year honors.
Read: Resilient Sprague falls just short of OSAA 6A volleyball title
You must be registered for see images
Stayton boys soccer
The Eagles rolled through the program's first-ever undefeated season (17-0-1) that resulted in a 4A state championship. Stayton boasted one of the best offenses and defenses in the state, featuring just eight goals allowed; which was the best in Oregon across all classifications. Stayton senior Isaiah Dixon was named 4A player of the year, coach Chris Shields was named coach of the year and an additional three Eagles earned first-team all-state status.
Read: Stayton boys soccer lives 'dream scenario' to claim OSAA 4A state title
You must be registered for see images attach
Stayton girls basketball
Stayton continues to make history as it claimed its second consecutive 4A state championship this winter. The junior-heavy squad with just one senior allowed the least amount of points of any team in the classification as its 24-3 record (7-1 in conference) dominated the field for the second year running. Junior Kathryn Samek was named 4A player of the year, coach Tal Wold won coach of the year and junior Breeci Hampton collected second-team all-state honors.
Read: 'It feels even better' Stayton girls hoops repeats as state champs
You must be registered for see images
Silverton football
Silverton won a 5A state championship with one of the most explosive offenses and brick-wall defenses that Oregon saw all fall. The Foxes finished the season 12-1 (5-1 in-conference) and marched through the state tournament in momentous fashion with wins over Crater, Wilsonville, Mountain View and Summit. Junior Lincoln Teeney was named 5A defensive player of the year and an additional seven players earned all-state honors at the conclusion of the historic season.
Read: Silverton football creates its 'forever memory' with 5A state title
Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X, TikTok or Instagram @bartlelo.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Vote for the Salem-Keizer area high school Team of the Year
Continue reading...
