Sports
B1
Appeal Tribune, www.silvertonappeal.com
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
SETTING A NEW STANDARD
Santiam team impresses doubters with its first state playoff run since 1994
Santiam's Dustin Keys (55) holds up the OSAA 2A second-place trophy after the championship game against Monroe on Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium. Monroe won the title 36-22.
PHOTOS BY MOLLY J. SMITH / STATESMAN JOURNAL
“Basically with all this,
BILL POEHLER
SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
we’re just getting our school
USA TODAY NETWORK
HILLSBORO – For a couple decades,
people looked past boys sports teams
from Santiam High School.
There were a bunch of 4-5 football
seasons, some two-win boys basketball
teams and the most notable happening
was when the 2012 baseball team forfeit-
ed the rest of its season three games into
the season.
A group of athletes is changing the
conversation about the sports teams
from the Mill City school.
Santiam’s football team significantly
exceeded expectations this season by go-
ing from the No. 5 seed in the OSAA Class
2A state playoffs to the state champion-
ship game for the first time since 1994.
The Wolverines lost to Monroe 36-22
Saturday afternoon at Hillsboro Stadi-
um, but when the season is looked at
through the prism of Santiam football
teams and boys basketball teams playing
in state championship games in the same
calendar year, it marks a remarkable
turnaround.
“I definitely think it’s a good impact
on our school,” said sophomore quarter-
back Colin Thurston, who was 8 of 11
passing for 142 yards and two touch-
downs.
“Basically with all this, we’re just get-
ting our school on the map again. It’s
been a while since it’s been this success-
ful, and it’s definitely been a pleasure.”
Over the years, Santiam has had spo-
radic success in boys sports, and has
been known more for its prowess in girls
sports.
The football team won state champi-
onships in 1971 and 1972 and was last in
the state championship game in 1994 pri-
or to Saturday. The boys basketball team
won the 1974 state championship and
was in the title game in 1976.
Santiam’s current football success
on the map again. It’s been a
while since it’s been this
successful, and it’s definitely
been a pleasure.”
COLIN THURSTON
SANTIAM SOPHOMORE QUARTERBACK
Top: Santiam's Trevor Tinney (16) carries the ball in the first quarter of the OSAA 2A State
Championship match. Bottom: Santiam's Trevor Whitmire, right, celebrates as Brody Davidson
(33) runs in for a touchdown in during the game.
has coincided with Dustin McGee’s ten-
ure as head coach.
The team went 4-5 in his first year at
the school in 2015 and in 2016 went 7-4,
made the state playoffs for the eighth
time in school history and made it to the
quarterfinal round.
To go 11-2 and make it to the state
championship game in 2017 is remark-
able after a lot of 4-5 seasons.
“Santiam athletics are on their way
back up, boys and girls,” junior lineman
Dustin Keys said. “Coach McGee, I got to
give him all the credit in the world. He’s
brought big things and great things to
the community.”
When McGee arrived at the Mill City
school from Arkansas from the first
time in 2015, outsiders warned him about
what he was in for.
They told him that Santiam hadn’t had
much success and the athletes don’t give
much effort.
He was determined to change that by
changing the culture.
And his team that made the state
championship game had just five seniors
and was loaded with juniors and sopho-
mores.
“There is no reason that Santiam High
School can’t been good for years to
See STANDARD, Page 2B
State parks pass
is a sweet deal
OUTDOORS
HENRY MILLER
If you or your friends
visit Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department
sites that have day-use
parking fees more than
five times during a year,
this is a sweet deal.
During December, the department is
knocking $5 off the regular $30 price tag
on an annual state parks pass.
Just 25 state park recreation sites re-
quire the fee out of the 197 administered
by the department, from lighthouses and
viewpoints to scenic corridors and way-
sides.
But the pay-to-play park sites are
among the most popular, and many are
handy to Salem, such as Detroit Lake
State Recreation Area, Silver Falls State
Park, Champoeg State Heritage Area
and Willamette Mission State Park.
And the pass is transferable if your
family has more than one vehicle.
Although if you’re like me, you forget
to transfer it between the truck and the
SUV. Or back again for that matter.
The passes are available at most state
parks, or by using your credit card and
purchasing by phone (800) 551-6949 or
online at the State Parks Store secure
website
at
https://store.oregonstateparks.org/
Annual passes, along with gift certif-
icates for state parks, also are available
at department headquarters, 725 Sum-
mer Street NE, Suite C in Salem.
Now I’ll let you in on a little secret,
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is offering a discount on the annual state parks
pass. Willamette Mission State Park is one of the parks that charges day use fees.
ZACH URNESS/STATESMAN JOURNAL
RE: Those gift certificates.
The department also offers a two-
year day-use permit.
The cost is $50, and you get that price
no matter when you buy it. So you get the
equivalent of the $5 one-year discount
for each of the two years.
The kicker is that if the recipient is a
See PARKS, Page 2B