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About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 2022)
Appeal Tribune | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2022 | 1B SPORTS TOP 25 FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS ATHLETES Pete Martini and Bill Poehler Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Top 25 girls athletes Who are the best female athletes from the Mid-Willamette Valley over the past 25 years? This is our list, chosen from those who played a sport for a Mid-Valley high school between 1995 and 2020. The list was compiled by Statesman Jour- nal reporters Pete Martini and Bill Poehler, who both grew up in Salem and covered sports in the area for more than 20 years. They considered achievements in high school, college and professional sports. 25. Paige Alexander, West Salem (Class of 2020 — soccer, basketball, track and field) Alexander scored 33 goals in her fresh- man season at Silverton and led the Foxes to the state championship game and was on the school’s state runner-up basketball team that season. She was the Portland Thorns Academy player of the year in 2017. At West Salem, she was first-team all- state in soccer as a senior after scoring 25 goals. Alexander also was the conference defensive player of the year in basketball in 2016. She appeared in three matches for the University of Oregon’s soccer team as a freshman and scored a goal as a sopho- more at Gonzaga in the fall. 24. Kyley Sexton, West Salem (Class of 2008 — volleyball, basketball, track and field) A two-time first-team all-state volleyball player, she led the Titans to their first state tournament appearance in 2005 and their first state tournament trophy. In track and field, she placed fourth in the 6A state meet in the 400 meter dash as a senior. In four years at San Diego State, Sexton was an all-conference outside hitter for the Aztecs. Oregon State's Casey Bunn keeps the ball from Washington's Kristen O'Neill during the first half in Seattle. FILE 23. Alexa Peterson, South Salem (Class of 2010 — softball, basketball, volleyball) A stellar player on the softball diamond for the Saxons, she also was of the school’s top basketball and volleyball players. She was a four-time all-state player for South Salem, including being named first-team all-state in her final two years. Peterson played four years of softball at Oregon, where she was named All-Amer- ican as a junior after batting .424. She also was named to the World Series tourna- ment team in 2012. She played profes- sional softball for the USSSA Price, the Chicago Bandits and the Cleveland Com- ets. 22. Niki Hayhurst, McNary (Class of 1999 — volleyball, softball) A first-team all-state athlete in volleyball and softball for the Celtics, Hayhurst was one of the top all-around athletes of her time. Hayhurst was a four-time all-Mountain West Conference player for Utah and racked up a career .343 batting average. She played for the Dutch National Team. 21. Kylie Kuhns, Sprague (Class of 2009 — volleyball, basketball) The conference player of the year her senior year at Sprague, she was a dyna- mo, averaging 13.7 points and 14.2 re- bounds per game. Kuhns was one of the greatest rebound- ers to come from Oregon, including re- cording 34 rebounds in a game as a soph- omore and setting the state career record for rebounding. She was an all-state volleyball player as a senior, when she was also the league player of the year. A first-team all-Big Sky player in basketball at Sacramento State, she had milestones of 1,000 points and rebounds in her career. 20. Jeane Goff, Cascade (Class of 2001 — track and field, cross country) In Goff’s senior year at Cascade, she won state championships in the 1,500 in track and field and cross country. An NCAA national meet qualifier in cross country at Stanford, she was an All-Amer- ican in track and field. Goff went on to compete professionally. 19. Jerilyn White, McNary (class of 1996 — golf, volleyball, basketball) White won the Class 4A state champi- onship in 1996 and was a two-time Valley League champion. She competed for four years at the Uni- versity of Oregon and placed 13th at the NCAA national tournament in 2000. 18. Lorilyn Wilson, Sprague (Class of 2003 — softball, basketball) A two-time first-team all-state pitcher, Wilson led the Olympians to the 4A state softball championship in 2003. West’s Paige Alexander was first-team all-state as a senior after scoring 25 goals. STATESMAN JOURNAL FILE PHOTO Katie South Salem’s Katie Donovan. STATESMAN JOURNAL FILE Competing for the University of Michigan, she was an all-Big Ten player and helped the Wolverines to the 2005 national championship. 17. Mackenzie Rumrill (Class of 2015 — swimming, track and field) By the time she graduated from West Salem, she held seven school records in swimming. Rumrill was a state champion in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley as a senior in 2015, and was an Academic All-American that year. She went on to compete for the Univer- sity of Arizona, where she earned All- American honors. Rumrill also competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials. 16. Julie Drescher, St. Paul (Class of 2009 — volleyball, basketball, track) An amazing all-around athlete for the Buckaroos, she was one of the most dom- inant athletes of her generation. Drescher was an all-tournament volleyball player, the state player of the year in basketball, including leading St. Paul to the 2007 state championship, and was a three-time state champion in track and field between high jump (2007) and pole vault (2008, 2009). 15. Jaclyn Espinoza, Regis (Class of 2006 — volleyball, basketball, track) Espinoza was one of the most dominant track and field athletes of her time. She was a four-time 2A state champion in the discus and a three-time state champion in shot put. Also a starter in volleyball, she was a two- time second-team Class 2A all-state play- er in basketball. Espinoza competed in track and field at Notre Dame, where she was a four-time NCAA track and field meet placer. Sprague's Kylie Kuhns celebrates with teammate Emily Stupfel after she made the final kill of the Olympians' 3-0 sweep of West Salem in a crucial Central Valley matchup. STATESMAN JOURNAL FILE 14. Caralyn Chewning, Willamina (Class of 2010 — volleyball, basketball, softball) A four-time first-team all-state softball player for the Bulldogs, she was a two- time state player of the year and led Wil- lamina to the state champion in 2010, when she was one of the top pitchers in the state. Chewning also was a first-team all-league athlete in volleyball and basketball for the Bulldogs. She was a four-time all-conference player in softball at North Dakota, including batting .297 as a junior. 13. Katie McWilliams, South Salem (Class of 2015 — basketball) A four-year starter for the Saxons, McWil- liams was the Class 6A state player of the year in 2015 after leading the team to the state championship. McWilliams was an all-Pac-12 Conference player during her four years of basketball See GIRLS, Page 2B
