schools
VHS Fall Sports Recap
Volleyball-
The
Lady
Loggers
accomplished all but one of their goals
this year. Otherwise it was an extremely
good year for the Vernonia varsity.
The Loggers finished their
season at 15-7 overall, with wins in ten
straight matches before heading to the
State Tournament for the second year
in a row. Head coach Teresa Williams
was very proud of the way the team
came together down the stretch. “We
began the season trying to find the right
combination of players,” said Williams.
“By the end of the year we put everything
together and ran our offense the way it
was designed to be run.”
Sophomore setter Taylor Titus
took some time early in the season to
adjust to varsity level play, but was
instrumental in the Loggers stretch run
into the playoffs. Coach Williams also
noted the play of Samantha Wallace,
who moved from the front to the back
line in mid season. “Our passing really
improved, which allowed us to run our
offense,” said Williams. Williams also
noted that the team worked on their
serving a lot in practice. “This year we
were a really good serving team.”
In the league playoffs the
Loggers defeated Nestucca 3-0 and
Gaston 3-0, before playing Knappa for
third place. The Loggers 3-1 victory
was a sort of bell weather match for
coach Williams. “It proved that we are
somebody in this league,” she said,
Unfortunately,
the
playoff
format didn’t allow the Loggers a chance
to challenge for the league title at the end
of the season when they were playing
their best volleyball.
That third place finish earned
them an away
first round state
tournament match up against last year’s
state champion, Day Creek. It was also
a repeat of last year’s first round match
up. The Loggers lost for the second year
in a row, 3-0.
“We accomplished everything
we set out to do this year, except make it
to the final eight,” said Williams. “Once
we came together as a team we were
unstoppable in our league.”
Williams is already looking
toward next season when she should
have a strong returning team with a
lot of varsity experience. The loss of
seniors Sara McMahon and Wallace
will be missed, but Williams has some
very talented underclassman waiting
in the wings. Williams says her goal
is to finish higher in the league next
year and earn a top eight seed and host
a state playoff game next year.
Cross Country- At the District Meet
at Tualatin Hills Vernonia’s Samantha
Lindauer finished fifth and qualified
for the State meet. Nathan Fleck saw
his Cross Country career end with a
very respectable seventh place finish
in the District.
The state 1A/2A/3A cross
country meet was held on Saturday
November 3 at Lane Community
College in Eugene. 107 of the best
distance runners in the state competed.
Lindauer finished 19th overall. “It
was a heck of a year for Sammy in her
first year ever in cross country,” said
Logger head coach Byron Brown.
“The year really demonstrated her
Vernonia Students of the Month
October 2012
Camille Corielle ,
Grade 4
Camille is a good student who is conscientious and
considerate. She is a new student at Vernonia Elemen-
tary School who has done an excellent job this year
learning and following school rules. Camille says she
spent the first half of her third grade year at an Ameri-
can International School in Israel and was home
schooled the other half of the year. She says her
favorite subject is Art because she likes the freedom to
make what she would like. She plays basketball and is
hoping to learn to horseback ride soon. She is in Junior
Girl Scouts. She likes to play outdoors in her free time.
Morgan Harral ,
2012
versatility as a runner. Sammy has made
it to state every year in track but always
in the sprints. It is so unusual to have
a runner who can excel at both distance
and sprinting.
At Vernonia, we are
fortunate to have 2 runners who break
the mold--Sammy and Nathan Fleck. A
top 20 finish at State is an exceptional
accomplishment and it portends well for
us for the coming track season as well.”.
Brown and the VHS runners
now turn their attention to preparing
for the upcoming track season, starting
13
at the end of February. The first track
meet will be the middle of March at the
Grizzly Bear Open in McMinneville.
Football- The Loggers finished their
year with a 4-5 record overall. Tough
league losses down the stretch to
Knappa, Neah-Kah-Nie and Portland
Christian left the Loggers out of the state
playoffs this year.
Head coach Gordon Jarmin
said he was pleased to see continued
continued on page 14
From the Superintendent: The VEF
By Dr. Kenneth Cox
It seems so long ago. It was the
Fall of 2008, and we were beginning
to strategize about how we could find
the rest of the funding for the new
schools. We were informed that some
organizations and foundations do not
donate to public schools. So we chose to
create a foundation of our own that they
could donate to.
Thanks to the relationship of
Gordon Smith with a local (Portland)
law firm, we were able to get the legal
paperwork done at no cost to create the
Vernonia Education Foundation (VEF).
The by-laws were drafted and approved
and our first meeting was held February
9, 2009 where we elected our first, and
so far only, Chairman of the Board of
Directors--our local dentist Dr. Chris
Scheuerman. The other two original
board members are Cari Levenseller,
who is the Vernonia School Board liaison
on the VEF board, and me. I also have
the privilege of serving as the President
of the VEF, with Barb Carr serving as
Secretary and we have appointed Dawn
Plews as Treasurer.
Since that first meeting we
have had a number of board members
join the foundation, among them Pam
Weller, Wauna FCU Manager; Ronda
Lennen, Vernonia Alum; Camrin Eyrick,
representing the Vernonia Community
PTA (and a member of the school board);
and most recently, Bill Langmaid, also a
school board member.
Other board members whose
commitments elsewhere have precluded
them from continuing as members of the
board are Sharon Bernal, a local realtor,
and Brent Dass, a community member.
Now that you have met the
people who make up the VEF, you
might be curious about just what they
have done, and what they have planned.
Well, as we have worked with the
Metropolitan Group to coordinate the
fundraising for the new schools, the VEF
has received over $1,000,000 in funding
and has provided funding to the district
so we can make our construction loan
payments on the new schools.
The VEF has so far been involved
in two major fundraising events. The
first was when we participated in the
Biggest Class Reunion which was held
here in Vernonia in August 2010. The
various alumni who attended helped
contribute over $1,800. The second
event, which was held this last summer,
was the Last Chance Dance, a huge
success and a great deal of fun for all
who attended. Those who attended were
able to participate in a catered dinner and
live auction followed by a silent auction
on items contributed by local artists
and attractions and a dance that shared
music through the decades. The Last
Chance Dance generated nearly $8,000
in funding for the VEF.
We continue to look for
opportunities to raise funds to close the
gap in our funding and accept gifts from
various sources. We recently received
a $3,500 check from a group of VHS
alumni who were focusing on funding
for our current sports facilities. This
came directly from the efforts of Jim and
Kathy Eckland who have donated many
hours recently to this cause.
I encourage anyone who is
interested in helping the VEF raise funds
or in participating in our meetings to
contact Barb Carr, the VEF Secretary at
the Vernonia School District Office, now
located at 1201 Texas Ave. or by calling
503 429-5891.
Harlem Crowns to Play at VHS
Grade 7
Morgan is an all around great student. She works hard
and takes pride in her assignments. “Morgan is a joy
to teach,” says one of her teachers. She is also kind to
others and is well liked by her peers-and her teachers
too. Morgan says her favorite subject is Language
Arts. She plays volleyball, basketball, softball and runs
track. She raises pigs and rabbits for 4-H. Morgan
says in her free time she enjoys riding horses and
likes to be in the outdoors.
Damian Young ,
november13
Grade 10
Damian is a hard working student who has shown a lot
of initiative and creativity in his work. Damian runs
Cross Country and is also on the wrestling team. He
plays trumpet in the VHS Band and was part of the
group that won the State Championship last year.
Damian volunteered this past summer to help serve
food to kids at the Summer Meals Program
Sponsored by Vernonia’s Voice
The world famous basketball
travelers known as the Harlem Crowns
are coming to Vernonia to play in the
Vernonia High School gymnasium on
December 8, 2012.
The Crowns will play against
the local Vernonia Scepters, coached
by local legend Steve Whiteman. The
Scepturs will feature Don Dalebroux,
Ron Maldonado, Tim Jennings, Mario
Castro, Brandon Eyrrick, Todd Sulli-
van, Jeff Ely, Aaron Miller, Nate Under-
wood, Jerry Butcher, Derek Handegard,
Stacy Adams and possibly some surprise
guests. Referees will be VHS faculty
Matt Blair and Justin Ward. The VHS
Cheerleaders will also be on hand.
The game is a prom fundraiser
for the VHS junior class and will replace
donkey basketball this year.
The Harlem Crowns began their
existence in the mid 1950’s when a for-
mer Harlem Globetrotter, Chico Burell
formed his own team of highly talented
players. Burell played for the Globetrot-
ters for twelve years playing with such
greats as Goose Tatum, Sweetwater Clif-
ton and Maquis Haynes.
Today the team is owned by a
group of California businessmen and
are managed by former player Herbert
Scaife. Members of the Crowns are
chosen for their showmanship as well as
their ability to play above average bas-
ketball.
The Harlem Crowns play a
regulation four quarter game. There is
never a dull moment during the game,
which displays superlative basketball
skills coupled with zany acts and laugh-
a-minute routines.
Advance tickets are $9 and are
available at Sentry Market. Tickets are
$10 at the door.