10
schools
january7
2016
VHS Winter Sports Report
Boys Basketball – The Loggers are in
first place in the Northwest League with
a 4-0 league record and a 9-1 record
overall. Following an opening season
loss to Clatskanie, Vernonia has run off
nine straight wins, including a 79-18
victory over Faith Bible on Tuesday,
January 5.
The Loggers are currently
ranked #3 in the OSAA 2A poll.
The current win streak includes
a 73-30 home win over Delphian, a
tough 78-73 victory at City Christian
and a 91-35 win at home against Neah-
Kah-Nie. Over the Winter Holiday the
Loggers easily won the St. Paul Holiday
Tournament with a 78-37 victory over
Perrydale followed by a 93-40 win over
host St. Paul.
Head Coach David Weller says
that in spite of several injuries, the team
has been playing very well, and has made
the most of the exceptional depth on the
roster to fill minutes. “That’s what’s so
great about this team, we have so many
guys who can play in so many spots, if
one guy goes down the next guy steps up
and fills his spot,” said Weller.
Chemistry was a question for
Weller heading into the season. “We
have a lot of player that can score and
the chemistry is starting to come togeth-
er,” says Weller. “We haven’t had any
problems with guys wanting to make
sure they get their 20 points. Right now
it’s just about the team and about win-
ning for them.”
Weller says the team in work-
ing to play smarter and eliminate the
high number of turnovers they are creat-
ing and also to improve their toughness,
both physically and mentally. “We want
to be that tough team that no one wants
to play and that intimidates you when we
step on the floor,” said Weller.
Weller says the team is continu-
ing to improve even through numerous
blow outs of opponents. “It’s allowed us
to have success doing things that we’re
working on in practices,” said Weller.
“When you play in games that are tight
and close you don’t always get to see the
success of those things. So there were a
lot of things that were positive for us in
those games.”
Sophomore Clay Sullivan con-
tinues to be the team leader and offen-
sive focus on the court. “Clay always
plays 110 percent and always figures out
a way to make an impact on the game,”
says Weller. “He leads by example in
practice and in games. He always goes
hard.” Weller says Sullivan is also de-
veloping a better court and game sense.
He is understanding the flow of the game
and taking charge of the team when it’s
needed.
Brett Jones has earned a starting
spot because of his on court hustle and
scrappy play. He has also developed a
dangerous outside shot. “He’s been our
hottest three point shooter recently,”
says Weller.
Arne Schiemann is improving
his game and becoming a weapon. At
6’ 9” he’s figuring out how to use his
height to be successful and has been get-
ting more physical under the basket.
At 6’ 6” Robert Conner is work-
ing his way into the lineup after nursing
a knee injury early in the season. His
court leadership has been a plus and he
also provides a tough and, at times,
dominant presence around the hoop.
“He’s been a difference maker for us,”
says Weller.
Weller says Francesco Milan
has been a pleasant surprise and contin-
ues to come off the bench and provides
good court vision and has been a solid
player in recent games.
Senior Jared Medearis has pro-
vided relief for Sullivan at point guard
and has improved his game
this year. Weller says he al-
ways plays hard and has been
doing a better job protecting
the ball and seeing the court.
Early season start-
ers Tristan Adams and Marc
Henke have both missed time
due to knee injuries but are
working their way back into
the lineup.
“This roster is so
deep and every one of these
guys is going to get a chance
in every game,” says Weller.
“We have the luxury of go-
ing with the hot player or the
player that goes in and makes a differ-
ence. They know when they get in there,
they need to make their minutes count.
We want them to make us HAVE to play
them.”
The Loggers will play the next
four league games away at Knappa, Co-
lumbia Christian, Nestucca and Gaston.
On January 19 they return home to face
Country Christian before traveling on
January 23 to face #7 Western Menno-
nite.
Wrestling – The Loggers took second
place at the Haggerty Invitational in
Nestucca with Jake Harbour and Mekhi
Williams both taking first, Nick Bennett
taking third, and Storm Henson finish-
ing fourth.
At the Clatskanie Tournament
and the Bob Bishop Invitational the team
struggled against what head coach Chris
Barnes says was some very strong com-
petition. At Claskanie Jake Harbour bat-
tled back at 152 to win the consolation
bracket and take third after an opening
round loss. “Those tournaments against
strong competition are real eye openers
from a coaching stand point because it
points out a lot of things that we need to
be working on,” says Barnes.
Amanda Sicard continues to
impress at 113, especially when she
wrestles against other girls. Barnes says
she has pinned every girls she’s faced
so far this season. Kailia
Jackson and Katie Good-
man placed fifth and sixth
at 106 at the Bob Bishop
Invitational.
Julie Krengielski
Barnes says that Ben-
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ing and develop some solid and reliable
moves,” says Barnes.
The team is now preparing for
the upcoming Pac Rim Tournament on
January 8-9 in Seaside and will host
Knappa in a league matchup at home
on Tuesday, January 12, before heading
to the prestigious Oregon Classic in
Redmond on January 15-16.
Girls Basketball – The Lady
Loggers are on an eight game winning
streak after defeating league rival Faith
Bible 46-23 on Tuesday, January 5.
Vernonia is now ranked #3 in OSAA
2A and are the second highest scoring
team in 2A. They sit in first place in the
Northwest League with a 9-1 over all
record and a 3-0 record in league play.
The Loggers won the St. Paul
Holiday Tournament with a 63-19 win
over Perrydale and a 44-41 victory over
a good St. Paul team that head coach
Steve Whiteman says are a contender to
go to state. “That was a big game for us,”
said Whiteman. The Lady Loggers also
had two league wins before the holiday
break, defeating Neah-Kah-Nie 52-30 at
home and winning at City Christian 47-
32.
Whiteman says his team might
be a surprise around the state because
they performed so well last year. “Ev-
erybody was sure that we couldn’t pos-
sibly have anybody left this year,” says
Whiteman. “Our girls are out to prove
that we’ve still got it.”
Whiteman stresses that team-
work has been a strength for his squad
this season. ‘It’s really about the team.”
he explained. “We have a lot of good
players that can shoot well, yet they’ll
give up their shot if there is a better one.”
Whiteman says Paige Smith is
as good a post player as he’s ever had
and that 6’ 1” junior Megan Ely contin-
continued on page 12
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