welcome
march17
from the editor: It’s Good to be King
Championships in sports don’t
come around that often.
The last time a Vernonia Logger
team won a state championship was in
boys basketball in 1978.
So let’s take a moment to
appreciate, celebrate, and even treasure,
what this year’s Vernonia Loggers
boys basketball team accomplished
when they brought home the 2A State
Championship from Pendleton on
March 6.
Head coach David Weller’s
team had what has to be considered a
truly remarkable season. After losing
their opening game the Loggers didn’t
lose again, winning their next 28 straight
games.
This was a team that included
several teammates who had played
together since the third grade, but also
included four players who had just
arrived in Vernonia and were welcomed
and embraced like brothers who had
always been here. The team held
weekend breakfasts almost every week
and bonded like the family they became.
At Pendleton, the Loggers
showed they were also good citizens
who were noted for their polite and
good behavior throughout the weekend.
Following each of their three games, the
Loggers voluntarily spent time cleaning
up the bleachers. This unselfish
behavior was noticed by officials from
OSAA, who called the Loggers behavior
“classy” on Twitter.
The group that Weller and
assistant coaches Matt Blair and Byron
Schorzmann took to Pendleton was a
complete team. Throughout the season
Weller had the luxury of rotating his
squad, using his deep bench and giving
playing time to those that earned it or had
the hot hand. Each player understood
their role and the goals of the team and
Weller used a deep rotation to spread the
minutes around. There was a healthy
competition on the squad for playing
time, which in turn brought out the best
in each player.
Sophomore Clay Sullivan,
after spending most of last season as
the team leader, didn’t have as much
pressure on him this year. This year’s
varsity included a group of talented
juniors: Brett Elliott, Tristan Adams,
Brett Jones, Luke McCallum, and
Blake Clark. These players were all
a year older and more experienced.
Added to that group were two seniors,
Jared Medearis, a determined guard
who spelled Sullivan at the point, and
Robert Conner, a 6’ 6” transfer student
who vocally provided leadership and
motivation. Three exchange students,
6’ 9” Arne Schiemann, Francesco Mian
and Marc Henke, all earned varsity
spots. Schiemann and Mian gave Weller
some size in the post. When Henke, one
of the best all-around players on the
team, went down with an early season
knee injury the Loggers hardly missed
a beat and continued their winning
ways. Weller added sophomore Andrew
Vazquez from the JV squad at the end of
the season.
The Loggers made it to Pendleton
by winning as a team, and that’s how
they won the State Tournament as well.
Weller’s Loggers knew they could count
on somebody to step up on any given
night. One night it might be Sullivan
or Adams with the hot hand, or Elliott
grabbing a big offensive rebound or
sinking some key free throws, or Jones
or McCallum providing a spark off the
bench, or Conner or Schiemann or Mian
working inside and attacking the rim.
At Pendleton the Loggers had
three different leading scorers and three
different players named Player of the
Game.
Against Burns in the opener
on Thursday, March 3 it was Sullivan
who led the way with 15 points and 8
rebounds. But it was Elliott who coolly
stepped to the free throw line with 41
seconds left and calmly sank three shots
to give the Loggers a 43-42 lead; the
Loggers won 44-42.
In the semi finals against Bandon
it was Adams who got hot, scoring 19
points on 7 for 10 shooting, including
5 of 8 from three point range and was
named Player of the Game.
The final against the number
one ranked Regis Rams was the Loggers
season in a microcosm. With Sullivan
struggling from the field Conner stepped
up and scored 17 points on 5 for 7
shooting while going 7 for 10 from the
foul line and was named Player of the
Game. Adams was once again sharp
and had 14 points, Schiemann added
10 points and Mian came off the bench
and scored 10 points. Even though he
struggled shooting the ball, Sullivan still
found a way to contribute, grabbing 6
rebounds and running the offense from
the point. The Loggers shot 52 percent
from the field in the second half, a torrid
rate in a pressure packed high school
final, proof that Sullivan was getting
the ball to the right players in the right
spot. The 57-49 win was a complete
and dominant team effort.
After the game Sullivan was
2016
named First Team All-Tournament
and Elliott was named Second Team,
but certainly Adams and Conner were
also both deserving of All Tournament
recognition.
This championship certainly
belongs to the players and coaches
on this amazing squad. But it also
belongs to the school and the district
– to the athletic department, to the
administration, to the School Board,
and to the faculty and staff. It certainly
belongs to the student body who cheered
them on and to the cheer squad and pep
band who provided entertainment and
spirit throughout the season.
This championship also belongs
to the community at large, because this
really was a community effort – to the
youth coaches who worked with these
boys since they were young, to the
parents of the players, to the businesses
and fans who supported the program
with funding for the trip to Pendleton,
and to all the fans who cheered them
on all season, at home, away, and in
Pendleton.
Winning this title is something
that can never be taken away from
these players and coaches. They will
always be together. They will always be
champions.
So remember these names
Vernonia: Sullivan, Elliott, Adams,
Medearis, Jones, McCallum, Conner,
Schiemann, Mian, Henke, Clark,
Vazquez, Weller, Blair, Schorzman.
Today they are our Kings!
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