SPORTS
4A
Burnard goes for 50 in Knappa win
By MIKE WEBER
For the Daily Astorian
FOREST GROVE — Ty-
son Burnard’s career-high 50
points helped lead the Knap-
pa Loggers to an 80-68 win
over the Vernonia Loggers in
the Northwest League No. 1
seed game Saturday at Forest
Grove High School.
With the win, coach Chris
Spencer’s No. 6-ranked Log-
gers clinched a home game
in the 16-team Class 2A state
playoffs. Knappa (20-5 over-
all) will play No. 12 Union
(16-8) at 6 p.m. Friday at
Knappa.
A win would send Knappa
WR3HQGOHWRQIRUWKH¿UVWWLPH
since 2011.
“I’m really proud of the
kids for their good team ef-
fort,” said Spencer, the NWL
Coach-of-the-Year. “We had
some late foul trouble, but
our bench players (Colton
Weirup, Ethan Rubus, Chase
Rusinovich) came in and
WKH\PDGHVLJQL¿FDQWFRQWUL-
butions to helping us get the
win.
“Tyson played like an
MVP by scoring 50 of our 80
points, which is really incred-
ible. It was really special to
see him take over the game
like that and you don’t see
that type of performance too
often. His performance ranks
right up there with some of
the best ever in Knappa’s
long tradition of very suc-
cessful basketball teams.”
In what was an early see-
saw battle that included six
¿UVWTXDUWHU OHDG FKDQJHV
Knappa took control of the
game with an incredible 29-4
scoring outburst. Burnard, a
OLJKWQLQJ TXLFN IRRW VH-
nior guard, had 14 points in
the run to help fuel the offen-
sive explosion. Burnard also
had a total of eight rebounds
DQG¿YHDVVLVWV
“I think we’re starting to
come together as a team and
play pretty well even though
we’re without one of our best
players, Andy Miller, who is
injured,” said Burnard, who
earned the NWL Player-of-
the-Year Award. “We’re hop-
ing that Andy will be back
soon, because we’re an even
better team with him. I just
hope that we’ll make it to
Pendleton, which is one of
our main goals and it would
be just awesome. We just
have to win one more game
at home and I think we can do
ED ELLIOTT — For the Daily Astorian
Knappa’s Justin Dragoo puts up a jump shot during Sat-
urday’s win over Vernonia.
that. Maybe we’ll even have
a chance to win it all too, but
we’ll have to wait and see
what happens there.”
Trailing 16-14 after a 5-0
Vernonia run, Knappa fresh-
man forward Dale Takalo (11
SRLQWV¿UHGLQDSRLQW¿HOG
JRDO JLYLQJ .QDSSD D
16 advantage. Takalo later
scored on a layup off a fast
break, giving Knappa a 19-16
OHDGDIWHURQHTXDUWHU
An 11-0 Knappa run over-
ODSSLQJ WKH ¿UVW DQG VHFRQG
TXDUWHUV H[WHQGHG WKH PDU-
gin to 25-16 on back-to-back
SRLQWHUV E\ :HLUXS ZLWK
OHIWLQWKHVHFRQG$IWHU
Vernonia trimmed it to 25-19,
Knappa junior Dakota Sever-
son sank two free throws to
help ignite an 11-0 run.
Burnard scored nine
consecutive points, includ-
ing back-to-back steals for
breakaway layups. Burnard’s
driving layup in the lane
capped the rally as Knappa
EXLOWDGRXEOHGLJLWDG-
vantage.
“I really didn’t know how
many points I had because I
don’t keep track of them, but
I sure love scoring on drives
to the hoop,” said Burnard,
whose previous career-high
ZDVSRLQWV³,OLNHVKRRW-
LQJ ¶V DQG , DOVR PDGH ORWV
of free throws (nine) too,
which also helped us a lot. I
ZDVDEOHWRXVHP\TXLFNQHVV
advantage to penetrate well
through Vernonia’s defense.
I had no idea that I would
score 50 points though.”
8WLOL]LQJ D TXLFN DQG
aggressive man-to-man de-
fense to get steals and create
turnovers, Knappa thwarted
Vernonia’s offense and con-
tinued it’s momentum by
EXLOGLQJ SRLQW PDUJLQV
twice for it’s largest lead of
the game.
Knappa senior Justin Dra-
goo (12 rebounds) sank a
jumper in the lane, making it
DQG %XUQDUG¶V IRRW
jump shot made it 45-22.
Knappa outscored Vernonia
LQ WKH VHFRQG WR OHDG
DWKDOIWLPH
“It feels pretty awesome
to win the district champion-
ship,” Dragoo said. “Every-
one on our team really want-
ed to win this game, because
we realize that we play a lot
better at home than we do in
road games. We’ll have a full
gym on Friday for the state
playoffs, which will be lots
of fun. Tyson sure played a
great game and he just had
an awesome performance. It
was our goal to win districts
and our next goal is to go
to Pendleton. It would be a
great way for the seniors on
our team to conclude our bas-
ketball career.”
Vernonia came back with
DWKLUGTXDUWHUUDOO\RXWVFRU-
ing Knappa 15-9, to get with-
in 58-46. Knappa regained
the momentum by scoring
WKH ¿UVW IRXU SRLQWV RI WKH
fourth on two Burnard free
WKURZV DQG D:HLUXS IRU D
OHDG ZLWK OHIW LQ
the game.
Vernonia responded with
a 16-6 run, trimming it to 69-
ZLWKUHPDLQLQJRQWKH
clock, but they wouldn’t get
any closer. Clutch free throws
by Burnard and Severson put
the lead back to double digits
DW ZLWK OHIW %XU-
nard had an absolutely amaz-
ing performance as he was
just unstoppable for the entire
game and he scored the Log-
JHUV ¿QDO HLJKW SRLQWV RQ WZR
driving layups in the lane and
four free throws to help lead
.QDSSDWRD¿IWKVWUDLJKWYLF-
tory.
“This was a huge, huge win
for us, because if we would’ve
lost, then we would’ve had to
play a road game on Friday in
the state playoffs,” said Spen-
cer. “It will be a fun environ-
ment having a home playoff
game and we’re hoping to get
another big win. It sure was
nice playing at Forest Grove
+LJK6FKRROIRUWKH¿UVWWLPH
in such a nice facility like this.
I like it better than where we
played the district tournament
ODVW \HDU DW 3DFL¿F 8QLYHUVL-
ty.”
.QDSSD VKRW SHUFHQW
(12-for-21) from the line, 52
percent (10-for-19) from the
SRLQWDUFDQGSHUFHQWLQ
WZRSRLQW¿HOGJRDOVIRU
42). It marked the third time
Knappa scored 80 or more
points this season.
Burnard recorded the sec-
ond highest total in Knappa
history. The school record is
54 points by Bob “Pudgy”
+XQWLQ
Gulls play role of Cheese-melters
By GARY HENLEY
The Daily Astorian
7,//$022.²$SRLQW
VKRWE\-DFNVRQ-DQXLNZLWK¿YH
seconds left gave Seaside the
win and a share of the Cowapa
League title Friday night, as the
*XOOVZRQDW7LOODPRRN
Coupled with Scappoose’s
win over Banks, the Gulls and
,QGLDQV ¿QLVK WLHG IRU WKH WRS
VSRWDW
Scappoose and Seaside will
play the tie-breaker for the No. 1
VHHGDWSP7XHVGD\DW&ODWV-
kanie.
It will be the fourth meeting
of the season between Scap-
poose and Seaside.
6HDVLGH KHOG DQ HDUO\
lead Friday before Tillamook
UDOOLHGEHKLQGDELJ¿UVWTXDUWHU
from Zane Wright, to take an
HYHQWXDOOHDG
That’s about when Wright
got into foul trouble, and had to
VSHQGPXFKRIWKHVHFRQGTXDU-
ter and second half on the bench.
He picked up his fourth foul late
in the third period.
With Wright on the bench,
Seaside rallied behind a big sec-
ond half from Januik, who hit
three straight baskets late in the
WKLUGTXDUWHUWRJLYH6HDVLGHWKH
lead.
The Cheesemakers battled,
and with Wright back on the
ÀRRULQWKHIRXUWKTXDUWHU7LOOD-
mook took a 52-50 lead with 14
seconds remaining on a Wright
jump shot.
But the Gulls rallied one last
time, with Januik draining the
JDPHZLQQLQJ SRLQWHU ZLWK
¿YHVHFRQGVOHIW
³7KLV ZDV WKH ¿UVW WLPH DOO
year that we’ve played well on
the road,” said Seaside coach
Bill Westerholm. “We’ve had
players play well, but we hav-
en’t played well as a group for a
whole game.
“And this was a tough place
playoffs and the Regional
Play-in round.
The Lady Fish beat Til-
lamook twice in the regular
VHDVRQ WR ZLQ WKH ¿IWKSODFH
WLHEUHDNHU 6FDSSRRVH
which swept Astoria during
the regular season, hosts Asto-
ria in a league playoff for the
No. 4 seed tonight.
The winner plays Tuesday
DW%DQNVIRUWKH1RDQG
JEFF TER HAR — The Daily Astorian
seeds.
Seaside players mob Jackson Januik, following his
Chloee Hunt led Astoria
game-winning shot Friday at Tillamook.
with 15 points in Friday’s loss,
WRJRZLWKQLQHUHERXQGV¿YH
to do it,” he said of Tillamook. already clinched a share of the steals and two blocks. Kaylee
“As a team, we talked about Cowapa League title coming in Mitchell had six points and
it being time to step up. We’re to the game, the Seaside girls seven rebounds.
not inexperienced anymore, and EDVNHWEDOOWHDPPDGHLWRI¿FLDO
Molly Danielson led Val-
we’re going to have to win on Friday night, locking up the No. ley Catholic with 14 points.
WKHURDGWRJHWWRWKH¿QDOHLJKW 1 spot all to themselves with a
If we can win at Tillamook, we win at Tillamook.
City Christian 55,
Once again, the defending
can win anywhere.”
Knappa 40
Win or lose Tuesday, the champion Gulls had all the
FOREST GROVE — A
Gulls will host either a Region- points they would need by URXJK ¿UVW TXDUWHU HQGHG XS
DO3OD\LQJDPHRUD¿UVWURXQG KDOIWLPHDVWKH\EXLOWD costing the Knappa girls Satur-
lead at the break, on their way day afternoon, in a Northwest
state playoff contest.
to an easy 52-29 victory over League basketball playoff
Valley Catholic 41,
the Cheesemakers.
game against City Christian.
Astoria 32
Maddi Utti poured in 21
The Lions jumped out to a
BEAVERTON — A tie for points and Whitney Wester- OHDGDIWHURQHSHULRGRQ
third place in the league stand- holm added 11 for the Gulls, their way to a 55-40 win over
LQJV¿QLVKHGWKHVHDVRQIRUWKH who never trailed and led 25-9 WKH/DG\/RJJHUVZKR¿QLVK
Astoria boys basketball team HDUO\LQWKHVHFRQGTXDUWHU
WKHLUVHDVRQDWRYHUDOO
Friday.
Seaside does not play again
Knappa fought back to
Valley Catholic defeated the XQWLO0DUFKZKHQWKH*XOOV within eight points in the sec-
)LVKHUPHQSXWWLQJ$VWR- host a lower-seeded team in a RQG TXDUWHU EXW &LW\ &KULV-
ULDDQG%DQNVLQWRD¿IWKSODFH Sweet 16 game.
tian was able to hold on for
WLH LQ WKH VWDQGLQJV DW %XW
the win, which gave the Lions
Valley Catholic 61,
because of a tie for third between
WKHOHDJXH¶V1RVHHGWRWKH
Astoria 26
Tillamook and Valley Catholic
state playoffs.
BEAVERTON — Three
at 5-5, that ends the season for
Susie Traver scored 16
Valley Catholic players scored points and Arianna Swalko
the Fishermen and Braves.
Morgan Fruiht had 14 points LQGRXEOH¿JXUHVDQGWKH9DO- added 14 for City, while
IRU$VWRULDZKLFKKHOGD iants held Astoria to just nine Shailei Wright tossed in 14
SRLQWV LQ WKH ¿UVW KDOI )ULGD\ points, with six rebounds and
lead at halftime.
The Valiants outscored the night, on their way to a 61-26 ¿YHVWHDOVIRU.QDSSD
Fishermen 8-5 in the third, then win over the Lady Fishermen
McKailyn Rogers added
went on a short run in the fourth in a Cowapa League girls bas- SRLQWV DQG ¿YH UHERXQGV
NHWEDOOUHJXODUVHDVRQ¿QDOH
TXDUWHUWRSXOODZD\
Amber Jones pulled down
$VWRULD ¿QLVKHV DQG nine rebounds, and Kacie
GIRLS BASKETBALL WLHGZLWK7LOODPRRNIRU¿IWKLQ &DPHURQ ¿QLVKHG ZLWK IRXU
Seaside 52, Tillamook 29
the league standings, and will steals and three assists for the
TILLAMOOK — Having now prepare for the league Loggers.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015
Two Seaside
relay swim teams
reach the top four
LQWKHVHPL¿QDOV
,QWKHFKHVVPDWFKOLNH¿-
nal, Nyssa sophomore Heath
GRESHAM — The Sea- +DUWOH\SRVWHGDGHFLVLRQ
side boys swim team had over Bergerson. The two
three relays competing in could very well meet again in
the Class 4A portion of the WKH VWDWH FKDPSLRQVKLS ¿QDO
OSAA state meet over the later this week.
weekend, at Mt. Hood Com-
Also headed to state will
munity College in Gresham. be senior Michael Suppa, the
Two of the relays earned only wrestler in the tourna-
WRSIRXU ¿QLVKHV VFRULQJ ment to score four pins. Sup-
points for an eighth-place pa took third at 145 pounds,
WHDP¿QLVKIRUWKH*XOOV
DIWHUORVLQJDVHPL¿QDOPDWFK
Seaside’s foursome of to Nyssa’s Joshua Bongiorno.
Will Garvin, Luke Liljen-
Warrenton junior Justice
wall, Dylan Townsend and Watson placed third at 160,
Sam Beaudoin teamed up ZLWK D IDOO RYHU 1\V-
to help the Gulls’ 200-yard sa’s Alejandro Carrasco in the
freestyle relay to a third place third-place match.
showing.
:DUUHQWRQ¶V¿QDOTXDOL¿HU
The Gulls were seeded to state is junior Eli Peterson,
seventh going into the meet, ZKRZHQWWR¿QLVKIRXUWK
but swam a preliminary time at 182.
RI PLQXWH VHFRQGV
(over a two-second drop
Knappa has three
from districts).
district champs
,Q WKH FKDPSLRQVKLS ¿-
KNAPPA — With three
QDO 6HDVLGH VZDP individual champions and
to place third behind Catlin IRXU VWDWH TXDOL¿HUV WKH
*DEHO DQG 6ZHHW Knappa wrestling team will
+RPH
be scoring some major points
Seeded fourth going into in the state meet later this
the state meet, that’s exactly week.
where Seaside’s 200-yard
The Loggers were the
medley relay team (Garvin, hosts for the Special District
Brad Rzewnicki, Beaudoin, 1/2A/1A tournament, held
7RZQVHQG ¿QLVKHG LQ WKH Friday and Saturday at Knap-
VWDWH¿QDO
pa.
After a preliminary time
And with the home mat
RI WKH *XOOV VZDP advantage, Knappa wrestlers
DLQWKH¿QDOWR¿QLVK won three titles.
fourth behind Catlin Gabel
Monroe won the team
/D *UDQGH DQG championship with 256
Philomath.
points, followed by Nestucca
Seaside’s 400-yard free- (194). Vernonia was third and
VW\OHUHOD\WHDPGLGQRWTXDOL- Knappa took fourth out of
I\IRUWKH¿QDOV
eight schools.
.QDSSD¶V ¿UVW LQGLYLGXDO
WRESTLING
WLWOHFDPHDWSRXQGV
Warriors qualify
With just four wrestlers in
¿YHIRUVWDWH
WKHEUDFNHWDW²DQGWKH
HERMISTON — After a top two going to state — the
TXDUWHU¿QDOORVVLQWKH&ODVV odds were good for Logger
4A state wrestling meet last senior Chris Cruz, who had a
year with Astoria, Warren- TXDUWHU¿QDOE\HWKHQSLQQHG
ton’s Colton Walker will be Neah-Kah-Nie’s Dylan Dun-
the favorite at 106 pounds in ODSLQWKHVHPL¿QDOVWRFOLQFK
WKH$PHHWODWHUWKLVZHHN D VSRW LQ WKH ¿QDO HLJKW DW
after the Warrior junior won a state.
district title Saturday.
In the championship bout,
Walker was the only War- &UX]VFRUHGDIDOORYHU
renton champion, while four Nestucca’s Bryce McKillip.
RWKHUV TXDOL¿HG IRU WKH VWDWH
Shortly after Cruz’s
meet after a weekend of com- championship, Knappa soph-
petition in Hermiston, which omore Andrew Goozee won
hosted the Special District the title at 182.
$7RXUQDPHQW
With just three wrestlers
Nyssa won the team title in the entire bracket, Goozee
ZLWK SRLQWV ZLWK 9DOH KDG D ¿UVWURXQG E\H D SLQ
(255.5) second and Warren- over Neah-Kah-Nie’s Dylan
WRQ¿IWKRXWRIQLQHWHDPV
+DQVRQ LQ WKH VHPL¿QDOV
³,¶P HODWHG WR KDYH ¿YH DQGDSLQRYHU*DEULHO
guys going,” said Warrenton Cazarez of Neah-Kah-Nie in
coach Trask Bergerson. “It WKHFKDPSLRQVKLS
was a remarkable feat for our
Knappa senior Nate Tru-
program. There was some ax had to win one match to
monster competition in this FOLQFK KLV VSRW LQ WKH ¿QDO
district.
eight at state (a 21-second fall
“We knew we could get a over Neah-Kah-Nie’s Luis
couple guys to state (Walker 3HUH]LQWKHVHPL¿QDOVWKHQ
and Rogue Bergerson), so the 7UXD[ UHFRUGHG D IDOO
other guys provided the silver over Nestucca’s Chase Cook
lining.”
in the title match.
Walker cruised through
$W SRXQGV .QDSSD
the bracket at 106, with a senior Ryan Simpson scored
VHFRQG SLQ RYHU &ODWV- D TXDUWHU¿QDO GHFLVLRQ
kanie’s Dalton Littleton; a over Jacob Drago of Triangle
6-4 decision over Nyssa’s /DNHWKHQSRVWHGDVFRUH
Ryan Vineyard; and a second over Monroe’s Tyler Sher-
round fall over Andrew Dele- PDQIRUDVSRWLQWKH¿QDO
RQRI1\VVDLQWKH¿QDO
In the championship,
“Colton was really ap- Monroe’s Kaleb Ballard
prehensive going into his last gained a little revenge for
match, because he had never his teammate, scoring an 8-4
wrestled DeLeon,” coach decision over Simpson, who
Bergerson said.
VWLOOTXDOL¿HGIRUVWDWH
But after a couple early
Sophomore Cody Hobbs
big moves by DeLeon, Walk- QDUURZO\ PLVVHG TXDOLI\LQJ
er took over with some supe- for state at 106, where Hobbs
rior strength and ended the KDG D ¿UVWURXQG E\H ORVW D
match in the second round.
VHPL¿QDO PDWFK WR 1HVWXF-
$IWHU D TXDUWHU¿QDO E\H ca’s Gabe Garcia, then had
Warrior senior Rogue Berg- two byes in the consolation
erson scored a 16-5 major de- URXQG WR ¿QLVK WKLUG RXW RI
cision over Vale’s Jorge Juica three wrestlers.
By GARY HENLEY
The Daily Astorian
KATHY MORGAN — For the Daily Astorian
Knappa wrestling state qualifiers, from left to right: Nate
Truax, Ryan Simpson, Christopher Cruz, Andrew Goozee.