Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2015)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2015 SPORTS PREVIEW 7A Talented front line trio leads Warriors By GARY HENLEY The Daily Astorian No promises or guarantees, but the 2015 Warrenton volleyball season sure looks a lot more promising than it did midway through the 2014 cam- paign. A bright start to last year’s league season — which included back-to- back wins over Riverdale and Clats- kanie — was followed by a ¿ve- match losing streak for the Warriors, who dropped in the league standings and ¿nished 4- in league play. From all appearances, Warrenton will knocking on the door to the state playoffs this season. THE WARRIORS Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Freeman era begins Warrenton’s Gavon McFadden, No. 13, avoids a tackle by an Ilwaco, Wash., player during the Football Jamboree at CMH Field. Warriors could be frontrunner in football league By GARY HENLEY The Daily Astorian It feels like we were just here, not long ago — Warrenton football hav- ing to replace a coach and rebuild. That’s where the Warriors are again as they enter the 2015 season. Ian O’Brien has moved on, while Warrenton looks to bounce back after its ¿rst winless league season in the modern era of Warrior football. (Although you can put an asterisk by “winless,” since there were only three teams in the league, and the 0-2 Warriors lost to the other two). Travis Freeman is the new War- renton coach, replacing O’Brien, who left to become the athletic director at Lakeridge High School. “We’re ¿lling some gaps in some pretty big ways,” Freeman said. “It’s tough when you lose a two-year start- er at quarterback (Brock Johnson). But we’ve got a lot of senior talent returning. The leadership has been phenomenal. I have no complaints or worries in that department.” Freeman is only the third coach of Warrenton football since 1974 (John Mattila coached from 1974 to 2011). THE WARRIORS On the plus side, the Warriors are back with six all-league returners (an- other asterisk — with only three teams in the league, most starters made all- league). The all-leaguers include running back Justice Watson and receiver Ga- von McFadden; linebacker/running back Eli Petersen and lineman Antho- ny Cochran (all seniors); and junior offensive linemen Devon Bowser and Jared Middleton. “Gavon is a three-year starter, and every year he’s gotten better and bet- ter,” Freeman said. “He’s every bit as good, if not better, than he was last year.” McFadden will also carry the ball for the Warriors, along with Watson. Petersen ran the ball last season, and was the leading tackler on defense. On last year’s roster, Jesse Salcedo was listed as a wide receiver, and wore No. 85. Salcedo is back for his senior sea- son, and could be Warrenton’s starting quarterback for the season opener. “We’re giving him a shot (at quar- terback),” Freeman said. “He gives us an athletic look back there. We’ll try and run the read-option a little, and he gives us a good look.” The Warriors have a couple other candidates at QB. “It’s been a good battle in camp so far, and we’ll see how it comes out,” Freeman said. “There’s no clear win- ner yet. You might see a rotation.” On the offensive line, Cochran Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Warrenton’s Jesse Salcedo, No. 7, tries to break a tackle by Sea- side’s Gage Cain, No. 63, during the Football Jamboree. has moved to center, while Bowser and Middleton will help anchor what could be the league’s best line. THE LEAGUE The league added a fourth team (Portland Christian), which means it may take two league wins to make the state playoffs this year. 5ainier made the ¿nal 1 last season with a 1-1 league record (2-7 overall), while the Warriors began 2014 with a -0 record, but lost both league games and ¿nished out of the playoffs. The Columbians — for years the league powerhouse — are no longer the threat they once were (Rainier was blown out in its playoff game vs. Harrisburg, 35-0); Clatskanie lost a ton of starters to graduation, and the Tigers only had 21 players suited up for last week’s jamboree at Astoria; and new arrival Portland Christian has not ¿elded a varsity football team in two years. All of which should put the War- riors back in the state playoffs for the ¿rst time since 2012. “The league is always tough,” Freeman said. “We don’t know what Portland Christian is going to look like. “And we have yet to beat Rainier and Clatskanie in a very long time. We got close last year, but we have a long ways to go. They’re both phenomenal programs. I expect Rainier to rebound. Clatskanie is just going to reload. “Every game is critical, especially with four teams. You lose one, and you’re probably not going to get in. It’s important to win all three, and just solidify it. I like that we have a lot of seniors this year. But we’re no world- ender. We have a long way to go.” Freeman’s coaching staff includes Jason Edwards, Mike Larsen and Jake Mullins. WARRENTON FOOTBALL Coach: Travis Freeman, 1st year 2014: 6-2 (0-2 league) All-League Losses: Brock Johnson, Bry- ton Kyme, Chris Ocana, Juan Salcedo All-League Returners: Devon Bowser (OL), Jr.; Anthony Cochran (DE), Sr.; Ga- von McFadden (WR), Sr.; Jared Middleton (OL), Jr.; Eli Petersen (LB), Sr.; Justice Watson (RB), Sr. Warrenton has list of young runners By GARY HENLEY The Daily Astorian Daily Astorian File Warrenton runner Jeryd Lew- is tries to set the pace ahead of Seaside’s Rafi Sibony in a track meet last spring. A new cast and crew — with a few returners tossed in — are wait- ing at the starting line for the 2015 Warrenton cross country team. Head coach Hayley Espelund Rogers has some varsity experienced runners returning, but the Warriors will also be counting on a lot of new, ¿rst-year runners, as well. The Lady Warriors have a good mix of experience and youth. A talented junior class includes Cheyenne Harrison, Krista Morrill (recovering from a back injury), Sa- ran Pottschmidt and Elle Schenbeck. Sophomore Ivy McCargish ran track last spring and is coming off a hip injury; and the Warriors have added freshman Madison Kadera. “If all these girls stick around, we will have the biggest girls team we’ve seen so far,” Rogers said. The only returning senior for the Warrenton boys is Charlie Burrows. Rogers is “super excited to see how he does. He has made huge im- provements from cross country last year to track season. Last year was his ¿rst year running, ever.” Other runners with varsity expe- rience include juniors Jeryd Lewis and Luke Liljenwall, and sophomore Austin Stein. Freshman Andrew Stafford “looks very promising,” Rogers said. The Warriors will be hosting a meet later in the season, the second annual Wreck Race (at the Peter Ire- dale) Oct. 13. SCOREBOARD Coach Jenny Forney Smith and the Warriors head into a new season with a balanced roster: Five seniors, four juniors, two sophomores and a freshman. All-league returner Libby Biel enters her senior season as one of the team’s outstanding hitters, along with junior middle blocker/outside hitter Landree Miethe. Another player to watch will be senior hitter Ally Bentley, who trans- ferred to Astoria two years, but has returned to Warrenton for her senior year. Bentley was a Cowapa All- League selection last year with the Lady Fishermen. Other seniors are Lexie Lumberg, Amanda Spencer and Sophia Thomas. Besides Miethe, the junior class includes Katelynn Blodgett, Asia Lambert and Sierra Lyons; and a few underclassmen who may see action in- clude sophomore setter Leah Durham and sophomore Michelle Arney, while freshman Claire Bussert started in last week’s season opener. THE LEAGUE Defending Lewis & Clark League champion Oregon Episcopal lost a pair of ¿rst-team all-league players, but the Aardvarks return ¿rst-team player Grace Magee and junior sec- ond-team all-leaguer Belle Scott. As league coach of the year, Jennifer Hormann, looks to lead OES to anoth- er league championship. Rainier ¿nished just a half-game behind OES in the standings a year ago, and the Columbians return sophomore Breana Edwards, but lost Player of the Year Mikala Edwards to graduation. Catlin Gabel, Portland Adventist and Warrenton will all battle for a state playoff spot, as the Warriors went 1-1 in last year’s league playoffs. WARRENTON VOLLEYBALL Coach: Jenny Forney Smith, 2nd year 2014: 4-6 Lewis & Clark All-League Loss: Bri Marsch All-League Returners: Libby Biel, Sr.; Ally Bentley, Sr. (Cowapa All-League with Astoria) PREP SCHEDULE TODAY Volleyball — Astoria at Estacada, 6 p.m.; Seaside at Warrenton, 6:30 p.m. Boys Soccer — Catlin Gabel at Asto- ria, 5 p.m. THURSDAY Volleyball — Seaside at Yamhill-Carl- ton, 6:30 p.m.; Warrenton at Portland Adventist, 6:30 p.m.; Knappa at Clats- kanie, 6 p.m. Girls Soccer — Seaside at Yam- hill-Carlton, 4:15 p.m. Boys Soccer — Yamhill-Carlton at Seaside, 7 p.m. Cross Country — Warrenton at Bill Chapman Invitational, 4:30 p.m. FRIDAY Football — Taft at Astoria, 7 p.m.; Yamhill-Carlton at Seaside, 7 p.m.; War- renton at Vernonia, 7 p.m.; Knappa at Regis, 7 p.m.; Ilwaco at North Beach, 7 p.m. SATURDAY Volleyball — Astoria at Southridge Tournament, 8 a.m.; Neah-Kah-Nie Tournament, 9 a.m. Girls Soccer — Astoria vs. North Bend, at Newport, 1 p.m. Boys Soccer — Astoria vs. North Bend, at Newport, 3 p.m. Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian No. 9, Sophia Thomas of Warren- ton makes the hit during a game against Knappa at Warrenton High School. EL COMPADRE MEXICAN FOOD WARRENTON: 1 1 9 S. Main Ave. (503) 861-2906 Proud sponsor of Warrenton Sports Best of luck this season!