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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 3, 2015)
KHS PREVIEWS 10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 Loggers football team still loaded with talent By GARY HENLEY The Daily Astorian League championships are a dime a dozen at Knappa High School. Football, boys basketball, baseball … the Loggers swept all three league titles last year, and will win all three this year. Knappa lost just two league games in 2014-15 (both to Delphian, both in boys basket- ball). Yes, the Loggers lost a few key seniors — and the scores may be a little closer this year — but make no mistake, the Knappa Loggers will be add- ing more league championship trophies to the trophy case in the next ¿ve months. With the baseball state championship still fresh in ev- eryone’s mind, Knappa’s big goal will be adding more state titles in 2015-16. The Loggers de¿nitely have the bullseye on their back at the 2A level. Logger football coach Aar- on Barendse admits, “we have a big target on our back. But that’s the kind of program we want to run, being a good pro- gram with people wanting to knock us off.” Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Knappa’s Kaitlyn Landwehr, No. 4, sets the ball during a volleyball match against Warrenton. Knappa High volleyball has youthful look By GARY HENLEY The Daily Astorian THE LOGGERS While the Loggers lost one of their most successful senior classes in school history, they also return a new generation of all-state caliber players — in- cluding two all- state junior linemen. Michal Goodman was all- league on both sides of the ball, and will be joined by fellow junior lineman Andrew Goo- zee. And since it starts up front, Knappa’s defensive domi- nance and success in the run game should continue. The Northwest League Players of the Year for the past two seasons were Kyle Kelly and Justin Dragoo. This year, it could be any one of three play- ers — Dale Takalo? Dakota Severson? Reuben Cruz? Take your pick. Odds are it will be a Knappa Logger. With the graduation of Ty- son Burnard, Dragoo and Ryan Simpson, “we basically lost all of our touchdowns from last season,” Barendse said. Still, the Loggers are more than covered. Takalo, a sophomore, will take the snaps at quarterback, while Severson will get his share of carries on offense. “He (Severson) is a work- horse,” Barendse said. “He reminds me of Kyle Kelly, his work ethic, just a gritty guy, and I’m excited about his great attitude. He will be one of our horses running the ball, with Reuben and Braedon Elt- agonde as well.” Elsewhere, “Michal Good- man is an animal on the line,” Barendse said. “Andrew Goozee is a linebacker and second-team all-state guard; Jared Parks came back for his senior year; Reuben Cruz is very talented, he’s legit; and Dale Takalo looks awesome. He’s worked really hard the last two years on his foot- work. He’s gotten a lot stron- ger and can throw the ball re- ally well.” Other key players include junior tight end/linebacker Ethan Rubus; junior Mitch Geisler and sophomore receiv- Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Knappa’s Dale Takalo drops back to pass during football practice. KNAPPA FOOTBALL Coach: Aaron Barendse, 4th year 2014: 10-2 (4-0 NWL) State Playoffs: Defeated Culver (54-16) and Oakland (12-7), lost semifinal to Hep- pner (16-25). All-League Losses: Tyson Burnard, Justin Dragoo, Richard Shadley (transferred), Ryan Simpson, Nathan Truax All-League Returners: Michal Goodman (OL/DL), Jr.; Andrew Goozee (OL), Jr. THE LOGGERS Knappa lost some top- notch seniors in Stacey Aho, Kacie Cameron, Al- yson Olheiser and Millena Riffe, while junior Chel- sea Albee and sophomore McKailyn Rogers have transferred. That leaves the Loggers with just two returning starters, Bailey Corder and Kaitlyn Landwehr. “Alisha (Murphy) played off the bench, and THE NWL “Faith Bible still has the Player of the Year (senior Maile Kam), and I know she plays all year,” Kaul said. “Any time she’s on the court, she’s a threat. That girl is phenomenal. “Vernonia has some big girls and they had a strong JV — they’re always strong. Delphian, Neah- Kah-Nie and Nestucca are question marks. “Faith Bible should be the favorites,” he said, “unless Vernonia can come up with some big hitters, which they might.” KNAPPA VOLLEYBALL Coach: Jeff Kaul, 6th year 2014: 3-7 NWL All-League Loss: Millena Riffe Loggers back up and running The Daily Astorian Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian Knappa’s Cody Stuhr, right, breaks through the line during football practice. No. 17 is Josh Fulton. er/cornerback Mason Hoover. Adding more depth will be sophomores Jared Ford and Reece Hunt (both started as freshmen last season); sopho- mores Dave Patterson, Quen- tin Pinkstaff, Nick Schaelling and Cody Stuhr. THE NWL Plain and simple … it’s Knappa’s league. Go Loggers! Knappa Office (503) 458-6671 42894 Old Hwy. 30 Knappa, OR 97103 A five-match win streak had the Knappa volleyball team riding high early in the 2014 season. But after three-game sweeps over Ilwaco and City Christian, things quickly went south for the Lady Loggers. Consecutive losses to Delphian, Faith Bible, Ver- nonia and Gaston started a downward spiral for Knap- pa, which lost eight of its final 10 matches, including a four-game loss to Neah- Kah-Nie in the league playoffs. Players not returning, key graduations and trans- fers always play a part, but “what we do have is a lot of girls who like to com- pete,” said Knappa coach Jeff Kaul, of the 2015 Log- gers. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m hoping we’ll be a bit louder as a team this year and not so quiet. These girls love to play the game. I think we’ll compete well.” Kaitlyn Truax started play- ing a little bit later,” Kaul said, after playing JV most of the season. “We have a lot of young kids,” includ- ing sophomores Jaden Mi- ethe, Mackenzie Strain and Paris Vanderburg. Landwehr returns at set- ter for her junior season, while junior Ashly Sil- va transferred to Astoria, then transferred back, Kaul said. “She’s going to be a good defensive player, and Jaden Miethe will be in the rotation on the back row. “We will still go with a 6-2 (formation). I will have Kaitlyn and Paris as my two setters. I don’t have any servers like Mimi (Riffe), but Bailey is a strong server, and Paris is when she gets her serve down.” Corder and Truax have been good hitters, he said, “but we don’t have that big huge hitter.” Rainier Office (503) 556-0410 29191 Dike Road Rainier, OR 97048 www.teevinbros.com • CCB #133907 Last year, the Loggers beat up on Gaston, Neah-Kah-Nie, Nestucca and Vernonia by a combined score of 197-6 (Knappa’s four wins came by scores of 52-0, 54-0, 28-6 and 63-0). The scores should be simi- lar this year. Knappa’s main challenge will be statewide — defending state champion Burns, Hep- pner, Regis … the usual sus- pects. The Loggers’ nonleague schedule? “We stacked it up,” Bar- endse said. “We have Kenne- dy, Central Linn and Regis. And even if Warrenton is in a down year, it seems like we always bang each other up (the Warriors topped Knappa last year, 6-0).” GO ! S R E G G L O A new season, with new runners, a new coach and new hopes for the Knappa cross country program. Stan Sporseen takes over the running Loggers, who have a lineup of nine runners as the 2015 season begins. Knappa has two runners on the girls’ side (juniors Chelsea Sapp and Devin Vandergriff) — which is two more than the Loggers had in last year’s district meet. 7he Knappa boys ¿n- ished ninth out of 12 teams in the 2014 district meet, and graduated top runner Chris Cruz. Four runners return — juniors Noah Bagdall, Noah Gothro and Cody Hobbs, and sophomore Spencer Fulton. 7he rest are new or ¿rst- year runners: sophomore Keenan Gebhardt, and freshmen Timber Engblom and Brett Sporseen. Knappa will open the season at the annu- al 3-Course Challenge at Camp Rilea, then will host the Knappa Logger Elk Run, Sept. 26 at Teevin Ranch. Good Luck Loggers We Deliver! 3693 LIEF ERIKSON DR. ASTORIA (JUST EAST OF SAFEWAY) (503) 458- 6886 42 92 9 O ld Hw y 30 • Asto ria 503.325.4927 HOURS: SUN-THUR 11AM-10PM; FRI-SAT 11AM-11PM