WINTER GUIDE
4 • THE ASTORIAN
SATuRdAy, dEcEmbER 18, 2021
corey conant
The Warrenton Warriors High School wrestling team are the defending District 2 champions.
Big seasons in store
for local teams
By GARY HENLEY
The Astorian
Jeff TerHar
The Seaside girls basketball team during a
game last season.
It’s going to be a fun season on the court
for local high school basketball teams, with
state championship aspirations for at least
three or four.
And, as always, Clatsop County teams
offer up some competitive swimmers and
wrestlers for the winter sports season.
In basketball, fans can expect to see sev-
eral local teams making serious state title
runs next February.
The Seaside boys — state champs in
2017 and 2018 and state runner-up in 2016
and 2019 — could be the team to beat at
the 4A level. The Gulls were ranked fifth in
a preseason coaches poll. Look for Seaside
to eventually garner some first place votes
this season.
The Knappa boys had just one senior
last year (a non-starter), and with a front
line that includes players with heights of 6
foot 9 inches, 6 foot 8 inches and 6 foot four
inches , the Northwest League favorite Log-
gers are once again a strong contender to
make the Final Four in Pendleton.
Knappa was ranked fourth in a preseason
coaches poll.
On the girls’ side, the Astoria Lady Fish-
ermen have lost key seniors over the last
two seasons, but with young players step-
ping up and a few new additions, expect the
Fish to contend for the Cowapa League title
and be right back in the state championship
hunt.
Come state tournament time, look for the
Seaside (4A), Warrenton (3A) and Knappa
(2A) boys to be playing in Forest Grove,
Marshfield and Pendleton. The Astoria girls
could also be among the final eight at the 4A
level in Forest Grove.
In the water, Astoria and Seaside had
success at the district level in the last win-
ter sports season. The Seaside boys won
a district title last spring, and the Astoria
boys recently won a team title at the annual
Nygaard Invitational.
Meanwhile, the Warrenton Warriors
wrestling team (defending district champi-
ons and ranked seventh in the state in a pre-
season coaches poll) has even bigger expec-
tations with a large team in 2021-22.
“We are looking to build on what we did
last year, and I feel like we have the wres-
tlers to do it,” said Warrenton coach Corey
Conant. “They’re hungry and ready to
learn.”
The Warriors had 38 wrestlers on the pre-
season roster.
Said Conant, “Our team is as big as ever,
and I honestly don’t see us losing too many.”
MUST-WATCH GAMES AND
EVENTS THIS WINTER:
Thursday, Dec. 23
boys basketball
Knappa at Warrenton, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Dec.
28 to Dec. 30
basketball
Astoria Vince dulcich Tournament, TbA
Friday, Jan. 7
boys basketball
Seaside at Knappa, 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 12
Swimming
Astoria at Seaside/Warrenton, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 25
Girls basketball
Valley catholic at Astoria, 7:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 28
boys basketball
banks at Seaside, 6 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, Feb. 11 and Feb.
12
Swimming
district 1, at Astoria Aquatic center, TbA
Thursday, Feb. 17
boys basketball
Seaside at Astoria, 7:45 p.m.
Girls basketball
Seaside at Astoria, 6 p.m.