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THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM
SATURDAY EDITION | APRIL 17, 2021 | $1.00
Siuslaw's influential trio
"[They] will go down as the most influential players to have ever played for this program..."
By Lloyd Little
Siuslaw News
Retired teacher, coach
and game offi cial
Sports
&
Leisure
With more than 55 years as an
athlete, coach, parent and spec-
tator, Lloyd Little has gained
some insights and perspectives
regarding athletics from his
multiple points of view.
Behind the Masks
Sports Calendar
April 20
• SHS Track & Field
hosts Sky-Em Inv.
3:30 pm
• SHS Baseball
hosts Marshfield
5 pm
• SHS Softball
hosts Marshfield
5 pm
April 21
• MHS Track & Field
hosts Mapleton Inv.
4 pm
April 23
• SHS Baseball
at Marist 3 and 5 pm
NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
From left: seniors Christian Newlan, Elijah Blankenship and Skyler Loomis, Each has played for
the Viks all four years, incuding through three coaches and COVID-19.
By Zeahna Young
Siuslaw News
A
t the close of this football
season, Siuslaw High
School honored three
seniors who have been with the
program for their entire high
school careers. Elijah Blankenship,
Skyler Loomis and Christian
Newlan came into a broken foot-
ball program, facing coach turn-
over their first two years playing.
The arrival of head coach Sam
Johnson brought stability and tra-
dition back, and with it a renewed
commitment from Blankenship,
Loomis and Newlan.
“When I first got the Siuslaw
football job,” explained Johnson,
“I don’t think I appreciated just
how special this group of seniors
were going to be. All three of
these young men were born lead-
"Siuslaw football means more than most things
in life because it’s a family — it’s a brotherhood
— and it gave me a sense of purpose.”
— Siuslaw senior defensive lineman Christian Newlan
ers. They bought into — and
trusted — me as a coach, and they
bought into and trusted their
brothers on this team.
“It has changed the culture here
completely. They never made
excuses and always focused on
making those around them suc-
ceed.”
Loomis, who was honored as
First Team Linebacker and
Honorable Mention Runningback
by the 3A Special District #2
North Conference, asserts that
“Siuslaw football is a group of
hard-working young men who
come together to achieve a com-
mon goal, not only in football but
in life as well.”
For Loomis, the choice to con-
tinue to play football after the
first two tough years was based
largely on his faith in his team-
mates.
“Even after having terrible sea-
sons both freshman and sopho-
more year,” said Loomis, “we
knew that we had a really talented
and hard-working group of guys
that would make it all worth it in
See
TRIO 2B
• SHS Softball
at Marist 3 and 5 pm
• SHS Track & Field
Coast Inv. at Siuslaw
4 pm
Tide Tables
Entrance Siuslaw River
High Tide
Low Tide
April 17
3:13am / 6.7
5:09pm / 5.3
10:27am / 0.4
10:04pm / 3.6
April 18
3:52am / 6.4
6:14pm / 5.1
11:18am / 0.6
10:58pm / 3.8
April 19
4:43am 6.1
7:25pm / 5.1
12:19pm / 0.7
April 20
5:53am / 6.0
8:29pm / 5.3
12:16am / 3.9
1:26pm / 0.7
April 21
7:14am / 5.9
9:20pm / 5.7
1:44am / 3.6
2:29pm / 0.6
April 22
8:32am / 6.0
10:01pm / 6.1
2:58am / 3.1
3:25pm / 0.4
April 23
9:39am / 6.2
10:38pm / 6.7
3:57am / 2.2
4:14pm / 0.3
Time
Out
Viking baseball comes out swinging
By Zeahna Young
Siuslaw News
After a year of cancelations
and great uncertainty, Siuslaw’s
baseball program is finally back
in the game with Season Three
(spring) in full swing. Coach
Tom Shinn, who is beginning
his fourth season with the Viks,
was relieved the team would be
allowed to proceed with compe-
titions this year.
“I’m glad to have [a season]
on the horizon,” said Shinn. “Af-
ter last year and having it can-
celed, I wasn’t sure we would
have one.”
Shinn, who is also the school’s
history and yearbook teacher,
discussed the disappointment of
last year’s season being canceled
after having gotten so much go-
ing with his team in the pre-sea-
son.
“OSAA allows you two weeks
of pitchers and catchers, and we
had done that,” explained Shinn.
“We were about a week-and-
a-half into having team prac-
tice when it got shut down. We
had games coming up within a
week, and it was about a month's
worth of practice.”
Shinn’s first two years in
charge of the program were
not easy, but in that third year,
the team had started to get its
groove going. Unfortunately,
with the season’s cancelation,
Shinn was unable to see that en-
tire season of progress unfold.
“We've struggled, but we're
trying to rebuild some things,”
admitted Shinn. “Last year, I
NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
After uncertainty over having a season at all, the Vikings
took to the field for practices last week and won their home
opener against Cottage Grove last Tuesday.
was really looking forward to it.
We had a good group of seniors
and sophomores coming in that
were strong, and then they nev-
er got to play. I'm really looking
forward to this year being a year
that we turn the corner.”
Another aspect of the season
that Shinn has to look forward
to are his returning seniors, who
are sharing their fourth year in
the program with the coach.
“That's what makes this sea-
son a little more special for me,
explained Shinn. “These are
kids that came in with me when
See
VIKS 3B
Wearing masks is intend-
ed to reduce the possibility
of spreading the COVID
19 virus. We all know by
now masks hinder normal
breathing. We know this be-
cause we immediately pull
down our masks when leav-
ing a mask-required build-
ing and take a fresh breath
of air. It feels good.
So, athletes who are wear-
ing masks during practices
and competitions must work
harder to maintain their
performances. In fact, tests
administered at the College
of Applied Science in Bah-
rain confi rmed this. Athletes
wearing masks, while train-
ing, showed a decrease
See
LITTLE 3B
ODFW REGIONAL
FISHING REPORT
www.dfw.state.or.us/RR
MID-COAST LAKES:
Mid-coast lakes are full
of trout and the fishing has
been good. Many of the
lakes have been stocked
twice now and several oth-
ers received stockings in
mid-March. Here is a list of
the lakes that have been
stocked so far this year:
Thissel Pond, Cleawox,
Munsel, Mercer, Alder,
Dune, Buck, Lost, Carter,
Devils, Woahink, Elbow,
Siltcoos, Eckman, and Big
Creek Reservoirs #1 and #2.
All of these lakes are sched-
uled to receive more trout
stockings in April as well.
SIUSLAW RIVER:
Winter steelhead
Winter steelhead fishing
continues to be slow on the
Siuslaw and is slowing
down for the season which
closed March 31. Trout
fishing in streams opens on
May 22. Hatchery fish are
also planted in Lake Creek
and are released into Green
Creek. These returning
hatchery fish will start to
show up in December and
peak in January and
February. Lake Creek
closed to all fishing on
March 31 and will open on
May 22 for trout fishing.
ALSEA RIVER: Winter
steelhead
Winter steelhead fishing
continues to be slow on the
Alsea. The recent rain
improved the conditions
and the fishing picked up a
bit. Overall, it continues to
be slow and the run is
winding down for the year
as we head into April.
Although it has been a slow
year there are still fish to be
caught in the system
See
FISHING 2B
Multiple Siuslaw athletes receive all-league, state honors
At the close of Season Two
(fall), Siuslaw athletes in foot-
ball, volleyball and cross country
recceived recognition for their
efforts and accomplishments
this season:
SHS Boys Soccer:
First Team All-League:
Jason Garcia — Forward
Second Team All-League:
Jaxson Jensen — Forward
Honorable Mention:
Dylan Jensen — Forward
Daniel Paasch — Def/Mid
Noel Hernandez — Def/Mid
SHS Volleyball:
First Team:
Desiree Tupua
Second Team:
Hayden Muller
Kya Blake
Coach of the Year:
Ashlee Cole
SHS Football:
First Team Offense:
Elijah Blankenship — QB
Camp Lacouture — RB
Braydon Thornton — WR
Rhys Fleming — TE/Flex
Henry Rankin — OL
First Team Defense:
Skyler Loomis — LB
Isaac Garza — DB
Second Team Defense:
Christian Newlan — DL
Camp Lacouture — K and LB
Braydon Thornton — Ret.
See
HONORS 2B