A6 BAKER CITY HERALD • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2022
SPORTS
BHS has new wrestling
and swimming coaches
and I just said ‘I’m still here
for you.’ I know all those guys,
I’m still running the Baker Mat
Club.”
Young is a teacher at Baker
Middle School.
As for basketball, Jebron
Jones returns as boys coach, and
Jason Ramos as girls coach.
Both teams advanced to the
Class 4A state tournament in
March.
BHS graduate Jeris Stephens,
who wrestled on the same team
Baker High School has hired three
as Young when he returned for
new coaches for the upcoming winter
his senior year. Young was con-
sports season, which starts with practices
fident in Stephens’ quality as a
on Monday, Nov. 14.
coach, and went out of his way
The Bulldogs will have two new wres-
to assure the team as well.
tling coaches, one to guide the boys pro-
“Originally from Northwest
Stephens
gram and one for the girls, and a new
Montana, moved here when I
boys/girls swimming coach.
was 6 with my family,” Stephens
Buell Gonzales Jr., the Baker School
said. “I’ve been wrestling since I
District’s athletic director, said he had
was 4, grew up wrestling in the
been seeking to fill those coaching posi-
Mat Club here.”
Katelynne Raley —
tions since the school year started.
Stephens was head wrestling
boys/girls swimming
Katelynne Raley will coach the Baker
coach for Baker Middle School
swimming teams.
Raley, a BHS alumnus and
several years ago, and he’s ea-
Jeris Stephens will coach boys wres-
Baker native, takes up the clip-
ger to reconnect with a group of
Anderson
tling, while Josh Anderson over-
board of head swim-
wrestlers he tutored at the mid-
sees the girls wrestling program.
ming coach this year, managing dle school.
Stephens and Anderson re-
boys and girls rosters for the
“A bunch of seventh and eighth grad-
place Brandon Young, who has
Bulldogs.
ers ended up qualifying, that year we
been coaching at Baker for 14
Raley said that after working
ended up qualifying more kids than any
years and also coached the BHS
in Idaho she moved back to her other team had ever done for state and
girls wrestling team that started
hometown in 2021.
finished higher than any other team had
in 2019.
“I have been looking for a
in the school’s history,” Stephens said.
During Young’s tenure,
way to get involved in the
“Some of those kids went on to wrestle in
Baker had 52 wrestlers
“Swimming was
community since,” she
college, one of them’s wrestling in Wash-
qualify for the state tourna-
said. “Swimming was my
ington State right now.
my primary
ment, including seven state
primary sport through-
“I love the sport,” he said. “It’s who I
champions and four run-
out childhood and during
am, it’s part of me, I’ll never get rid of it.
sport throughout
ners-up.
high school, so I am be-
If you want to be part of a championship
childhood and
In a post on the Baker/
yond excited to have the
program that’s going to win titles, sign
Powder Valley Wrestling
up for wrestling.”
during high school, opportunity to share my
Facebook page in October,
experience and passion for
so I am beyond
Young wrote that he was
the sport with Baker High Josh Anderson — girls wrestling
stepping down to spend
Anderson’s daughters have competed
excited to have the School athletes.”
more time with his family.
During her high school
in wrestling, and Gonzales said the girls
opportunity to share years, Raley qualified for program, which started with a handful
“The time commitment
that I expect out of myself
my experience and the state swimming meet of competitors three years ago, is gain-
in order to make our pro-
in 2013.
ing traction. He’s anticipating a dozen or
passion for the sport
gram as good as it can be
Starting Monday she’ll
more wrestlers this winter.
takes a lot of precious time
have Baker swimmers
“We are just building on the girls wres-
with Baker High
away from my daughter Si-
taking their first laps at
tling team, we just wanted to continue
School athletes.”
ena of 2 1/2 years & my son
Sam-O Swim Center.
that and grow that program,” Anderson
Emmett who turns 8 soon,” — Katelynne Raley, Baker
“I’m hoping for a good
said. ”We have a lot of opportunities for
Young wrote, “as well as my
turnout
this
year,
and
I’m
girls-only tournaments.”
swimming coach
wife Jessica of 13 years!”
looking forward to con-
Anderson, who grew up in Southern
“I met with (the team)
tinuing to grow the pro-
Idaho, said he wrestled in high school
gram in the coming years,” and college. He’s been a volunteer wres-
she said.
tling coach in Baker for the past six or
“If you are interested, I highly encour- seven years.
age you to come join a practice at the
“We need girls to come out and try the
NEWS, SPORTS
Sam-O-Swim Center,” Raley said.
sport,” he said. “I really feel like it will
& OBITUARIES @
Practices are currently scheduled for
help them grow, and train them to be
bakercityherald.com weekdays, 3:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.
physically and mentally prepared for the
rest of their life. We’ll surely welcome as
Jeris Stephens — boys wrestling
many as will try, hopefully we get 16 to
Taking up the Bulldog mantle is 1999
20. That’s my goal.”
BY IAN CRAWFORD
icrawford@bakercityherald.com
BAKER VOLLEYBALL
Tara Vanderwiele/Contributed Photo
Baker senior Jozie Ramos goes for a kill against Marshfield on Friday,
Nov. 4, 2022, at the Class 4A state volleyball tournament. Ramos was
named the Greater Oregon League player of the year for the second
straight season.
Ramos, Abrego
repeat as coach,
player of the year
Baker City Herald
For the second straight sea-
son, the Baker volleyball team
dominated the individual
awards for the Greater Oregon
League.
Senior Jozie Ramos re-
peated as GOL player of the
year, and Baker coach Ali
Abrego won her second con-
secutive coach of the year
award.
Baker completed its sec-
ond consecutive 6-0 record in
league play. The Bulldogs ad-
vanced to the Class 4A state
tournament on Nov. 4-5, plac-
ing fifth.
Two of Ramos’ senior team-
mates joined her on the GOL
first team — Taylor Dalton
and Makenzie Flanagan.
Baker also had three players
on the second team — senior
Campbell Vanderwiele and
sophomores Sofia Hanson
and Kaydence Thomas.
Other players on the GOL
first team are La Grande se-
niors Makenna Shorts and Ari
Myer, Pendleton sophomore
Josie Jenness and Pendleton se-
nior Keirsen Spencer, and On-
tario senior Angelina Herrera.
The rest of the second team:
Pendleton junior Avery Krig-
baum and Pendleton sopho-
more Lexie Willman, Ontario
junior Kira Evans, La Grande
senior Addy Dunlap and
La Grande junior Rylan
Mellinger.
Proud to Welcome
Samuel Capra, MD
to Baker City
Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Surgeon
If your life has been disrupted by a bone, joint or
muscle problem, Dr. Capra is here to provide the
necessary surgical and non-surgical treatment
you need here locally – compassionately,
collaboratively and with the highest level
of quality care.
Whether you’re a student-athlete
with a torn ACL or an active adult
who wants to return to golf, Dr.
Capra and his team of athletic
trainers and physical therapists
have you covered. They will tailor
a recovery plan that is right
for you, to get you back to
performing at your best.
Treating injuries related to:
Ligament sprains/tears
Shoulder
Tendon or muscle strain
Hand
Elbow
Tendinitis
Hip
Knee
Fractures
Foot
Ankle
Sports/activity injury
Saint Alphonsus
Orthopedics
3325 Pocahontas Rd.
Baker City, OR 97814
Phone: 541-524-8000
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541-523-3679
Walk-ins Welcome