BOYS BASKETBALL
After championship season, Gulls to defend crown
By Gary Henley
Seaside Signal
Defending state champi-
ons.
That’s a pretty nice title
to enter a season with, as the
Seaside boys basketball team
will.
The Gulls certainly earned
it last year, winning 23 of 24
games, including their final
six, which included a 71-63
victory over Valley Catholic
in the state championship
game.
Now comes the tough part
— keeping the title while ev-
ery team you play is trying to
take it away.
“We had a target on our
back all last year, from what
we had done the previous
year,” said Seaside coach
Bill Westerholm, entering
his 20th year. “We know (the
target) is going to be there.
Teams are going to come af-
ter us, because we’re one of
the teams that has shown to
be successful the last five or
six years and can compete,
year in and year out. It’s a
good position to be in.”
And keep in mind: Seaside
is still the best in the Cowapa
League, and for the last three
years, the best in the Cowapa
League has ended up in the
state championship game.
So don’t be surprised to see
the Gulls right back in Forest
Grove playing for another
state title in March.
The Cowapa
The toughest part for Sea-
side may be winning a league
title. It’s all downhill once
they get to the state tourna-
ment.
“Once again, it will be a
tough league,” Westerholm
said. “Valley Catholic has a
lot back — they’re going to
be tall and physical; Banks
has some of their big guns
back, Dalton Renne and
Blake Gobel, and they’ll be
in the running for one of the
top spots in state.
“Tillamook finished strong
last year and they get most of
their team back. Scappoose
has some good athletes and
lost only two seniors. Astoria
has good height. We should
be right in the mix in league,
and right in the mix of the
state playoff run.”
The Gulls
Seaside spent most of the
boys soccer season ranked
No. 1 in the state, and most of
the football season ranked in
the top five. Most members
of the basketball team played
one of the two sports.
The Gulls came up short
of state championships in
both, which could serve as an
inspiration for basketball.
“They had a bit of disap-
pointment from not going
as far as they had hoped,”
Westerholm said of the fall
sports athletes. “They all
wanted to go a little farther,
but that may benefit us this
winter.”
First off, the Gulls will
miss last year’s seniors —
Jackson Januik, Attikin
Babb, Hunter Thompson and
Otto Hoekstre.
But, the Gulls still have
a Januik (Chase), and a
Thompson (Duncan), with
returners who experienced
last year’s state title.
“Colton Carter is a natu-
ral leader,” Westerholm said.
“He’s a senior who hasn’t
played much varsity, but he
leads us in practice. Then we
have Payton (Westerholm)
and Chase — they know the
routine and played signifi-
cant roles on last year’s team.
“Payton is going to be the
point guard, and Chase is still
in the off-wing role. Then
we have Duncan Thompson,
who will move into a starting
spot at low-post. He can step
out and play the wing, too.
“Colton will be a low-post
6 • Seagull Pride • Winter 2017-18
EO MEDIA GROUP
Seaside players and coaches smile for a photo after winning the 4A State Championship game in Forest Grove.
EO MEDIA GROUP
Seaside fans cheer after a point as Seaside faces off against
Valley Catholic in the 2017 4A State Championship game.
who provides some toughness
and rebounding inside.”
The Gulls are not very big,
but they were the smallest
team in the state tournament
last year, so no worries.
Coach Westerholm said,
“Payton is 6-1, Chase 5-10,
Duncan 6-1, Ryan Hague is
almost 6-2 — he will be start-
ing at wing; Brayden John-
son is 6-foot, a sophomore
with good basketball skills;
Beau Johnson (So.) can shoot
it from the outside; Dylan
Meyer (Jr). has more of a big
See Boys, Page 11B
EO MEDIA GROUP
Duncan Thompson goes up for a shot as Seaside faces off
against Cascade in round one of the 4A State Championship.