A4 • Friday, February 25, 2022 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com SignalViewpoints Sibony is Seaside’s sharp-shooting guard By GARY HENLEY Seaside Signal Ever Sibony, a Seaside High School senior, is a standout in aca- demics and athletics. Ever, short for Everest, is the third and last of the Sibony broth- ers. The sons of Salomon and Cecilia Sibony are familiar to fans of Seaside sports, year-round. Rafael, Samson and Everest Sibony have taken part in every- thing from cross-country, football and soccer in the fall, to golf and track in the spring. It’s basketball only in the winter. As you might imagine, the Sibony house has its fair share of medals, trophies and letters received for competing. In fact, Rafi, from the Class of 2018, is said to be the only athlete in Seaside school history to let- ter in four sports — cross-country, soccer, basketball and track — all four years. The second oldest, Samson, was a standout golfer, and now it’s Ever who is carrying the torch and holding out hopes for one more state championship medal for the Sibony family. In addition to being a possi- ble future Ivy Leaguer, Ever — one of the most accurate long- range shooters in league history — is a strong candidate for Cow- apa League boys basketball Player of the Year this season. The Gulls likely have one more home game appearance before they head south to Marshfield, with hopes of com- peting in this year’s 4A state bas- ketball tournament. After a first round exit in 2019- 20, Sibony is up front and honest about Seaside’s expectations, the final year for several key seniors on the team. “Our goal is not just winning league,” he said, “we’re definitely trying to go for state this year.” Setback A day before being interviewed, Sibony and the Gulls suffered their first league loss of the season, a 47-32 setback at Banks. “Suffered” is the key word whenever the Gulls and Braves get together. “I made it out of that game with two bruised ligaments in my left thumb, two stitches on my right forearm, and a cracked knee,” Sibony said. “It’s frustrating to lose a game in league, but Banks is a pretty good team.” He added, “Their whole defen- sive plan was based around me, because of how much I scored the first time we played (29 points). I was trying to get other people involved, but we couldn’t pene- trate their zone very well. They played a lot of man the first time, and switched it up.” Seaside rebounded two nights Gary Henley Ever Sibony, left, has always looked up to and competed with older brothers Samson, middle, and Rafi. Seaside tops Banks 52-49 in tiebreaker The Astorian Kelsey Betts Ever Sibony sails in for another two points. later with a win at Astoria, after a little soul-searching. “Our team was a little bit shaken after (the loss at Banks),” Sibony said. “A lot of people are taking a look at themselves, including myself. We were getting into too much of a winning, cocky attitude, and I think it will be a good learn- ing point.” The Gulls have lost just six games to Cowapa League oppo- nents over the last four years — all to the Braves. The very same Braves who will drop to the 3A level next school year. In other words, Seaside is saying goodbye to its only competition in league play. “As far as rivals go, Banks has been the main one,” Sibony says. “Their fans do not like us.” Sibony and the Gulls scored a little revenge on Banks with a 52-49 win over the Braves in Sat- urday’s tiebreaker for the Cowapa League’s No. 1 seed to the state playoffs. The Gulls can take anybody on a given night. “We’ve gotten pretty good looks at everybody,” he said. “We played both (No. 1) Junction City and (No. 3) Marshfield this year, and I know for a fact that we can beat any team in the state.” The road to state is never easy. Especially so this season for Sibony. In addition to the bumps and bruises and stitches he received at Banks, “I’ve been a bit inju- ry-plagued this year. I had (foot) stress fracture and missed a few games.” Sibony was told he would miss four to six weeks, but was back in three. A lot of that has to do with Sibo- ny’s competitiveness to be on the floor, injured or not. Growing up as the youngest brother, he said, teaches you a little about being competitive. But also in keeping with the Seaside tradi- tion, and being a Gull. “We were always real compet- itive, but the thing that helped me most in basketball wasn’t as much the competitive thing, it was get- ting involved with my older broth- ers, going to their practices and working with coach Q (Gene Quil- haugh) and coach (Frank) Januik. “Growing up, I would join in with all the older kids. That’s really where my love of basketball came from, playing up all the time. I always wanted to be better than the older kids.” And watching the older kids play in four straight state champi- onship games was, no doubt, an influence. Sibony had his idols, for sure. “Jackson Januik (now an assis- tant coach to Bill Westerholm) of course. I always liked the way Hunter Thompson played defense — I kind of modeled myself after that. I liked the 2012 team, too, with Nick Nelson, Aaron Chesnut No season would be com- plete without a tiebreaker at Til- lamook High School between the Banks and Seaside boys basket- ball teams, and the 2021-22 sea- son was no exception. The two teams met for tie- breakers at Tillamook in 2019 and 2020, with each team win- ning one. In a tiebreaker to break the tiebreakers, the Gulls defeated Banks 52-49 in a Saturday night contest at Tillamook, helping Seaside earn the league’s No. 1 seed to the state playoffs. The teams finished the regular season as co-league champions. The Braves held an early 13-7 advantage, before the Gulls reeled off a 15-2 run for a 22-15 lead midway through the second quarter. Banks held a very brief 34-33 and those guys. Another one was Ryan Hague, who was a mentor for me when I was a freshman and sophomore.” ‘Mount Everest’ Januik went on to play at George Fox University, but very few Gulls have managed to play at the next level. Sibony is hoping there’s a spot for him, back East. “My main plan after high school is to go to the University of Pennsylvania to study business,” he said. “I’m also in direct con- tact with their coach, and if I could play there, that would just be the cherry on top. I find out in March BRIEFS Writers Read event explores ‘Recovery’ In an era when the word “recov- ery” is on the minds of many peo- ple, the word manifests itself in myriad ways. For 11 writers selected to read PUBLISHER EDITOR Kari Borgen R.J. Marx if I make it into the school, and if I make it into the school, there’s basically a spot waiting for me.” Finally, the name. Where does Everest come from? “It’s a funny story,” he said. “Apparently when I was born and still in the hospital, I didn’t have a name for a day or two, and my par- ents were making a bunch of jokes, saying, ‘I love you forever and ever, ever.’ They really liked the nickname ‘Ever,’ but they couldn’t think of a full name that they liked. “The only other option was Everett. But one day there was a documentary on Mount Everest, and they were like, ‘that’s it!’” PUBLIC MEETINGS Contact local agencies for latest meeting information and attendance guidelines. Flash mob wishes Allens ‘Happy Trails’ More than two dozen well-wish- ers sang “Happy Trails to You” on Monday, a serenade for John and Lisa Allen of the Pacific Way Bak- ery and Cafe on their final day of business. The Allens opened Pacific Way at the corner of Cottage and Pacific Way in Gearhart in the late 1980s, and the restaurant became known to visitors nationwide and beyond. The bakery followed with equal success. While the restaurant closed at the start of the pandemic in 2020, the Allens maintained the bakery to a steady and loyal cus- tomer base hungry for tarts, pot pies, muffins and sandwiches. The Allens will be leasing the iconic bakery to Jennifer and Alan Arora of Lake Oswego. “Oh my God, I can’t believe this,” John Allen said to the crowd of fans. “You’re all too kind.” lead in the third, but the Braves couldn’t keep pace with Sea- side’s long-range bombers. Ever Sibony hit a pair of three’s to start the fourth quarter, with additional second half treys from Cash Corder and Connor Langmo. Sibony had two 3-pointers in the first half as well, to finish with a game-high 16 points. Unless the two teams meet in Marshfield at the 4A state tour- nament, Saturday’s game was the last between the two league rivals. Banks drops to the 3A level next school year. Saturday’s tiebreaker also brings an end to the Cowapa’s best rivalry over the past six years. Since the 2015-16 season, Seaside has lost just 13 games to Cowapa opponents, including eight to the Braves and two to Valley Catholic, the two schools dropping to the 3A level. TUESDAY, March 1 Seaside Community Center Commission, 10 a.m., Bob Chisholm Communi- ty Center, 1225 Avenue A. Seaside Planning Commission, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway. WEDNESDAY, March 2 Gearhart City Council, 7 p.m., www.cityofgearhart.com. THURSDAY, March 3 Seaside Parks Advisory Committee, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway. MONDAY, March 7 Seaside Housing Task Force, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway. THURSDAY, March 10 R.J. Marx Fans of the Pacific Way Bakery and Cafe say farewell to Lisa and John Allen. during the Cannon Beach Library’s Writers Read Celebration, “recov- ery” ranges from life after COVID to tending to an ailing bird. Recov- ery also means a light-splashed winter day, finding the path after being lost on a trail, discovering an old swimming hole or relearning to garden as a cyborg. Among participants is Gear- hart’s Bill Graffius, author of the poems “The Cyborg Gardener” and “Deciding Factor.” Steven Mayer of Cannon Beach will read his essay, “On Recovery.” Last year, the Writers Read Cel- ebration reached more than 1,300 viewers. This is the fourth year the Can- CIRCULATION MANAGER Shannon Arlint ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Sarah Silver- Tecza ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Haley Werst non Beach Library has hosted the Writers Read Celebration. Sixteen pieces to be read include poems, essays, a rap and a “shuffle” poem, where lines are written and shuf- fled to create different poems. A five-member panel selected 16 pieces from 45 entries without knowing who wrote them. The celebration begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5 on Facebook Live. Viewers don’t have to be Facebook members. To access the program, go to the library’s web- site at www.cannonbeachlibrary. org and click on the banner at the top of the page. The event can also be reached by going to the library’s Facebook page. PRODUCTION MANAGER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS John D. Bruijn Skyler Archibald Joshua Heineman Katherine Lacaze Esther Moberg SYSTEMS MANAGER Carl Earl CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Jeff TerHar Seaside Convention Center Commission, 5 p.m., 415 First Ave., Seaside. MONDAY, March 14 Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., 989 Broadway. TUESDAY, March 15 Seaside Planning Commission, work session, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway. Seaside School District, 6 p.m., https://www.seaside.k12.or.us/. TUESDAY, March 22 Seaside Airport Advisory Committee, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway. MONDAY, March 28 Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., 989 Broadway. TUESDAY, March 29 Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Board of Directors, 5:15 p.m., 1225 Ave. A. Gearhart City Council work session, 6:30 p.m., www.cityofgearhart.com. TUESDAY, April 5 Seaside Community Center Commission, 10 a.m., Bob Chisholm Communi- ty Center, 1225 Avenue A. 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