Seventh-Grade Football
After a 26-6 loss to Woodburn in their first game, the Tigers won six straight, including a 41-32 victory over Woodburn that was “a real barn-burner,” Coach Jim Hagle said. “We had 37 kids who played football, which was huge. Twelve of them scored touchdowns, which is unheard of, and thre others scored extra points. We had a blast.” Team members are, in front, from left: John Lynn, Austin Sills, Matthew Taylor, Robert Watkins, Caden Knight, Parker Lemmer, Robbie Yunke and Lucas Lamb. In the second row, from left, are Teran Grewal, Zack Thomas, Austin Olin, Michael Norman, Bo Baxter, Nathanial Vernon-Jeppsen, Bryce Martinez, Gabe Boschee and Josiah Armijo-Tierce. In the third row, from left, are Robert Caudill, Noah Moore, Michael Guidry, Dakota Seward, Kyle Saboto, Colin Owens, Nathan Virtue and Micah Stewart. In the rear, from left, are Coach Jim Hagle, Damion Schocker, Justin Rowe, Lance Hanson, Colton Smith, Jake Swanson, Austin Stevens, Hayden Nichol, Domenick Tuttle, Blake Keeney and Coach Casey Topp.
Eighth-Grade Football
The eighth-grade football team went 3-3, but two of the losses were by a total of eight points. “The only wide gap came in the last game, when we had lots of injuries,” Coach Don Knight said. “We had a great, great group of outstanding young men.” Team members are, in front, from left: Keegan Holly, Ricky Yunke, CJ Mitchell, Christian Clifton, Even Caldwell, Tannder Bidwell, Conner Duran and Jackson Lynn. In the second row, from left, are Austin James, Keegan Schuster, Tucker Downs, Bryce Nichols, Nick Marler, Justin Kurtz and Dylan Laster. In the back from left, are Kelton Gaskey, Kyler Thompson, Gerad Romero, Jacob Harden, Shawn Zalewski, Bryce Coulter, Seth Wright and Coach Don Knight.
Cross-Country
Members of the Sweet Home Junior High cross-country team are, from left, seventh-grader Noah Dinsfriend, seventh-grader Tanner Vannice, eighth-grader Amber Walton-Shuffield, seventh-grader Eric Seitz and eighth-grader Noah Taraski. Not pictured is Bethany Gingerich, who also played volleyball. Vannice placed eighth in the fast Regis meet, in a field of 60 seventh- and eighth-graders, his best finish of the year, in 11:38.24 over the 3000-meter course. All five of Sweet Home’s runners PR’d on that course, Taraski running 11:55.44; Dinsfriend finishing in 12:49.11 and Seitz in 12:53.42. Walton’s best time was 17:50.76, at the Northwest Middle School XC Showdown in Corvallis, while Gingerich ran one race, the Three-Course Challenge at Camp Rilea, finshing the 3000-meter sand-hill course in 14:48, good for 12th place in a field of 49 runners. Walton did not compete in that race.
Girls Soccer
The Tigers won half their games and lost all but two by one point. “We were incredibly competitive,” said Coach Huck Thomas. “Every team knew they had played us.” The Tigers had two substitutes, he said, playing teams that had many more. Cascade had 35 players, enough for three teams, and Sweet Home lost 6-4 and 5-0 to them. “It was an absolute honor to coach them,” Thomas said. “I was incredibly proud of those girls.” The junior high did not field a boys team because not enough players showed interest this year. Girls team members are, in front, from left, Jade Stiles, Milah Weld, Tatiana Tollman, Maddie Nueschwander and Kendall Stutzman. In row two, from left, are Ashley Farthing, Shayla Hunsaker, Cora McKee and Alexis Virtue. In the third row, from left, are Rachel Huss, Hannah Ramsey, Hailey Carr, Katie Hawken and Coach Huck Thomas.
Eighth-Grade Volleyball
The eighth-grade volleyball program had a good year, with the B Team finishing 8-2 and the A Team 9-1, its only loss in the final game at Stayton. “We weren’t focused,” said Coach Debbie Danielson. She said her team was “very athletic” and several of the girls had played club volleyball, which gave them increased court experience. “Some of the B team members could have been on the A team, normally,” Danielson said. “We had four girls who could set; normally, we would have one or two.” The Tigers played in the Sprague Tournament this season, finishing fourth in a field that included mostly future 6A players. “We competed well with them,” Danielson said. Team members are, in front, from left: Issy Seitz, Caylie Trewin, Ashley Bailey, Haley Hardin, Mariah Thayer, Aly Powell and Ellie Davis. In the second row, from left, are Kylie Armstrong, Rose Wingo, Kelika Aiona, Bella Morrison, Beth Gingerich, Sam Hutchins, Kayla Miller and Makenna Melbye. In the rear, from left, are Coach Michelle Tow, Kayley Lopez, Savannah Batchelor, Brianna Hoffman, Hailey Silver, Ally Tow and Coach Debbie Danielson.
Seventh-Grade
Volleyball
Coach Tina Dodge couldn’t be reached for details about the seventh-grade volleyball team’s season. Team members are, in front, from left: Tori Davis, Megan Miller, Sunhee Bitter, Emily Funk and Riley Peterman. In second row, from left, are Dominique Sloan, Dez Kimble, Katrina Reynolds, Peyton Ash, Aliyah Boss and Allison Brown, In the rear, from left, are Aubrie Furst, Alana Silver, Coach Tina Dodge, Emily Funk and Anna Coleman