The Sweet Home High School Forestry Club won a tight competition at home Saturday morning.
It’s the first time Sweet Home has won its own event, said Coach Dustin Nichol. Previously, Sweet Home has lost to Knappa or Philomath by no more than 15 points.
“This year was a close one as well,” Nichol said. “We won by two points.”
Knappa finished second; Philomath, third; Scio, fourth, Sabin, fifth; and Vernonia, sixth.
Sweet Home won the first four places in first aid, which is an important event, Nichol said.
Finishing in first place were E.J. Nichol, hose lay; Justin Wolfe, arbor and hose lay, missing all-around jack by just three points; Saul Jones, novice pole climb; Kara Baker and Emily Clayborn, hose lay; Brie Davis, Jill ax throw; Amanda Coonc, first aid; Konrad Tacket, tool identification and Jack power buck; Julie Morgan, Jill arbor; Curtis Froman, first aid; and Sydney Nichol, novice pole climb.
“This year we don’t have just one or two people that are getting the majority of the points for the team,” Nichol said. “This year, we have a committed group of members that are accepting a role and going after 20 to 40 points apiece. This was a great team win.”
In addition to first-place finishers, standouts included Kourtney Dixon and Caleb Harris, Nichol said.
Nichol thanked event sponsors, including Weyerhaeuser, Cascade Timber Consulting, Wodtli Rock, WPK, Rice Logging, THI, Cedar Shack, Bucks Sanitation and the 20 volunteers it took to run the event.
“It takes a community to raise children, and this community is second to none in its support of our youth,” Nichol said.