The Sweet Home High School girls basketball team gathered to celebrate their season at the annual awards banquet, where Head Coach Erika Evans reflected on the team’s progress and honored standout players.
Evans emphasized the team’s significant improvement over the season, noting that they increased their win total from one last year to five this year.
“We had to learn confidence this season,” she said.
The Huskies finished 5-16 overall and 1-9 in the Oregon West Conference, in which the top three teams were ranked in the top five at the end of the season. All of those OWC teams played in the semifinals of the state tournament, Philomath defeating Cascade 43-37, and Stayton then downing Philomath 47-38 to win the state title on Saturday, March 15.
Sweet Home’s girls improved their scoring, putting up 300 points while allowing 100 fewer than the previous season.
“We play in a tough league, and we have to define success in a lot of different ways,” Evans said. “These kids have shown up in so many ways, and their love for the game has been evident.”
Among the season’s highlights were Sweet Home’s 60-point game against Douglas and a crucial win over Newport – the team’s first league victory in two years and the second in three seasons.
Several players were recognized for their dedication and contributions:
Junior Addy Vannice was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-League Honorable Mention in the OWC. Evans called her “the most improved player in the gym.” “From her freshman year to now, and last year to this year she came out with a chip on her shoulder and the most developed her ability to make a press, to get the ball back.”
Freshman Taylor Gaskey earned the Swinger Rookie of the Year award for her contributions on both offense and defense.
Sophomore Mailey Brewer received the Team All-American Award for her willingness to do the little things that make a team successful. Evans described her as the kind of player every coach wants – hardworking, detail-oriented, and a great teammate.
Brooke Elder, a team captain, was recognized for her leadership as point guard. She averaged was one of the team’s leading scorers and had a relentless drive for the game, Evans said.
“Her leadership as point guard and knowing when to go in and grab the ball and be able to pull out and breathe and reset and call the play and breathe – that is not an easy skill to develop.
Evans credited the team’s dedication and resilience for reigniting her own passion for the game. She expressed pride in their season’s progress and the way the players embraced challenges, and emphasized that success is not just about wins but about “development and perseverance.”