Not only did Sweet Home enjoy successes on the athletic fields this fall, but the Huskies also scored high in several sports in the classroom.
Three Husky teams finished in the top 10 and all were above 3.00 in the Dairy Farmers of Oregon Academic All-State competition conducted by the Oregon Scholastic Activities Association (OSAA).
The program, sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Oregon, recognizes outstanding achievement in the classroom. The boys and girls team in each OSAA-sanctioned activity with the highest team grade point average (G.P.A.) earns the Academic All-State Award.
Schools that finished in the top 10 in each classification in each sport received lapel pins for each member of that team. In addition to pins, teams that finished with the highest GPA in all classifications in each sport received “got milk?” sweatshirts, certificates and and plaques.
Teams that earn a 3.0 GPA or higher will receive 25 points for their school in The Oregonian Cup standings. A list of all teams with a 3.0 GPA or higher is posted to the OSAA Web site.
The Sweet Home girls cross-country team recorded a cumulative GPA of 3.82 to tie for fourth with Seaside among all 4A teams. Scappoose, which had three home-schooled girls among the top seven runners on its team and finished fifth at the state meet, one place behind the Huskies, recorded a perfect 4.00 to lead the state in all sports.
In volleyball, Sweet Home was seventh, with a 3.67 GPA, directly behind Philomath (3.73) and ahead of all other Sky-Em teams. Scappoose was first (3.84), with Central second (3.81).
In boys soccer, the Huskies were ninth, recording a 3.29 GPA. Philomath was tops in that sport with 3.59.
In football, although the Huskies didn’t make the top 10, they were among the teams that recorded a cumulative GPA of 3,00 or better, registering a 3.02 to tie for 13th with North Bend/Oregon Coast Technology and Phoenix. Central was the top football team, with a 3.49 GPA, while Sky-Em member Sisters was 12th (3.08).
In girls soccer, Sweet Home recorded a team GPA of 3.39 to place 19th. Fellow Sky-Em member Sisters was fourth with a 3.68 average.
In boys cross-country Sweet Home recorded a GPA of 3.22 to finish 23rd. Sisters was the only other team above 3.00, posting a 3.45 to finish 11th.
Athletic Director Kostanty Knurowski said he believes the Huskies’ performance is due to a number of factors.
“It’s just a good reflection of the high quality of student athletes we have coming through here right now,” Knurowski said. “Coaches are pushing academics with their athletes. Three teams in the top 10 is pretty prestigious.”
He said that programs like GEAR-UP and ASPIRE are helping to focus students’ attention life after high school.
“We definitely have made an emphasis on looking past high school, on setting up for life past high school,” Knurowski said. “Every Tuesday students see the majority of teachers walking around with college T-shirts on.”
The other thing that is helping academics is the thrice-weekly study hall that is available to students, includng athletes, he said.
“Anybody can use it, but it’s set up for people who need help. When you’re involved in sports it’s difficult to find time to get work done but now it’s built into the schedule to help with that.”