Two years ago during his sophomore season, Philomath High’s Ace Gerding battled in the post for the program’s JV2 team. On Friday in a must-win situation to keep the team’s hopes for a conference title alive, Gerding took advantage of a Senior Night start at guard and scored the game’s first five points.
Gerding buried a 3-pointer 22 seconds into the game from the top of the key for a quick 3-0 advantage. Then at the 6:40 mark, he finished on a fast break for another two points. Also contributing on defense, he forced a turnover at 6:16 and the Warriors took an 8-0 lead at just under six minutes when teammate Kaden Howard knocked down a 3-pointer.
Gallery: PHS basketball vs. Stayton and Senior Night (Feb. 20, 2026)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s boys and girls basketball games vs. Stayton and Senior Night images for basketball, cheer and dance on Friday.
Philomath never trailed in a 60-43 victory.
“He has worked his tail off so hard … he’s one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever had,” PHS coach Blake Ecker said. “He never complains, he just takes it and works harder.”
Gerding had few words following the game, preferring to do his talking on the court.
“I finally got the chance to show what I can do,” Gerding said.
Ecker saw a player who came out with energy and effort. The team’s other senior, Josiah Peters, also started and has a unique story of his own to reach this point in his final season. He’s missed several weeks with a serious health issue that landed him in intensive care. Cleared to play earlier this month, Peters made a dramatic return to the court by not only making an appearance but drilling a 3-pointer just seconds after he entered the game that night.
“Jo, we had at post — but he can play post and he was solid,” Ecker said about Peters’s start against the Eagles. “What a story with him and the resiliency he’s had over the last few months and to get better and be able to play — it’s just amazing. I’m so proud of both those guys.”
Philomath (13-8 overall, 7-2 Oregon West) will now get another shot at Newport with the Oregon West Conference title on the line. The winner will take the conference outright and the high seed that goes along with it into the postseason.
“We’re just excited to go out for our next game and beat Newport and win the league championship,” Gerding said when asked about the cheers that had been heard moments earlier in the postgame locker room.
Newport (18-4, 7-2) crushed Philomath, 68-42, in the first meeting between the two schools on Feb. 3.
“That’s off the board,” Gerding said. “That’s not happening again.”
If Philomath loses, the team will still make the postseason as the league runner-up but could open the 4A playoffs on the road.
After those early points by Gerding and Howard, the Warriors failed to keep the offensive momentum going and hit just one other basket the rest of the quarter — a hoop by Jamin Peters at the 1:57 mark. Philomath led 12-7 at the end of the first and 31-23 at halftime.
In the second quarter, Stayton tied the score, 18-18, with 5:17 left in the half but Philomath finished by scoring 13 of the next 18 points. Sophomore Dreyton Nuño hit a key 3-pointer at the 2:05 mark for a six-point lead and Jamin Peters scored with an assist to his brother for a 29-22 advantage with 48 seconds until the break. Nuño made a tough shot off the glass before the halftime buzzer.
Philomath put the game away in the third quarter with a 15-4 performance. Nuño sank a 3-pointer, Howard scored off the glass and junior Esias Sapp hit a putback for a 13-point lead midway through the quarter. After Stayton sank a couple of free throws, the Warriors finished with an 8-0 run to take a 19-point lead into the fourth.
“We came out with a little more energy and got some defensive stops,” Ecker said. “We really rebounded the ball well in the third quarter and they weren’t getting any second shots.”
Philomath’s offense sputtered in the fourth but the visitors didn’t get any closer than 11. Nuño had his third 3-pointer of the game in the fourth and Jamin Peters had baskets with assists from Sapp at 5:00 and Gerding at 1:10.
Philomath made 7 of 8 free throws in the fourth quarter.
Jamin Peters had a double-double in the win with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Nuño finished with 13 points, sophomore Cole Barron had 11 boards. Sapp finished with five assists.
Junior David Nunez led Stayton with 13 points. The Eagles (11-11, 4-5) played the game with two starters out sick.
“We kind of caught them on an off night but still, you’ve got to win,” Ecker said. “But they did a great job of being competitive and staying with it.”
Tuesday’s game at Newport is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
Philomath 60, Stayton 43
Friday, Feb. 20, at Philomath HS
STAYTON (43)
Ruben Reyes 5 4-7 7, Oliver Hunt 0 2-5 2, Coen Roberts 3 0-2 6, Mason Silbernagel 1 3-4 6, Austan Dillingham 2 0-0 6, David Nunez 5 0-2 13, Liam Brown 0 3-4 3, Logan Butenschoen 0 0-0 0, Carson Nickol 0 0-2 0. Totals 12 12-23 43.
PHILOMATH (60)
Dreyton Nuño 4 2-2 13, Ace Gerding 2 1-2 6, Kaden Howard 3 1-2 8, Josiah Peters 1 0-0 2, Jamin Peters 5 4-6 14, Esias Sapp 4 0-0 8, Cole Barron 2 3-4 7, Hamish McConnell 0 0-0 0, Nathan Seits 0 2-2 2, Lucas Lewetag 0 0-0 0, Isaiah Hood 0 0-0 0, Hudson Jones 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 13-18 60.
Team 1 2 3 4 F Stayton (11-11, 4-5) 7 16 4 16 43 Philomath (13-8, 7-2) 12 19 15 14 60
3-Point Goals—Stayton 7 (Nunez 3, Dillingham 2, Silbernagel, Reyes), Philomath 5 (Nuño 3, Gerding, Howard). Fouled Out—Reyes, Roberts, Sapp. Total Fouls—Stayton 23, Philomath 23. Technicals—None.
