Philomath High School standouts in football, girls soccer and cross-country have earned first-team all-state recognition. Others in those fall sports along with volleyball also made all-state teams.
Senior Rocco De La Rosa made the Class 4A first team at both wide receiver and as a kickoff return specialist in football. Senior CD Nuño made the first team as well on defense at linebacker. In girls soccer, sophomore Kya Bolton was a first-team selection at forward. In cross-country, sophomore Cassidy Smart earned first-team honors for finishing first at this year’s state championships.
The 4A all-state football team, published by The Oregonian/OregonLive, was determined by a vote by the state’s coaches.
De La Rosa’s recognition comes on the heels of being named Special District 3’s Offensive Player of the Year. For the season at wide receiver, he had 39 catches for 629 yards and 11 touchdowns. A commit to play football at Oregon State, De La Rosa also made the all-state team as an honorable mention pick at linebacker.
Nuño, who will play collegiately at Boise State following a two-year church mission, was a force on Philomath’s defense in addition to his skills on offense. Nuño also earned all-state honorable mention recognition at wide receiver following a season that included 53 catches for 621 yards.
Two other PHS players were on the honorable mention list as well with junior AJ Altishin at quarterback and junior Jamin Peters on the defensive line.
Cascade swept the individual honors with Bryce Kuenzi as Offensive Player of the Year, Matthew Hinkle as Defensive Player of the Year and Shane Hedrick as Coach of the Year.
The all-state girls soccer team was selected based on voting from coaches.
Bolton scored 33 goals this season for Philomath’s girls soccer team, which ended up as the most in Class 4A. Senior midfielder Ana Candanoza and junior defender Annaleise Brown both made the second team and junior goalkeeper Makena Sleeman was chosen to the third team. Sophomore forward Bethany Cannon earned an honorable mention spot.
Marist Catholic’s Libby McLaughlin was the Player of the Year and Colby Tonn of The Dalles earned Coach of the Year.
In boys soccer, Stayton swept the individual honors with Isaiah Dixon as Player of the Year and Chris Shields as Coach of the Year.
The top seven cross-country runners at state earn first-team recognition. Smart won the state title with her time of 18:33.7. Freshman Sienna Bushnell made the third team with a time of 20:16.4 and 20th-place finish. Sophomore Reagan Nuño made the honorable mention list for her 28th place and time of 20:39.3.
For the boys, senior Leo Pausch was a second-team all-stater with his eighth-place finish at state with a time of 16:41.3.
Two Philomath High players made the all-state volleyball team with junior hitter Nora Stanley on the second team and senior hitter Shaylee May on the honorable mention list.
Class 4A’s individual honors both went to Marist Catholic athletes with Laura Rohman earning Player of the Year and Shari Pimental named as Coach of the Year. The all-state teams for volleyball were voted upon following a league/special district nomination process.