With two games left to be played in the Oregon West, Philomath and Newport are now tied atop the conference standings after the Cubs won at home 69-59 over Stayton and the Warriors lost at Cascade, 70-51, on Tuesday night.
Philomath (12-8 overall, 6-2 Oregon West) will host Stayton at 7 p.m. Friday, an evening that will include pregame Senior Night activities and a Philomath Legend Club induction at halftime. Newport (17-4, 6-2), meanwhile, will hit the road for Sweet Home to face a squad that it defeated by 16 points the first time around.
The Warriors and Cubs will then square off Feb. 24 on the coast for a game that could decide the league title.
In Tuesday’s loss on the road, the Warriors got off to a promising start with a 16-10 lead after the first quarter. Philomath put on a display of scoring balance with four points apiece by starters Kaden Howard, Hamish McConnell, Esias Sapp and Jamin Peters.
But in the second quarter, the Cougars built momentum and overtook Philomath for a 32-26 lead by halftime. Cascade’s offensive success continued in the second half with the home team leading 51-42 going into the fourth. The Warriors were outscored 19-9 over the final eight minutes.
Peters led Philomath with 14 points on seven field goals. Howard and Sapp each added 11. The Warriors struggled at the foul line at 40.9% on 9-of-22 shooting.
Cascade (9-9, 3-5) saw success from long range with seven 3-pointers. Brysen Higgins had 19 and both Felix Prenevost and Cam Wilson finished with 11.
Philomath hasn’t won in Cascade’s gym since May 2021, during the COVID season.
Cascade 70, Philomath 51
Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Cascade HS, Turner
PHILOMATH (51)
Dreyton Nuño 1 0-0 3, Kaden Howard 4 3-7 11, Hamish McConnell 1 3-6 5, Esias Sapp 4 2-2 11, Jamin Peters 7 0-4 14, Nathan Seits 0 0-0 0, Cole Barron 3 1-3 7, Josiah Peters 0 0-0 0, Lucas Lewetag 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 9-22 51.
CASCADE (70)
Felix Prenevost 4 2-2 11, Brysen Higgins 7 4-4 19, Jamison Walsh 2 0-0 5, Brody Anundi 2 5-6 9, Trajan Merriman 2 3-4 9, Jay Erickson 3 0-2 6, Jameson Acker 0 0-0 0, Cam Wilson 4 1-2 11, Elijah Anderson 0 0-0 0, Dominick Salvo 0 0-0 0. Totals 24 15-20 70.
Team 1 2 3 4 F Philomath (12-8, 6-2) 16 10 16 9 51 Cascade (9-9, 3-5) 12 20 19 19 70
3-Point Goals—Philomath 2 (Nuño, Sapp), Cascade 7 (Merriman 2, Wilson 2, Prenevost, Higgins, Walsh). Fouled Out—Howard, Higgins, Erickson. Total Fouls—Philomath 20, Cascade 20. Technicals—Barron, Ja. Peters.