Philomath High School graduate Zoee Howard will play college basketball at Linn-Benton Community College.
Howard was a key player in the school’s playoff teams during her years in the Warriors’ program. On the varsity roster since her sophomore season, Philomath went 63-21 with fourth place in the 2023 state playoffs, fifth place in 2024 and runner-up in 2025.
Howard was named to the Oregon West Conference second team following her junior and senior seasons. In 2024, she averaged 7.0 points and 4.5 rebounds and also received an all-state honorable mention honor. This past season, she averaged 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds per game.
LBCC is coming off a 14-14 record in 2024-25 under head coach Leslie Reinecker.
PHS finishes 4th in Cup standings
The final OSAA Cup standings for 2024-25 showed Philomath High in fourth place among Class 4A teams.
Marist Catholic won the Cup with 3,350 points, followed by Crook County (3,216.25), Pendleton (3,175), Philomath (3,026.25) and La Grande (2,986.25).
The OSAA Cup dates back to 1999 with its establishment as a way to recognize overall excellence by schools in academics, activities and athletics. The Oregonian sponsored the cup from 2002-17. Pacific Office Automation serves as the current sponsor.
Schools earn points based on their participation and finish in OSAA state championships and for top-10 finishes in the OSAA’s academic all-state program. Points are also rewarded for good sportsmanship, which is defined as no coach or player ejections.
Philomath placed third in the Cup standings in 2023-24 (2,913.71 points) and was the runner-up in 2022-23 (3,152.5 points). The school won OSAA Cup titles in 2010-11 and 2021-22.
Niemann part of sports TV crew
Philomath High graduate Blake Niemann, who graduated a year early from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism with a bachelor’s degree in sports journalism, has been working professionally since February for FOX 10 in Phoenix.
“To already have a job in a top 12 market like Phoenix and to be able to cover sports in a profession that I love is a dream come true,” Niemann told reporter Marshall Terrill in April for an ASU story on graduation. “I come from a place called Philomath, Oregon, and I arrived in the Valley as a small-town kid with no connections. Within the first two weeks of being on campus, I got involved with student organizations Blaze Radio and the Walter Cronkite Sports Network, and was able to get on air and get immersed in real hands-on experience out in the field, which is totally invaluable.”
Niemann has covered a number of significant sporting events, including the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, NCAA Men’s Final Four and the College Football Playoff.
Niemann, son of Eric and Shelley Niemann, graduated with Philomath High’s Class of 2022 and was one of nine valedictorians.
(Brad Fuqua is publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He can be reached at News@PhilomathNews.com).
