Appearing Monday morning during an assembly in front of the student body, five Philomath High seniors participated in a symbolic signing ceremony to celebrate their decisions to compete in athletics at the next level.
Bailey Bell, Daniella Carlisle, Simon King, Preston Kramer and Ahnika Tryon all sat at a table on the school’s auditorium stage while Athletic Director Mike Hood shared information on each of them. Family members then joined them on stage to watch them sign and as part of a photo opportunity.
Bell will be attending Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, where she will compete this fall in soccer.
“I made a connection with the soccer coach right away … she was super great with me,” Bell said in reference to head coach Michelle Voiland. “The campus is super beautiful and I love the small class sizes, just the small-school environment.”
Bell anticipates settling into a forward or midfield position with the Blues. She also plans to play with Whitman’s tennis team.
Whitman competes at the NCAA Division III level. Academically, Bell plans to have a combined science major in biophysics, biochemistry and molecular biology.
Carlisle will be playing tennis at Highline College in Des Moines, Washington. The two-year school is one of four Northwest Athletic Conference schools that have women’s tennis programs.
“My sister went there and I already knew the coaches and they have a really good staff,” Carlisle said when asked about what went into the decision. “I really enjoy the sport and if I can continue playing, I’ll take that opportunity.”
Coached by Laura Rosa, the T-Birds recently finished second in the NWAC Championships.
Carlisle plans to major in nursing.
King is headed to George Fox University in Newberg to compete in track and field.
“When I went there in the summer, I talked to the coach and he just seemed super knowledgeable and super kind and all the guys were really fun to hang out with,” King said. “Also, I just really like to have a community that has the same values as mine … a faith-based community.”
The Bruins compete in NCAA Division III. John Smith is the head coach of the track program and King will also work with Mike Wilson, an assistant with track and associate head coach of cross-country.
“I’ll do some cross-country but not really competitively and then I’ll probably stick with the 800 and maybe go up to the mile if I get some more distance in me,” King said.
King plans to major in business.
Kramer chose to continue his basketball career collegiately at Eastern Oregon University, an NAIA school in La Grande.
“My dad played there when he was in college,” Kramer said. “I went on a couple of visits and really liked the coaches and the team there, and the facilities.”
Kramer chose Eastern Oregon over Life Pacific University in San Dimas, California. He had also talked to Linn-Benton Community College, College of the Redwoods (Eureka, California) and Feather River College (Quincy, California).
Kramer plans to major in business.
Tryon will be a two-sport athlete at Chemeketa Community College in Salem with volleyball and track and field. The Storm compete in the Northwest Athletic Conference’s Southern Region.
“The coach put a lot of effort into reaching out to me to see if I wanted to play,” Tryon said about volleyball, which is led by coaches Doyle Tracy and Rodney Dean.
Chemeketa’s track and field team is limited to distance runners but an exception will be made for Tryon in the javelin, she said she had been told. Tryon is coming off a state championship in the event at last month’s 4A meet in Eugene.
Tryon is undecided for a major.
Two other athletes plan to compete at the collegiate level but chose not to participate in Monday’s event, Hood said. Jacob Peters plans to play basketball at Corban in Salem and Elise Reese will play tennis at Linfield University in McMinnville.
All-staters Stearns, Babcock
Philomath High senior Mason Stearns and sophomore Caleb Babcock were recognized as all-state selections in baseball. Based on a vote of Class 4A coaches through the Oregon High School Baseball Coaches Association, Stearns was included on the first team as an infielder. Babcock was a third-team selection in the outfield.
Stearns led the team in key statistical categories with a .419 batting average, 35 RBIs and 21 steals. He was also one of the team’s top pitchers with a 6-1 record, 42 strikeouts and a 1.40 earned run average.
Babcock played center field for the Warriors and finished the regular season with a .329 batting average with 17 RBIs.
Henley junior Mark Carpenter earned the Player of the Year honor.
Other first-team selections included North Marion senior Dawson Schrenk (pitcher), North Bend junior Luke Wheeling (pitcher), St. Helens senior Connor Weiss (pitcher), Crook County senior Tyis Yustat (catcher), Pendleton senior Jace Otteson (catcher), Scappoose junior Max Howlin (first base), Carpenter (infield), Henley senior Aiden Hayes (infield), North Marion senior Carter Reilly (infield), Scappoose senior Grayson Grover (infield), Marist Catholic senior Peyton Tyner (outfield), Hidden Valley junior Caden Kuhnert (outfield), Pendleton sophomore Collin Harrington (outfield), Crook County senior Hayden Foreman (outfield) and Baker junior Jaxon Logsdon (utility).
Stearns and Babcock are playing for the Gerding Builders Marketmen, the Corvallis-based American Legion team, this summer. Philomath’s Joe Barnes is also with Marketmen, which opened their season Tuesday.
Tryon to play in all-star game
Philomath High School senior Ahnika Tryon plans to play in the Oregon Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Series at Bushnell University in Eugene.
The all-star tournament begins June 14 with girls games at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. The two losers from the first day will then play for third place at 10 a.m. June 15. The 4A-2A championship game follows later in the day at 2 p.m.
Preston Kramer and Jacob Peters were invited to play in the boys’ version of the tournament.
Tryon was an honorable mention all-conference player in 2023.
On the topic of girls basketball, registration for the Future Warriors Youth Camp continues. The camp will run June 18-20.
All-Oregon West softball
Three Philomath High players were included on the all-Oregon West Conference softball team, the league announced last week.
Warriors junior Zoee Howard earned a spot on the second team as an infielder. Howard settled into the starting position at first base this season for PHS and was among the team’s top hitters.
Juniors Kaylie Kohler and Janae Traglia were honorable mention selections at outfielder and catcher, respectively. Kohler played center field and Traglia finished her third season as a starter behind the plate.
Cascade swept the individual awards with Malia Scanlan (Player of the Year), Jari Stegman (Pitcher of the Year) and Marty Jeppsen (Coach of the Year).
(Brad Fuqua is publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He can be reached at News@PhilomathNews.com).
