More on Ward Collinsworth

In 1953, Echo dominated the entire state enroute to a 30-0 season and a state championship. LeWard Collinsworth was a vital member of that team, the school and the entire community. We named him to our 3rd Team All-Decade Team for the 1950's.

Not long ago, I connected with Dale Fife, board member of the Echo Historical Museum. who provided supplemental information on Collinsworth and the teams he led in the early 1950's.

Fife writes, "Ward was born in Emmett, Idaho and moved to Echo about 1943. He excelled in basketball, football and baseball."

Indeed, during Echo's magical run during the 1952-53 school year, Collinsworth helped lead the Cougars to a Cayuse League football championship and a spot in an Eastern Oregon playoff game against Wallowa. the winner earned a spot in the state quarterfinals. Wallowa prevailed 19-12 enroute to the state championship game.

Collinsworth was named to the All-Cayuse League and earned a spot in the East/West Shrine Game as a halfback.

When basketball started, the Cougars wanted to build on a 5th place finish in 1952. Echo dominated everyone it encountered, piling up a 68 points per game average while giving up just 37 to its opponents. Collinsworth was one of four players to average double figures during the season with a 13.2 average.

In the 8-game state championship drive, Collingsworth increased his average to 17 per game and finished on the First-Team All-State Tournament team.

That summer, Collinsworth was named MVP of the East/West Shrine Game, witnessed by nearly 8,000 people in Pendleton. He returned a punt 40 yards for the first touchdown of the game and the East prevailed 19-0.

According to Fife, "after graduating from Echo, Ward went to Washington State on a football scholarship. He transferred to Oregon Institute of Technology where he played basketball and ran track. He joined the military and played on the Army's basketball team.

"He had four kids and raised a couple of foster children as a journeyman electrician."

Collinsworth passed away in 2010 and left a lasting legacy in Echo as an athlete and leader.

In the words of Fife, "Since 1953, Echo has fielded many teams and had a few that excelled, but none have ever matched what this group of boys did that magical year of 1953. The team, the school, and the people of the town became one and the focus was on the team, the boys, the school and victory!"


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1950's All-Decade Third Team

For the first time since we started the All-Decade team project, we have added a third team. The 1950’s was a decade dominated by centers. The early part of the decade featured the narrow key which allowed centers to park themselves three feet from the rim. Many of the highest scoring players in Oregon’s history played during this era, including the third team center.

1950’s 3rd Team All-Decade

The 1950's 3rd team has had many different looks as the research has continued and more has been learned about the players of this era. So much has changed that two players listed on the third team were originally slotted for the 1st team. The selection of these teams isn't scientific or complex. Only a few methods are used including state tournament appearances, all state tournament teams, and some scoring statistics available from the era.

Occasionally, someone will email with a player to consider. They'll supply information and anecdotes, stats and awards and make a compelling case for a player to earn mention on one of the teams. Having never seen any of these young men play, there is no way a true representation can be made. I hope you'll enjoy learning about this era and certainly, if there are others worth mentioning, please do email them to hoops1a@hotmail.com.

Forwards

Roger Dokken – Malin – Dokken and teammate Norm Oliva were linchpins to Malin’s run to the state tournament in 1955 and 1956. Malin made consecutive state championship game appearances and finished the two-year run with a 51-6 over record. As a junior in 1955, Dokken was a consistent scorer and defender for the Mustangs of Klamath County. He scored 10 points in Malin’s opening round state tournament win over Enterprise and matched the total the next night against Powers in the semifinals. Malin’s 53-48 win over the Cruisers pushed the Mustangs into the championship game against Knappa in their first ever state tourney appearance. In the final, Knappa prevailed when Logger reserve Tim Bagley “connected on a rebound shot with three seconds left” to give Knappa the 46-45 victory. At the conclusion of the tournament, Dokken, despite scoring less than 10 points per game, was named to the All-Tournament Second team. The Mustangs returned to the state tournament in 1956 with four of their five starters returning including Dokken, center Norm Oliva and guard Ray Johnson. Oliva and Johnson were both All-Tournament 1st Team members in 1955. Sporting a 25-1 record, the Mustangs were favored to win the title but Knappa and Bob Hunt were back in the mix as was a strong Elkton team. Dokken tallied seven points in the opener, a 77-64 win over Sisters while Johnson and Oliva each scored 25. In a semifinal win over Elgin, Dokken had his best scoring game of his two-year run at the tournament with 22 points leading Malin to the 69-67 win and into their second-straight state championship game. Against Echo in the championship, Malin pulled away for an 80-57 win with Dokken scoring 12 and was one of five Malin players in double figures. At the conclusion of the tournament, Dokken was named All-Tournament 1st Team despite once again not finishing in the top-10 in scoring at the tournament. The All-Tournament team was selected regardless of position so Dokken was voted one of the top-5 players in the entire tournament. With no rebounding or assist statistics, we can only assume that Dokken’s all-around game shined throughout the tournament. Additionally, Malin became just the second team in “B” state tournament history to win the football state championship and basketball state championship in the same season. Pleasant Hill first accomplished the feat in 1947.

Ward Collingsworth – Echo – Collingsworth helped lead Echo to back-to-back state tournaments in 1952 and 1953. The 1953 Cougar team won the state championship in dominating fashion, cruising to a 30-0 record and winning each game at the state tournament by double figures. Collingsworth and Echo entered the 1952 tournament at 25-1 and faced Sublimity, champions of District 2 in round 1. Echo fell 61-58 despite 17 from Collingsworth. He chipped in 17 the following day in a 73-39 drubbing of Culver and then 16 in the consolation finals. Echo took home the consolation trophy after a 50-41 win over Wallowa. Collingsworth’s 50 points made him the second leading scorer in the tournament behind Knappa’s Max Kelly. He was named All-Tournament 2nd Team after the tournament. With the entire team returning for the 1953 campaign, Echo was primed for a strong season. Echo ran roughshod over their competition and fought off a pesky Mt. Vernon squad in the District 7 playoff series to enter the state tournament 27-0. It appeared everyone else was playing for second. In the opener against Drain, Collingsworth coolly chipped in 16 to lead four Echo players in double figures to advance to the semifinals against Chiloquin, who was 22-2 on the season. Collingsworth and Echo jumped to a seven point lead after the first quarter and led by 10 at the half. The lead grew to 20 and Echo pulled out the win to advance to the championship. Collingsworth again led the scoring, this time putting up 19 for his highest scoring total in five games at the state tournament. In the finals, the Cougars overwhelmed Elgin in the first half, racing to a 30-16 lead. The lead maintained in double-figures before a 22-11 fourth quarter provided the final margin, a 67-42 victory for Echo. Collingsworth again led the Cougars in scoring, this time with 21 to lead four players in double figures. Collingsworth led the tournament in scoring and was named All-Tournament 1st Team after the tournament. The victory capped a brilliant two-year run for Echo. The five players and coach George DeLap finished their two-year run with a record of 57-2 and a state championship. Ward Colllingsworth capped off a brilliant senior season by leading the East Shrine Football team to a victory in the annual East/West Shrine Game that summer. He returned a punt 40 yards for a touchdown and was named Most Outstanding Player of the game.

Center

Joe Mann – Irrigon – Mann never made a state tournament and was the definition of a one-man team. Mann stood 6-7 and he nearly carried his Irrigon team to the state tournament. His senior year, 1956, was the final year of the narrow key and Mann took full advantage of his height. Mann posted one of the all-time great seasons in 1955-1956 with 719 points in 21 games, good for 34 points per game average on the year. He twice scored 53 points in one game, once as a junior and once as a senior. The first 53 point game came in a 61-59 loss to Ione and only one other player from Irrigon scored in the game when Dale Shingledecker put in six points in the loss. Later that year, Irrigon advanced to the District 7 championship series vs. Prairie City. Mann scored 43 points in Irrigon’s game 1 victory. Prairie City went on to win the final two games and earn the state berth. Mann finished his high school career with 1,859 points which ranks him 29th all-time in Oregon High School history. (Editor’s note: I have been in contact with Joe Mann for an interview and I hope to speak with him soon.)

Guards

Norm Evans – Stanfield – A 6-0 guard, Norm Evans paced Stanfield into the 1958 tournament. The home town Tigers, competing just 25 miles from home at the tournament in Pendleton entered the tournament with a 24-1 record and #3 ranking. They also captured the football state championship in the fall and Evans played a key role in that title as well. Evans scored 18 in Stanfield’s 52-42 opening victory over Talent, despite playing the entire second half with four fouls. In the semifinals Stanfield met Jefferson. Evans, in front of a large rooting section, poured in 28 points, including several 30-footers according to the dispatches from Pendleton. The Tigers were unable to overcome Alan Nyman and Phil Hochspeier, who combined for 35 of Jefferson’s 54 points. In the third place game Evans led connected on shots “from outside, from inside, and from the free-throw line in preserving, time and again, a slender Stanfield lead” enroute to 26 points in a 58-55 win over Yoncalla. Evans finished the tournament as the leading scorer with a 24.0 points per game average. He was voted All Tournament 1st team at the conclusion of the tournament.

Phil Estergaard – Harrisburg – Known as the “one-man stall” by teammate and fellow backcourt mate Merlin “Red” Crabb, Phil Estergaard was light years ahead of his peers with the ball in his hands. Crabb says Estergaard was one of the first players in the area, small school or large, who could dribble the ball behind his back. Crabb says that if the Eagles were in the lead late in the game, they would simply give the ball to Estergaard, spread out and watch as he dribbled out the clock. Led by Estergaard, center Terry Woods and Crabb, Harrisburg was a force in the 1950’s. They entered the 1954 state tournament at 19-2, fresh off a victory over a strong Coburg team in the District 3 championship game. Estergaard was named to the all-district team, but seemed to take more of a backseat role in terms of scoring on the team. Harrisburg at 19-2, Talent at 20-1 and Ione at 23-0 figured to be the favorites in the 1954 tourney but Knappa, led by freshman Bob Hunt was a known commodity and preparing to hit their stride at the state level. Powers at 22-3 rounded a highly competitive field. The Eagles opened against Heppner and quickly showed why they were a favorite. The big three of Estergaard, Crabb and Woods scored 50 of Harrisburg’s 69 points in the dominant 69-50 win. Estergaard chipped in 11 in the victory. Estergaard increased his totals in the semifinals, a 42-40 win over Powers. One of only two players in double figures, Estergaard helped lead the Eagles to the state title game against Ione and high scoring guard Duane Baker. Harrisburg countered Ione’s one-man scoring with five players in double figures, led by Estergaard who led Harrisburg with 19. The Eagles prevailed over Ione 69-63 despite 24 from Baker. After the tournament, Estergaard earned All-Tournament 2nd Team honors. And, with the “Big Three” back in ’55, Harrisburg would again be a force. After spending a summer with his friends Red Crabb and Terry Woods riding bikes to gyms throughout the area, Estergaard and the rest of the Eagles stormed through the 1955 season and finished the regular season at 23-4 and District 3 champions. Estergaard was second on the team in scoring with 12.2 points per game during the season, but once the state tournament hit, he once again took his game to another level. Knappa (23-2), Malin (21-4) and Heppner (21-2) figured to be the other favorites in the 1955 tournament. Harrisburg put the rest of the tournament on notice with a dominating performance in the tournament opener. The Eagles poured in 81 points and swamped Prairie City 81-40. All 10 players scored for Harrisburg in the rout, Estergaard chipping in 12 in the easy win. The victory set up a monumental showdown in the semifinals with Knappa and Bob “Pudgy” Hunt. The Loggers needed all 24 of Hunt’s points in the 56-51 overtime victory. Harrisburg led late in the game but a late turnover proved costly which allowed Knappa to tie the score and force overtime. In OT, Knappa surged ahead and played a stall game and won the right to enter the championship. Estergaard led the Eagles with 16 in the losing effort. Wanting to finish their careers on a high note, Estergaard, Woods, Crabb and the rest of the Eagles jumped all over Powers in the 3rd place game and coasted to another easy victory. Harrisburg bolted to a 32-13 halftime lead and cruised to a 70-40 win to capture third place. After the tournament, Estgaard earned All-Tournament 1st Team honors and finished as the 4th leading scorer in the tournament at 14 points per game. Estergaard would later go on to “make more money than all of us” as a sheep farmer according to Crabb who also reports that the pair still live near each other and talk frequently.

To read about other All-Decade Teams:

1920's All Decade Team
1930's All Decade Team - Honorable Mention - 2nd Team - 1st Team
1940's All Decade Team - Honorable Mention - 2nd Team - 1st Team
1950's All Decade Team - Honorable Mention
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1950's Honorable Mention Team Announced

Small school basketball was thriving in the 1950’s. The 1940’s had wrought many changes to Oregon high school basketball including the introduction of the first Class “B” tournament. Nationally, the turbulent and volatile 1940’s had given way to the prosperous 1950’s where the United States enjoyed unprecedented power worldwide.

The country could finally return to a sense of normalcy that seemingly had been lost since the turn of the century. WWI gave way to the Depression which gave way to WWII. When the US had pulled through, the country was a force.
The decades before had been turbulent for small schools in Oregon. The wars and depressions had decimated many rural communities. Consequently, schools consolidated with neighboring schools and many towns lost their identities. Many towns disappeared all together.

Many of the top teams of the 1950’s remain in existence today. Powers, Knappa, Elkton and Echo are all surviving. Teams like Knappa, Harrisburg, Jefferson and Grant Union now compete in higher classifications. Others like Malin and Star of the Sea have closed or consolidated.

Four of Oregon’s top-100 scorers competed during this decade and all four found places on the all-decade team. Three of the four were centers and the fourth, a smooth forward, hailed from a coastal private school in the basketball hotbed of Astoria.

1950’s Honorable Mention All-Decade Team

The Honorable Mention team from the 1950’s lists five centers among the honorees. With no three-point shot and the narrow key it made sense for teams to get the ball into their centers for close shots. Being able to park a tall player right under the basket was a distinct advantage for teams who had a center with any height. The honorable mention team is littered with high scoring centers.

Norm Oliva – Malin – Oliva teamed with Ray Johnson and Roger Dokken to lead Malin to back-to-back championship game appearances in 1955 and 1956. The 6-3 Oliva battled the legendary Bob “Pudgy” Hunt from the center position in the championship game of the 1955 tournament and put up 13 points in a one-point loss to the Loggers. Oliva finished the tournament with 45 points and All-Tournament 1st Team honors and was the 3rd leading scorer in the tournament. In ’56, Malin returned the core of Dokken, Johnson and Oliva and reeled off three-straight wins to capture their only state championship. Oliva was dominant, scoring 25 in the opener against Sisters and 21 in the 80-67 championship game win over Echo. Oliva was selected All-Tournament 1st Team after averaging 20 points per game in Malin’s championship run.

Alva Conlee – Grant Union – Conlee makes the list after leading the 1951 state tournament in scoring. Grant Union lost their opener 45-41 to Wallowa as Conlee was held to just six points. But in the next two games, Conlee tallied 35 and 22 to help Grant Union to the 1951 Consolation trophy and a fourth place finish. Conlee was selected to the All Tournament 2nd team after the tournament, despite leading the tourney in scoring.

Max Kelly – Knappa – Max Kelly manned the center position for Knappa in 1951 and 1952. Kelly was the linchpin for the 1952 team that rebounded from a difficult 1951 tournament when the Loggers were eliminated in two straight games. Kelly starred for the Loggers in 1952 when Knappa played their way to a state championship game berth against Rogue River. Kelly was the leading scorer in the tournament and voted All-Tournament 1st Team afterwards. The Loggers lost 61-50 to a strong Rogue River team but Kelly did his part with 20 points in the loss. The night before the senior tallied 23 against St. Boniface in a 49-40 win. Kelly finished with 1,044 points in his career at Knappa.

Phil Hochspeier – Jefferson – Hochspeier, a 6-3 “string bean type” according to the Oregonian appeared in the three-straight tournaments for the Lions. As a sophomore in 1956, Hochspeier tallied 30 points in Jefferson’s two losses, including 22 off the bench in a consolation loss to Sisters 72-64. As a junior, Hochspeier and Jefferson entered the tournament with a 21-2 record. The Lions opened the tournament with a 44-34 win over Malin with Hochspeier tallying 12 points. Next Jefferson met the Elks of Elkton, who were 23-0 and on the way to the state title. The first half was close, but Elkton pulled away in the second half. Hochspeier finished the game with 16 but Elkton prevailed 63-43. In the third place game Jefferson defeated Sisters 57-44 behind Hochspeier’s 26 points and 14 rebounds. Hochspeier was named All-Tournament 1st Team after the tournament. As a senior in 1958, Jefferson rolled into Pendleton with a 21-3 record. Led by Hochspeier’s 18 points per game, Jefferson and coach Oral Lee figured to be a team to beat. The ’58 tournament was a competitive field, with three unbeaten teams in Enterprise, Talent and Sisters. Stanfield had the hometown crowd in their favor while Star of the Sea had do-everything forward Greg Moore. Jefferson won their first two games behind Hochspeier and guard Alan Nyman. Hochspeier hit for 26 in the opening round win over Sisters and followed it up with 14 in a low-scoring semifinal win against Evans and Stanfield. In the championship, Moore and Star of the Sea bottled up Hochspeier and held him to just one point. Certainly it was a bitter pill after eight games at the state tournament for Hochspeier, who would finish his state tournament career with 125 points and a 13 points per game average.

Terry Woods – Harrisburg – Woods teamed with a pair of stellar guards for a brilliant two-year run for the Eagles of Harrisburg. As an All-Tournament 2nd team selection in 1954, Woods finished with over 40 points in Harrisburg’s three state tournament games, including 13 against Ione in a 69-62 championship game victory over Ione in 1954. Woods returned for his senior year in 1955 with Harrisburg a favorite to repeat as champion. The Eagles entered the ’55 state tournament at Willamette University with a 23-4 record. They ripped Prairie City 81-40 in their opener, with Woods pouring in 24 points. Harrisburg next met Knappa in the semifinals, led by their high scoring center Bob Hunt. Woods did his part by scoring 14 points but ultimately Knappa prevailed 56-51 in overtime with Hunt scoring 25 to lead the way. Harrisburg took out the frustrations of being eliminated from state championship consideration the next afternoon against Powers, hammering the Cruisers 70-40. Woods shined in the contest with 24 points. Woods finished the 1955 tournament as the 2nd leading scorer with a 20.7 points per game average and an All-Tournament 1st Team Selection.

Jim Boulter – Rogue River – As a sophomore reserve in 1950, Boulter played in each of Rogue River’s three games at the state tournament as the Chieftains cruised to a state title. Rogue River came into the tournament 18-2 and defeated Condon (52-20), Drain (41-33) and finally Alsea in the championship 38-34. After losing out to Phoenix in the 1951 District 5 Tournament, Rogue River returned to the state tournament in 1952. The Chieftains were a balanced scoring team with three players on the All-State tournament team but it was the 6-4 Boulter who led the charge. He scored 11 in the opener against Powers, a 43-42 win and followed up with nine against Mapleton in the semifinals. The Chieftains held off the Sailors 46-42 to advance to their second state championship game in three years. Against Max Kelly and Knappa, Boulter did the bulk of his scoring as he poured in 23 points to help lead the Chieftains to a 61-50 victory and the state championship. Boulter finished the tournament with a 14.3 points per game average good for 5th in the tournament. He was named All-Tournament 1st Team at the conclusion of the tournament.

Ritchie Perkins – Knappa – Guard Ritchie Perkins was at the start when Knappa rose to dominate the 1950’s. The Loggers made seven straight trips to the state tournament in the 1950’s and Perkins was there for the first three. A reserve as a sophomore in 1951, Perkins scored six points in Knappa’s two losses at the tournament. As a junior, Perkins started at guard and teamed with Max Kelly to lead Knappa to their first state title game appearance. Perkins scored 19 points in the Loggers 73-62 win over Culver in the opener. Kelly dominated the semifinal game with St. Boniface with 23 points while Perkins scored three points and provided defense and ballhandling. With the state championship on the line against Rogue River, Perkins responded with 17 points but it wasn’t enough as the Chieftains, led by Boulter’s 23 points, outscored Knappa 61-50. Perkins was named All-Tournament 2nd Team after the tournament. Now a senior in 1952, Perkins led an inexperienced group back to the state tournament. Perkins led the Loggers in scoring for the tournament with a 14.6 points per game average. He was named All-Tournament 1st team at the conclusion of the tournament as Knappa finished with sixth place trophy.

Duane Baker – Ione – A high scoring guard from Ione, Baker was Ione’s leading scorer in the 1954 tournament. Baker led Ione into the state championship while averaging 19.7 points per game. No other Ione player averaged double figures during the state tournament. Ione entered the tournament unbeaten at 23-0 and cruised past Santiam in their opener 65-50. Baker scored 26 in the contest. In a low-scoring semifinal against Elgin, Baker had just nine points but the Cardinals prevailed 48-45. The victory set up a Harrisburg and Ione final. Baker carried Ione with 24 points but Harrisburg, led by Terry Woods, Phil Estergaard and DeWayne Crabb, had too much depth and claimed the state title with a 69-62 win. After the tournament, Baker was named All-Tournament 1st Team and was the second leading scorer n the tournament.

Others:

Larry Pryse – Prairie City – Pryse led the Panthers to the Consolation Trophy in 1950, including a tournament high 26 points against Monmouth in the consolation finals. Named to the 1950 All-Tournament team.

Earl Winnebarger – Prairie City – Winnebarger led the 1950 state tournament in scoring from his forward slot for the Panthers. Finished the 1950 state tournament as the leading scorer with 54 points including 20 in the consolation victory over Monmouth. Named to the 1950 All-Tournament team.

Ronald Moore – Elkton – Moore scored 50 points in the first two games of the 1956 state tournament for the Elks, including 30 in Elkton’s 84-67 win over Brownsville in the consolation game. Quieted against Sisters in the consolation final, Moore scored eight points as the Elks captured 4th place.

Evor Kumpula – Knappa – A 4-year state tournament participant for Knappa, Kumpula averaged double figures as a freshman in 1951. He only appeared in Knappa’s opener vs. Culver in 1952 as a sophomore before earning back playing time as a junior. As a junior in 1953, Kumpula helped lead Knappa into the consolation finals vs. Keppner. By his senior year, Kumpula was among the best players in the state and capped a solid senior year with All-Tournament 1st Team honors at the 1954 tournament. He put up 22 in an opening round loss to Powers and helped the Loggers capture the fourth place trophy with 21 points in a 53-49 win over Talent in the consolation finals.
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Wallowa Wins Eastern Oregon Championship

Those who follow small school basketball can recite the names. The programs that have been around for decades. Generations.

Names like Elkton and Powers come quickly to mind. Others might recall Knappa’s dominance in the 50’s and 60’s and Mohawk more recently.

Wallowa high school, perhaps somewhat anonymously, has also etched its name as one of the top programs in state history. They currently rank tied for third all-time in history with 17 trips to the state tournament, trailing only Powers (24) and Elkton (20).
Unlike the other more traditional powerhouses, Wallowa earned trips to the state tournament during the single-class tournament format of the 1920’s where rivals included larger schools in nearby cities. Powers, Elkton, Knappa and Mohawk all benefitted from some form of classification. Not so with Wallowa. Three of their 17 trips to the state tournament came during the David vs. Goliath era of the 1920’s.

This meant Wallowa had to get through Baker, La Grande, Ontario and Union at the district tournament just to advance.

It was 86 years ago when Wallowa first earned a trip to the state tournament when they captured the 1925 Eastern Oregon championship by defeating Joseph 10-8 in the district finals at Union.

The future of Wallowa basketball was in grade school that year watching games and counting down the time until they could join the high school team and lead them back to Salem.

Led by 8th graders Glen Crawford and Vandon Sarrett and 7th grader Roy Johnston, the Wallowa grade school team of 1925 won most of their games against eastern Oregon foes, including a decisive win over arch-rivals and Eastern Oregon powerhouse Joseph. In their 34-6 win over Joseph in Wallowa, Sarrett and Crawford combined for 29 points.

The following year Crawford became the starting center for the high school team. Sarrett came off the bench early in the season but was inserted into the starting line-up later in the year. The freshman even drained a game-winning shot against La Grande late in the season. Crawford had immediate success at center playing alongside high scoring forward Bill Henderson. The Savages, as they were still known at this point according to the Wallowa Sun, were inconsistent throughout the season but still managed to enter the district tournament.

By then Vandon Sarrett and Glen Crawford were anchored in the starting lineup and established as future stars of Wallowa basketball. The two freshmen helped lead Wallowa into the semifinals of the district tournament before losing at the hands of Joseph.

For the 1927 season, Wallowa adopted the now familiar nickname, the “Cougars” according to the Waloha, the Wallowa high school yearbook. “Realizing the need for a fighting name for their teams, the Wallowa High school has adopted the name “Cougar. This seems to be a very good name for their teams as they send out some very fighting teams.” [1]

The 1927 Cougar team had just one senior and a host of young players including sophomores Crawford and Sarrett and Ray Johnston, a star in the making as a freshman. Rarely did freshmen arrive in high school and immediately earn playing time on the high school team, but Wallowa had three in the span of two years in Crawford, Sarrett and Johnston. Wallowa won 7 of their final nine games and entered the 1927 District 1 tournament as a team on the rise.

They drew La Grande in the first round of the tournament at Union High School and avenged two regular season losses to the Union County seaters with a 23-17 win. They then knocked off the home team Union in the second round to earn a date with Joseph in the quarterfinals.

Joseph was the class of Eastern Oregon basketball. They won District 1 championships in 1922 and 1923 and had finished second each of the past three years. Despite an enrollment roughly half the size of Wallowa, Joseph was the king of Eastern Oregon basketball.

For the second straight season Joseph defeated Wallowa in the district tournament. Fortunately for the Cougars, the District 1 tournament was a double elimination tournament and a single loss didn’t eliminate a team from the championship. Wallowa was still alive to capture the crown but had no margin for error.

La Grande, after the first round loss to Wallowa had cruised through the consolation bracket with easy wins over North Powder (39-14) and Prairie City (51-25) to reach the semifinals against the Cougars. La Grande pulled away for a 40-26 victory over Wallowa and went on to defeat Baker and Joseph to capture their first District 1 crown. But as the Wallowa high school yearbook noted in its end of the season wrap up, “more can be expected from this team next year as eight of the nine men will be
back on the squad.” [2]

Wallowa returned the core trio of Sarrett, Crawford and Johnston for the 1928 season and senior forward Jack Lloyd, “a fast and dangerous forward when in the scoring territory.” [3]

The four proved to be formidable quartet in Eastern Oregon and at the conclusion of the 1928 season all four were named to the All-Eastern Oregon team.

The editors of the Waloha were correct in summing up the 1927 season and predicting success for the 1928 squad. Led by coach Charles Dawson, the Cougars bolted to a 6-0 record in January to start the season. The six wins included a pair of wins over defending district champions La Grande.

The Cougars entered February on a roll but so did their arch rivals Joseph. Joseph defeated Wallowa 21-16 win in front of a packed house in Joseph. Three weeks later, Wallowa got revenge on their home floor with a 33-24 win that gave Wallowa the regular season championship. The title of league champion was more honorary than important as both teams still made the district 1 tournament at Union.

Wallowa opened the District 1 Tournament in Union with a 34-24 win over Prairie City and cruised to a 38-22 win over Ontario in the second round. Coach Dawson used the occasion of a 16-point second half lead against Ontario to rest Lloyd, Sarrett and guard Cecil Posey.

The win put Wallowa into the quarterfinals against Baker Friday night. Baker upset Joseph in round two and was always a threat to win the district championship. Against Wallowa, Baker “played consistent ball both in guarding and passing, but Wallowa had greater stamina and out-endured their opponents.” Wallowa emerged from the game with a two-point win 19-17. [4]

The victory over Baker put Wallowa in the lead in the tournament. They were the only team without a loss and had proven they could beat anyone in the district. The win put Wallowa into the “semifinals” with three other teams, each with one loss. Union, who lost in the first round of the tournament rallied with two straight wins to match-up with Baker in one semifinal.

After losing in round two to Wallowa, Ontario defeated Joseph to earn a rematch with the Cougars in the other semifinal.

In the first game Baker defeated Union and knocked the home team from the tournament.
Wallowa was essentially guaranteed a spot in the finals because a loss to Ontario wouldn’t eliminate them from the tournament. A win would pit them against Baker for the title while a loss meant Ontario and Baker would play with the winner taking on Wallowa.

Ontario surprised the Cougars in their semifinal game by jumping to an early lead. The Wallowa boys seemed “loggy and dead on their feet and Ontario was playing over its head, the combination taking Wallowa by surprise.” [5]

Wallowa staged a late rally but came up short and lost 22-21. It meant Wallowa would play the winner of the Baker and Ontario game Monday night for the District 1 championship. Baker defeated Ontario setting up a Baker and Wallowa championship game.

More than 1,500 crammed into the Union High School gymnasium, many of whom were from Wallowa to see the Cougars take on Baker for the District 1 championship. They yelled throughout the game but the young Cougars were “jerky and nervous” to start the game and “could not seem to get started.” They were held scoreless for the first four minutes of the game before Dawson used a timeout. The timeout seemed to calm the nerves and “when they went back, the boys were steadied and more confident and carried the fight from then on to the end.” [6]

Wallowa came away with a 26-22 victory to earn their second district title in five years.

“Jubilation ran riot in Wallowa Monday night when the telephone wires flashed the report of the Wallowa victory. Home-stayers staged an impromptu celebration that showed the high enthusiasm and keen delight that the victory had occasioned.” [7]

The district championship was only a part of the excitement. There were celebrations in town, a 24 hour train ride to Salem, and visits to both Oregon Agricultural College (later Oregon State University) and the University of Oregon on the trip.

They played good basketball while in Salem too. Despite the large court, long trade ride and massive crowd, the small town from Wallowa county took the game right to Marshfield, their first round opponent. The boys from Coos Bay held a slim 13-11 lead at halftime but neither team seemed to be in control. Marshfield began to pull away in the third quarter and increased their lead to 10 by the end of the quarter.

Marshfield looked to “ease through for an easy victory” but “Coach Charley Dawson’s boys then got under way” and trimmed the lead to four thanks to three successive baskets. Marshfield answered with their leader, a guard named Liljeberg who scored two “neat tosses” to help quell the rally. [8] Marshfield escaped with a 27-24 victory.

Wallowa met University High, champions of District 6 in the consolation round. Located on the campus of the University of Oregon, University High defeated “A” schools up and down the Willamette Valley, from Corvallis to Albany to Salem to Springfield to capture the District 6 championship.

But Wallowa high, with an enrollment of 129, “piled up a lead in the first half that the University high boys couldn’t overcome” and won 31-25. [9]

The win over University placed Wallowa high into the semifinals of the consolation tournament with basketball powerhouses Salem and Astoria. Wallowa faced Tillamook and the Cougars seemed tired after the furious pace of the University game and fell 27-9 to Tillamook who finished the season with a 23-3 record.

The loss to Tillamook eliminated Wallowa from the tournament. Before the long train ride back to the eastside, the team visited Eugene and Corvallis. The trip home gave Crawford, Sarrett and Johnston time to reflect on their season but also a chance to gear up for another championship run in 1929. With three Eastern Oregon All-Stars returning for the 1929, they surely realized the mighty Cougars would be the team to beat in Eastern Oregon.

[1] "Basket Ball Team." Waloha. Wallowa: Wallowa High School, 1927. 44-45. Print.
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] "Wallowa Quint Wins E.O. Title." Wallowa Sun 8 Mar. 1928: 1+. Print
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] "University High Loses." Eugene Register Guard 15 Mar. 1928, Final Home Edition ed.: 1+. Print.
[9] “State Basketball Tournament at Salem, Oregon.” Waloha. Wallowa: Wallowa High School, 1928. 47-49. Print.
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Oregon's Original Scoring Champion

She was easily the highest scoring player in the area. Her prodigious scoring was known throughout the league and region. She was 5-11 with a relentless work ethic, college coaches had to have been lining up to offer scholarships.

But nobody called.

Nobody called with a scholarship after Minney scored 50 points in the county championship game, singlehandedly outscoring the opposition. Nobody called with an offer despite a 57 points per game average as a sophomore.

No coaches visited after opposing team protested her playing for the Vida boys’ team in the playoffs as a freshman. “We’ll put boys in our girl lineups,” a captain of a Vida opponent cracked when told of Minney playing on the boys’ team. [1]

Unfortunately for Gladys Minney, she grew up 70 years too early. Before Facebook, YouTube, recruiting services and AAU basketball. She was just a country girl who loved to shoot baskets. Gladys Minney would never play in college. In rural Lane County in the early 1930’s, women’s college basketball wasn’t even an option.

Gladys Minney started on Vida high school’s county championship team as a seventh grader in 1928. There were only seven girls in the school, just 10 students total and without Minney and close friend and fellow 7th grader Vivian Thomson, there might not have been a Vida girls basketball team in 1928.

Vida, a tiny school located in rural Lane County, barely had enough students in the school to field a basketball team. For years the task for the girls on the Vida basketball team was simple, pass to Gladys Minney and get out of the way. More often than not, Minney obliged and filled the stat column with so many points the opposition was helpless to stop her.

Her scoring totals read like an Oregon winter forecast. 32, 35, 41, 42, 48, 50. Occasionally, her totals reached spring levels like the 56 she put up against St. Mary’s or the 63 against Coburg. She is once reputed to have scored 104 against Santa Clara, a point total that reportedly put her into Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

In February of 1930, the Eugene Register Guard said of Minney, “the star forward sinks baskets faster than most girls can burn biscuits, and she won’t be guarded.” [2]

For girls in Oregon high school basketball in the late 20’s and early 30’s, there was no state tournament. In many cases, there weren’t even county tournaments. So in some respect, the girls of Lane County were special and had the unique opportunity to show their abilities to a broader audience.

Gladys Minney drew supporters to the Lane County tournament better than any boy player ever could. They were drawn to this girl who played with such aggression and ability it was almost too much to believe.

Gladys learned at the foot of her brother, Art, who was four years older. He taught Gladys how to effectively play and make close-in shots with either hand. Art had a stellar career for Vida and led the Vida boys team to the 1929 County Championship game against Pleasant Hill.

Gladys Minney’s career for the Vida high school team began in 1928 as a 7th grader when
she played the “running center” in the old 6-player games of girls’ basketball.

The 1928 team was led by Metola Allen, daughter of Charles “Warhorse” Allen, star running back for Amos Alonzo Stagg in the 1890’s. Metola played a forward position and scored 64 points in Vida’s 72-32 Lane County Championship victory over defending champion Thurston. Gladys was scoreless in the championship game but played the entire game and gained valuable experience.

Another 7th grader, Vivian Thomson played for the championship team at guard. Vivian and Gladys formed a formidable duo that would lead Vida in their homemade purple and gold uniforms for years to come.

Gladys didn’t wait long to announce that the 1929 team was her team. She dropped 73 on Santa Clara in a preseason game as Vida dominated 100-10.

She led Vida into the 1929 county tournament and continued her scoring output. 43 against Walker, 35 against Mohawk and 42 against Thurston to lead Vida into their second straight tournament championship game, this time against Lorane.

Meanwhile, Art and the Vida boys were also putting on a good show. The Minney’s had the county wrapped around their fingers. According to the Register Guard, “800 people managed to crowd into the YMCA gymnasium Saturday evening.” Everyone in attendance was “focused on the Minney family of Vida.” [3]

With 120 points in three games, Gladys Minney took the floor against Lorane in the championship game and put her stamp on the 1929 county championship tournament.
With fans packed into the YMCA gym, Minney delighted the crowd with 50 points in Vida’s 58-36 win over Lorane.

Both Gladys and Art earned All-County First Team mention after the tournament.

Now a veteran as a high school freshman in 1930, Gladys Minney continued to dominate the girls of Lane County. Vida entered the county tournament in February and appeared to be the leading contender to capture their third straight Lane County Championship.

Vida cruised in their first two games, defeating Santa Clara 53-3 and Pleasant Hill 46-18 to gain entry into the county championship. Minney poured in 23 points it he first half against Pleasant Hill and even though her opponent, Matthews, did all she could to stop her, “Minney was too tall and did just about as she pleased when she got the ball.” [4]

Friday morning, in a boys game against Creswell, Vida star forward Ennis Groff wrenched his knee after a high jump forcing him to the sideline. The Vida boys had entered the tournament as a favorite to win the championship but Groff’s injury put their title claims in jeopardy.

To compensate for the loss of one of his best players, Vida boys’ coach Lyon Lawrence hatched the idea of replacing Groff with Gladys Minney. News of the bold coaching move spread and soon the Lane County tournament had a swirling firestorm.

“Gladys Minney may show boys real accuracy” reads a front page story in the Eugene Register Guard. [5] News reached Bend and the Bend Bulletin posted a small piece about the brewing controversy.

The Register Guard proclaimed Minneys’ scoring prowess, noting the “phenomenal girl forward of the Vida girls’ team will play in his [Groff’s] place and according to Lyon Lawrence, ‘the team will hardly notice the difference.” [6]

Gladys’ parents gave permission for their freshman daughter to play on the Vida boys’ varsity team but other teams vehemently protested the inclusion of a girl on the boys’ team. The controversy spread and Lawrence, compelled by the growing sentiment from teams around the league didn’t allow Gladys to play for the boys’ team. The Vida boys put up a good fight but St. Mary’s stalled with the lead in the fourth quarter and went on to win 21-13.

With the notion of playing for the boys’ team an afterthought, Minney and Vida could now refocus on capturing their third straight Lane County championship. Standing in their way was an underrated but scrappy Mohawk club. Once again, a Vida team was at the center of a controversy.

“In most of the fans’ opinions, Vida made a strategic error when Gladys Minney, star forward, was substituted at center. Minney is sure of many baskets when she is in her forward berth and that is what Vida needed to win the game.” [7]

Mohawk played a “fast and furious game” aided by “the fast little Healy, guard of the Mohawks” who was a star of the game. Mohawk’s 27-24 victory ended Vida’s two-year run as champions of Lane County. Most surprisingly, Minney tallied just 12 points in the game.

Devastated, the Vida girls retreated to their locker room in tears. Their two-year reign as queens of Lane County was over.

Robin Alexander, a McKenzie River fishing guide who has written a screenplay about Minney’s life talked to relatives of Gladys. They say she talked about her life and basketball career frequently. Her son Steve told Alexander that officials from out of town had come to watch Gladys play to make sure she was playing by the rules. They had never seen a girl play so skillfully and were likely suspicious of her age. The controversy of joining the boys team surely brought more attention from league and state officials.

Gladys speculated that Lawrence was spooked by the officials poking around his team and didn’t want to risk further trouble. To alleviate the pressure, she thought, he switched her to center and Vida lost. [8]

Once again, Minney was named to the All-County First Team at the conclusion of the tournament.

Minney entered the 1931 season as a sophomore but with three years of experience at the varsity level. Teammate and close friend Vivian Thomson matched the experience and provided an experienced core that would help lead a young Vida team that season. Minney’s younger sister Thelma joined the team that year as the running center but the team was inexperienced in most positions.

Vida let Minney carry the load on most nights and the high scoring forward usually obliged. Late in the season Minney scored 63 points in a 68-28 victory over Coburg.

With Minney draining shots from all over the floor, Vida was always a threat to win the county championship. She started the 1931 tournament off with a bang; scoring 41 points in a 47-21 win over Creswell. She followed with a 56 point outing to pace Vida to a 71-7 win over St. Mary’s. The Register Guard joked, “Gladys Minney let down and only scored 56 points in this game.” [9]

In the semifinals, Oakridge slowed Minney and kept the game close. Oakridge grabbed the lead in the third quarter and the game seesawed back and forth in the final quarter. Vida countered and surged into the lead late in the fourth and held on for a 36-34 victory. Minney tallied 32 points in the contest, her lowest total in months.

A record crowd made its way out for the 1931 Lane County championship tilts. Vida was shooting for their third championship in four years, this time battling Crow for the crown. Crow boasted their own scoring sensation, Iris Fitch, who came into the championship game averaging over 22 points per game, including 26 in their semifinal win over Siuslaw.

The game was a back and forth affair, with neither team seizing control. Fitch and Minney dueled from the forward spot and the two kept the crowd entertained throughout the game.

The teams were deadlocked at 42 with seconds remaining before Crow looped in the game-winning basket and went on to capture the 44-42 victory. The two forwards each tallied 36 points in the game but it was Fitch’s Crow team who had the last laugh. It was the second straight county championship game defeat for Vida.

Both Fitch and Minney were named to the All County First Team at the conclusion of the tournament.

Though only a sophomore, Gladys Minney’s high school basketball career had come to an end.

The association governing high school athletics was attempting to seize control of Oregon’s growing high school sports world. In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s Oregon had hundreds of schools, many of them rural and difficult to reach. Efforts were made to unify all the schools under one umbrella. Too often schools and their leagues operated under their own rules and guidelines and the association wanted to ensure that everyone was playing under similar rules.

One of the key points the association was attempting to control was eligibility, specifically preventing players from playing high school sports beyond the usual four years. In the late 30’s, all the Portland schools refused to abide by the state association’s “ninth term rule” and were barred from competing in post season play.

The Eugene Register Guard doesn’t elaborate on the end of Minney’s career or cover any potential scandals over Minney not being allowed to participate as a junior and senior. Minney was an observer at the 1933 Lane County Tournament for what would have been her senior year.

Eugene Register Guard columnist Roy Craft wrote, “One of the most interested spectators at the “B” league tournament is Gladys Minney, ex-Vida star and probably the greatest girl athlete ever developed in the county. “ [10]

Basketball would have been a welcome diversion for the Minney household because that year her father, Frank died of a staph infection after a five month hospitalization.

Frank was an avid supporter of the Vida teams and attended nearly every Vida game. He was notorious for driving his kids all over Lane County in a 1928 Chevrolet sedan. According to Alexander’s research, he would drive the sedan all over rural Lane County, including the McKenzie Highway which was a gravel road at the time, to gyms and schools over the area. The old Thurston gym which is now the Thurston Grange was a 40 minute drive from the family farm.

Frank’s passing was difficult for the Minney family. With her father gone and the depression strangling the family finances, options for Gladys were limited. There would be no college basketball for the high-scoring forward. There wouldn’t even be college. Money was too scarce and it wasn’t feasible.

Minney was instead, “forced to retire to her memories of glory while the men athletes her age are just getting started.” [11]

Minney married Tom Minor at a young age and played club basketball after high school. She became an avid fisherwoman and outdoorswoman as an adult. She spent over 22 years managing the City Variety and Sporting Goods Store in Eugene.

According to Alexander, Minney remained a fan of the game of basketball and even attended games at Sutherlin high school. On occasion she would speak to the Sutherlin team and became close to the team and players. [12]

It would be overstating it to say the unceremonious conclusion of Minney’s high school basketball career was a tragedy. The death of her father was a tragedy. The other things served as salt in the gaping wound.

Rules are rules and they need to be followed. I would certainly never suggest that schools circumvent the rules for their own gain. But it is disappointing that basketball fans of that era missed out on two full years of Gladys Minney tossing in baskets with machine-gun rapidity.

[1] "Boys Protest as Girl Is Put on Hoop Team." Bend Bulletin 31 Jan. 1931: 5. Print.
[2] "In Regard to Sports." Eugene Register Guard 31 Jan. 1931: 10. Print.
[3] "The Minney’s Star." Eugene Register Guard 16 Feb. 1929: 1. Print.
[4] "Basketball Meet Nears Big Climax." Eugene Register Guard 31 Jan. 1930: 1. Print.
[5] "Gladys Minney May Show Boys Real Accuracy." Eugene Register Guard 31 Jan. 1930: 1. Print.
[6] Ibid
[7] "Vida Girls Team Defeated in Fast Game Friday Night." Eugene Register Guard 8 Feb. 1930: 8. Print.
[8] Alexander, Robin. “Broken Dreams.” Eugene: N.P. Date Unknown
[9] "Vida Girls Win." Eugene Register Guard 20 Feb. 1931: 5. Print.
[10] Craft, Roy. "High Climber." Eugene Register Guard 16 Feb. 1933: 6. Print.
[11] Ibid
[12] Alexander, Robin




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What to Wear

I’ve never cared much for clothing. Yes, I am in favor of wearing clothes, I've just never been fond of trying to be in style or even matching. When it comes to what to wear, I depend upon my wife to put me in something that matches and is somewhat in style. In college I liked to wear shirts inside out because I thought it was cool and edgy. Turns out, it made me look homeless. Ditto for the khaki pants I cut into shorts.

So it may come as a surprise that while researching history, clothing has become a fascination. Specifically, what the high school basketball teams wore. Having only black and white photos at our disposal it makes distinguishing one team from another is virtually impossible.

Some uniforms have character, some teams wore shiny suits with belts and fancy socks, and others wore sweaters as warm-ups. Some wore plain shirts with a number on the front.

Let’s take a look at some uniforms from the past.


This, from Tillamook high school in 1930 features a wheel of cheese with a slice missing. Given Tillamook’s mascot is the “Cheesemakers,” the cheese logo on the front is perfect. It is also extremely unique for uniforms of this era to feature pictures or “logos” of any kind.

Here we have Rainier High School from 1920. The uniforms featured striped shirts, belts and an “R” on the shorts.

Similar to Rainier, these uniforms for Franklin feature an “F” on the shorts and stripes on the tops. The stripes on Franklin’s uniforms go the full length of the jersey top as opposed to only halfway. Also like Rainier, all the players on Franklin's team have high socks which were the style of the early days.

You may never know this was Salem high schools 1920 state champions. Not even an “S” on the shorts like Rainier or an "F" like Franklin to differentiate them at all. The only way to tell them apart would be to see them in person and see the trim on the shorts and the color of the belts and socks. They are very likely the red and black that Salem wore for many years as the Vikings.


Here is early powerhouse Astoria. These uniforms are similar to most of the other uniforms of the era with a striped look however Astoria opted for an “A” on the front of their jersey top in an attempt to distinguish itself from other teams of the early days. This is the 1917 team.

Had they not put the “A” on the front, how would one tell if they were watching Astoria or Concordia High School? By the shorts of course.

From Dufur high school’s yearbook, here are the 1920 Rangers from Dufur high school. Like other teams, the Rangers feature a striped top, no doubt in the red they still wear today.

Eastern Oregon champions of 1923, Joseph opted for a stripe but changed to a diagonal stripe across the front.

The Baker Bulldogs added a small bit of flare to their 1927 uniforms by adding trim to the collar. The uniforms are very similar to most of the other uniforms of the time, but the added color to the collar sets them apart from most schools.

Early Lane County powerhouse Pleasant Hill was another early team that put a design on the front of their jerseys. They opted for a diamond shape with school initials “P” and “H” inside.

1934 Polk County Champions Airlie is pictured below in their white shooting sweaters with a large “A” on the left side. By the 1930’s, sock fashion changed to a shorter look as opposed to the knee high’s of the early 20’s.

Amity is shown here in their matching warm-up suits. Taken in 1938 the little school from Yamhill County surely stood out with their sharp warm-ups and consistent look.

Here is the only boys' team in Oregon state history to reach the state tournament with a female coach. The Thurston “Pansies” featured future major league baseball hurler Howard Fox and were led by Genevieve Beaman into the state tournament in 1938. Standing to coach Beaman’s right is Howard Fox. It appears Thurston has their name on the front of the uniform, in an arched pattern. The trip to state was the school’s first ever trip and the community was so thrilled, they rallied together to outfit the team in new uniforms for the tournament.

1940 Lane County champions Lowell leave little doubt as to who they are. One of the few teams to actually attach the school name to the front of the jersey, Lowell opts to stand out in this way. The Devils wore red, black and white, a common combination so they went with the team name on the front of the jersey.

Here we have Westport’s 1941 state championship team and their flashy warm-ups. Head coach Ted Stensland completes the dapper look with a three-piece suit.

40 years before Nike and the University of Oregon created unique uniform combinations; the coastal high school of Giribaldi was already leading the way. Featuring short-sleeved uniform tops and stripes along the shoulders, the Wolves had to have one of the most unique uniform looks in the state.

Here are some early 1960’s examples from Eastern Oregon. Wallowa high school in 1962 had no text on the front of their jerseys opting instead for just numbers.

For the 1966 team they added “Wallowa” to the front with large block letters underneath.

For the 1968 team, Wallowa went back to the blank jerseys with just a number on the front.

Girls in Oregon enjoyed incredible access to high school sports. Here are a few shots of girls teams in throughout the years.

Muddy Creek high school in Eastern Oregon is shown here in 1911. These uniforms look more like Sunday dresses than basketball uniforms.

By the mid-30’s, girls basketball uniforms had progressed to the point they challenged and surpassed many of their male counterparts. How revolutionary these uniforms must have been in the 1930's! Scandalous even? Several years ago Oregonian writer Rachel Bachman wrote an article about women's basketball in the early days and clearly the girls loved their game and weren't afraid of competition.

Here is Oakridge high school going with an interesting design of “OHS” on the front of their uniforms.

Little Vida high school was able to attach their names to the front of the jersey.

As was tiny Santa Clara high school in 1936.

Which era would you have liked to play in? The 1920's with belts, high socks and striped shirts? The anonymous 1930's school names were rarely found on uniforms? Maybe the 1960's when teams everywhere were putting their names on uniforms.

Maybe you'd prefer to play in today's world, with shorts hanging past your knees. Dresses as my grandfather used to call them.

Whatever your style and preference, chances are it has been done in the nearly 100 years of high school basketball in Oregon.

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Rebirth of Siletz Valley

I have avoided wading into the debate regarding charter schools vs. public schools, private schools vs. public schools, consolidation and all the other issues that dog our small schools these days.

I have opinions. But this blog is about celebrating our history and celebrating the young men who have competed for their towns throughout the past century.

But I am in favor of opportunity. Give the kids a chance to play. Give them a ball and a court or field and get out of the way. Some kids just need opportunities.

That's why I like this story about Siletz Valley from the Baker City Herald. Written by Jayson Jacoby, it talks about the history of Siletz Valley high school and explains their 36 year absence from the state playoffs.

It's kind of hard to make the playoffs when you don't even have a school. Siletz Valley didn't even have a school for 24 of those 36 years. Now, thanks to some help from the Confederated Tribe of Siletz, Siletz Valley is on the verge of a state championship berth.

To think, six years ago, Siletz Valley High School was dead.

Six years later, they are just 32 minutes away from a state championship berth.

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