By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
FOREST GROVE, Ore.– For the first time since 2007, the Stayton Eagles Girls Basketball team are 4A State Championship Bound following their 59-35 victory over Baker Saturday afternoon.
What went right in their State Quarterfinal victory also went right for Stayton in their State Semifinal win over the Bulldogs:
The three-pointer and defense.
It wasn’t their 13 three-pointer output that they saw against Seaside, but the Eagles still hit on nine of them in Friday’s victory. Seven of them came in the second and third quarters, where they did the bulk of their damage. Turning a 9-5 first quarter led into a 51-31 lead by the time the fourth quarter started.
“It’s exciting. It’s always fun to get excited for everyone and having everyone work together as a family. We can’t do this individually. We know that we know it’s a team game, and we know it’s more than an individual sport. It’s about what everyone else can do. It’s about bringing everyone together,” said Kenzie Hollenbeck.
Hollenbeck scored nine points and had seven rebounds in the victory. Brecci Hampton scored 22 points and was 5-for-7 with her three-point shots. Kathryn Samek scored 14 points with six blocks and four steals.
It’s been 18 years since the last time Stayton got to this point, the State Title Game. And in each game they’ve played at Forest Grove, there’s a solid amount of the Stayton Faithful that made the long voyage up to support their team. Student section rocking, families coming to support. Stayton Head Coach Tal Wold knows how much this moment means to the community of Stayton.
” I think that they are so excited for our girls. They’re such an easy group to cheer for. You got two things: One, it’s a small town and it’s rallying around something that hasn’t happened in a while. Two, the girls outside of basketball, whether it’s in school or helping in a church function or just in the community they’re so thought of that they’re easy to pull for. It’s such a great group to be able to coach. I’m so very thankful,” said Wold.
For the third time this season, the Eagles will face a familiar opponent in Oregon West Conference opponent Philomath for the State Championship. The Warriors defeated Cascade 43-37, holding off the Cougars rally after Philomath led 21-4 early in the game to head back to the Championship Game for the first time since 2022. Both times that these two programs, Stayton and Philomath, had met, each game was decided by a single point with both squads taking a game on their home court.
“It’s going to be a battle. A shot here, a shot there. Something happens a little differently, like someone gets hot, we’ll see. It’s going to be a battle. Every possession is going to be so challenging. They make it that way. They’re so well coached,” starts Wold.”It’s an honor to be here. You think of your Cascade’s, you think of Philomath, you think of Baker. Those are three teams that historically are always really good. So, to be here with them, it’s a real honor. It is. We haven’t let that get past us. We’re in a select group of dominant programs. We’re not there yet, but we’re grateful to be with those four.”
Tip-off for the 4A State Championship is scheduled for 5:45pm. at Forest Grove High School.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
