Philomath High School Sports Programs Enjoy a Strong Year

Philomath High School’s sports programs had a successful year in 2023, with several teams making an impact in state tournaments, playoffs, and meets. The school’s female runners stood out with championship wins in both track and field and cross-country. The boys basketball team had an excellent season, consistently performing well and making it to the championship game. The girls basketball team also had a strong showing, reaching the tournament and finishing fourth overall. Other teams, including boys cross-country, dance, boys track and field, girls tennis, girls soccer, wrestling, cheer, volleyball, and boys and girls swimming, also made appearances in state competitions.

The standout achievements included the girls tennis team tying for fourth place with three players contributing points. The boys cross-country team surprised many with a fifth-place finish, considering they only had two returning varsity runners. The dance team placed fifth in the jazz competition, and the boys track and field team took fourth in the spring.

The girls soccer team reached the quarterfinals, while the cheer team placed seventh, the wrestling team came in ninth, and the volleyball team earned a spot in the playoffs. The swim teams also had representation in Beaverton, with senior Carrson Hirte winning multiple medals to conclude a successful swim career with the Warriors.

The top 10 sports stories of the year, as chosen by the Philomath News, include:

1. Cross-country girls win close state meet: The girls cross-country team secured the state title by just five points, with all five runners contributing to the victory.

2. Girls track and field team wins state title: The girls track and field team dominated the state championship, scoring 90 points and winning by a significant margin.

3. Boys basketball team finishes as runner-up: The boys basketball team had an impressive season, making it to the state championship game before falling short.

4. Longtime basketball coach Eddie Van Vlack retires: Eddie Van Vlack, who had been coaching high school basketball for over 25 years, retired as the Philomath boys basketball coach.

5. Tennis player Bailey Bell achieves remarkable performance: Junior Bailey Bell achieved a rare feat in tennis, winning all of her matches against district opponents with a perfect score of 6-0.

6. Girls basketball team finishes 4th at state tournament: The girls basketball team performed well at the state tournament, ultimately winning the fourth-place trophy.

7. Kamilla Grimmer scores 32 goals, girls soccer team reaches quarterfinals: Kamilla Grimmer had an outstanding season in girls soccer, scoring 32 goals and helping the team reach the state quarterfinals.

8. Coach leads push for baseball and softball field upgrades: Philomath High School baseball coach Levi Webber presented plans to upgrade the baseball and softball fields, including installing turf infields and improving other features.

9. Wrestlers compete in snowstorm-impacted state meet: Despite challenging weather conditions, four wrestlers from Philomath High School earned medals at the state wrestling meet.

10. Philomath’s equestrian team wins state championship: The Philomath equestrian team won first place in the medium school division at the state championship.

Overall, Philomath High School’s sports programs had a year filled with success and memorable achievements.