The Success of Banks High School

2019-20 Banks High School Athletics Gets Set For Another (Hopefully) Successful Year

by Trevor Beard (Voice of Westside Mobile Media)

Growing up the son of a teacher, I have had a pretty lengthy experience following high school sports from a very young age, probably about 35 years of my current 43 years on earth. Being raised in a small Southern Oregon logging community in Northern Douglas County (Yoncalla), it had a strong football program through the 80s and early 90s that made multiple trips to the (then) 2A OSAA State Playoffs under (retired) Mike Bendele who most recently was at Colton. Bendele, and Paul Gale (former head coach of then Western Baptist--now Corban) a current MLB scout who lead Yoncalla to two state titles. The basketball program was very successful as well making multiple trips to both Pendleton (2A) and Baker (1A) for basketball quarterfinals but never coming away with a championship.  

What does this have to do with 4A athletics you may ask? Well despite the success I witnessed and experienced as a basketball player at Yoncalla, I have never seen such success at any level of high school athletics as what was experienced at Banks High School during the 2018-19 campaign, and really since Westside Mobile Media has been broadcasting Banks athnletics. Some schools may have one miraculous season where one team may go undefeated and win a state title but then be the only program from the district to go to state. Some may have a couple teams go to state and have mediocre success with maybe a trip to the First Round. Not so in the case of Banks. Last year Banks did something that despite being the smallest school based on enrollment with 375 students (technically playing up from a 3A classification), was historic, not only for the school but for the state. Last year the program won their first ever boys state team title in football(31-20 over Seaside), then defeated Seaside for the boys basketball crown (62-56) and beat Henley (3-1) for the baseball trophy.

Last year, the 2018-19 football program, lost once and finished on an 11 game winning streak enroute to the 4A state title with their second victory of the season over Seaside. Their lone loss of the season came in Week 1 on the road to a tough Gladstone program that looks to be back again. That loss came in a tough back and forth affair that was decided by less than one touchdown, where most teams had seen a limited number of practices due to heat index issues. The game that probably decided the fate of the Braves football season was a 10-7 victory on the road at Seaside when both were 1 and 2 in state respectively. The difference in the game? One of few returners to this years squad, K/SS/WR Jacob Slifka. You might also know that name from basketball as well but we'll get back to that later. Slifka is one of few, probably anywhere in the state (including 6A) with the leg to make FG's at the high school level beyond 35 yards. Will Banks make it back to the 4A state title game again? That remains to be seen. Questions remain at QB and receiving positions as Hayden Vandehey, and TE Blake Gobel (2019 Oregon Sports Award Small School Athlete of The Year winner, also signing with Eastern Washington to play TE) are gone to graduation. However, they have a complimentary duo of backs returning in speedster Jamar Flippen, and power back Martial Stegemier.

Many of the players from last year's miraculous, once in a lifetime season, are gone. But with the strength of the "feeder" youth programs across all levels of boys and girls sports at Banks, nothing would surprise me. In the nearly 150 games I broadcast last season (football, volleyball, basketball--Boys and Girls, baseball, and softball) approximately 115 of those were victories, a winning percentage of over .750.

Although last season was the first boys team title, Banks has had incredible success for the past 10+ years in almost every sport but boys basketball, but even that has now changed. Boys Head Coach Marcus Roche (who took over a 9 win team prior to coming in) just missed league playoffs his first season. This winter, will be his 5th season, and his last 3 seasons have seen 4th place (victory over Gladstone), 5th place (loss in 3rd place game to Newport) and a state championship last year. Gobel (4A Player of The Year), Vandehey, and Dakota Bunn 3 starters from last year's title again are gone. 

Girls basketball has had tremendous success under Head Coach Brandon Begley and much of that is due to the longevity of the long time head coach. Begley has a fiery passion for the game, and an uncanny ability to get the most out of his players. Once again though graduation could hurt them after losing a handful of Seniors, most notably OSAA Girls Basketball Playoffs Scoring record holder Aspen Slifka (headed to Northwest Christian in Eugene). 

Softball last won a state title in 2016 and baseball keeps turning out incredible athletes as well. Most notable player from that team has ability to play in the Midwest Professional Softball League (MPSL) Makenna Partain has started every year at SS and has quietly become one of the best hitters in Big 10 softball, helping Minnesota to a trip to the NCAA Women's Softball World series in Oklahoma City earlier this year. Despite taking over this year Rosi Contri (former Corbett head) lead the girls to the semifinals against Henley. Joe Baumgartner (who is back for his 2nd stint) led the baseball program to a state title with just a handful of losses (including North Marion who was #1 most of the season, and 5A state title winner Central). The highlight of the baseball season was probably not only the best game of the entire 4A Playoffs but possibly the nest game at any level in the entire state as Banks held off Gladstone with late game heroics with a ground ball back up the middle from Senior C Trask Applegate in an epic 3 1/2 hour battle that took 13 innings to decide. (Then again with historic mascots like Braves and Gladiators you almost have to expect a competitive battle). 

Volleyball under 3rd year Head Coach Aubrey Rue, should expect a strong season with a large returning group of upperclassmen. The Braves defeated Stayton at home in the Play-in round of last year's state playoffs before losing n the First Round at eventual state runner-up Cottage Grove. Volleyball also has a history of success winning a state title over Sisters in 2015 with a team that saw nearly 1/2 it's squad go on to play the sport at the next level, most notably Megan Bunn at NAIA Eastern Oregon in La Grande.

So now you know a little bit about my sports background and the background for the team I cover and broadcast. What does the future hold for Banks athletics? As long as the youth programs continue with the same level of success they have, I see nothing but continued winning tradition for all 6 programs. The interesting thing to be seen is that the Cowapa which recently included Astoria, Banks, Scappoose, Seaside Tillamook, and Valley Catholic has been dropped to 5 teams with the recent jump of Scappoose to 5A. Molalla took it's place for football only for 2 years but that will end after this season. There has been talk of Gladstone or possibly another team coming over from the north end of the TriValley Conference. In my opinion the Gladiators or Estacada would be a good fit as both those teams have a history of playing Cowapa teams non-league.

I hope you've enjoyed this and I look forwards to getting to know my readers, and other bloggers here. If you have any questions feel free to follow me or my business Westside Mobile Media, or email westsidemobilemedia@gmail.com and GO BRAVES!