West Salem has hosted the Central Valley Conference for the past three years. The Titans are bringing back one of the best combination guards in the state, so this season is looking to be no different.
Here is a quick overview of the Central Valley Conference’s ladies basketball teams, arranged alphabetically:
McNary Celtics
Season last: 15–10
Coach: Dunn, Brittany
Important participants: Patricia Mike, G, SR; Hailey Carbajal, G, SR; Aubrey Adams, G, JR; and Sofie Schurr, G/W, SR
Outlook: Dunn, who spent eight of her ten years in the field working her way up the ladder with the Celtics, is now McNary’s head coach. Knowing these families and this community has been an honor for me, and I am now able to contribute in some little way to the lives of these amazing student-athletes who I have grown to love and care about,” she added. Three important members of a 15-win squad, Adams (all-league honorable mention), Schurr (honorable mention), and Carbajal, return to McNary. Mike, a McKay transfer, joins the team after finishing second on the 5A all-league team the previous season. Dunn stated, “This group is extremely hard-working, they don’t give up, they take defense seriously, and they get out and run, even though we are smaller.” I’m eager to see where we’ll go with the unity we have already established.
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South Salem Saxons
Season last: 15–10
Adrian Lewis, coach
Important participants: Brezlyn Schwalm, G, SR; Emma Burlison, W, JR; Brook Tate, F, JR
Outlook: Lewis anticipates that some freshmen will step up for the Saxons this season after graduating five seniors. The nucleus of the team is still the same, though, as Tate, Burlison, and Schwalm—all conference players—will lead South Salem. Avery and Addison Herber, two sophomore transfers from Western Christian, were also added to the squad. “We’re going to pick up the pace this season,” Lewis stated. This season, we want to make use of our shooting and quickness. In order to physically beat teams with our larger bodies, we want to wear them down at the end.
Sprague Olympians
Season last: 10–14
Coach: Andy Sydow
Important participants include Lucy Jones, G/W, FR; Addy Mendez, W, JR; Jocelyn Neufer, F/C, SR; Addison Hannant, F/C, JR; Addison Almero, G/W, SR; and Carly Skogstad, G, JR.
Outlook: Sydow, a graduate of South Salem, has been hired as the next head coach of the Olympians. He brings with him championship experience (he coached Regis to win the 3A boys’ state title) and the desire to win a league championship. Sydow, said associate head coach Jason Alexander, is a defensive minded coach with an offensive set that fits Sprague well. He s been extremely impressed with the athlete s willingness to learn new
techniques, and how quickly they pick up new concepts, Alexander said. The Olympians should benefit from positional variety and depth, as they have multiple contributors at every spot on the floor.
West Salem Titans
Last season:17-9
Coach:Katie Steigleman
Key players:Emma Zuniga, W/F, JR; Chica Casas, G, JR; Sami Griffin, W/F, JR
Outlook:The Titans handily secured a Central Valley conference title last season, eventually losing to the powerhouse Clackamas Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs. This offseason, the program is determined on improving defensively, said Steigleman. Zuniga landed on the all-state second team last season and is poised for another huge season in 2024. Casas and Griffin bring all-league talent on the perimeter and wing, respectively.
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