Reporter for The Canyon Weekly
The Scio and Santiam volleyball squads are both in good position to nab playoff berths as the season enters the home stretch.
Scio is 8-5 overall and 5-3 in Class 3A’s PacWest Conference. The No. 13 Loggers were in third place at The Canyon Weekly’s presstime, one-half game ahead of 4-3 Dayton, ranked 10th. Three PacWest teams automatically qualify for the playoffs, with one statewide at-large berth also available.
Santiam is 12-6 overall and 6-4 in the Tri-River Conference. The No. 12 Wolverines were fourth in the TRC at presstime. Four teams in the league receive automatic Class 2A playoff berths, with three at-large berths available to fill the 16-team bracket.
Here is a look at how Scio and Santiam have gotten to this point:
Scio: “Scio is back and fully loaded,” coach Lori Ramsay said. “The last six weeks have been plagued with injuries and illness. This week was the first time everyone was healthy and ready. I wouldn’t trade coaching hard-working, committed and small-town kids for any other school or division.”
Ramsay is a former Western Oregon University player who is in her fifth year with the Loggers. She founded the Santiam Canyon Volleyball Club 10 years ago and serves as its director.
Key players include junior setter/outside hitter Taryn Ramsay (34 aces, 90 kills, 76 assists and 94 digs in eight matches); senior setter/middle blocker Kadence Soto (18 aces, 88 kills, 100 Assists, 11 blocks); senior libero Addison Wessels (14 aces, 14 assists, 38 digs) and senior middle blocker Brooklyn DeWilde (17 kills and 16 blocks).
Coach Ramsay also is hopeful of strong contributions down the stretch from junior outside hitter Myleigh Cooper, who has been cleared to play after sitting out six weeks with a broken finger.
“We built our schedule to put us in front of good teams later in the season rather than early,” Ramsay said. “Strength of schedule and pushing athletes against strong teams at the end will only help us to continue our path.”
Santiam: Wolverines coach Alicia Boyd began coaching the team in 2010 and stepped away in 2014 to work with her daughter’s junior high team. She returned to the high school job in 2021.
“All of my players contribute to the team in different ways,” she said. “Like a machine with different parts they all need to work together for the machine to run. My team is no different, each player is a key part and is needed for our team to perform to their highest potential.”
Senior Makayla Dodge leads the team in kills and blocks and also is one of the Wolverines top passers. Sophomore setter Maizy Downey is averaging 25 assists per game. Seniors Kasey Solus and McKenna Dodge are key players for blocking, which Boyd says is crucial against top league opponents Western Christian and Salem Academy. Juniors Averie Peterson, Brooklyn Massey, Bella Mitchell and Boston Flores are quick on the court and great communicators for defense and ball control, Boyd said.
Boyd recognizes the challenge of succeeding in the Tri-River, which has seven squads in the top 16.
“My team needs to have confidence going into the playoffs,” she said. “I know what my team is capable of, they are an athletic bunch. They need to stay mentally tough and focused on the goal.”
