A year after not having any teams in the quarterfinals, the Intermountain Conference has three teams. All of the teams in the final eight finished first or second in their league, except for Summit, which finished fourth in the IMC. Four of the eight teams have never reached the Class 5A tournament before (Pendleton, Silverton, Glencoe and Summit). Two-time defending state champion Jefferson has a 17-game winning streak.
• BRACKET

(teams are in order based upon where they are in the bracket, from top to bottom)
No. 12 (t) Pendleton – IMC #2
20-5
2009 – DNQ
2008 – DNQ
2007 – DNQ

No. 4 Silverton – Mid-Willamette#1
23-2
2009 – DNQ
2008 – DNQ
2007 – DNQ

No. 1 Jefferson – PIL #1
23-3
2009 – 1st
2008 – 1st
2007 – 6th

No. 2 Wilsonville – NW Oregon#1
24-2
2009 – 3rd
2008 – DNQ
2007 – DNQ

No. 5 Glencoe – NW Oregon #2
16-9
2009 – DNQ
2008 – DNQ
2007 – DNQ

No. 3 Mountain View – IMC #1
24-1
2009 – DNQ
2008 – Quarterfinals
2007 – 3rd

Summit – IMC #1
14-13
2009 – DNQ
2008 – DNQ
2007 – DNQ

No. 12 (t) Crescent Valley – Mid-Willamette #2
17-9
2009 – Quarterfinals
2008 – DNQ
2007 – DNQ

Bend is in its second elite-8 since the reclassification, all eight schools have qualified at least once. Willamette is the defending state champion and is going for their third state title in four years. The only other 5A champion is Jefferson, who won in 2008. Five of the eight teams are league champions. The Southern Sky and the Intermountain Conference are the only leagues with two representatives in the final eight. The only teams without at least 20 wins are West Albany (16), Bend (17) and Hermiston (17).
• Draw
• Polls

(teams appear in order of where they are in the draw)
No. 4 Willamette – Midwestern 1st
20-4
2009 – 1st
2008 – 5th
2007 – 1st

No. 3 Ashland – Southern Sky 1st
22-5
2009 – 5th
2008 – 6th
2007 – DNQ

No. 2 Wilsonville – NW Oregon 1st
21-4
2009 – DNQ
2008 – 3rd
2007 – 6th

No. 13 Hermiston – IMC 2nd
17-5
2009 – DNQ
2008 – 2nd
2007 – 4th

No. 10 Crater – Southern Sky 2nd
21-7
2009 – DNQ
2008 – Quarterfinals
2007 -DNQ

No. 11 Bend – IMC 1st
17-9
2009 – DNQ
2008 – Quarterfinals
2007 – DNQ

No. 5 West Albany – Mid-Willamette 2nd
16-8
2009 – DNQ
2008 – DNQ
2007 – Quarterfinals

No. 1 Jefferson – PIL 1st
20-3
2009 – 3rd
2008 – 1st
2007 – 3rd

The Brent name has come to mean dominance in Intermountain Conference boys basketball. Seth Brent has kept that going with his stellar play this year, leading the Cougars to a 23-1 record going into Saturday’s playoff game against Corvallis (at Mountain View 6pm). Seth’s older brother Brady was the 2008-2009 IMC player of the year and led Mountain View to a 19-4 record. Seth, at 6-7, leads the No. 3-ranked Cougars in scoring and rebounding this season. Seth took some time to answer a few questions for Central Oregon Athlete:

Central Oregon Athlete – Has basketball always been your main sport?
Seth Brent – Yes, Ive been playing since bitty ball in like 1st grade.

COA – Do you play any other sports?
SB -Not anymore. I used to do track and baseball, but just basketball in high school.

COA – What are your hobbies other than sports?
SB – Hanging with the guys on the team, chillin and watching movies, watching college football!

COA – Any plans yet for next year?
SB- I am going to WHitman COllege (where my brother Brady goes) and will be playing basketball.

COA – How much has having an older brother to play with helped your basketball game?
SB – It has helped so much. Seeing really what it takes to be good a year in advance. He has always been helpful with whatever it is i needed or wanted and has always believed in me.

COA – What has been the best part of this season?
SB – Just the success we have had and the growth in everybody on the team.

COA – What is your goal for the season?
SB – We want to make it to Mac Court in Eugene and compete for a state championship.

COA – what has been your most memorable game?
SB – Crook County on senior night. We decided to dress down the team manager (Ryan Soderquist, nicknamed “Q”). He played the last few minutes of the game and even got a few shots up. The smiles on his face before and after the game were something i will always remember.

COA – what are some of your best numbers you’ve ever put up in a game?
SB- I had 30 points and 10 rebounds against Madras. Had 26 points and 8 rebounds against Aloha. Then I had 10 points 11 rebounds 8 assists against North Eugene.

Summit senior Jordan Schiemer excels in two very different individual sports. Alpine ski racing and golf require two unique skill sets, but Schiemer’s success in both sports shows a lot, including that you can specialize in multiple sports (thus living the Central Oregon lifestyle). You also have to respect a guy who puts team first… as you’ll see from his answers below. Schiemer is a three-time state qualifier in golf and will be aiming for a pair of state titles later this spring, but he has a state ski title on his mind right now. Jordan was kind enough to answer a few questions for COA:

Central Oregon Athlete – What’s next on your ski racing schedule?
Jordan Schiemer – I have the State Championships this week, the 2nd through the 5th at Mt. Hood Meadows.

COA – What has been or is your racing goal this year?
JS – My goal this year has to continue to improve my skiing, and win the State Championship as a team and individual.

COA – What has been the highlight of your ski racing career?
JS – The highlight of my ski career was winning the Bronze medal overall at the 2007 Western Region JR Olympics, at Mammoth Mtn, California.

COA – How long have you been skiing?
JS – I have been skiing since I was 3.

COA – How long have you been golfing?
JS – I have been golfing since I was 5.

COA – What are your golfing goals this year?
JS – My golfing goals this year are the same as skiing. Improve my game and win the State Championship as a team and an individual.

COA – What are some of the similarities and differences of competitive golf and ski racing?
JS – Golf and Ski racing are both individual sports that can be competitive as a team. They both hold you accountable for your mistakes whereas in other team sports, you can sub someone in if you get tired. They’re opposite because in Golf you need to be relaxed and calm, and in Skiing you need to fired up and aggressive.

COA – What other sports do you enjoy?
JS – I enjoy all sports. That’s why we have SportsCenter.

COA – Any hobbies other than sports?
JS – I enjoy anything outdoors. Camping, boating, fishing, biking, all of it.

COA – What’s your favorite workout in Central Oregon?
JS – First a good long run along the River Trail or up around Tumalo Falls, then strength training at the Athletic Club.

Here are all the returning state placers for Oregon high school boys tennis. Listed by place, name, school and grade:

BOYS
6A
Singles
1 Zhenya Pereverzin, Clackamas, 12 (3 titles)

Doubles
2 Brendan Gibbons, Jesuit, 12
2 Gram Leahy, Jesuit, 11
3 Preston Mann, Sprague, 12
3 Brent Wheeler, Sprague, 11

5A
Singles
1 Alex Rovello, Cleveland, 12 (3 titles)
2 Chris Wiechert, Churchill, 12
3 Stuart Tierney, Glencoe, 11

Doubles
1 Paxton Deuel, Summit, 10
3 Dexter Hoang, Century, 12
4 Jesse Diamond, Thurston, 11

4A/3A/2A/1A
Singles
1 Andrew Salvador, Catlin Gabel, 10

Doubles
1 Eric Morse, Cascade Christian, 10

Final 2009-2010 standings:
Boys
1 Mountain View 13-1
2 Pendleton 10-4
3 The Dalles-Wahtonka 8-6
4 Summit 8-6
5 Madras 7-7
6 Hermiston 5-9
6 Bend 5-9
8 Crook County 0-14
PLAYOFF BRACKET

Girls
1 Bend 11-3
2 Hermiston 10-4
3 Mountain View 8-6
4 The Dalles-Wahtonka 7-7
5 Summit 7-7
6 Madras 6-8
7 Crook County 4-10
8 Pendleton 3-11

PLAYOFF BRACKET

– Photo by Tyler Orton
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, that being the case, Cole Ortega is a strong kid. A surfing accident cost him use of his fine motor movements in one arm and could have cost him his life. But Ortega hasn’t let that accident slow him down. The Summit sophomore has since played competitive golf with one hand and is focusing on his passion for snowboarding. Central Oregon athlete asked Cole a few questions:

Central Oregon Athlete – How long have you been snowboarding?
Cole Ortega – I have been snowboarding for 8 years.

COA – What sports do you enjoy other than snowboarding?
Cole – Other than snowboarding, I enjoy playing golf and soccer.

COA – What has been your biggest snowboarding accomplishment so far?
Cole – My biggest sports accomplishment was when I won the overall title for the U.S.A.S.A National snowboard competition in 2008. I placed 10th in halfpipe, and 1st in slopestyle for an overall 1st place.

COA – What is your favorite kind of riding, park, half-pipe, powder, something else?
Cole – My favorite conditions are a sunny pow days riding with my friends but I also like a good park day.

COA – What are your goals as a snowboarder?
Cole – My goals as a snowboarder are to have fun and never take it too serious.

COA – Who are your sponsors?
Cole – My sponsors are Quiksilver, Mt.Bachelor, D-Feet Socks and Side Effect boardshop.

COA – How did the accident effect your outlook on sports and life in general?
Cole – My accident made me stronger as a person, but it had a huge impact on my sport. I couldn’t play sports for almost 6 months. Now, I don’t take anything for granted because you never know what is going to happen next in life.

COA – What advice would you give to kids who are dealing with an injury or illness, based on what you’ve learned?
Cole – I would tell them to never give up and to keep a positive attitude.

COA – What’s next for you this winter?
Cole – This winter I am looking forward to getting back to the point I was at before my accident and to have fun.

Piper McDonald… expect to hear that name a lot in the upcoming years. The 13-year-old 7th grader at Sky View Middle school isn’t just fast for her age, she’s one of the fastest “women” in Bend. That’s right, when it comes to running, McDonald is fast beyond her years. Here are a few examples of what she’s done in adult races in Central Oregon:
(These are Overall results, not age group)
1st – Duel in the Desert 2009 Two Person Road (with Mike Larsen)
1st – Pilot Butte Challenge 2009 (New women’s course record)
2nd – Girls on the Run 5K 2009
2nd – Heaven Can Wait 5K 2009
Those are just a few!

Piper was kind enough to slow down and answer a few questions for Central Oregon Athlete.

Central Oregon Athlete – How old were you when you entered your first race?
Piper McDonald – When I was 11 i entered my first race which was a 10k in Portland on 5-18-08

COA – Do you remember the first race you ever won?
PM – The first race I won my age group in was my first race and the first race I won over all female was the Pilot Butte Challange in 2008.

COA – How did you get into racing?
PM – The reason I got into running is because of my parents. I have always been into sports and have done them my whole life but even before I really got into running my parents used to keep me and my older brother’s in shape by having us do some running, every now and then and then one day I just decied that I liked running and wanted to make it my primary sport.

COA – Do you have a favorite race?
PM – My favorite race would probley be Trask Mtn. I did it one year when one of my older brother’s Jake was in it with his high school. I love it because there is big hills, mud pits, and creek crossings.

COA – What’s coming up next for you, any races planned?
PM – I have a few races planned for the future I will probley do a lot of the COCC races and I’m planning on doing the Dirty Half.

COA – What are your short and long-term goals?
PM – My goals in order are first to win cross country nationls, then to go to boarder clash all 4 years of high school, then to go University of Oregon, and then my big goal for the future is to go to the Olympics.

COA – What sports do you enjoy?
PM – My favorite type of running is cross country because there is a big range of distances and you get to run on all different tirains. Then I like track and another sport i like is cross country skiing which I do in the winter to take a brake from running but to also stay in shape.

COA – Any non-athletic hobbies?
PM – A non-athletic hobbie I have is sewing.

COA – What’s your favorite workout in Central Oregon?
PM – I have a coach named Mike Larsen who has made me the runner I am today and I could not have done it with out him. One of my favorite workouts he has had me do is a bunch of strenght exersizes where I just worked on building up strength.

• Summit Boys Swim team – State champs, 3rd in a row and 6 out of 9.
• Summit Girls Swim team – 2nd @ State.
• Culver Wrestling team – wins Special District 3 team title.
• Mountain View boys nordic team – State champions.
• Mountain View girls nordic team – State champions.
• Nic Morrell, Summit – individual swimming state championship.
• Mason Allen, Summit – individual swimming state championship.
• Paul Hartmeier, Summit – individual swimming state championship.
• Max King – Doing what he does, winning races.
• J.T. Taylor – Putting on the 38th Desert Brawl, a huge success.
• Travis Yamada – Putting on the Push Art Show Auction for the Division Street Skate Park.
• Jordan Schiemer, Summit – Winning up @ Mt. Bachelor this weekend’s CO Ski League.
• Ciara Timm, Bend – Winning up @ Mt. Bachelor this weekend’s CO Ski League.
• Kelly Hanson, Mountain View – Girls nordic state champion.
• Chase Nachtmann, Mountain View – Boys nordic state champion.
• Bend boys swimming – Fourth @ State.
• Torin Koos – Representing C.O. @ the Olympics.
• Chris Klug – Representing C.O. @ the Olympics.
• Tommy Ford – Representing C.O. @ the Olympics.

Who did we miss from this past week?