Vote: Who should be Statesman Journal high school boys Athlete of the Year?

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Jun 29, 2025 - 12:00

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Vote: Who should be Statesman Journal high school boys Athlete of the Year?

The 2024-25 high school sports season has wrapped up, and athletes from the Salem-Keizer area produced countless memorable performances this past school year.

Now it's your turn to vote for who is the best.

Nominees for Statesman Journal boys Athlete of the Year are:

Drew Bartels, Blanchet Catholic baseball
Ty Cirino, Central cross-country and track and field
Jarrod Coy, West Salem swimming
Jay R Flores, McNary soccer
Gabe Haines, Central football and track and field
Gavin Hall, Western Christian basketball
Kenya Johnson, Sprague football, wrestling and track and field
Landon Knox, Cascade basketball
Isaiah Koehnke, Regis basketball
Carson Langford, Dallas wrestling
Sawyer Nelson, South Salem baseball
Derek Olivo, McNary track and field
Addison Samuell, Stayton soccer
Braxton Singleton, North Salem track and field and football
Jarod Stanley, Sprague basketball
Calvin Stewart, South Salem track and field
Sawyer Teeney, Silverton football and basketball
Cruz Veliz, Woodburn basketball
Grady Wolf, St. Paul football and basketball
Bo Zurcher, Silverton wrestling and football

Information about each nominee is listed below. Vote for the athlete you think is most deserving at statesmanjournal.com/sports. The poll closes at 11 a.m. Friday, July 4.

Blanchet Catholic's Drew Bartels throws a pitch during the game against Santiam Christian on May 14 in Salem.

Drew Bartels, Blanchet Catholic baseball

The senior was named the Class 3A state player of the year and earned first-team all-state honors after helping Blanchet Catholic win its first-ever state baseball title.

Bartels, who has signed to play at Centralia College, threw a complete game, struck out 10 and allowed just one run in a 2-1 win over Taft in the state semifinals.

Central’s Ty Cirino competes in the 5A boys 3,000 meters during the second day of the OSAA State Track and Field Championships on May 30 at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Ty Cirino, Central cross-country and track and field

The junior clocked a personal-best 5,000-meter cross-country time of 14 minutes, 35.4 seconds — the 19th-best time in the U.S. this season among high school runners — at the Rose City Championship Invite. Cirino went on to take fourth place at the Class 5A state championships at Lane Community College.

In the spring, Cirino placed third at the state meet in both the 1,500 (3:54.21) and 3,000 (8:21.04).

West Salem's Jarrod Coy competes in the 200-yard freestyle during the Central Valley Conference district meet. Coy was second in the 500 freestyle and sixth in the 200 freestyle at state.

Jarrod Coy, West Salem swimming

The junior took second place in the 500 freestyle (4:40.19) and placed sixth in the 200 freestyle (1:44.76) at the Class 6A state meet at Tualatin Hills Aquatic Center in Beaverton.

Coy also swam the first leg of West Salem's seventh-place 400 freestyle relay team.

McNary's Jay R Flores, right, is awarded Boys Soccer Athlete of the Year during the 2025 Beacon Awards at Elsinore Theatre on June 10 in Salem.

Jay R Flores, McNary soccer

The senior was named the Central Valley Conference player of the year and earned Class 6A first-team all-state honors after leading McNary to the state semifinals.

Gabe Haines, Central football and track and field

The swept the Class 5A discus (156 feet, 5 inches) and shot put (52-2 3/4) titles at Hayward Field.

On the football field, he earned second-team all-state honors as a defensive lineman and honorable mention recognition on the offensive line. He is a Colgate University football signee.

Western Christian’s Gavin Hall (32) goes up for a basket to secure a lead against Chatsworth in the Capitol City Classic on Dec. 19, 2024 in Salem.

Gavin Hall, Western Christian basketball

For the second year in a row, the senior guard was named the Class 2A state player of the year. Hall helped lead Western Christian to a second consecutive state title.

Sprague senior Kenya Johnson was a standout on the football field, wrestling mat and on the track for the Olympians this school year.

Kenya Johnson, Sprague football, wrestling, track and field

The Olympians' versatile senior was a Class 6A first-team all-state running back, an honorable mention all-state linebacker and the Central Valley Conference offensive player of the year.

During the winter season, Johnson won his first-ever state wrestling title when he captured the 6A 190-pound crown by 5-2 decision.

In the spring, Johnson qualified for the state meet at 400 meters and ran a leg on Sprague's seventh-place 4x400-meter relay team.

Cascade's Landon Knox was voted the Oregon West Conference boys basketball player of the year and named to the 4A all-state first team.

Landon Knox, Cascade basketball

The Cougars' senior earned Class 4A first-team all-state honors and was named the Oregon West Conference player of the year after helping lead Cascade to a third-place state finish.

Regis' Isaiah Koehnke (23) looks for an open teammate during a game at Regis High School on Jan. 29 in Stayton.

Isaiah Koehnke, Regis basketball

Koehnke set the Oregon career scoring and ended his Regis career with 2,664 points after helping his team reach the Class 2A state semifinals. He surpassed former Lake Oswego star and NBA standout Kevin Love (2,628).

Koehnke earned first-team all-state honors for the second consecutive season.

Dallas’ Carson Langford wins the 5A boys 190-pound title bout at the OSAA Wrestling State Championships March 1 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

Carson Langford, Dallas wrestling

The Dragons' freshman captured the Class 5A 190-pound state title by major decision at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

Last June, Langford won 187-pound freestyle and Greco-Roman gold medals at the U15 Pan Am Championships in El Salvador.

South Salem's Sawyer Nelson celebrates hitting a home run. Nelson was voted the Central Valley Conference player of the year and earned 6A first-team all-state honors.

Sawyer Nelson, South Salem baseball

The Saxons' junior shortstop earned Class 6A first-team all-state honors and was named the Central Valley Conference player of the year after hitting .543 with 13 home runs, 63 RBIs and a 1.109 slugging percentage.

Nelson, who helped South Salem to the state quarterfinals, has committed to play at Loyola Marymount University.

McNary’s Derek Olivo competes in the boys javelin during the Oregon Relays April 4 at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Derek Olivo, McNary track and field

The sophomore won the Class 6A javelin state title (196-4) and took second in the discus (155) at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Olivo's personal-best javelin throw of 202-1 at the Vic Downs Mac Invite on April 11 was the best in the state of Oregon this season.

Stayton's Addison Samuell (19) beats North Marion's Luke Bomar (4) to the ball during a game at Stayton High School on Oct. 29, 2024, in Stayton.

Addison Samuell, Stayton soccer

The senior was named the Class 4A state player of the year and the Oregon West Conference player of the year after scoring 40 goals — tied for seventh-most in state history for a single season, regardless of classification.

Samuell helped lead Stayton to the state semifinals.

North Salem’s Braxton Singleton finishes first in the 6A boys 110 meter hurdles at the OSAA state track and field championships on May 31 at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Braxton Singleton, North Salem track and field and football

The junior captured the Class 6A 110-meter hurdles state title with a personal-best time of 14.77 seconds at Hayward Field in Eugene. One week earlier, at the district meet, he took down a school record in the same event that had stood for 63 years.

On the football field, Singleton earned first-team all-conference honors as a defensive back and earned second-team recognition as a wide receiver.

Sprague's Jarod Stanley dunks the ball during a game at Sprague High School on Jan. 31.

Jarod Stanley, Sprague basketball

The senior was named the Central Valley Conference co-player of the year, earned Class 6A honorable mention all-state honors and helped Sprague place fourth at the state tournament at the Chiles Center in Portland.

Stanley has committed to play at Western Oregon next season.

South Salem’s Calvin Stewart wins the 6A boys high jump during the third day of the OSAA State Track and Field Championships on May 31 at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Calvin Stewart, South Salem track and field

The junior claimed the Class 6A state high jump title with a winning mark of 6-7 3/4 at Hayward Field in Eugene.

Stewart's personal-best leap of 6-9 3/4 at the April 5 Oregon Relays was the second-best in the state of Oregon this season.

Silverton's Sawyer Teeney (10) stiff arms Summit's James Nuttbrock (25) for extra yards during the game at Silverton High School on Aug. 30, 2024, in Silverton.

Sawyer Teeney, Silverton football and basketball

The senior quarterback earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors and was named the Mid-Willamette Conference co-offensive player of the year after throwing for 32 touchdowns and just two interceptions while passing at a 73% clip.

In the winter, he earned honorable mention all-conference honors on the basketball court.

Teeney, who helped Silverton to the state semifinals, is a University of Idaho football signee.

Woodburn's Cruz Veliz (0) drives toward the basket during the game against West Albany on Jan. 24 in Albany.

Cruz Veliz, Woodburn basketball

The Bulldogs' senior earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors, marking the fourth season in a row that he has earned either first- or second-team recognition.

St. Paul quarterback Grady Wolf attempts to block a tackle from Oakland linebacker Shepard Brooksby as the St. Paul Buckaroos face the Oakland Oakers in the OSAA Class 2A state championship game at Cottage Grove High School Nov. 30, 2024 in Cottage Grove.

Grady Wolf, St. Paul football and basketball

The senior was a Class 2A first-team all-state quarterback and first-team defensive back. He ran for a team-high 125 yards and a touchdown in St. Paul's 28-20 win over Oakland in the 2A state title game at Cottage Grove High School.

Wolf earned honorable mention all-state recognition on the basketball court.

Silverton head coach Jared Wilson hoists Bo Zurcher after Zurcher won the 5A boys 165-pound title bout at the OSAA Wrestling State Championships March 1 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

Bo Zurcher, Silverton wrestling and football

The Foxes' senior won the Class 5A 165-pound wrestling title in thrilling fashion, landing a takedown with just eight seconds left in the third round to earn a 5-3 victory at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.

In the fall, Zurcher earned all-state honorable mention recognition at linebacker after helping Silverton football to the state semifinals.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Vote for Statesman Journal high school boys Athlete of the Year