Vote! Who should be Salem-area Freshman of the Year?

The 2025-26 school year is over and it's time to look back at some of the highlights over the course of the year.

You've decided boys and girls Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year and Program of the Year, but the polls aren't over yet.

Freshmen lay the groundwork for an athletic program, plant roots for the future and sometimes are event the deciding factors in state championships. In the Salem-Keizer area during the 2025-26 school year, all the above took place.

Without further ado, here are the nominees for the Statesman Journal's Freshman of the Year, brought to you by Maps Credit Union.

• Naomi Bogan, South Salem girls track and field
• Gavin Chin, Crosshill Christian baseball
• Scout Haugen, Silverton girls track and field
• Frankie Koehnke, Regis girls basketball
• Lusambo Washikala, North Salem boys soccer
• Autumn Palmer, South Salem girls basketball
• Cesar Perez, Stayton boys soccer
• Emmy Riley, Dayton softball
• Ava Sanchez, Central girls track and field
• Autumn Siegel, McNary softball

Vote for your favorite at statesmanjournal.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Sunday, July 19.

Naomi Bogan, South Salem track and field

Bogan was a sprinter in her first season with the Saxons' track and field team. Bogan won numerous events and notably placed second in the 100-meter dash at the Central Valley Conference district meet.

Bogan also earned Central Valley honorable mention in soccer. She helped the Saxons to an 8-7-1 record and second-place finish in the CVC before bowing out in the first round of the 6A state tournament.

Gavin Chin, Crosshill Christian baseball

Chin was a contributing freshman on an Eagles baseball team that exceeded expectations, jumped ahead of schedule and reached the 2A/1A state championship game. In that final, Chin was one of two players to muster up a hit for Crosshill Christian.

Chin played a crucial role in the Eagles' march to a 26-3 overall record, Special District 3 championship and a state-best 379 runs scored.

Scout Haugen, Silverton girls track and field

Haugen won a state title in high jump at the OSAA 5A track and field state championships with a 5-foot, 5 3/4-inch leap. Silverton's newcomer set an all-time Oregon freshman record with a 5-foot, 9 1/4-inch jump April 24 at the Nike/Jesuit Twilight Relays, and her mark was the highest recorded by any freshman in the United States this spring.

It's also the highest mark any Oregonian hit this spring. She's set off on a path few have travelled in the Oregon high school track and field scene and has an exciting career ahead at Silverton.

Frankie Koehnke, Regis girls basketball

Koehnke won a 2A girls basketball state championship with the Rams and was named 2A state player of the year. She helped lead the team to a 29-1 record as the program collected its first state title since 2014. Koehnke posted 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals in the final.

Koehnke also competed for the Rams' track and field team, where she garnered ninth-place finishes in the 800 and 1,500 at the OSAA 2A state championships. Koehnke was a member of the Rams' 4x400 relay that placed sixth.

Lusambo Washikala, North Salem boys soccer

In his first season of high school soccer, Washikala earned Central Valley Conference first-team honors. He and the Vikings fought to a 6-6-4 overall record and third place in the CVC, and Washikala was the only Central Valley freshman to earn a spot on the first-team roster.

Autumn Palmer, South Salem girls basketball

Palmer earned second-team honors in the Central Valley Conference as she played a vital role in the Saxons' success on the hardwood this past winter. Palmer and the Saxons finished the season 20-6 overall, 6-3 in the CVC for second place and reached the second round of the 6A state tournament. She served as a consistent scorer and driver when South Salem needed it.

Cesar Perez, Stayton boys soccer

Perez played the hero in several Eagles soccer games last fall. As Stayton marched to a 17-0-1 season that ended in a 4A state championship, Perez was good for important goals along the way. In the state semifinal against Klamath Union, Perez scored the go-ahead, game-winning goal that eventually booked the Eagles a 3-2 win and a spot in the state championship game.

In the title game, Perez scored the only goal as Stayton defeated North Marion, 1-0. It was the Eagles' first-ever undefeated season to be capped by a state title.

Emmy Riley, Dayton softball

As Dayton softball continues as one of the top Class 3A programs, it keeps churning out talented, contributing freshmen. In her first season, Riley earned first-team all-state honors for the Pirates as they steamrolled through a 23-6 season and outscored opponents 291 to 67.

Riley and the Pirates' season ended in the 3A state semifinals, but a young core of athletes, including Riley, are slated to return to the diamond next spring as they chase state glory once more.

Ava Sanchez, Central track and field

Sanchez was one of the top 5A girls sprinters in the state in her inaugural high school track and field season. After qualifying for the state championship meet in the 100, Sanchez earned a ninth-place finish in the event. Sanchez also was a member of the Panthers' 4x100 relay that qualified for state and placed 12th.

Autumn Siegel, McNary softball

Siegel and the Celtics claimed their first Central Valley Conference title in softball since 2023. They outscored opponents 294 to 74 en route to a 23-5 record to earn the fourth seed in the 6A state tournament before falling in the second round.

Siegel's contributions on both sides of the ball did not go unnoticed, as she earned Central Valley Conference player of the year honors.

Landon Bartlett covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at LBartlett@statesmanjournal.com or on X, TikTok or Instagram @bartlelo.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Vote! Who should be Salem-area Freshman of the Year?