OC girls rule Trail Tourney
The Pioneers rally around Ashley Reed to capture the top prize in the high school varsity division
OREGON CITY — Oregon City High School’s girls basketball program is alive and well, thank you.
The Pioneers proved that to be the case the weekend of June 20-22, when they were dominant in the 64-team big-school division of the End of the Oregon Trail Class of the Field High School Girls Basketball Tournament.
Oregon City had two teams entered in the varsity division of the tournament. One team, Oregon City Black, won that tournament. And a second team, Oregon City Red, won the consolation prize.
The Pioneers also had teams place third in the jayvee and freshmen divisions of the tournament.
Underclassmen from most of the teams that advanced to the 2008 Oregon Class 6A High School Tournament participated. The field included 2008 big-school state high school champions from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska.
Oregon City Black dropped Central Catholic 65-55 in the championship final, after advancing with bracket wins over Black Hills, Calif. (77-30), East Valley of Spokane, Wash. (61-22), Shadle Park, Calif. (62-40), South Eugene (55-45) and Jesuit (69-39). Central Catholic and South Eugene placed third and fourth respectively at the 2008 Oregon Class 6A High School Tournament.
Three-time defending Oregon Class 6A state champion Southridge placed sixth in the tournament, after losing to Jefferson in the second round.
Oregon City Red dropped its opener to Skyview, Wash., but bounced back with five consecutive wins to claim the consolation prize.
“The girls just did an amazing job at every level,” said Oregon City coach Kurt Guelsdorf. “I’m extremely proud of them….
“The tournament was one of the toughest summer tournaments in the country. There were 17 [former] state champions in the championship bracket [of the large-school division].”
The Pioneers had the varsity division of the tournament’s most valuable player in senior-to-be Ashley Reed.
“Ashley just dominated the boards,” said Guelsdorf. “Every big rebound we needed she got for us….
“She’s a glass-eater. She doesn’t have tremendous size, but she rebounds, and she can guard the big kids.”
Reed averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds for the tournament, Guelsdorf said.
Oregon City Black had three other players selected to the all-tournament team, senior-to-be Melair Holterhoff (5-9 wing), and juniors to-be Taylor Ward (5-6 point guard) and Brittany Knighton (6-0 guard/wing/post).
Ward is a transfer from Sheldon. She was a starter on last season’s Irish team that lost to then top-ranked Central Catholic 50-48 in the 6A quarterfinals.
Junior-to-be Maddie Purkerson (5-11 post) and sophomore-to-be Jordy Klebaum (5-8 wing) were all-tournament selections for Oregon City Red.
The End of the Oregon Trail Tournament continues Sunday through Wednesday, July 6-9, with the High School All-Star Division of the tournament.
The tournament will feature 208 top all-star teams from around the nation. Games are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. each day, with competition at Canby, Putnam and Oregon City high schools, Clackamas Community College and Gardiner Middle School.
The top-seeded teams are Cal Swish Black of Southern California, Cy Fair Shock of Houston, Tex., North Tartan, Minn., and East Bay Explosion from California.
The overall bracket championship games are scheduled for 2:15 and 3:30 p.m. July 9 at Oregon City High School.
Admission for the tournament is $8 per day or $25 for a tournament pass.