Photo: Angela Scorcio
SALEM – On June 1, at 11:44 a.m., the Banks Braves varsity baseball team won the OSAA Onpoint Community Credit Union 4A State Championship game, beating the Henley Hornets 3-1.
With a strong defense, the Banks kept Henley from scoring anything more than one point. Jumping to a two point lead in the second inning, the Braves held the score at 3-1 for the rest of the game.
On the way there, they shattered school records and joined just two other high schools in recorded Oregon sports history by winning a “triple crown” — championship wins in baseball, basketball, and football — in a single school year.
According to records from Medford’s Mail Tribune and the Oregon School Activities Association, Medford High School accomplished a triple crown in 1959 – 1960, and North Valley High School in Grants Pass did the same in 1984-1985.
Now, the Braves have joined those two schools in this coveted achievement.
“I don’t want to take for granted all of the amazing achievements of our different programs at the high school has had this year,” said Jacob Pence, Banks High School principal.
Led by coach Joe Baumgartner with assistant coaches Jim Gerlinger, Kent Bond, and SJ McKee, the Braves roster and their positions included #1 Jarred Evans, second base, #2 Bryson Cook, third base, #3 Tanner Shook, second base, #5 Colten Hesselman, outfielder, #6 Charlie White, third base, #8 Cole Belden, infielder, #9 Cameron VanBlarcom, catcher, #10 Hayden Vandehey, shortstop, #15 Thomas Cook, outfielder, #16 Blake Gobel, first Base, #17 Trask Applegate, catcher, #18 Tyler Lilly, outfielder, #19 Dakota Bunn, outfielder, #20 Cameron Louie, infielder, #25 Andrew Nichols, infielder, #11 Hayden Gobel, designated hitter.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.