Banks, Braves, Sports

This week in Banks sports: Robotics, equestrian team, Basketball, and wrestling

The Middle/Elementary School Robotics Club at the Banks Fire District 13 headquarters. Photo: Chas Hundley

Banks Elementary and Middle School Robotics Club 

The Banks Middle School and Elementary School Robotics Club presented a small robotic prototype — made from legos — to members of the Banks Fire District 13 board of directors at their monthly meeting on Wednesday, January 8.

The students designed a mobile wildfire shelter featuring a number of design elements to improve survival rates for firefighters trapped when flames overtake them while on the job.

“It has oxygen tanks in the cab so people don’t die,” said one student, explaining the mobile shelter’s standalone features designed to isolate firefighters from lethal conditions. 

Banks High School Equestrian Team practices

The Banks High School Equestrian Team is preparing for events that will begin in February by practicing at the Yamhill County Fairgrounds. 

“What this practice entails….Loading horses and tack into trailers and going to the Yamhill county fairgrounds to the arena that they compete in. It is much larger than the local practice arena. When they get there they warm up the horses then saddle and tack up and practice. Today was some patterning practice. (Barrel racing pattern) They also do poles, keyhole, work cattle drill and many other events. After practice they have to cool the horses, trailer them back to Banks and unload and feed and put them to bed,” said Stewart Monroe, a BHS parent and community member who captures thousands of high-quality school activities photos and shares them online during the school season. 

Thanks to Stewart Monroe for the photographs of the practice on Sunday, January 12.

Photo: Stewart Monroe

Photo: Stewart Monroe

Photo: Stewart Monroe

Banks Boys, Girls Basketball teams playing seven games this week

On Tuesday, January 14, the Junior Varsity 2, Junior Varsity, and Varsity Boys teams will take on their respective Hood River Valley counterparts at the Banks High School, with JV2 playing at 4:30 p.m., JV playing at 6 p.m., while Varsity begins at 7:30 p.m.

On Friday, January 17, the Girls Basketball teams will play against Newport at the Banks High School, while the Boys travel to the coast to take on the same school. 

Girls JV will play at 5:30 p.m. and Varsity at 7 p.m., while the Boys teams will play in Newport at the Newport High School at the same times.

Wrestling

On Friday and Saturday, January 17 and 18, the Braves wrestling program will head south to the Deschutes County Expo Center in Redmond to compete in the Oregon Classic. 

There are 20 teams in the 4A tournament, including Banks. The other teams are: Baker HS, Cascade HS, Estacada HS, Henley HS, Hidden Valley HS, LaGrande HS, Madras HS, Marshfield HS, Mazama HS, McLoughlin HS, Molalla HS, North Marion HS, Ontario HS, Philomath HS, Phoenix HS, Sisters HS, Sweet Home HS, Tillamook HS, Woodburn HS. 

+ posts

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.

Sign up for Banks area news in your inbox ↓