Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:00 am
Gazette-Times
High School notebook
Santiam Christian standout Tiffany Land has signed a Letter of Intent to play volleyball at Corban College in Salem.
Land was a 2007 3A first- team all-state selection.
A 5-foot-10 middle blocker/outside hitter, she was part of back-to-back PacWest Conference championship squads with the Eagles.
"I am excited for the all-around character and athleticism that Tiffany is going to bring to our program," said Corban coach Heather Dunn. "Her experience playing with a winning program lets her know what it takes to go the extra mile, to be successful, and how to win."
In 2007, Land helped lead Santiam Christian to a third-place finish at the 3A state tournament that included victories over Reedsport and Creswell.
She recorded 134 kills, four assists, 54 service aces, 73 digs and 58 blocks (34 solo, 24 assisted) in 2007 to close out her high school career.
Land finished second on the team in total kills and total points (234) in her final season, while leading the team in blocks and ranking third in service aces.
As a junior, Land was named All-PacWest honorable mention. Land joins former California Baptist University transfer Rachel Gowen (Oregon City) as the first two official signees for next season.
The duo will join seven returning players that will look to improve from last season's 12-14 overall mark, as well as looking to better the team's 10-10 conference record that placed Corban fifth in the final standings.
Skiing update
Corvallis High's Taylor Helfand took home top honors at Saturday's Emerald League giant slalom race at Willamette Pass.
CHS's Maddie Thompson tied for second and Melissa Queen was sixth to help the Spartans win the team title and advance to the state meet which will be held March 6-7 at Mt. Hood Meadows. CHS won the combined giant slalom/slalom state title last year.
Crescent Valley's Cory Lamon was fourth, Teal Anderson fifth and Molly Gard ninth.
All three advanced to the state meet in the slalom with Teal and Lamont also competing in the giant slalom at state.
CHS's Chris Brown was second, Jake Thompson fifth and Tyler Wilson sixth as the Spartans placed second as a team.
CV's Greg Smith was fourth with Matt Smith 16th and Nat Adams 20th as the Raiders placed third.
The Spartans advanced to the state meet with CV's Greg Smith and Matt Smith advancing individually in the slalom and giant slalom events.
Eagles shine in classroom
The Santiam Christian wrestling team was tops in the state academically for all classifications with a 3.57 GPA.
The boys basketball team was tops in 3A and second overall with a 3.76 GPA.
The cheerleaders were tops in 3A/2A/1A with a 3.66 GPA and were second overall.
The girls basketball team was 6th in 3A with a 3.69 GPA.
Polls watch
The CHS boys basketball team remained third in the Associated Press 5A poll released on Monday.
The Spartans are behind No. 1 North Eugene and Jefferson. They close out the regular season at Woodburn on Wednesday.
The CHS girls are eighth in this week's 5A poll, one spot ahead of West Albany. Silverton tied for 10th with Bend and Churchill.
CHS, West Albany and Silverton finished tied for the Mid-Willamette Conference title.
Corvallis will play a home playoff game on Friday.
The Philomath boys are 10th in the 4A poll. The Warriors won the Val-Co League title and will play a home game on March 8 to advance to the 4A tournament.
Dragons hire football coach
There will be at least one new football coach in the Mid-Willamette Conference this fall.
Dallas has hired Bill Masei to take over the Dragons, who reached the playoffs in 2006 and 2007.
Masei built a winning program at North Bend, going 39-24 in the regular season and winning or sharing four straight Far West League championships in seven seasons.
He replaces Karl Elliott, who coached Dallas last fall on an interim basis. The Dragons went 7-4, finished third in the MWC at 4-3, and lost at home to Hillsboro in the first-round of the 5A playoffs.
Gary Thorson coached the Dragons in 2006, when they reached the 5A quaterfinals.
Taking the job at Dallas reunites Masei with his family - wife Tobi and children Alika, Micah and Malia. The family had been split after Tobi Masei took a special education teaching job with the Willamette Educational Service District.
North Bend lost to Sisters 50-46 in the 4A quarterfinals last fall.
Sisters went on to finish second for the second straight year.