Bits and Pieces-September 22
League name shuffle, Power rankings and schedules, local prep hoops and more
Name game: This past summer, Salem-Keizer Schools made a transition—dropping league alliances with the Bend Schools of Summit, Mountain View and Bend, which went to 5A—and essentially became their own conference. But a new name was needed. Mountain Valley Conference no longer worked with just teams on the west side of the Cascades. So the powers-that-be settled on a name from the past—the Central Valley Conference. In checking my records, the original CVC was established in the early 2000s.
However, there was already a Central Valley Conference in place—at the 2A level. That CVC included the likes of Regis, Jefferson, and teams farther down the valley. So can two leagues be named the same thing in Oregon high school action? I don’t know the actual answer to that, but the point is now moot, because the 2A Central Valley no longer exists in 2022-23. The shuffling and realignment of teams has eliminated last year’s league completely. Jefferson moved into the PacWest Conference with teams like Amity and Dayton, and Regis dropped to 2A into the Tri-River Conference with mainstays Blanchet and Salem Academy.
Here’s one more interesting bonus: the old Mountain Valley Conference moniker has been claimed. 3A teams from the coast (Siuslaw) to the valley (Creswell, Harrisburg) to central Oregon (La Pine, Sisters) are now part of the new version of the MVC. Call it an OSAA version of recycling.
Power ranking conundrum: Salem-Keizer’s connection with Southern Oregon schools for 6A football is an oddity that has been examined at least once. It is a problematic from a travel perspective in an era when gasoline prices are still extraordinarily high. Four to five hour trips between schools in the two regions do nothing to keep costs reasonable. And that doesn’t even factor in costs like scouting the opposition at the varsity. So cost-wise, it is nuts.
I am fairly certain that the set-up this year that gave all the teams two non-league games prior to Special District play will remain intact for next year. But those out-of-district contests mess with the determination of league champions and even more importantly, with final power rankings. The current set up makes it so Salem-Keizer teams only play three of the five Southern Oregon schools. This year, the potentially big losers are the local teams doing the best. Former unbeatens North Salem (3-1) and South Salem (3-1) will not be playing Sheldon—the current #1 team in all of Oregon.
Now before you Viking and Saxon fans applaud this situation, understand that power rankings—which determine seeding for the post season—are impacted in part by the teams that don’t play each other. Potentially, North and South could drop down the power rankings due to that missing Sheldon game. How exactly that plays out is beyond my limited powers of mathematical calculation in this arena. But with the new playoff format, the top 16 teams go into the championship bracket, and the next 16 teams are placed in the consolation bracket for the Columbia Cup—so one or both of the Salem schools could feel “ripped off” by the schedule. Stay tuned.
Basketball 2022-23: Salem-Keizer Athletic Directors are in the process of hammering out their basketball seasons. With just five teams, the plan is to play a three-game round robin format In January and February.
Exact nights for hoops contests are still being worked out due to the continued shortage of game officials on a statewide and national basis. The ADs hope to have the Central Valley Conference schedule for boys and girls completed, or nearly complete, in the next week.
In years past, with the same sort of schedule, an end-season tournament had been scheduled. No tournament is slated for this season.
Salem-Keizer Alum 2019: My radio broadcast partner, Gary Horowitz—former Statesman Journal sports reporter—did a fine overview on then-West Salem player Anthony Gould shortly after he arrived in Salem back in 2017.
Look at this feature (click here) by the Oregonian’s Nick Daschel as an update on Gould after his personal record setting performance for Oregon State in the Beavs’ 68-28 win over Montana State last weekend. Gould also was impressive in the heartbreaking loss to USC on Saturday. This Gould story is worth the read.