By Jeremy Mcdonald

Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

FOREST GROVE, Ore.– It’s hard to defeat a team three times in a season, especially when the latter of the trilogy is for all the marbles in the State Championship Game. And Cascade had found a way to repeat.
Philomath and Cascade knew each other all to well with their two previous matchups, in Oregon West Conference action, were within a possession by the final whistle.
An 13-2 run had helped the Cougars build a 34-27 lead with 3:50 left in the third quarter after the Warriors went ahead 25-21 to start the second half. It was as if that run gave Cascade the confidence they needed. A reminder that they’ve been here in the big game for the third time since the Covid-Shortened season in 2021.
Their lead expanded to 38-30 with 2:25 remaining in the third quarter after Sam Horne laid in a contested lay-in. Rogue Newton made it 41-32 with 1:30 left, it was as if the Cougs said that if Philomath was gonna take the Title from them, they’re going to have to step up their game in the grandaddy of them all Saturday night.
“We’ve worked at this since Fall Ball, Summer Ball…we were doing this game for the Seniors . We had to group together and do everything we can for the Seniors, it’s their last game. So we said no regrets, just go out there and play with our whole heaet,” Landon Knox described what ultimately was a 22-point third quarter.
Cascade was playing better than they did in the first half, but fouls began to add up against them with seven going into the fourth. Granted, they gave themselves a cushion going into the final frame up 43-34 for anything free throw rally and fourth quarter push by the Warriors.
Anthony Best pushed the lead to 11 early in the fourth. Ty May hit a three to get it back to under ten before Cascade pushed their lead back to double-figures.
It was almost like their State Championship win last year against Junction City when the Cougars pulled away in the second half to snap their multi-decade drought. And similarly to that faithful night in Coos Bay, Cascade did it again in Forest Grove, shutting down Philomath behind their suffocating defense and clutching up when they need to for their second-straight Championship.
“I’m at a loss for words. My sophomore year we came, played Marshfield at Marshfield and we lost the State Championship Game. Last year I tore my ACL, wasn’t able to participate. So this year…our team did great… I’m at a loss for words right now man, it wasn’t anything that I can imagine. This is the best feeling in my life right now,”Newton said, who five points and two rebounds in his final game at Cascade.
Knox led the way with 19 points and four assists. Spencer Horne contributed 16 points and three steals in the win
Ty May (13), Kaden Muir (12) and Preston Kramer (11) all scored in double-figures for the Warriors in their State Runner-Up finish.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald