I was born in Salem and have family there, so I make the trip over the pass often. I’ve been coaching sports in Bend for 17 years, so here’s what I can tell you about the Bend schools joining the Salem schools in a league.

1. Paddington’s Pizza is my favorite in Salem. They have two locations and a personal pizza lunch special that is very good.

2. The Marion Forks Fish Hatchery is a great place to stop, use the restroom and stretch your legs when you are driving over the Santiam Pass.

3. Salem’s Riverfront Park is a nice place to walk around and the Carousel is great for young kids.

4. The South Salem girls basketball team was Class 6A state champions in 2015-16. That’s the most recent of the Salem teams to win a Class 6A state championship.

5. The Salem schools have a rich tennis tradition, with the Sprague boys being among the state’s best every year. South Salem and McKay have put together great boys tennis teams over the years as well.

6. West Salem and Sprague are two of the best Class 6A football teams this year. Both are currently ranked in the top 8 for OSAA power rankings.

7. Sprague junior Ginger Murnieks is the fastest cross county runner in all of Oregon right now.

8. Sprague is a state power in wrestling. Often finishing in the top 10 and taking 2nd in the state last year.

9. Salem isn’t really stoked on being in a league with the Bend schools, but it’ll all work out.

10. Bush’s Pasture Park in Salem is a great place to go for a walk, especially when the roses are in bloom.

Here’s the proposed 6A league for Bend, Mountain View and Summit.

Here’s the Intermountain Conference without them.

So what if you kept them in 5A and made a 9-team IMC?

What are the pros and cons of keeping the three Bend schools in 5A?
PROS
• Keep things the same. Same rivalries, same schedules, same travel. Things we know work.
• Salem is happy. Eugene is happy. Medford, Roseburg and Grants Pass are happy.
• Less travel over the pass. If you put the Bend schools in either of the latest proposed leagues, you’ve got lots of travel over the mountain passes. Something the valley schools don’t want.
• Less missed school.

CONS
• The 3 Bend schools are too big for 5A. They win a lot of championships.
• The other 5A teams would like them to move up to 6A.

So what should be done?

The Oregonian just published Oregon high school football participation numbers and the Salem schools lead the way for the entire state.

To give you an head of how the Bend schools matchup size wise, Summit had 87 players in 2016.

2016 6A Oregon Football Participation Numbers:
(Salem schools in bold)
1. McKay 170
2. Clackamas 161
3. Tigard 160
4. West Salem 157
5. McNary 152
6. Jesuit 141
7. Sprague 138
8. Central Catholic 135
9. South Salem 132
10. West Linn 130
11. Sunset 128
12. Grants Pass 125
13. North Salem 122 – Not projected to be in the Salem league in 2018.
14. South Medford 121
15. North Medford 120
15. Sherwood 120
17. Oregon City 115
18. Aloha 112
19. McMinnville 111
20. David Douglas 109
21. Canby 106
22. Tualatin 104
23. Newberg 101
24. Barlow 100
25. Beaverton 99
25. Reynolds 99
27. Century 96
28. Franklin 95
28. Gresham 95
30. West Albany 94 – Not in Salem, but should be in the same league in 2018.
31. Southridge 92
32. Sheldon 91
33. Westview 87
34. Lincoln 85
35. Liberty 84
36. Lake Oswego 83
37. Centennial 81
37. Jefferson 81
39. Grant 78
40. Forest Grove 77
40. Roseburg 77
42. Lakeridge 76
42. Willamette 76
44. Glencoe 73
45. Wilson 64
46. South Eugene 62
47. Cleveland 55
48. Madison 52
48. Roosevelt 52
50. Benson 45

Proposed 2018 6A Greater Valley Football Conference
Bend Lava Bears
McKay Scots
McNary Celtics
Mountain View Cougars
South Salem Saxons
Sprague Olympians
Summit Storm
West Albany Bulldogs
West Salem Titans

The latest Classification and Districting Update has two options. Which do you like better?

Draft #16

Draft #17

Either one has Bend, Mountain View and Summit heading over the pass quite a bit starting in the 2018-19 school year. Which league would you like to see come together?

Salem doesn’t want us.