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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 28, 2006 Hidden Valley’s success continues Prep Notebook By DON HUNT Mail Tribune The South Medford High boys basketball team has dominated local sports headlines this winter. When you’re 23-1, carry a No. 1 state ranking in the Class 4A state poll and boast one of the nation’s top college recruits in Kyle Singler, the spotlight inevitably shines your way. But there’s another area team, Hidden Valley, that has pocketed virtually the same accomplishments — albeit in a smaller classification — without nearly the publicity. The Mustangs are also 23-1. They’re ranked No. 1 in the Class 3A poll. And while they don’t have someone of Singler’s stature, they’ve got a worthy standout of their own in Jordan Hayter. Hayter’s father, Norm, took over the program four years ago. His first team went 13-14. Since then, the Mustangs have galloped to a 68-9 record, including a 46-2 mark and a 24-0 Skyline Conference record the past two seasons. Advertisement Had they been in the Southern Oregon Conference, I believe they would have battled their close neighbor, Grants Pass, for second place. The Murphy-based school mirrors South Medford in another way: It longs for a first-ever state title. Last season at the 3A tourney in Corvallis, Hidden Valley lost to Wilsonville in overtime in its first game, defeated Siuslaw and then lost to Tillamook in overtime in the third-place game. So close, but no title and no trophy. With three starters lost to graduation, including Norm Hayter’s older son, Nick, who earned second-team, all-state accolades, many Skyline observers wondered if Hidden Valley would be able to win another league title, let alone match or surpass last season’s accomplishments. So far, they’re right on cue. "We had a tough preseason schedule, and I really expected to lose a few games," coach Hayter says. "But the kids are committed to working hard, and they’ve gotten better pretty much every game." Jordan Hayter is the catalyst. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound senior moved into the starting point guard position after playing a wing the past three years. He’s averaging just over 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals per game while shooting 59 percent from the field and 73 percent from the free-throw line. The younger Hayter has received letters from several Division I schools, including Hawaii, Rice, Jacksonville and Lafayette and has been offered a scholarship to play at Oregon Tech, Norm Hayter says. The coach says his son would have loved to quarterback the Mustangs earlier, but the team had Josh Gotfried, a four-year starter at the point. Some fathers in the same situation would have made the move earlier. "But I had to do what was best for this team," coach Hayter says. "I had to do what was fair and what was right. If you’re going to look yourself in the mirror each morning, you do what’s right." That same outlook manifests itself in other ways. Jordan Hayter surely could be averaging close to 30 points per game, but coach Hayter believes in a more balanced offensive attack. Cody Crowe and Jimmy Sager, a pair of 6-foot-6 senior posts, are both averaging just over 10 points per game. Senior wings Jordan Kasler and Kyler Kirchner, who drilled four 3-point baskets and scored 19 points in Hidden Valley’s final regular-season game against Illinois Valley last week, and reserve post Alex Demith, average between six and eight per game. "I learned a lesson my first year at Hidden Valley when Mazama had Levell Hesia," Norm Hayter says. "He was a great player, but they were so one-dimensional. They went two-and-out at the state tournament every year. Good teams find a way to shut down your best player." Hidden Valley’s greatest strength might be its stifling man-to-man defense. It yielded an average of just 32 points per game in conference play, compared to 44 last year, and held Josephine County rival North Valley to a mere 17 in a recent outing. "We’re down a little in offensive production (from 63 points per game last season to 57 this year), but we’re playing much better defense," Norm Hayter says. "Plus, I think we’re more disciplined in terms of taking care of the ball and understanding the importance of each possession. "These kids are pretty hungry (to win a state title)." Hidden Valley must win one playoff game on its home court Saturday against either Philomath or Tillamook to advance to the 3A tournament, which is set for March 9-11 at Gill Coliseum in Corvallis. WITH 10 WINS IN ITS last 11 starts, Cascade Christian was one of the hottest Class 2A boys basketball teams in the state at the end of the season. It’s reasonable to think it could have won a game or two at the Class 2A state tournament in Pendleton this week. Unfortunately for the Challengers, their path to Pendleton was blocked by No. 1-ranked Western Mennonite, which posted a 67-46 victory in a tournament play-in game last Saturday. Because it had to forfeit five games for using an ineligible player, Western Mennonite emerged as the No. 3 seed in its conference. That’s how the Salem-based Pioneers wound up playing Cascade Christian, which was the No. 1 seed from the Southern Cascade League. Western Mennonite featured 6-foot-10 senior Travis Derochowski and 6-8 junior John Clark. Derochowski, who is bound for Montana State on a basketball scholarship, scored 20 points. Clark added 16. Cascade Christian, whose tallest player was 6-3 Josh Heidegger, encountered severe matchup problems. "A lot of people said what a bummer it was to have to play the No. 1 team in the state, but that was our fate and we dealt with it," a philosophical Challengers coach Brian Morse said. Morse noted that a record 900 fans crowded into The Pavilion, Cascade’s home gym off Biddle Road. "We put in extra bleachers behind the baskets and we still had a lot of people standing," Morse said. "It was a great atmosphere for a high school basketball game. We just needed a couple of 6-8 guys." Myles Daley, South Medford’s 6-7 senior standout, was in the stands. "I told him, hey, we’ve got an extra jersey for you," Morse said. As if the Challengers needed another problem, Heidegger was ailing from a deep thigh bruise. Heidegger and three other starters — Josh Smith and Andrew and Daniel Shipley — return next season. "I think the kids are already excited about next season," said Morse, whose team finished 2005-2006 with a 20-7 record. "We finished strong and we’ve certainly got something to build on." AFTER 17 SEASONS, Kyle Walker has stepped down as the Phoenix High girls basketball coach. Walker, 44, cited family considerations. He and his wife, Kim, have two sons, 3-year-old Kristian and 8-month-old Kayden. "I was sitting in a McDonald’s (restaurant) at 10:30 the other night (following a game)," Walker says. "I turned to my assistant coaches and said, ‘What the heck am I doing here. I need to be home with my family.’" Walker’s teams typically weren’t world-beaters, but they won Skyline Conference titles in 1997 and 2005 and advanced to the Class 3A state tournament four times. His current team, burdened by youth, went 5-19. "I still enjoy it, it’s still fun, but coaching basketball is a time-consuming job, and right now I need to be home more often," Walker said. Walker will continue to serve as the Phoenix High boys golf coach. KEN MILLSAP, one of the top basketball officials in the Rogue Valley, will head to Eugene March 9-11 to work the Class 4A state boys tournament. Millsap will return to McArthur Court, where he was a second-team all-tournament player for Lakeview High in 1977. Millsap was chosen to work the 4A tourney two years ago but had to bow out because of a knee injury. He’s also worked the 4A girls tournament and the 1A and 2A boys and girls tournaments. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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