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Composed primarily of kids enrolled at St. Therese School in East Portland, the Disciples compete in the Catholic Youth Organization's 5th and 6th Grade and 7th and 8th Grade football programs
TIM CURRAN
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
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| Playing a regular season game at Portland Christian Jr/Sr High School last month were the Catholic Youth Organization's Region 9 Disciples, the seventh and eighth grade football team comprised of students enrolled at St. Therese School in east Portland. With a 6-2 won/loss regular season record, the Disciples will vie for a championship this month in the 10-team CYO's 7th and 8th grade football program. Players pose for a picture before their tilt with the Kings from Sellwood, which they won 16-13. In front, leaning over is Tucker Perry. From left are, Noah Solomon-Lopez, Ben Reed, Andrew Russick, Chris Wilson, James Cory (no jersey), Ben Wright, Gabe Scanlon (partially hidden) Daniel Byington, Mitchell Walter (also partially hidden) Francesco Fischer, Jacob Lyver and James Cooper. Disciples not pictured are Jackson Mackley, Chris Larsen, Carlos Causey, Jr., Conner Gabriel, Nick Potter, Jacob Sanchez, Matt Vanoudenhaegen, Hunter Crenshaw, Mikkel Hendison, Koby Taylor, Josh Rice, Darion McKay-Larus, and Logan Cram. MEMO PHOTOS TIM CURRAN |
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| Disciples 5th and 6th grade running back Bryant Moore, number 11, makes a good gain for yardage against the Kings, a team from Sellwood made up of kids from St. Ignatius and Holy Family Schools. The younger Disciples lost 8-16 at the game held last month at Portland Christian Jr/Sr High School. The little Disciples finished the regular season with a 6-2 won/loss record. |
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| During the Disciples' 5th and 6th grade game last month, defenders James Selleck, number four, and Dylan Gabriel, number 15 chase Kings' ball carrier down. |
Unlike their seventh and eighth grade counterparts, the Disciples fifth and sixth grade squad, 22-players strong, is comprised equally of St. Therese and Portland Christian Elementary students. Head Coach John Wright said, “It's been a fun year. The kids are great to coach. This is always a real fun team. I coached the same team back when the kids in sixth grade were in fourth grade. So, this is always a real fun bunch, and these kids play hard.”
Wright's son, a sixth grader at St. Therese, will move up to the next level with his Dad, who will coach the seventh and eighth grade team next year.
The 5th and 6th grade Disciple counterparts are also in a ten team league. like their older counterparts, they too finished the regular season with a 6-2 won/loss record. Nine teams in the 5th and 6th Grade program qualify for the playoffs. However, their championship round has three separate brackets. In addition to the Spirit and Grid Iron championship games, the eight and ninth seeded teams vie in the Challenge Bowl.
“We always have a good time,” said Disciples seventh and eighth grade Head Coach Nick Vanoudenhaegen. “I've coached these kids since the third grade, moved up every level with them. They won a championship as fourth graders this group did. They won a championship as sixth graders, and we're hoping to repeat that with this group, but we'll see what happens.”
His ninth year as a CYO volunteer coach is Vanoudenhaegen's last. He coached his oldest son, now a senior at Central Catholic High School, from the third grade until the seventh, when Vanoudenhaegen dropped down to the third and fourth grade team to coach younger son Matthew, also in his final CYO season.
To see how the Disciples fared in the play-offs, visit www.cyocamphoward.org/CYO/sports.
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