This fall may be a season of many happy returns for the defending state champion Siuslaw Vikings boys and girls cross country teams.

The boys return six of seven student-athletes who ran at state last season, and the girls return five of six.

Both teams have good chances to return to the top of the podium as state champions in November.

"It's exciting — it's been an exciting few years for Siuslaw cross country," Siuslaw coach Chris Johnson said.

The ultra-successful Vikings coach returns for his 28th season, and is joined by wife and assistant coach, Amy Flora, who returns for her second.

"Amy's back, and it's so fun," Johnson said. "She brings so much energy and experience. We need to figure out how to use her more, because she is so gifted as a coach."

Siuslaw will compete as a 3A school starting this fall after winning boys and girls 4A championships both last November and last April, the pandemic-condensed season still not recognized by the OSAA.

"It got a little easier, at least on paper," Johnson said of the Vikings' chances this fall at 3A. "The reality is that it isn't easy to win state championships, regardless."

The Vikings were not the only top program moving to 3A.

"We went down a classification, but we brought two of the other perennial powerhouse teams in Sisters and Valley Catholic," Johnson said.

Two Vikings standouts — one from each team — will not return due to graduation, Chad Hughes (second at state) and Rylee Colton (fifth at state).

THE BOYS

All six returnees ran at state last fall — seniors Sam Ulrich, Kyle Hughes and Jacob Blankenship and juniors Dylan Jensen, Brayden Linton and Talan Ross.

"We lost Chad, and that's a tough loss, but we have Sam and Kyle back," Johnson said. "Sam was fourth and Kyle seventh at the state meet, and both first-team all-state."

Linton was 22nd, Jensen 24th, Blankenship 30th and Ross 37th.

"Our fourth-, fifth- and sixth-(place finishers) from last year are people who can be in the top 15 in the (3A) state meet," Johnson said.

The six returning veterans are joined by three promising freshmen — Julian Davidson-Esau, Kale Jensen and Camden Linton.

"They were all great last year in middle school," Johnson said.

The boys will compete in 3A Special District 4 with 12 other schools: Brookings-Harbor, Cascade Christian, Coquille, Creswell, Douglas, Glide, Lakeview, North Valley, Pleasant Hill, South Umpqua, St. Mary's (Medford) and Sutherlin.

THE GIRLS

The eight-member unit has nary a senior, but still has five student-athletes who ran in last year's state meet — juniors Corduroy Holbrook and Jane Lacouture and sophomores Addison McNeill, Macy McNeill and Maya Wells.

"Obviously Rylee was our best runner last season, but we got everyone else back," Johnson said.

Joining the team are three talented freshmen in Allison Hughes, Adelyn Holbrook and Abigail Jones.

"They can't replace Rylee, but the aggregate of all those people, I think we are just as strong as we were," Johnson said.

"We were super-solid at 4A last year. So you take us down to the 3A classification, we will be one of the top teams for sure."

The girls will compete in 3A/2A/1A Special District 4 along with 33 other schools — 3A Brookings-Harbor, Cascade Christian, Coquille, Creswell, Douglas, Glide, Lakeview, North Valley, Pleasant Hill, South Umpqua, St. Mary's (Medford) and Sutherlin, 2A Bandon, Gold Beach, Illinois Valley, Lowell, Oakland, Oakridge and Reedsport, and 1A Cascades Academy, Crow, Days Creek, McKenzie, Myrtle Point, New Hope Christian, North Douglas, North Lake, Oak Hill, Pacific, Paisley, Riddle, Trinity Lutheran and Yoncalla.

SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Sept. 13 — Fugate Farms Invite, Bandon
Saturday, Sept. 17 — Northwest Classic, Lane Community College, Eugene, 10 a.m. (girls varsity 12:20 p.m., boys varsity 1 p.m.)
Friday, Sept. 23 — Champs Invite, Cheadle Lake Park, Lebanon, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 1 — Woahink Lake Invitational, 11:45 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 8 — Paul Mariman Invitational, Philomath
Friday, Oct. 14 — Rose City Championship Invitational, Rose City Golf Course, Portland, noon
Thursday, Oct. 20 — The Run for the Brownies, Florence Golf Links, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 27 — 3A/2A/1A Special District Championships, Lane Community College, Eugene
Saturday, Nov. 5 — OSAA 3A/2A/1A State Championships, Lane Community College, Eugene
Saturday, Nov. 19 — GearUp Sports/Pacific Northwest Regional Showcase, Lakewood High School, Arlington, WA

ROSTERS
Boys
Jacob Blankenship, senior, 30th in 4A in 2021
Julian Davidson-Esau, freshman
Kyle Hughes, senior, seventh in 4A in 2021
Dylan Jensen, junior, 24th in 4A in 2021
Kale Jensen, freshman
Brayden Linton, junior, 22nd in 4A in 2021
Camden Linton, freshman
Talan Ross, junior, 37th in 4A in 2021
Samuel Ulrich, senior, fourth in 4A in 2021
Girls
Adylin Holbrook, freshman
Corduroy Holbrook, junior, 18th in 4A in 2021
Allison Hughes, freshman
Abigail Jones, freshman
Jane Lacouture, junior, 31st in 4A in 2021
Addison McNeill, sophomore, 12th in 4A in 2021
Macy McNeill, sophomore, 45th in 4A in 2021
Maya Wells, sophomore, 32nd in 4A in 2021