Defending champs Damascus Christian girls basketball shutters program for 2023-24 season

Published 2:22 pm Monday, November 20, 2023

One season removed from its first state championship since 2015, Damascus Christian girls basketball will be unable to defend its title with lack of participation shuttering the program.

A little over a year ago it was elation for the Eagles. The No. 2-seeded team cruised through the state tournament before winning a 35-33 nail-biter over No. 1 Crane for the championship rematch — the Mustangs had downed them the previous year for the trophy.

Now the follow-up season is over before it ever started. Damascus graduated three talented seniors from what was already a thin squad — 11 players on the roster with no junior varsity. The school also lists a vacancy for the coaching position on its website after Coach Robert Day led the team last year.

The 1A Eagles aren’t the only local girls program unable to fill the court. Centennial High School is about to hit its third season without girls hoops. The plan was for the program to go independent in 2020, but pandemic restrictions marred that roll out. Once things opened back up, the enthusiasm for the sport within the student body had dried up. That was paired with the lack of a stable youth program within the district.

“All of that and COVID issues all combined to decimate the program,” said former Coach Jeff Stanek.

The hope for the Damascus Eagles is this shutdown won’t last as long. While Centennial had struggled to find wins within the Mt. Hood Conference, compounding the issues, Damascus was a real powerhouse. And though they lost several key seniors, the program still had talented players.

Rather than be left in the lurch, the remaining Eagles hoopers had the chance to play for other nearby programs — Barlow, Nelson and Oregon City High Schools were all possible destinations. Two chose to join the Bruins, senior Laelie Rasmussen and freshman Ally Boos, and have been practicing with the team.