Son of retired longtime Taft High teachers Jack and Kristin Wilkinson, the 27-year-old “Johnny Wilk,” as he is best known by his friends, was born in Lincoln City on Sept. 25, 1991, and lived here his entire life until he left to spend four years in the Navy.
Taft High senior Cody Knott avenged a week-old defeat to a Scio wrestler Saturday in the 160-pound class to earn recognition as outstanding participant in a meet at Nestucca.
The Taft High boys 200- and 400-yard breaststroke teams led the way with victories Thursday at the Rhonda Relays, a non-scoring swim meet in Philomath.
The Class 3A Tigers (2-2), who fell 50-34 Wednesday to the 10th-rated -Cheesemakers (6-1) of the 4A Cowapa Conference, will host No. 1-ranked and unbeaten Warrenton at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17, in their debut in the newly formed Coastal Range League.
Taft High senior Ana Ortiz, a first-team all-league girls soccer player, has been recognized as an honorable mention member of the Class 3A/2A/1A All-State team.
First-year Taft High boys varsity basketball coach Andy Morgan was well aware his team’s toughest test of the young season awaited when it stepped up in class Friday night on the road at Tillamook.
Several underclassmen gave themselves and their teammates a big boost in confidence moving forward Saturday as the Taft High swim team won the boys competition and placed second in the girls at the Andrew Nygaard Invitational in Astoria.
Senior Devon Lindquist, who placed second at Districts last season, won the 145-pound division while three other Taft High wrestlers placed second Saturday to lead the Tigers to a third-place finish among 13 teams at Scio.
A promising start to the year last week at Tillamook and daily progress on the mat has Taft wrestling coach Robb Ellis encouraged about possible record participation at State in the 2018-19 season.
The Taft High boys basketball team built a 26-18 halftime lead Tuesday, but foul trouble proved the Tigers’ undoing down the stretch in a 46-41 nonconference road defeat to Jefferson.
