West Albany High School has won many state titles over the years in bands and sports teams in the past. But there is one sport that hasn’t won a title yet—until this year.
This basketball season will be remembered as historic for WAHS. The team captured the first state championship in program history, marking a milestone for the school.
Last season, the Bulldogs fell in the state quarterfinals to Silverton, 63-58. Heading into this year, they were not favored to win. After their first playoff game against No. 12 Bend, they were ranked lower than every remaining opponent. But, after defeating No. 4 Crater in the quarterfinals, 69-62, the team began to build unstoppable momentum.
The Bulldogs carried the energy all the way to the finals, where they would face No. 2 Springfield for the State Championship. Wearing blue jerseys to represent their underdog status, and backed by a student section dressed in pink and full of energy, the girls stepped onto the Linfield University court for the game their season had been building toward.
In a highly anticipated matchup—also a rematch after a loss to Springfield in previous years—the tension filled the stands, sidelines, and court. When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read 51-48, securing West Albany’s first-ever basketball state championship. Even in a male-dominated sport, it was the girls who made history—shifting expectations and proving they could lead the way.
