By Mike Weber
For Columbia Gorge News
THE DALLES — Playing their final two nonleague games of 2025, the No. 4-ranked The Dalles High Riverhawks (6-4) got a split last week in OSAA Class 4A boys basketball with a home win and a road loss.
Having their first eight games all on the road, the Riverhawks finally played their opening home game of the season Dec. 23, and they won, 76-44, over the Class 3A McLoughlin High Pioneers (3-5) of Milton-Freewater. The Riverhawks responded well to a 72-62 loss three days earlier to the No. 3-ranked Madras High White Buffaloes (8-0). The Dalles junior guard Oliver Stevens led the Riverhawks in scoring with 25 points and senior Derek Goulart followed with 24 points.
Coach Brian Stevens said: “We’re really proud of the team. Everyone is working hard, they all play hard and they stick together and play together, so it’s been a fun season. We have had the hardest schedule in 4A and that’s why we’ve earned a high OSAA ranking. This was a little easier game than some of our other ones.”
The Riverhawks outscored the Pioneers 21-8 in the second quarter to take control of the contest. The Dalles built a 58-31 lead after three periods when Oliver Stevens scored on a baseline layup.
“We are really having a great season so far,” said Oliver Stevens, who is averaging 25 points per game. “They [Pioneers] hit a lot of 3-point field goals (11), so that kind of surprised us a little. We were able to bounce back and go on a big run to extend our lead later.”
The Riverhawks scored on many fast break opportunities late in the game. A short jumper by Goulart made it 66-36, and after a Pioneer timeout, The Dalles built its largest lead of the game at 70-36 with 2:37 remaining in the contest. It marked the sixth time this season that the Riverhawks scored 70 or more points in a game.
“Derek is just playing incredible and he’s shooting 67 percent from the field, which is just amazing,” said Coach Stevens.
The Riverhawks then played a nonleague contest Dec. 27 versus the No. 5-ranked St. Helens High Lions (6-2) in Portland, and they lost, 65-60. The matchup was at the Moda Center in Portland on the same basketball court of the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers.
Following a five-day New Year’s holiday break, the Riverhawks will play their next nonleague game, Jan. 2 at 4:30 p.m. at Tillamook. The Riverhawks will play the first matchup of their eight-game Tri-Valley Conference schedule Jan. 23 at home against Madras.
“I think we’ll have a good chance to win the league title,” said Stevens. “It’s been a long time since The Dalles has won a league title, probably back in the 1980s. Bryson Cates is our best defensive player and when he recovers from an injury and is able to play, then we’ll have an even better team.”
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