No. 2 Crane Faces Ranking Stakes at Santiam Christian Tournament

Crane Union High School (11-3) takes its No. 2 ranking in Class 2A into the Santiam Christian Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 3, with play scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. PDT in Adair Village. Host Santiam Christian (10-3), a Class 3A program, provides another strong presence at an event with implications for both classifications. Crane trails No. 1 Heppner (15-2) in the 2A rankings, adding importance to its tournament performance, though specific opponents and a bracket have not been announced.

Crane’s attack features several leading options in Kaitlyn Siegner and Kamryn Dunten. Siegner has recorded 194 kills with a .264 hitting percentage, while Dunten has added 156 kills. Their production gives Kendal Nichols multiple targets as Crane looks to establish its offense. Nichols has totaled 396 assists and a 91.2% serving percentage, making the setter central to both distributing the attack and putting the ball in play consistently from the service line.

Serving could be a key factor in Crane’s ability to disrupt opposing offenses. Emily Clark leads the team with 34 aces, followed by Anita Peila with 32. Siegner has contributed 26 aces and Nichols 23. Across cumulative statistics covering 16 matches and 46 sets, Crane has collected 160 aces, 498 kills and 459 assists with a .157 team hitting percentage. Applying service pressure while limiting attacking errors will be an important tactical balance.

Defensively, Crane has accumulated 722 digs, with Siegner contributing 146, Clark 129, Peila 119, Nichols 107 and Dunten 101. That distribution gives the team several contributors capable of extending rallies and creating another attacking chance. At the net, Maddie Peters leads Crane with 24 total blocks and has added 49 kills in 14 matches. Nichols has recorded 22 total blocks, while Dunten has 18, providing additional resistance against opposing hitters.

The tournament will test how effectively Crane connects those strengths: serving pressure, rally-extending defense and an attack built around Siegner and Dunten. Santiam Christian’s 10-3 record adds competitive weight to the setting, but Crane’s precise matchup remains unsettled until the tournament schedule is established. With its position near the top of Class 2A at stake, Crane enters Saturday with individual production across the lineup and a chance to strengthen its ranking résumé.