Sports have always been there for James Phillips.
Raised in a military family that relocated often, there wasn’t always a group of friends he could spend his free time with.
But there was always a basketball hoop. There was always a wall to hit a tennis ball against. There was always a place to run.
So even before Phillips grew into a 6-foot-4 muscle-bound senior at Prairie High School, he developed an eclectic set of athletic skills.
Those were on full display this school year. Phillips was first-team all-Greater St. Helens League in tennis, first-team all-league in basketball and finished second in the 300 hurdles at the state track championships.
For the range and depth of his success, Phillips is The Columbian’s All-Region boys multi-sport athlete of the year. He will attend Concordia University in Portland on a basketball scholarship and walk on for the track team.
Phillips was born here, but with a father in the Air Force and a mother in the Coast Guard, the family was on the move by the time he turned 7. First came a two-year stint in Virginia, followed by three years in Cleveland.
“A lot of people ask why I don’t play football, but basketball was something I could always do by myself,” Phillips said. “Sports are an awesome thing that way, just for people to get out and do something. You’ll make friends that way.”
Even after his parents, Roger and Karen, retired from the military, the moving wasn’t done. When Phillips was 12, the family took a missionary sabbatical with Youth With a Mission. They trained in rural Minnesota before heading to Turkey.
“That was a journey, especially at the age in your life when you make friends, to just pack up and leave,” Phillips said. “But it was so fun, because there were so many experiences.”
Phillips and his family returned to Clark County when he was in the seventh grade. Because of the role sports played in helping him make friends as a child, Phillips values team camaraderie more than anything else.
“No matter what sport, community and family are the most important things,” he said. “When you have someone standing next to me that has your back, it’s so powerful.”
Best of the rest
Alex Berfanger
The Union junior was All-Region after winning a state title in wrestling. He was also an all-leaguer in track and field and football.
Nate Beasley
The Camas senior earned All-Region honors playing for two highly-ranked and league-championship teams in football and soccer.
Jay Becker
The senior was All-Region in baseball for Columbia River, as well as a scoring machine in football and basketball for King’s Way Christian.
Alan Haagen
Hockinson senior was All-Region and co-league MVP in basketball and a first-team all-league defender in soccer.
Nathan Hawthorne
Columbia River junior was All-Region in basketball, a versatile All-Region performer in football and a bi-district qualifier in track.
Reilly Hennessey
The Camas senior and EWU recruit was the All-Region football player of the year and a first-round all-4A GSHL pick in baseball.
Hunter Huddleston
The Woodland senior was an All-Region pick in baseball and the Trico League co-offensive player of the year in football.
Jack Klodt
The Hockinson senior earned his All-Region in basketball, placed 7th at state in high jump in track and was an all-leaguer in cross country.
Alex Torson
Mountain View senior was All-Region in basketball, averaging 22 points a game, and he was a first-team all-leaguer in baseball.
Dylan White
Camas senior was All-Region in football and a first-team all-leaguer and University of Portland signee in baseball.
