Buffs start winter sports seasons on the road
Published 1:53 pm Friday, November 21, 2025
Madras High School winter sports squads will all be starting their seasons on the road.
The Madras boys basketball squad starts out with Battle of the Bridge Tournament at Columbia High School in White Salmon, Washington, against Milwaukie/Milwaukie Academy of Arts on Friday, Dec. 5.
It’s a return trip to the tournament for the Buffalos, who won two games there last season to nicely kick off the year. The Buffs’ home opener is Friday, Dec. 12, when Klamath Union visits. Mazama will be in town the following day for a 2:30 p.m. tipoff.
The Buffs return honorable-mentioned all-state Matthew Suppah-Scott, a senior, at post and junior John Buffalo-Ball, a starter at point guard since his freshman season. The squad lost only three players to graduation from last year’s team that went 19-7 and lost in the field of 16 playoff game at home to Scappoose.
There’s another returner to Buffalo boys basketball this season as the program’s winningest head coach, Evan Brown, will take a seat on the bench as an assistant to his son Nick, who replaced him as head coach prior to the 2019-20 season.
Matthew Suppah-Scott, an honorable mention all-state post player as a junior, is back to lead the Buffalo boys basketball squad. (Tony Ahern, for the Madras Pioneer)
Heath Alexander’s second year at the helm of the Madras girls basketball team starts with a Wednesday, Dec. 3 road trip to 5A Caldera. The White Buffs will then hit the road again for a matchup with another 5A school in Hood River Valley on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
The Lady Buffs will have their home debut as the boys do, against Klamath Union and Mazama Dec. 12-13. The girls will play KU at 5 p.m. and Mazama at 1 p.m.
The strength of the Buffs may be in the middle this winter. Madras will have varsity experience at the post with juniors Ana Boyle and Alisha Yallup joining sophomore Marlee Simmelink back and junior Zoe Kollen, up from the JVs, also effective inside. Senior guard LaRhia Stevens also provides experience for the Buffalos.
The White Buffalo basketball squads will have one less team to battle in Tri-Valley Conference action as Crook County has moved up to 5A, likely opening a postseason spot for the rest of the field in both boys and girls competition.
The Madras boys wrestling team had one of its best overall seasons ever in 2024-25 but could surpass that this year. Earl Oliver, who finished third in his weight class at state last year, is back for his senior season with a state championship in his sights.
Coach Travis Ralls’ Buffalo wrestlers start the season at the Perry Burlison Invitational at Cascade High School in Turner Saturday, Dec. 6. They’ll wrestle The Dalles/Dufur Tuesday, Dec. 9, then be at the two-day Culver Invitational Dec. 12-13.
The wrestlers will hit the home mats for the first time at the White Buffalo Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 20, an event that will include eight teams.
Maybe the best news for the Madras wrestlers? The beast known as the Crook County Cowboys wrestling program is no longer in their district. La Grande and Pendleton, however, will still have to be dealt with. But with Crook County now at the 5A level, expect more Buffalos to qualify for state.
The Madras girls squad, coached by Brad Padgett, kicks off at the Lady Ranger Classic in Estacada Friday, Dec. 5, a big 12-team event. They’ll have their home opener at the Lady Buffalo Invitational Friday, Dec. 19, a 10-team affair.
The Madras High swim team is led by co-head coaches this winter: Justin Bendele and his daughter, Joannah Pendell. They’ll start their season at the Rowan Relays at the Cascade Athletic Center in Redmond on Saturday, Dec. 6, followed by the Raven Invite, hosted by Ridgeview, also at the Cascade Athletic Center, on Saturday, Dec. 13.
The swimmers have two events at the Madras Aquatic Center. On Tuesday, Jan. 13, they’ll host a meet with Redmond, Ridgeview and Sisters. The 15-team White Buffalo Invitational is Saturday, Jan. 31.