2022 : After a two year hiatus due to Covid, regional tournaments make an appearance but only online.  The Jefferson County Library hosts a 15-team Grades 3-5 virtual tournament that consists of teams from Deschutes and Jefferson Counties.   

 

2023 : With regional tournaments in person for the first time in three years and to accomodate the rapid growth in Central Oregon, a second Grades 3-5 region is created.  

The executive board of the Oregon Battle of the Books announces the following structure:

The City League (7A) : Comprises of the Bend-La Pine School district and all of the independent and private schools located within or near that district. 

The County League (7B) : Comprises the following counties and communities : Jefferson, Wasco, Crook, Wheeler, Grant, Harney and Deschutes County (Redmond and Sisters).  

South Wasco (Maupin) in Region 4 is grandfathered into the league due to its proximity to the newly created region.  

The Performing Arts Center in Madras hosts the first 7B Regional Tournament.  11 teams compete.  

In the Gold Medal Match, the Buff Bears of Madras defeat the Crane Mustangs of Harney County to earn the regions first berth to state. While the Little Prospectors of Humbolt (John Day) turn away the Outlaws of Sisters to take home bronze. 

Gold :  Buff Bears (Madras)

Silver : Crane Mustangs

Bronze : Humbolt Little Prospects (John Day) 

 

2024 : The regional tournament turns to Warm Springs.  Gavin Begay a member of the Confederate Tribe of Warm Springs sings and performs multiple round dances, to usher in the event and wish the teams good luck.   

18 teams compete for a spot to state. 

After taking bronze the year before, Humbolt punches their ticket to the state tournament in Salem by defeating the Eagles of Steins Pillar (Prineville) in the Gold Medal Match.   

Familiar foes, two schools from the Redmond School District, meet up in the Bronze Medal Match, as the Owls of Sage tangle with the Mustangs of Tom McCall.  When all the points are accounted for, Tom McCall escapes Sage to earn bronze and the final spot on the podium.   

Gold : Humbolt Little Prospects (John Day)

Silver : Steins Pillar Eagles (Prineville)

Bronze : Tom McCall Mustangs (Redmond)

 

2025 : Culver is the host school.  A record 20 teams participate. In two short years the 7B regional has as many teams competing for a spot to Salem as 7A (Bend - La Pine).

The Highway 20 Rivarly would be renewed in the Bronze Medal Match as the Tumalo Tigers tangle with the Outlaws of Sisters. 

Two years earlier at the Performing Arts Center in Madras, Sisters came up short against Humbolt in the medal round, placing 4th. In Culver, the Outlaws would not be denied their first trip to the podium, as Sisters defeated Tumalo to take Bronze.

The Gold Medal Match would see the defending champions Humbolt Little Prospectors of John Day take on the upstart Panther Cubs of Vern Patrick from Redmond. 

Vern Patrick's first enter into the regional tournament was the year prior in Warm Spring where the Panther Cubs made an impressive run to the quarterfinals. 

Humbolt was already making history.  A trip to the Gold Medal Match had ensured their third straight appearance in the medal round and they were looking at becoming the first program in 7B regional history to repeat as champions.

It was a back and forth affair early. But midway through the match, the Panther Cubs began to open up a lead. When the two teams made the turn to content questions, the Little Prospectors were not able to make up the difference. A repeat champion would have to wait.

Vern Patrick would take home gold and become Redmond's first state tournament team from 7B.     

Not only was the Culver Tournament the most competive in the region's history, it also witnessed some considerable firsts:

• Tournament brackets and matches were accessed virtually through QR Codes 
• Black Bird Tea and Tales Book Store and Identity Zone were on site selling books and regional tournament apparel
• Food and coffee trucks debuted  

Gold : Vern Patrick Panther Cubs (Redmond)

Silver : Humbolt Little Prospects (John Day)

Bronze :  Sisters Outlaws

 

2026 : A record number of schools participated at the regional tournament at Barnes Butte in Prineville. For the first, Region 7B had more teams competing for a state berth than Region 7A (Bend - La Pine.) 

After round robin and the knock-out stages had been completed, the semi-final matches were set.  The Redsides of South Wasco would play the Mustangs of Crane. In the other semi-final match, the Madras Eagles would tangle with the Bears of Buff. 

Semi-final match number one would see the Redsides upset the Mustangs. The Mustangs came into the match as the #1 seed. It was an impressive showing from the students from Crane, as it was their first appearance at the regional tournament in three years. 

With the victory over Crane, the Redsides from Maupin were making their 1st regional final in the Grades 3-5 Division in school history.

In match number two their was an air of familiarity.  Madras and Buff, both from the Jefferson County School District, had played each other a couple of weeks prior at the Jefferson County Cup. In that final, Buff had defeated Madras to win the Jefferson County Cup trophy.  Revenge was on the minds of the Eagles. 

The match would come down to the last two questions. If Madras could steal and answer their question correctly, they would be headed to the regional final for the first time to play South Wasco. The Bears would have none of it. Answering the second to last question correctly and advancing to the regional final.

Bronze Medal Match      

It is a long drive from Prineville to Crane and the Mustangs were not looking at heading home empty handed. After a tough defeated to their rivals, the Madras Eagles were looking at rebounding and taking home hardware of their own.

The Eagles got off to shaky start, the emotional battle with Buff appeared to have lingered, and Crane capitalized. Madras tried to reel in the Mustangs but as the questions expired, they were not able to do so. Crane was on the podium and headed home with hardward.

Gold Medal Match

South Wasco was looking to punch their first state tournament appearance. Buff was looking at getting back to Salem for the 2nd time in 4 years. Neither team gave up much in the In Which Book category and when the teams made the turn to Content, a berth to state was very much in play for both teams. 

Early in the Content category South Wasco answered incorrectly and Buff had a chance to steal.  A bear is a very oportunistic animal and Buff lived up to their nickname, stealing not one but a couple of questions. It would be enough to down the Redsides, earning  their second trip to the state tournament.

Gold Medal : Buff Bears (Madras)

Silver : South Wasco Redsides (Maupin)

Bronze : Crane Mustangs

 

Regional Tournament 2027  

Site : Hugh Hartman Bilingual School, Redmond

Date : Saturday, March 6