Andy Westerberg

Over the hundred plus years that Astoria High School has fielded athletic teams, many individual have participated during all three seasons, but few have mastered their craft as Andy Westerberg did in the mid-1980’s. He not only starred for the Fishermen in football, basketball and baseball, he earned All-League status in each of those endeavors.

In football, he teamed with classmate Craig Nelson to form one of the most potent running back tandems in Astoria High School history. As a junior, Westerberg was selected to both the offensive and defensive units of the All-Cowapa League All-Star squads. He would garner the same two distictions the following year as a senior.

In Westerberg’s first game as a senior, a 40-0 rout of Hood River High School, he established a rushing record that will stand forever. With the ball on Astoria’s own one yard line, Westerberg took a hand off and bolted 99 yards for a touchdown. Later that same game, he added a nine yard scamper and returned an interception 31 yards for scores.

Hampered with a nagging turf toe, Andy would be sidelined for the last few games of the season. Had he been able to complete the season, he surely would have been in the record books as a running back for total yards at AHS.

Westerberg moved on to Linfield College where he helped lead the Ad Rutschman coached 1986 Wildcats to the NAIA II National Champships. During that memorable 12-0 campaign, he scored 19 touchdowns and was named to the Nortwest League All-Conference team.

On the hardwood, Westerberg, who was described by his hoop mentor, Mike Goin, as a demon on defense and a tenacious rebounder, was a two year starter for the Fishermen cagers. His junior year saw him help the local high school hoopsters to an 8-4 Cowapa League record. His 23 points against Rainier High School, in a 68-61 victory was a highlight for him offensively. Astoria upped its record to 17-8 the following year, with Westerberg grabbing All-Cowapa League honors. Not known as a big scorer, Westerberg’s 25 points against Rainier was a Fishermen single-game high for that season.

On the diamond, Westerberg played with the varsity for three seasons, concluding his career by being selected to the All-Cowapa League squad as a catcher. Behind the plate he not only called great games for the pitchers, but his accurate throws to second cut down many baserunners attempting to steal an extra base. Runners on third had to think twice about plays at the plate with Westerberg guarding home. He ended the 1985 campaign with a .333 batting average, and helped the local nine to a 14-4 league mark.