CHS SPORTS RECAP

FOOTBALL SEASON RECAP
Record: 4-5 overall, 3-2 in League
Season superlatives: The Bulldogs’ progress this season was undeniable, particularly when you consider the team was 1-8 last year, winless in its league. Now, we’re here: 3rd overall in S-D3 League; 19th overall in Class 1A/2A/3A … third in the league for fewest points allowed (227) and third in the league for most points scored (196).
Looking back on 2019: The story of this season was QB Dallton Dewey, who powered CHS’ offense this season, taking over games and building a legend around his fancy footwork as a runner and escape artist. His stats for this season: Offense – 58-of-113 passing for 860 yards, 6 TDs and 5 INTs. Dewey also rushed 167 times for 756 yards and 14 TDs.
Defense – Dewey recorded 25 solo tackles, 3 INTs for 72 return yards, 3 passes defensed and 2 TDs.
Early look at 2020: Five seniors are leaving, but two junior captains are returning for their final season. Tyler Nicol and Tyler Atwood will lead a large class of returning players in 2020. Team defensive leader Caleb Wilson (who had 101 tackles this season) will also be back as a senior. “I think a lot of guys are looking forward to next year, which is new,” said coach Scott Worsham. His thoughts on other returning players:
Atwood: “He started as a freshman because he was such a big kid and we needed him. He’s so committed; never missed a practice, worked hard to become a force on defense and that contributed to us doing well this season.”
Reece Germen (So.): “He is one of those hardworking, loves football kinda kids and he got after it all season. He improved so much as a player that he did great things for the offensive and defensive lines.”
Juan Beltran (So.): “He started center and defensive line and he is going to be a great football player. He’s so smart on the field and, in the future, will be a great leader for this team.”
Connor Hanson (Fr.): “We knew by game two or three that Connor was going to start for us defensively. He’s a young, smart kid that was making great tackles.”
VOLLEYBALL SEASON RECAP
Recod: 21-9 overall, state runner-up; 5-3 in Mountain Valley Conference
Overview: Coach Anna Baltrusch added to her legacy this seaon, surpassing the 500-win coaching milestone and notching another state title game appearance. She is 507-184 and 16th overall on the OSAA volleyball coaching list in 21 years.
Here is her take on the players and team that recently finished No. 2 in Oregon in Class 3A volleyball.
Memories of state: “When we were at state playing Salem Academy, the students, the parents and all of the spectators were doing cheers back and forth with the Salem Academy side. Everyone was respectful and it was all in really good taste, just cheering on their teams. It was such a memorable moment for everyone in that gymnasium and I’m so glad that my team got to experience competition like that. It’s always nice to feel such support from the community like that.”
Looking back on 2019: “As far as the ‘family’ aspect goes, this was the dream team. A coach’s dream.
“It’s always funny to watch the progression of our fans throughout the season; in the very first games of the year, it’s mostly parents and family. As the year progresses, this year being a prime example, we fill more and more seats and the stands grow. By the end of it, we’re packing gyms and rooter busses.
“The girls were making crazy saves, digs, and pancakes. They were so much fun to watch all season because of how hard they played.”
Early look at 2020: The CHS roster has the same last name three times consecutively. With the youngest being only a freshman this year, Whitson is a name fans will learn. “The girls always did the ‘family’ cheer and we have the three Whitsons so it’s enforced that ‘family’ aspect even more. When you watch these girls, you can tell that they care about each other more than just the teammate-to-teammate aspect. That’s always my goal for the season, to get them to bond together like that.”
GIRLS SOCCER SEASON RECAP
Record: 1-13 overall, 1-7 in League
Season superlatives: It was a tough season on the field for the Bulldogs, who are more competitive in the league standings. The overall record is 82-74-14 for a program established in 2007. “We were lucky to have some great senior leadership from Gwen (DeVore),” coach Dan Smathers said. “She was really the glue of the team this year. She always made sure everyone had what they needed, she always put the team before herself and she really stepped up when our team really needed a leader.”
Looking back on 2019: “After every game we lost, there were girls crying because we lost or we didn’t play like we wanted, especially in the second half of the season. There was always determination and the heart fighting to win,” said Smathers.
“I was told at the beginning of the season that this was kind of a doomsday scenario for us and we were going to lose by double-digit goals or whatever. We were determined to not let that happen.” He cited only two bad losses, 5-0 at Central Linn and 8-1 at Sutherlin.
“Every day in practice we were laughing. We were serious when we needed to be but every day they were having a good time too,” he said. “There was one day that they locked me out of the bus, video recording me and made me do a dance to get back on the bus.”
Early look at 2020: The coach will be looking at the JV team to rebuild for the season. Nearly a half-dozen players will graduate, putting the JV players in a position to make an immediate impact next year. “Our JV is going to have to step up” into some big shoes, Smathers said.
Coach’s perspective: “Our season was successful in the sense, from start to finish, we got a lot better. The things that the girls will remember most won’t be the wins and losses, it’ll be the fun memories off the field and the laughs. They’ll also remember trying hard and coming up short, trying hard and getting the win that we got.”
BOYS SOCCER SEASON RECAP
Record: 8-5-2 overall, 6-4-2 in League
Looking back at 2019: Coach Brandi Wittenborn noted that the team would have to play amazing soccer to be a playoff contender this past season. After losing its first three games, Creswell began to pull it together. The postseason dream ended after a 2-1 loss at Central Linn in a league playoff game; the winner secured a spot in the state tournament.
Season superlatives: CHS was second in the league for fewest goals allowed. … The Bulldogs were third in the league for largest number of goals scored.
Did you know?: In the 10 years that boys soccer has been at Creswell, its overall record is 121-55-12.
CROSS COUNTRY SEASON RECAP
Looking back on 2019: The Bulldogs demonstrated significant progress through the past two years, culminating in two runners finishing among the top 35 at the Class 3A state championships – juniors Brandon Moehlmann and Josiah Lee. CHS failed to qualify a single runner for state in 2017. … Leona Marquess and Harmony Goodman both finished in the top 40 at state.
Early look at 2020: With Moehlmann and Lee returning, the Bulldogs appear to be poised to move to the next level. “My goal is to field a complete team. We haven’t done that since I’ve been coaching here,” Coach Jonathan Ferguson said. “We’ve always fallen short of the five you need.” … Team familiarity and comraderie give Moehlmann optimism for his senior year. “We would have these spur-of-the-moment team dinners after practice and we would all just go eat and hang out. That’s the really great thing about our team and most of us are going to be back for track and for next season.” … Said Lee: “(Brandon and I) both play trombone in jazz band, we run track, and we’re all friends outside of cross country too. It makes everything more fun when you’re just hanging out with your friends.”