VOLLEYBALL
CRESWELL BULDOGS
Head coach: Anna Baltrusch … 26th year at Creswell … 601-207 overall coaching record
2021 season: 17-9 overall … Semifinalists in Division 3A state playoffs … 2nd in Mountain Valley League Team history: 25 total playoff appearances … Last playoff appearance in 2021
Returning starters: 9
Social media: Facebook @creswellathletics … Twitter @Creswellhigh Booster club: creswellhs- boosters.org
Team strengths
■ Team unity
■ Knowledge of the game
Top games
■ Sisters
■ Pleasant Hill
■ Santiam Christian
■ Senior Night Oct. 20 vs. Elmira, 6:30 p.m.
Top returning players
■ Kimmy Kelsey, junior, setter, 5-foot-10, 2021 … Dedicated team player who earned 2nd-team all-league last year as a sophomore
■ Kendyl Whitson, senior, mid hitter, 5-foot-8 … Versatile player who earned honorable mention all-league last year
■ Lizabelle Osborn, junior, outside hitter, 5-foot-7 … Outstanding outside hitter that has several different shots she has perfected, earned honorable mention all-league last year.
2022 schedule
September 1 – @ Cottage Grove, 6 p.m.; 6 – @ Harrisburg, 6:30 p.m.; 8 – vs. Pleasant Hill, 6:30 p.m.; 13 – vs. Santiam Christian, 6:30 p.m.; 15 – vs. Siuslaw, 6:30 p.m.; 17 – @ Salem Academy tournament, 9 a.m.; 19 – vs. Sisters, 6:30 p.m.; 22 – @ La Pine, 6 p.m.; 24 – Creswell tournament, 9 a.m.; 27 – @ Elmira, 6:30 p.m.; 29 – vs. Harrisburg, 6:30 p.m. October 4 – @ Pleasant Hill, 6:30 p.m.; 5 – @ Sutherlin, 6 p.m.; 11 – @ Siuslaw, 6:30 p.m.; 13 – @ Sisters, 6 p.m.; 18 – vs. La Pine, 6:30 p.m.; 20 – vs. Elmira, 6:30 p.m.
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SPRINGFIELD MILLERS
Head coach: Keri Green … four years with Millers.
2021 record: 3-12 (7th in league play)
Total varsity players: 12
Returning starters: 4
Top returning players
■ Kylie Rank, outside
hitter, 5-foot-9, senior.
■ Kayla Unrein, middle blocker, 6-foot-0, senior.
Team strengths
■ Large front row/huge block this coming year ■ Huge improvement on defense
Top games
■ Crater
■ Thurston
■ Homecoming / Senior Night: Oct. 20
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COTTAGE GROVE LIONS
Head coach: Abby Ladd … 3rd year at Cottage Grove … 21-11 overall
coaching record … 2021 Sky-Em Coach of the Year
2021 season: 13-7 overall … Quarterfinalists in Division 4A state playoffs
Social media: Facebook @CGHSAthletics … Twitter @cgathletics
Team outlook: Lions lost Sky Em player of the year Gracie Arnold as well as three other all-league players. Despite that they were ranked #8 in the presea- son 4A coaches poll.
Top games
■ Cascade
■ Marshfield
■ North Bend
Top returning players
■ Blakely Herbert, senior, 5-foot-9, outsider hitter … All-league 2nd team
■ Adrianna Glenn, senior, setter, 5-foot-4
■ Trinity Holder, senior, outside hitter, 5-foot-7
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THURSTON COLTS
Head coach: David Natt … 3rd year at Thurston
2021 season: 9-5 overall … Lost in 1st round of playoffs
Social media: Twitter @ thurstoncolt_vb
Team outlook: The Colts should look to improve on a solid season last year with a veteran squad that includes three returning all-league players. The team comes into the season ranked 11th
in the OSAA preseason coaches poll.
Top games
■ Ridgeview
■ Crater
Top returning players
■ Bayleigh Wodke, senior, 5-foot-5, outside hitter … All-league 1st team
■ Scout Martin, junior, hitter … All-league 2nd team ■ Bailey Tovey, junior, middle blocker, 5-foot-11 … All-league honorable mention
2022 schedule
Sept. 1 –vs. Lakeridge, 6:45 p.m.; 6 – @North Salem, 6:30 p.m.; 8 – @ Ashland, 6:45 p.m.; 10 – Tualatin tournament; 13 – @ Churchill, 6:45 p.m.; 17 – @ Crater, 2:15 p.m.; @ Eagle Point, 5 p.m.; 20 – vs. North Eugene, 6:45 p.m.; 27 – vs. Springfield, 7 p.m.; Oct. 4 – vs. Ashland, 6:45 p.m.; 6 – vs. Churchill, 6:45 p.m.; 11 – @ Willamette, 6:45 p.m.; 13 – @ North Eugene, 6:45 p.m.; 20 – @ Springfield, 6:45 p.m.; 22 – vs. Crater, 2:15 p.m.; 22 – vs. Eagle Point, 5 p.m.
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BOYS & GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
THURSTON COLTS Head coach: Devin VansCoy … three years.
2021 record: Girls qualified as a team to state placing third out of eight teams at districts and 12th out of 13 teams at state. Boys placed fifth out of eight teams at districts.
Total runners: 23
Returning runners: 20
Top returning boys
■ Ammon Gallup, 6-foot-1 senior … Best time: 16:39 … Gallup was the team’s No. 1 runner in every meet he ran. He placed 8th over- all at district as the first non-state qualifier.
■ Nate Glazier, 5-foot-8, junior … Best time: 17:29 … Glazier placed 18th overall at the district meet ■ Tyler Raven, 5-foot-9, sophomore … Best time: 17:47 … Raven placed 24th overall at the district meet, finishing third among freshmen.
Top returning girls
■ Breana Raven, 5-foot- 7, senior … Best time: 19:26 … Raven was top runner in every meet.
She placed second at
the district meet and 14th overall at the state meet … First Team all-district and Second Team all-state.
■ Stephanie White, 5-foot-6, senior … Best time: 19:52 … White placed seventh at districts. She placed 53rd overall at the state meet. Team history: State appearances – 15 (boys), 12 (girls); last state appearance – 2021 (girls), 2009 (boys); state titles – boys (1961)
Team strengths
■ Friendship
■ Team encouragment
