Sports Zone

THE WEEK AHEAD: Fall sports

VOLLEYBALL

■ No. 2 Pleasant Hill heads into the playoffs as one of the favorites. The Billies have a bye and will host on Saturday against the winner of the Vale/Siuslaw first-round game. Pleasant Hill is 2-0 against Siuslaw, but has not played Vale this year.
■ No. 7 Creswell earned a first-round bye in the playoffs, and will host No. 10 Coquille on Saturday in the second round. The winner will make the Elite 8 at Springfield High School next weekend. The Bulldogs are the favorites as they’ve beaten Coquille twice already thanks to big performances by juniors Lizabelle Osborn and Kimberlee Kelsey.
■ No. 10 Thurston will have a playoff game on Saturday, but won’t know the opponent, or if it’s a home or away game, until Wednesday morning.
■ Cottage Grove played a play-in tournament game at Philomath on Tuesday night. If the Lions won, they play this Saturday in the first round of the playoffs.

BOYS SOCCER

■ No. 11 Springfield hosts No. 8 Ashland on senior night to end the season. A win for head coach Juan Gonzalez’s team could secure the Midwestern League title depending on other results on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
■ No. 18 Cottage Grove will have a play-in game this Saturday. As of deadline, the opponent and location are unknown.
■ No. 21 Pleasant Hill will have a playoff game this week. Based on its ranking and standing, the game will most likely be a first-round home playoff game.
■ Thurston travels to No. 13 Crater for its final regular-season game. The game is a must-win for the Colts if head coach Jake Bonnett’s team hopes to sneak into the playoffs.

GIRLS SOCCER

■ No. 2 Thurston, winners of five in a row, can secure the Midwestern League crown with a win at Crater in its final game of the season. The Colts, led by seniors Kylie Jones, Ella Dzmura, Rainey Simmons and Breanna Raven, have a chance to go into the playoffs on a seven-game win streak.
■ No. 8 Springfield has won five of its past six, with the only loss coming to No. 2 Thurston. The Millers end their season on Saturday at home against No. 4 Ashland. A win would secure second-place in the Midwestern League, and a home playoff game for Springfield.
■ No. 9 Pleasant Hill will have a second-round playoff game this week after securing a first-round bye. The Billies won’t know their opponent until this weekend.

CROSS COUNTRY

■ Pleasant Hill and Creswell will compete at the 3A Special District 4 Championships at Lane CC today, while Cottage Grove will do the same for the 4A Sky-Em Championships.

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