THE MAIN EVENT: MATT HARTNER MEMORIAL VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC
■ What2Know: Matt Hartner Memorial Volleyball Classic. Saturday, Jan. 13 – Monday, Jan. 15. … Games at the Bob Keefer Center in Springfield , The University of Oregon’s Moshofsky Sports Center, and Mac Court – Student Rec Center. Tickets: $20 for three- & two-day passes. One-day passes $10. Kids under 16 are free.
■ Setting up: The 13th annual Matt Hartner Memorial Volleyball Classic is this weekend, as 264 volleyball teams from Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Canada, Idaho, Washington, California, and Oregon will compete in 1,200 volleyball matches over three days. Lane County has two main club volleyball teams. The Webfoot Juniors in Eugene, who have local players like Pleasant Hill’s Claire Crawford, Cheyenne Green, and Emily Krauss, as well as Creswell’s Lizabelle Osborn and Piper Hanson. Game Day Volleyball in Springfield has Thurston players Emily Buller and Scout Martin, and Springfield head coach Keri Green coaches one of the teams.
PREVIEWS
BOYS BASKETBALL
Cottage Grove: 7-6, ranked #19
Tipping off: The Lions travel to No. 6 Marshfield next Tuesday to open Sky-Em League play. Cottage Grove was 2-6 in league play last season, but did go 1-1 against Marshfield. Senior Gannon Leach has been the leader on offense recently, scoring 25 and 17 points in games to end 2023.
Creswell: 8-6, ranked #13
Tipping off: Depending on Tuesday’s result against No. 2 Pleasant Hill, the Bulldogs could be the first team to three conference wins on the season after a 2-0 opening week. Tyler Whitson finished with double-doubles in both wins last week, but will have his hands full against Pleasant Hill on Tuesday and at No. 9 Harrisburg on Friday.
Pleasant Hill: 10-3, ranked #2
Tipping off: After falling in their second Mountain Valley Conference game, the Billies look to bounce back at Creswell on Tuesday before traveling to Class 4A Henley for their final non-conference game of the regular season. Senior guard Matt Nguyen will be key in slowing down Creswell’s offense in the rivalry game.
Springfield: 3-9, ranked #27
Tipping off: Springfield heads to Ashland on Friday for a Midwestern League game. Junior Vinnie Trinka has been the offensive leader for the Millers and will be key for a Springfield offense that’s broken 50 points only three times this season.
Thurston: 8-5, ranked #18
Tipping off: Thurston’s big game this week is a Midwestern League game at No. 1 North Eugene next Tuesday. In a battle of bigs, Thurston’s Nate Stiffler (6-foot-5) matches up with North Eugene’s Jonas Spencer (6-foot-5) as the Colts try to upset the top-ranked team in the state.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Cottage Grove: 9-4, ranked #10
Tipping off: The Lions face Class 5A Thurston on Friday as they attempt to extend their four-game win streak. Cottage Grove hopes to take that streak into league play as senior captain Jaylee Lima and the Lions travel to Marshfield next Tuesday.
Creswell: 9-5, ranked #9
Tipping off: The Bulldogs – 2-0 to start league play – host No. 5 Pleasant Hill on Tuesday before traveling to Harrisburg on Friday. While Dakota Carson and Lauren Bailey continue to lead the way, the Bulldogs have consistently had others step up at moments, such as Elliette Kinney’s 14 points and 10 rebounds in a 50-49 win over Elmira last week.
Pleasant Hill: 7-4, ranked #5
Tipping off: Pleasant Hill has two important games this week as the Billies travel to rival No. 9 Creswell on Tuesday before heading to Class 4A No. 1 Henley on Saturday. The Billies are led by the trio of senior Raigan Obie, junior Claire Crawford, and freshman Karsyn Stapleton.
Springfield: 7-6, ranked #3
Tipping off: Back-to-back state player of the year Danaeja Romero-Ah Sam and the Millers lost their first game against Class 5A competition since March 12, 2022 with a 59-49 loss at No. 1 Crater last week. The Millers try to bounce back this week with games at North Eugene and Ashland.
Thurston: 5-7, ranked #24
Tipping off: Senior Bailey Tovey and the Colts ride a three-game win streak in matchups with Churchill and Class 4A No. 10 Cottage Grove this week. Along with Tovey, sophomore Addison Nelson continues to build off a solid freshman season to help lead the Colts.
RECAPS
BOYS BASKETBALL
■ Cottage Grove fell to No. 9 Phoenix 63-55 last Tuesday before having a game on Saturday canceled due to travel conditions for Mazama. The Lions had three players in double figures in the loss as Trevor Cooper had 15 points and 7 rebounds, Cole Kishen had 14 points and 5 assists, and Gannon Leach had 13 points and 6 assists.
■ Creswell opened Mountain Valley Conference play 2-0 after a 63-31 win over La Pine and a 64-42 victory at Elmira. Junior Tyler Whitson contributed double-doubles in both wins, finishing the La Pine game with 16 points and 14 rebounds and the Elmira win with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Riley Smith led the Bulldogs in scoring against Elmira with 18 points.
■ Pleasant Hill, the defending Mountain Valley Conference champs, started league play 1-1 after beating Sisters 59-50 and falling to No. 8 Harrisburg 46-41. In the Sisters win, Matt Nguyen led with 22 points, Landen Melvin scored 19, and Gavin Inglish chipped in 11.
■ Springfield began Midwestern League play with a 53-43 loss at No. 10 Crater. Vinnie Trinka led Springfield with 19 points, while the trio of Isaiah Navarrete, Bryden Johnson, and Jayden Robinson each had 6.
■ Thurston lost to Class 6A No. 12 Roseburg 84-67 before opening Midwestern League play with a 64-33 win over Ashland. Nate Stiffler had 21 points and Noah Blair had 18 in the Roseburg loss. Blair finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals against Ashland, and has 45 steals in 13 games on the season, with the Thurston single-season record at 52.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
■ Cottage Grove extended its win streak to four games after a 50-36 win over No. 18 Phoenix last week. Mariah Bailey continued to lead the Lions offensively with 13 points, Jaylee Lima chipped in 12, and Makya Alsup scored 8 of her 11 points in the third quarter as CGHS moved to 9-4 on the season.
■ Creswell started 2024 with two Mountain Valley Conference wins as the Bulldogs beat La Pine 69-12 and No. 17 Elmira 50-49. Lauren Bailey led the way against La Pine with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals. In the Elmira win, Dakota Carson finished with 16 points, while sophomore Elliette Kinney contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds.
■ Pleasant Hill started its MVC title defense with two wins. In a 42-35 win over Sisters, Claire Crawford scored 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. The Billies then handled Harrisburg 37-18 behind Karsyn Stapleton’s 15 points and Raigan Obie’s 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals.
■ Thurston went 2-0 last week, beating Class 6A Roseburg 39-28 before opening Midwestern League play with a 60-18 win over Ashland. Sophomores led the Colts in both wins as Addi Nelson finished with 18 points against Ashland, and Bridgette Nault had 14 in the Roseburg win.
WRESTLING
■ Creswell, Pleasant Hill, and Springfield boys competed at the King of the Hill tournament at Pleasant Hill. Pleasant Hill finished 7th with Bryson Boyles (113) and Jace Harris (150) each winning their brackets. Creswell’s Brodyn Roberts (106) in second and Springfield’s Jamen Love (165) in seventh led their respective teams.
■ Thurston boys came in third at the Earl Gillis Invitational (Newberg HS). Five Colts went 3-0 in the Dual Meet: Michael Salas Sanchez (106 pounds), Kanoe Kelly (113), Mason Hakki (120), Jaden Ellis (150), and Kamdyn Wardlaw (157).
■ Thurston and Springfield girls both wrestled at the Sutherlin Invitational. The Colts came in first behind six first-place finishers, including team-high point-getters Rubie Winterburn (105), Kassidy Hadden (130), and Izabella Castlebery (155). Springfield was led by Lydia Stewart (115) and Haley Siders (120) each earning second place.
CONFERENCE CALL
Weekly notes from around our area teams’ conferences:
Siuslaw’s Lade undefeated
■ Siuslaw’s Macali Lade (115 pounds) has the most wins of any wrestler in the state this year. Lade is 22-0 on the season and has won all five tournaments she’s participated in for the Vikings. Last weekend, Lade went 3-0 at the Sutherlin Invitational to extend her win streak.
Lade is the defending state champion in the 110-lb. weight division, and has pinned her way through an entire event three times already this season – only two other girls have accomplished that feat a single time this season.
Churchill boys face early struggles
■ The Churchill Lancers boys basketball team looks to turn around its early-season struggles this week as the Lancers open Midwestern League play. Churchill went 10-2 in the MWL last season and took the No. 2 seed in the playoffs before falling 59-57 in overtime to No. 15 Crescent Valley in the first round.
The Lancers lost 10 seniors from that squad, including Bugsy Jensen – an all-state honorable mention player last year. This season, Churchill enters league play at 3-8, with opening MWL games at Thurston and against Eagle Point.
RESULTS/SCHEDULES
RESULTS
BOYS BASKETBALL
Tuesday, Jan. 2
■ Phoenix 63, Cottage Grove 55
■ Roseburg 84, Thurston 67
Wednesday, Jan. 3
■ Creswell 63, La Pine 31
■ Pleasant Hill 59, Sisters 50
■ Willamette 44, Springfield 43
Friday, Jan. 5
■ Creswell 64, Elmira 42
■ Harrisburg 46, Pleasant Hill 41
■ Crater 53, Springfield 43
■ Thurston 64, Ashland 33
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tuesday, Jan. 2
■ Cottage Grove 50, Phoenix 36
■ Thurston 39, Roseburg 28
Wednesday, Jan. 3
■ Creswell 62, La Pine 19
■ Pleasant Hill 42, Sisters 35
■ Willamette 59, Springfield 39
Friday, Jan. 5
■ Creswell 50, Elmira 49
■ Pleasant Hill 37, Harrisburg 18
■ Crater 59, Springfield 49
■ Thurston 60, Ashland 18
SCHEDULES
BOYS BASKETBALL
Friday, Jan. 12
■ Creswell at Harrisburg, 6 p.m.
■ Springfield at Ashland, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 13
■ Pleasant Hill at Henley, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 16
■ Cottage Grove at Marshfield, 5:45 p.m.
■ Thurston at North Eugene, 6:45 p.m.
■ Springfield at Churchill, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 17
■ Sisters at Creswell, 6 p.m.
■ Pleasant Hill at Siuslaw, 6 p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Friday, Jan. 12
■ Springfield at Ashland, 5:30 p.m.
■ Cottage Grove at Thurston, 6:45 p.m.
■ Creswell at Harrisburg, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 13
■ Pleasant Hill at Henley, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 16
■ Philomath at Pleasant Hill, 6 p.m.
■ Churchill at Springfield, 6:45 p.m.
■ North Eugene at Thurston, 6:45 p.m.
■ Cottage Grove at Marshfield, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 17
■ Sisters at Creswell, 7:30 p.m.
■ Pleasant Hill at Siuslaw, 7:30 p.m.
WRESTLING
Friday, Jan. 12
■ Thurston at Oregon Wrestling Classic (Redmond Fair Grounds)
Saturday, Jan. 13
■ Cottage Grove, Creswell, Pleasant Hill at Nick Lutz Memorial Invitational (Siuslaw HS), 9:30 a.m.
■ Thurston at Oregon Wrestling Classic (Redmond Fair Grounds), TBD
Wednesday, Jan. 17
■ Special District 3 Dual Meet at Pleasant Hill, 4:30 p.m.
■ North Marion at Cottage Grove Dual Meet, 6 p.m.
■ Springfield, Thurston at Springfield Meet, 6 p.m.
