COTTAGE GROVE LIONS
■ Head coach: Ricky Knutson’s 12th year at Cottage Grove
■ 2024 season: Boys 1st in Sky-Em League and finished 6th at 4A State Championships. … Girls took fourth in the Sky-Em League.
■ History: State Championships: 8 individual state champions since 2006 … League titles: 18 (4 girls, 7 boys, 7 coed)
■ Returning athletes: 7 returning state qualifiers. 96 athletes are signed up for this season.
Top returners
Boys
■ Carter Bengtson, Sr., 3000m/1500m … 2024 season: Bengtson was 2nd and 4th in the 3000m and 1500m at state last year. He is two seconds off the 3000m school record of 8:35, over 40 years old.
■ Hayes Valley. Sr., 110 hurdles/300 hurdles/javelin/high jump … 2024 season: Valley was 2nd and 7th in the 110 hurdles and 300m hurdles at state last year.
■ Terran Stewart, Sr., 110 hurdles/300 hurdles … 2024 season: Stewart took 8th place at state in the 300m hurdles
■ Micah Hanke, Soph., 800m … 2024 season: Hanke was in 8th place at state in the 800m.
■ Gavin Grogan, Sr., long jump … 2024 season: Grogan was a state qualifier in the long jump.
Girls
■ Makya Alsup, Jr., javelin … 2024 season: Alsup also plays softball and was 2nd place at state in the javelin.
■ Ella Cardwell, Jr., 800m/1500m/3000m … 2024 season:Cardwell was 9th place in both the 800m and 3000m at the state meet.
■ Emmerson Bickford, Soph., hurdles/sprints/jumps … 2024 season: Bickford is the No. 1 returner in the 300m hurdles in the league.
CRESWELL BULLDOGS
■ Head coach: Rachael Bailey’s second year at Creswell
■ 2024 season: Girls took fourth in 3A-SD4 Special District 4 Championships and Boys placed last. Girls placed 15th at the 3A State Championships.
■ History: State championships: 1962 A-2 (boys)
■ Returning athletes: 13 girls and 11 boys are returning
Top Returners
Boys
■ Lance Risdal, Jr., javelin … 2024 season: 157’2” 3rd at district, closing in on the school record.
■ Darien Dewey, Sr., 110m hurdles, 300m hurdles … 2024 season: 110m hurdles 17.12 – 3rd at district, 300m hurdles 43.95 – 3rd at district
Girls
■ Brooke Moehlmann, Sr., 300m hurdles, 400m 4×400m relay … 2024 season: 300m hurdles – 48.86 2nd at district/12th at state, 400m – 1:03.39 5th at district, 4×400m relay – 4:09.82 2nd at district/8th at state.
■ Vika Gabrio, Sr., long jump, triple jump … 2024 season: LJ- 15’8” 4th at district, TJ – 34’4” 1st at district, 5th at state.
■ Kylie Leonard, Jr., 300m hurdles, 400m, 4×400m relay, 200m … 2024 season:300m hurdles – 48.52 1st at district/2nd at state, 400m – 1:00.22 2nd at district/8th at state, 4×400m relay – 4:09.82- 2nd at district/8th at state, 200m 28.89.
■ Jordyn Lee, Soph., 100m, 200m, 400m, 4×400m relay … 2024 season:100m – 13.04, 200m – 26.49- 2nd at district/7th at state, 400m – 59.67- 3rd at district /6th at state, 4×400m relay 4:09.82 2nd at district/8th at state.
■ Mila Nguyen, Soph., 300m hurdles, 4×400m relay, triple jump … 2024 season: 300m hurdles – 49.99 5th at district, 4×400m relay – 4:09.82 2nd at district/8th at state, TJ – 31’11.25” – 3rd at district.
PLEASANT HILL BILLIES
■ Head coach: Kevin Smead’s fourth year at Pleasant Hill
2024 Season: Boys took fourth at 3A-SD4 Special District 4 Championships and girls placed seventh. Girls shared ninth at the 3A State Championships and boys went 27th.
■ History: State champs: Ryan Thomas was the 100-meter state champ in 2024.
■ Returning athletes: 34
Top returners
Boys
■Gage Roper, Soph.,1500m & 800m … 2024 Season: 13th state finish 4:28.96, 800m pr of 2:15.63.
■Matthew Townley, Jr., shot, javelin … 2024 Season: Shot PR of 35’8.5” Jav PR 111’5.”
Girls
■Soleis Jones, Jr., 4x100m, 200m, 400m, 4x400m … 2024 Season: 4th place state finish 400m 59.31 (broke school record) 2nd place state finish 4x100m, 6th place state finish 4x400m, 12th in the SMR at Nike Nationals.
■Ellie Epperson, Sr., 800m … 2024 Season: 800m pr of 2:29.79 6 at districts, 6th place state finish 4x400m, 12th Place finish in the SMR at Nike Nationals.
SPRINGFIELD MILLERS
■Head coach: James March’s ninth year at Springfield
■2024 season: Girls took third at the Midwestern League Championship and boys took sixth. Girls placed 22nd at the 5A State Championships and boys placed 28th.
■Returning athletes: 80 (Currently 110 on the roster)
Top returners
Boys
■Adrien Estes, Fr., distance … 2024 season: Individual leader on the boys XC team and a top freshmen in the state of Oregon.
Girls
■Sailor Hall, Soph., discus/shot put … 2024 season: League champion in the discus; 4th place in 5A state championships.
■Natalie Bell, Jr., pole vault … 2024 season: Midwestern League runner-ip and state qualifier.
THURSTON COLTS
■ Head boys coach: K.C. Gillespie’s 16th year at Thurston
■ Head girls coach: Jesse Fipps second year at Thurston
■ 2024 season: Boys and girls earned second in League championships. Girls 7th at 5A state championships and boys 21st.
■Returning athletes: 24 boys returning and 12 girls returning.
Top returners
Boys
■Tyler Raven, Sr. … 2024 Season: 6th in triple jump at state.
Girls
■Brooklyn Anderson, Jr., 100m, 100mh … 2024 season: Anderson won the 100-meter dash at the district meet and got second in state. She is switching her focus to the 100mh for her junior year. “We think her explosiveness and speed will get her to another level in the hurdles,” Gillespie said.
■Addison Nelson, Jr., high jump & long jump … 2024 season: At districts last year, Nelson placed second in the high jump, third in the long jump, and fourth in the triple jump. At state, she earned sixth in high jump, and seventh in the long jump. She improved over the summer with jumps of 16’9.5 and 33’6.25.
