Springfield area schools have witnessed several coaching changes this season. Thurston assistant football coach Chase Beach has chosen to take over Creswell’s football program as head coach. This fills in the vacancy left by Scott Worsham, Creswell’s former head coach of eight years.
Following Creswell, Pleasant Hill became the second school in The Chronicle’s coverage area to announce a football coaching vacancy. Former head coach Jeremiah Heacock resigned after the 2024 season. After two decades as an assistant coach at Class 5A powerhouse Thurston High School, Heacock embarked on his own journey and branched out to Class 3A Pleasant Hill in 2022. At the time, its football program had a winless season for the first time in 14 years. He departed Pleasant Hill after three years at the helm with a 10-17 record. Athletic Director Justin Starck said he will be returning to Thurston this fall.
“Both Jeremiah and Chase found their opportunities at a smaller-school level,” Starck said. “But we’re pleased to say that Jeremiah is going to be back with us next year. He’ll be an assistant on our defensive coaching staff.”
Similar to Heacock, Starck said that the door will always be open for Beach as well. He said Beach will always be part of the “Thurston football family.”
Pleasant Hill’s girls basketball coach of two years, Paxton Miller, resigned after the 2025 season with a 37-15 record. He thanked The Chronicle for the 2025 season coverage.
Thurston and Springfield also saw changes to their volleyball programs. First-year head coach and former club volleyball coach Steve Smith left Springfield after the 2024 season with a 6-16 record. Thurston’s head coach, David Natt, leaves Thurston after five years with a 60-40 coaching record. Both Thurston and Springfield are looking to fill their vacancies.
Club sports
Girls flag football is already more than halfway through its season. Thurston is 6-0 thus far and 3-0 in league. Pleasant Hill is 3-1 with its single loss coming against the Colts. Springfield is 1-2 and 1-1 in league. Running back Jeweliawna Panko leads the Millers with 49.3 rushing yards per game, with wide receiver Bayleigh Harshbarger leading with 28 receiving yards per game. Creswell is 2-0 after beating Marist and Willamette. The Bulldogs face undefeated Thurston on May 1. …
Led by decorated volleyball coach Anna Baltrusch, the No. 14 Creswell Bulldogs boys volleyball team is 6-1 thus far with a 3-0 league record in their third year. Cottage Grove is in its first year in boys volleyball and is run by Tony Fuller. The Lions have a 1-3 record with a win over Pleasant Hill. The Billies are led by MacKenzy Borek with a 1-6 record, with 1-3 in league. Thurston holds a 1-3 record thus far and kicks off league this week with coach Hannah Adams.
Upcoming events
The Eugene-Springfield area kicks off spring with many sports festivities on the horizon. The Eugene Marathon is on Sunday, April 2,7 along with the half-marathon. The 5K and Kids “Duck Dash” is on Friday, April 25, from 7:15-9:15 a.m. All three races are sold out, but the race course will touch Springfield upon Main Street and West D Street until it loops back around to the Canoe Canal Trail. …
Eugene will also host the Hayward Classic – “one of the top masters track and field meets in the country.” …
The 6th annual Oregon State Hanmadang – a Pacific Northwest Martial Arts skills tournament – will be hosted at the historic McArthur Court at the University of Oregon on Saturday, May 3. Spectator fees are $20 at the door for individuals; additional family members will be $10 per person. Kids under five are free.
This & that …
Creswell athletic director Brandon Standridge picked up hardware recently. He earned the Class 1A/2A/3A Cindy Simmons Leadership Award from the Oregon Athletic Directors Association. …
Creswell and Springfield recently wrapped up their annual booster auctions and banquets. Up next: Pleasant Hill’s annual booster auction and dinner on Saturday, April 26, with the theme of “recognizing our roots and growing our future.” The price of a single dinner and one auction ticket is $50. A dinner and auction table for 10 guests is $500. Following, Cottage Grove High School Booster Club will be hosting its second annual golf tournament – The Cottage Grove Classic – on Saturday, June 21. It will kick off at Middlefield Golf Course and Cottage Grove is looking for individuals and businesses to sponsor the tournament.
McKenzie Days covers high school sports for The Chronicle.
