High School Sports Zone April 2



Spring sports season kicks off!




Athlete of the Week




Top Stories, Recaps & More

By Eli Thomas

CRESWELL – Hitting had been a strength for the Creswell Bulldogs during their four-game winning streak, but Thursday, pitching and defense carried the load in a 6-0 victory over South…

By Eli Thomas

PLEASANT HILL (2-1, #9) Leading off: The Class 3A Billies will look to get back to a more normal kind of game after winning 44-25 their last time out.…

By Eli Thomas

CRESWELL was 2-0 last week, both games coming on Thursday. In the morning, it defeated Oakridge 8-3. Sophomore Brenna Roat was 2-for-3 with a HR, 3 RBIs, and 3…

By Eli Thomas

THURSTON (3-3, #6) Leading off: The Class 5A Colts are off to a slow start based on their own high standards. However, the last time the Colts started 3-3,…

By Eli Thomas

THURSTON went 2-3 at the Coach Bob Tournament at Desert Mountain High School in Arizona last week. Teams from the western half of the U.S. came to the tournament.…

By Knight Jarecki

SPRINGFIELD – Bushnell pitcher Austin Wolfe (’25) struck out six batters and held Corban to two hits and one run across seven innings. Bushnell teammate Kai Keamo (’22) also put…

By Chronicle Staff Report

SPRINGFIELD: The Millers return seven golfers from last year when they placed fourth in the Midwestern League. Seniors Joshua Toensing and Weston Hosford lead the way along with junior…

By Chronicle Staff Report

THURSTON: Peyton Reed finished second in the league in doubles and fifth at state last year before moving to No. 1 singles this year. Mason Spain, a four-year varsity…




In Case You Missed It

Spring Sports Preview: Saunders aims for league, state titles

Grady Saunders enters his senior season expecting to lead the Colts to a third state championship in four years. ADON ECLES / THE CHRONICLE

THURSTON – Grady Saunders has been playing above his age level since middle school, so Dennis Minium knew he didn’t have an average freshman arriving on the diamond in 2023.

“Oh yeah, I had high expectations for him after watching him play at the Babe Ruth level,” the Thurston baseball coach said. “I knew he was special and he has been a pleasure to coach.”

Saunders lived up to the hype right away when he hit a walk-off, inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the Colts to a 2-1 victory over West Albany at PK Park in the Class 5A final as a freshman. He helped the Colts repeat as state champions during his sophomore season and enters his senior year having led Thurston to a league title during all three of his seasons.

“The walk-off homer as a freshman was definitely the highlight of my career so far, but hopefully we can top it this year,” Saunders said.



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