Oregon
Vote: Who should be SBLive’s Oregon High School Team of the Week (10/28/2024)?
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Oregon High School Team of the Week for Oct. 21-27 as nominated by coaches, fans and readers.
Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
If you would like to make a nomination in a future week (any team, any sport), email danbrood91@gmail.com or tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @sbliveor.
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Amity girls soccer
The Warriors scored a 1-0 win over Blanchet Catholic in the Class 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 championship match, held at Dayton High School. Junior Haley Miersma scored the only goal of the match.
Banks girls cross country
The Braves triumphed at The Bigfoot Classic, held at Alderbrook Golf Course. Banks took first place at the meet with a score of 32 points. Sisters was second at 57. Junior Sophie Schoolmeester won the 5,000-meter race in a time of 18 minutes, 4.6 seconds to help lead the Braves to victory.
Barlow boys soccer
The Bruins clinched a Class 6A state playoff berth, ending a 13-year playoff drought, by scoring a 3-0 win over Reynolds in a Mt. Hood Conference match played at Barlow High School. Marco Hernandez-Torres, Alexis Avalos and Matty Callison each scored a goal for the Bruins, who improved to 4-1-1 in conference play, and to 9-4-1 on the season with the victory.
Burns boys cross country
The Hilanders ran to victory at the Gold Rush Run, held at the 7th Street Park Complex in John Day. Burns had a score of 52 points to take first place. Riverside was second at 58. Senior Tanner Joyce finished in fourth place in the 5,000-meter race in a time of 17 minutes, 37.5 seconds to pace the Hilanders.
Canby boys soccer
The Cougars scored a 5-0 win at Putnam in Northwest Oregon Conference play to move to 7-7 overall – marking their first seven-win season since 2009. It was also the team’s fifth shutout of the season, with junior Devyn Kinzie being one of the Cougars’ key defenders.
Cascade Christian volleyball
The Challengers claimed the No. 1 seed out of the Southern Oregon Conference by scoring a 25-19, 25-15, 25-20 win over St. Mary’s of Medford in a conference playoff match played at Cascade Christian High School. Poppy Freeman had nine assists for the Challengers, who improved to 14-6.
Crook County girls soccer
The Cowgirls wrapped up their Tri-Valley Conference schedule by scoring a 5-0 win at Madras and a 2-0 home win over Gladstone. The two victories gives the team an 8-3-3 record going into Class 4A postseason play. According to Crook County coach Mary Buell, that record is the best ever for the school in 33 years of soccer. The 34 goals scored this season are the most in school history and 20 goals given up is the fewest allowed in school history.
Crosshill Christian volleyball
The Eagles scored 3-0 wins over both Monroe and East Linn Christian to finish Valley Coast Conference regular season play. With the two wins, Crosshill Christian has now won 24 straight matches and 62 straight sets heading into postseason play.
Grant girls soccer
The Generals wrapped up sole possession of the Portland Interscholastic League championship by scoring a 2-0 win at Cleveland in a league finale. Grant finished regular season play with a 6-0 league record and an overall mark of 13-0-1. Tessa Martin and Willa Stockton scored the goals for the Generals in the victory.
Henley girls soccer
The Hornets clinched the Skyline Conference championship for the second straight year by scoring a 1-0 win over Mazama in a conference match played at Mazama High School. Henley improved to 7-0 in conference play and to 11-2 on the season with the victory. Sophomore forward Sarah Edwards scored the game-winning goal for the Hornets.
Hermiston boys cross country
The Bulldogs turned in a dominating performance in winning the Mid-Columbia Conference championships at the conference meet held at Richland, Wash. Hermiston took the top spot at the meet with a score of 18 points. Walla Walla, Wash., was second at 50. The Bulldogs also boasted the individual winner at the meet in senior Jaysen Rodriguez, who had a time of 15 minutes, 55.7 seconds for the 5,000-meter race.
Imbler girls cross country
The Panthers triumphed at the Gold Rush Run, held at the 7th Street Park Complex in John Day. Imbler took first place at the event with 41 points. Burns was second at 54. Senior Paiten Braseth finished in second place in the 5,000-meter race in a time of 19 minutes, 39.0 seconds to lead the way for the Panthers.
Lake Oswego boys water polo
The Lakers posted a 9-6 win over Newberg in a Three Rivers League showdown played at the Lake Oswego School District Pool to clinch the league title. With the victory, Lake Oswego improved to 8-0 in TRL play, and to 24-4 on the season, to that point. Senior Henry Saur scored four goals to help lead the Lakers to the victory.
Lakeridge boys soccer
The Pacers scored a 2-0 win over rival Lake Oswego in a Three Rivers League match to wrap up sole possession of the league title. Lakeridge moved to 5-0 in TRL matches, and to 14-1 on the season with the victory. Senior Liam Kutella and junior Max Harris-Inman each scored a goal for the Pacers in the win.
Marist Catholic football
The Spartans scored a 47-0 win over top-ranked Cascade in a Class 4A showdown played at Marist Catholic High School. Marist Catholic improved to 4-0 in Oregon West Conference play and to 7-1 on the season with the victory. Quarterback Nick Hudson threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns to help lead the Spartans to the win.
McLoughlin boys soccer
The Pioneers scored a 9-1 win over Irrigon in a Class 3A/2A/1A Special District 6 finale to finish the regular season with a perfect 10-0 district record (12-3 overall) for the second straight year. Senior Michael Wolden had four goals and an assist in the victory.
McNary boys soccer
The Celtics stayed unbeaten in Central Valley Conference play, moving to 6-0-1 (9-2-2 overall) by scoring an 8-0 victory at West Salem in a conference match. Senior Jay R Flores scored six goals for McNary in the win, giving him 24 goals so far on the season.
Mountain View football
The Cougars clinched at least a share of the Intermountain Conference crown by scoring a 28-27 win over Summit in a conference clash played at Mountain View High School. The Cougars, who improved to 4-0 in conference play and to 8-0 overall, got 229 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns from quarterback Mason Chambers in the victory.
Oregon Episcopal School girls cross country
The Aardvarks ran to victory at the Valiant Invitational, held at Valley Catholic High School. OES topped the 13-team field with a score of 47 points. Scappoose was second at 78. Senior Lauren Tittel finished in second place in the 3,000-meter race in a time of 10 minutes, 20.9 seconds to lead the way for the Aardvarks.
Sheldon girls soccer
The Irish wrapped up an undefeated regular season schedule by scoring a 2-1 win at North Medford in a Southwest Conference finale. The victory gives Sheldon an 11-0-1 conference mark and an overall record of 13-0-2 going into postseason play. Senior Jaida Easter scored the game-winning goal for the Irish in the win.
South Medford boys cross country
The Panthers ran to victory at the Umpqua Invite, held at Stewart Park. South Medford took first place at the 23-team meet with a score of 70 points. Sheldon was second with 90. Sophomore Ezra Dixon finished in eighth place in the 5,000-meter race in a time of 16 minutes, 17.5 seconds to lead the way for the Panthers.
South Medford girls cross country
The Panthers claimed victory at the Umpqua Invite, held at Stewart Park. South Medford triumphed at the 18-team meet with a score of 105 points. Pleasant Hill was second with 131. Senior Cyerra Mejia was the top runner for the Panthers’ pack, finishing 12th on the 5,000-meter course with a time of 19 minutes, 54.4 seconds.
Valley Catholic boys cross country
The Valiants got the victory at the Valiant Invitational, held at Valley Catholic High School. The host team triumphed with a score of 53 points. The Dalles was second at 85. Senior Peter Davis finished in third place in the 3,000-meter race in a time of 9 minutes, 22.2 seconds to pace the Valiants.
West Albany football
The Bulldogs powered their way to a 34-20 win over previously unbeaten Dallas in a Mid-Willamette Conference showdown played at West Albany High School. West Albany moved to 4-0 in conference play and to 6-2 on the season with the win. Senior running back Tyler Hart-McNally ran for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ victory.
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The good times keep on rolling for the Oregon Ducks in the recruiting world. Dan Lanning and the Ducks scored a massive commitment from five-star quarterback Will Mencl out of Chandler, Arizona.
Oregon had been rumored to be leading the race for Mencl’s services for months, but the No. 1 quarterback in the country, per Rivals, cleared the air and committed to the Ducks on Wednesday evening. Mencl chose the Ducks over Auburn and Penn State, both of which battled hard for him down the stretch.
However, Mencl has been connected to Oregon for a long time. While he was offered last fall before breaking out in his junior season, Mencl has been a fan of the program long before he popped up on the Ducks’ recruiting radar. In a post shared by Rivals recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong, Mencl was announced as a quarterback for the Ducks when he was a kid at the 2019 NFL Draft fan experience in 2019.
Now, Mencl is ready to don the green and yellow for real and make his childhood dreams come true. The Ducks have made a point to get Mencl on campus as often as possible and as recently as last week. The continued connection between both sides is ultimately what made the decision easy for the nation’s top passer. Mencl said he told Lanning and the Oregon staff about his decision on Sunday.
“The biggest thing was the relationship with the staff,” Mencl said after committing. “I feel like that continued to grow over time, especially when I first got there last spring. Being able to sit down with Coach Koa, really being an underlooked guy at that time, and kind of blowing up my junior season. And then, the path to the NFL. You can’t deny what they do with quarterbacks and the type of scheme they run. I felt like that was the best fit for me and my family to get to the next level.”
Koa Ka’ai, Oregon’s new quarterback coach, made waves earlier in the offseason after his recruiting test about ice cream flavors went viral, but that doesn’t appear to have scared Mencl off. In fact, the two have a close connection that Oregon hopes will translate to success on the field in the near future.
“My relationship with Coach Koa, I feel like that is super, super strong,” Mencl told Rivals. “I’ve had a lot of discussions with Coach Lanning about the culture there and how they’re going to continue to sustain greatness throughout the program.”
Mencl exploded onto the national recruiting scene with a massive junior season for Chandler. He completed more than 70% of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns against five interceptions in his junior season, leading Chandler to a state title berth. He also rushed for 741 yards and an additional 17 touchdowns.
The Ducks expect to have some competition for Mencl to compete with when he joins the team for the 2027 season, with Dylan Raiola and Akili Smith Jr. already on the roster and competing for a role as the backup. Oregon has gone to the transfer portal as well in recent seasons, finding success with Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and now Dante Moore.
Oregon has recruited well at quarterback in the past, establishing an NFL pedigree that attracted Mencl. Maybe he will be the one to buck the trend and give the Ducks a true, homegrown product under center.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
‘Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,’ a Wine Enthusiast contributor said of an Oregon wine
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Wine Enthusiast released a list of the top 40 sparkling wines around the world in 2026 – highlighting two bottles of bubbly from Oregon.
“While it can seem like you need a fortune to enjoy high quality sparkling wine, you honestly don’t. Excellent affordable bubbles are being produced around the world, often in places you might not expect. Each of the selections on our inaugural Top 40 Sparkling Wines list delivers personality, freshness, and celebration for under $75,” Wine Enthusiast wrote.
Wine Enthusiast divided its list into separate sparkling categories including, Champagne, Italian Bollicine, American sparkling and bottles $25 and under.
Snagging a spot on the American sparkling list: Corollary Wines in McMinnville.
Corollarly’s 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rosé Pinot Noir scored 96 points from Wine Enthusiast.
“This is a Peter Max print of a wine, with vivid aromas and flavors to match the wine’s electric Kool-Aid color. It is filled to the brim with aromas and flavors of macerated strawberries, candied rose petals, apricots, and a bitter note similar to watermelon rind. Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,” wrote Wine Enthusiast contributor Michael Alberty.
The second Oregon winery to earn a spot on the list: Lytle-Barnett in Dundee.
Wine Enthusiast also gave Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 96 points.
“Bubbles as persistent as an eight-year-old with a question deliver aromas of dried rose petals, macerated strawberries, and a touch of fresh hay and talc. This 70/30 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend is packed with flavors of lemon zest, Honeycrisp apple slices drizzled in caramel, and a dollop of raspberry,” Alberty wrote.
The nods to Corollary and Lytle-Barnett come as the wineries recently helped launch Method Oregon, a nonprofit made up of 50 Oregon wineries aiming to turn Oregon into a global sparkling wine destination.
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