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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If you headed to the lake early last week, you missed the best fireworks. Dan Lanning and his staff put on a cup of coffee and closed like the Wolf of Wall Street. Minus the cocaine, probably.
All jokes aside, and believe me, these are jokes, the recruiting this staff is doing is not a joke. From June 28 to July 3, a span of 6 days Oregon added four new commitments and all were four stars or better. If you weren’t paying attention, Oregon landed 12 commits in the months of June and what we’ve had in July so far.
The recruiting class has surged from the teens to No. 9 to start last week to No. 3 overall by Friday afternoon. Only Texas A&M and Notre Dame have better recruiting classes according to Rivals. Oregon has the best class in the Big Ten conference.
The 24 commits sit at an average rating of 90.76 according to Rivals. Additionally 16 of the 24 commits are ranked four-stars or better and that includes the Ducks having a pair of 5-Star commitments. Oregon has 11 defensive commits, 11 offensive commits and 2 listed as athletes.
Up next is a commitment from four-star linebacker Brayton Feister set for Saturday, July 11. I don’t believe that addition will move Oregon up in the rankings but will strengthen their current position.
With five-star wide receiver Xavier Sabb committing, Oregon now has a commitment from 17 different states. Should Feister from Ohio pick the Ducks on Saturday, that would give Oregon an 18th state. The national reach of this program is as good as any school in the country.
Last year Oregon finished with the No. 4 ranked class in the nation. The 2025 class also finished at No. 4 nationally.
The early signing period for the 2027 class begins on December 4 and ends on December 6. The transfer portal window begins on January 2.
Oregon kicks off its 2026 season opener at home on September 5 vs Boise State.
Oregon
Former corrections officer sentenced in major Oregon poaching case spanning multiple counties
UMATILLA COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — A yearslong investigation by the Oregon State Police (OSP), in addition to the Fish and Wildlife Division, has resulted in significant penalties for an Umatilla man accused of illegally killing wildlife across Oregon, in what prosecutors describe as one of the most damaging serial poaching cases tied to a single individual.
Christopher George Matson, 48, was sentenced in two separate cases in June following an investigation that began in 2024, when authorities received information he was unlawfully taking big game animals. Matson is a former Oregon Department of Corrections officer.
In February 2025, investigators served a search warrant and seized multiple big game animals and firearms as evidence. In total, 67 criminal charges were referred for prosecution, spanning multiple counties and including allegations such as unlawful take and possession of black bear with the aid of bait, unlawful take of buck deer and antlerless elk, and hunting during prohibited hours. Additional charges included falsely applying for tags, loaning or borrowing big game tags, and unlawful possession of silencers and a short-barreled rifle.
The case was prosecuted by the Oregon Department of Justice’s Wildlife Anti-Poaching Resource Prosecutor.
On June 18, 2026, Matson pleaded guilty in Grant County Circuit Court to seven counts, including unlawful take of buck deer and black bear. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation, a lifetime hunting license revocation, 300 hours of community service, forfeiture of firearms and seized property, and a $52,500 fine payable to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Less than two weeks later, on June 29, Matson pleaded guilty in Umatilla County Circuit Court to additional charges, including unlawful possession of a short-barreled rifle, unlawful possession of a silencer, unlawful possession of multiple wildlife, and unlawful take of mule deer. In that case, he was sentenced to 24 months of probation, a lifetime hunting ban, 300 hours of community service to run concurrently, forfeiture of property, and a $62,000 fine.
Combined, the penalties include probation, a lifetime revocation of hunting privileges, 300 hours of community service and more than $114,000 in fines.
“This is another example of serial poaching which rises to the level of felony conduct based solely on the repeated poaching conduct and impact of one individual on Oregon’s game mammals,” said Jay Hall, the Oregon Department of Justice’s Wildlife Anti-Poaching Resource Prosecutor. “The conduct across the several counties amounts to one of the highest damage amounts done to Oregon wildlife by any singular actor.”
Oregon State Police credited the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for assisting with interviews and evidence collection, along with multiple witnesses who came forward during the investigation.
WILSONVILLE, Ore. (CNN) – Under the cover of the night sky, a bear took a jaunt around an Oregon town. Its presumed search for a snack was interrupted by a police officer’s bright spotlight.
For the next few minutes, the officer followed the bear as it sauntered down the road, even making sure the animal didn’t dart into the road.
Eventually, video shows the officer corralled the black bear and escorted it to a nearby river where it would be safer.
Copyright 2026 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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