By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
JEFFERSON, Ore.– Jefferson’s Gretchen Orton had left a lasting legacy with the Lions Girls Basketball program.
Her 1,893 career points are the most in program history and sits 38th All-Time on the OSAA Scoring list in all classifications (1A-6A). She was the first Lions Girls Basketball player to win State Player of the Year on the heels of a Third Team All-State selection and First Team All-State selections as a sophomore and junior. The Player of the Year honor came after Orton helped Jefferson to their best finish in program history in March out in Coos Bay.
Leaving a lasting legacy at Jefferson and leaving the program in a good spot as she embarks on her next chapter at Lane Community College in Eugene. For Orton, it’s more than the accolades. It was that community bond between them on the court as a team and the community that they are a part of.
“I think it’s more than just the accolades and all that. I think, like my mom said, how many people actually started to come to the games. That is the biggest thing that our team has achieved, and I’m hoping that continues throughout the years,” starts Orton. “It’s really big for the smaller schools. People need to step up and be these people so they can have good programs.
“Sometimes the smaller schools just start to fade, and we don’t want that to happen at Jefferson next year.”
And Orton’s next stop, Lane, has built up that reputation and legacy of success that she hopes continues for her hometown after she’s gone. The Titans won the NWAC Title in 2023 and 2024 while finishing NWAC Runner-Up in 2022 and in 2025. Orton has some experience with Lane Community College’s Head Coach Greg Sheley, the Titans Head Coach coached Orton in the Travel Basketball circuit, so the familiarity between coach and player has already been created going into the 2025-2026 season.
“I’m really excited, I’ve heard great things about Greg Sheley. He’s a great coach, and he’s coached me in the Summer. So I’m excited,” said Orton of Lane. “I’ll continue to train, do some Open Gyms, try to stay in the gym, and running around.”
