By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club honored Sprague’s Aubrey Sorenson (Girls Golf),Sprague’s Madelyn Crump (Girls Tennis), West Salem’s Samantha Griffin (Track and Field), West Salem’s Courtney Gills (Softball), Blanchet’s Dominick Hauge (Boys Golf), West Salem’s Ethan Tatum (Track and Field), West Salem’s Treyson Chaney (Track and Field), and South Salem’s Tim Ganchenko (Boys Volleyball) at this past Friday’s meeting.
Here’s the Press Release
The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club Les Schwab Athlete of the Week from Sprague High School Girls Golf is Aubrey Sorensen.
Aubrey, a junior, is in her third varsity season for the Olys. She shot an 85 to help secure Sprague’s 3rd Central Valley Conference match at Creekside in mid-April. At the end of April, Aubrey was the top medalist at Salishan to help secure a team win. But she saved her best scores for the CVC District Championship at Trysting Tree. Aubrey had a personal best of 77 on Monday and followed that with an 81 on Day 2 to earn 1st place medalist honors. Her leadership helped the Sprague Girls Golf team win the CVC district tournament and advance directly to State.
From Coach Connie Peters:
“Aubrey’s GPA is a 4.0. Her school activities include leadership since freshman year, the Oly Daily Torch, organizing school events and extracurricular events. She volunteers for Sprague Booster Club events to help support our golf team. She is also one of the managers for the freshman football team. Aubrey is a supportive teammate, and she has a positive influence on those around her. She cares about others first before herself.”
This is Aubrey’s first Athlete of the Week honor.
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The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club Les Schwab Athlete of the Week from Sprague High School Girls Tennis is Madelyn Crump.
Madelyn, a freshman for the Olympians, has made an immediate impact while competing in the No. 1 spot on the Sprague girls’ tennis ladder. Demonstrating impressive versatility, she has competed in both singles and doubles play throughout the season and currently holds an outstanding 12-4 overall record while remaining undefeated in Central Valley Conference competition in both singles and doubles matches.
Coach Jennifer Schmelling praised Madelyn for her dedication and team-first attitude, describing her as a hard-working and supportive teammate who consistently gives her best effort. In addition to her commitment during regular practices, Madelyn also spends extra time working on her game outside of team activities, a reflection of her strong work ethic and passion for improvement.
As a freshman already leading the Olys at the top position, Madelyn has quickly established herself as one of the program’s key contributors and a bright future for Sprague High School girls tennis.
This is Madelyn’s first Athlete of the Week honor.
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The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club Les Schwab Athlete of the Week from West Salem High School Girls Track and Field is Samantha Griffin.
“Sam”, a senior for the Titans, delivered an outstanding week in competition highlighted by strong performances in both the long jump and triple jump. At Wednesday’s dual meet against North Salem High School, Sam recorded a league-best long jump of 17 feet, 3½ inches, further establishing herself as one of the top jumpers in the conference.
She followed that performance with an impressive showing at the Lincoln Invitational, earning third-place finishes in both the long jump and triple jump against strong competition.
Coach Erich Herber noted that Sam currently leads the Central Valley Conference in both events, with marks of 17’3½” in the long jump and 35’0” in the triple jump. Her consistency, competitiveness, and leadership have made her a key contributor for the Titans throughout the season.
This is Samantha’s second Athlete of the Week honor. She was honored earlier in the year for basketball.
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The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club Les Schwab Athlete of the Week from West Salem High School Softball is Courtney Gills.
Courtney, a senior catcher for the Titans, has been a key leader for a West Salem High School team that currently holds a 20-3 overall record and a 5-1 mark in Central Valley Conference play. The Titans are currently ranked #4 in Oregon.
Courtney put together an outstanding week at the plate, batting .700 with an incredible 1.400 slugging percentage. She collected four singles, one double, and two home runs while driving in nine runs to help power the Titans’ offense.
For the season, Courtney has been one of the most productive hitters in the conference, compiling 15 singles, nine doubles, one triple, and nine home runs while recording 41 RBI and batting .500 overall.
Coach Jamie Yeaney praised Courtney for her hard work, consistency, and determination both on and off the field. In addition to excelling in softball, Courtney is also involved in the paramedic program at West Salem, where she demonstrates the same grit and dedication that she brings to the diamond every day.
This is Courtney’s second Athlete of the Week award for softball.
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The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club Les Schwab Athlete of the Week from Blanchet Catholic School Boys Golf is Dominick Hauge.
Dominick, a sophomore in his second varsity season for the Cavaliers, earned the first tournament victory of his high school career with an outstanding performance at McNary Golf Club. Competing in a field of 72 golfers, Dominick captured medalist honors by shooting a strong 3-over-par 74.
His round featured 11 pars and two birdies against just five bogeys, showcasing both consistency and composure throughout the day. The victory comes after a season in which Dominick has consistently been among the top finishers, recording several second-place finishes while maintaining an impressive season scoring average of 77.9.
Coach Jeff Jones noted that Dominick has been knocking on the door of a tournament win all season and praised the hard work and steady improvement that led to this breakthrough performance.
Dominick was also an instrumental member of last season’s fifth-place state tournament team as a freshman and continues to excel in the classroom with a 3.2 GPA.
This is Dominick’s first Athlete of the Week recognition.
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The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club Les Schwab Athlete of the Week from West Salem High School Boys Track and Field is Ethan Tatum.
Ethan, a junior for the Titans, delivered a remarkable week in the shot put, continuing to establish himself as one of the top throwers in the state.
Last Wednesday in a dual meet against North Salem High School, Ethan recorded a winning throw of 52 feet, 3 inches, a mark that moved him into fourth place in the Central Valley Conference rankings at the time.
He followed that performance with an even more impressive showing at the Rose City Championships hosted by Lincoln High School. On his very first attempt, Ethan launched the shot put 54 feet, 4 inches to set a new meet record. He then demonstrated incredible consistency by adding four more throws over the 52-foot mark during the competition.
Ethan’s throw of 54’4” now ranks first in the CVC, fifth in the state of Oregon, and has the second-best shot put mark in West Salem High School history behind only Chase Sexton.
Coach Erich Herber praised Ethan’s hard work and steady progression throughout the season as he continues to raise the standard for Titans track and field.
This is Ethan’s first Athlete of the Week honor.
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The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club Les Schwab Athlete of the Week from West Salem High School Boys Track and Field is Treyson Chaney.
Treyson, a senior for the Titans, turned in an outstanding week in the long jump while continuing an impressive comeback from an injury sustained on April 1st.
Last Wednesday in a dual meet against North Salem High School, Treyson soared to a jump of 22 feet, 11.75 inches, a mark that placed him a foot and a half ahead of anyone else in the Central Valley Conference rankings and moved him to sixth in the state of Oregon.
He followed that performance with another tremendous effort at the Rose City Championships, winning the long jump competition with a leap of 22 feet, 6 inches against a strong field of competitors.
Treyson’s mark of 22’11.75” also places him third all-time in West Salem High School history, trailing only Titan greats Tristan James at 23’3” and Jordan Bishop at 23’6”.
His determination, resilience, and elite performances have made him one of the premier jumpers in the state this season.
This is Treyson’s first Athlete of the Week honor.
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The Salem Sports and Breakfast Club Les Schwab Athlete of the Week from South Salem High School Boys Volleyball is Tim Ganchenko.
Tim, a junior outside hitter for the 2nd ranked Saxons, has been one of the team’s top offensive and defensive leaders this season, helping guide South Salem High School to a 17-1 overall record and a perfect 14-0 mark in district play.
In last Thursday’s 3-0 victory over Crescent Valley High School, Tim delivered an outstanding all-around performance with 16 kills on 29 attacks while hitting an impressive .414. He also contributed strong defensive play in serve receive with a 2.29 passing rating.
Tim followed that effort with another dominant showing at the Titan Invitational hosted by West Salem High School. He helped lead the Saxons to the tournament championship by recording 32 kills, 29 digs, and 5 aces throughout the event.
This week against 7th ranked McKay High School, Tim once again showcased his versatility and leadership. With the team’s primary setter arriving late, Tim stepped into the setting role early in the match and totaled 11 assists before moving back to outside hitter, where he added 14 kills, 3 aces, and 11 digs in the Saxons’ 3-1 victory.
Coach Matt Leichty praised Tim for his consistency, competitiveness, and willingness to do whatever the team needs to succeed. His all-around contributions continue to make him one of the top players in the state.
This is Tim’s first Athlete of the Week honor.
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