Wrapping up the 2025-2026 season in Portland high school sports
The summer is in full swing and I’m back to check in for the summer after taking a few weeks off.
Mostly I took the time off to celebrate my amazing wife Faviola, or should I say Dr. Faviola. She officially graduated from Portland State University with her doctorate degree in applied psychology.
This journey for her began five years ago as it prompted our move to Portland in September of 2021. Since then, she’s put in so much time and effort learning, reading, researching and so much more to become the wonderful student of life that she is today.
She’s one in a million, and I’m so lucky to be by her side.
If you got through that I got some more mushy stuff for you as I reflect on the first year of the Portland Preps program.
We crossed 500 members right at the end of the spring season, and most of you have stuck around to still receive the newsletter.
For you 500 and counting, I want to say thank you. Even if you signed up just to read one story, I appreciate your interest and hopefully the site is providing the kind of coverage that is being missed in the city, or providing coverage for some that never saw this kind of coverage to begin with.
Your support in this first year has proven to me that there is an audience here, and there is a demand for coverage of Portland’s high school student-athletes.
Also, a massive thank you to Ben Teese, who helped take some awesome photos throughout the year. He donated his time and efforts to help make this website look good and I couldn't be more grateful.
A big thank you to my friends Tanner Russ, Elias Esquivel and Joe Zochert for providing some written help as well throughout the year. It's hard to be everywhere when you're one person, and these guys helped lend a hand when that wasn't possible for me.
With that being said, and I suck at this part, doing this takes quite a bit of time and effort. My goal is to keep this resource free and that remains the case.
I did create a link though for any tips/donations that you can find here. If you feel like I provided you or the community with a helpful service here, I would welcome the financial support. And if that’s not in the cards for you right now, that’s more than OK too. I’m just happy to have your support.
Please feel free to tip whatever you like, any tip is very appreciated and I promise it’ll go right back toward making Portland Preps even better.
Also for this summer, I’m looking for advertisers/sponsors. If you own a local business or know someone who might be interested in reaching our Portland Preps audience, please email me at ajwsports44@gmail.com and we will talk about a plan.
I want to take Portland Preps to the next level for 2026-2027 after seeing the kind of support it received in just one year. And any dollars tipped, donated or paid through advertising/sponsorship will help make that goal reality.
Enough behind the scenes talk! Let’s put a bow on the 2025-2026 season.
Down below is a recap of the 22 team/individual state champions the Portland area had this school year. We’ve got a brief recap of each and a link to the original story where we covered it either on Portland Preps or for OSAAtoday.
Enjoy the recap, and you’ll be hearing more from me soon this summer.
Cross country
The fall began with Lincoln girls cross country putting on a show, winning the 6A team title for a second consecutive year with 94 points. The Cardinals bested South Eugene in second with 120.
Of course, the cross country season is the jumping off point for a memorable 2025-2026 season for junior Ellery Lincoln, who you’ll hear more about later.
Ellery Lincoln won the individual state cross country title with a time of 17 minutes, 11.1 seconds, setting herself to be one of the best distance runners the state has ever seen.
Basketball
There was a lot of hype and expectations around the Parkrose boys basketball team after a group of friends came together to compete for the Broncos.
Led by senior standout Fuzzy Montague, the Broncos came through on their mission as they won the 5A state title in an overtime thriller over Crook County. The title is Parkrose’s first in boys basketball since 1982 and its fourth overall.
Swimming
Two local swimmers came away with state crowns in the pool back in February, including Lincoln junior Skye Schwartz. She took home gold in the 6A girls 100 breast stroke, helping the Cardinals take fourth overall as a team.
Down in 4A/3A/2A/1A, Sam Borus won the girls 100 butterfly for Riverdale, only the second state title the Mavericks have ever had in the pool. Borus was the first last season.
Wrestling
One of the best days for Portland prep sports this past season came on the final day of the state wrestling tournament in February.
Three PIL girls wrestlers came away with state titles, including Ida B. Wells senior Zorina Johnson who capped one of the best wrestling seasons the city has ever seen.
Johnson won her third consecutive state title in dominant fashion at 135 pounds with an 18-1 tech fall. But before she got the three-peat, Lincoln sophomore Sofia Patterson made some school history.
Patterson won the crown at 105 pounds with a 1-0 decision, becoming the first Lincoln wrestler to win a state title since 1971.
The night was capped with Jefferson junior Dominic Rodela completing her Cinderella run as an eight seed with a title at 170. She won her match 11-6 to bring some gold back to Humboldt.
Tennis
Lincoln boys tennis has become an absolute wagon, winning its second consecutive team state title and third in four years. This one wasn’t close as the Cardinals scored 24 points, 10 points ahead of Jesuit and Roseburg tied at second with 14.
The doubles duo of senior Tiger Semler and junior Charlie Torch came together late in the season and ran their way to the doubles state title to help the efforts. Sophomore Cayden Laughton also made the final in boys singles.
Boys volleyball
The first OSAA-sanctioned boys volleyball season proved one thing: Portland is the early powerhouse for the sport.
In 6A/5A, Central Catholic couldn’t be stopped as the Rams went undefeated and won a second consecutive crown after winning the unsanctioned 6A state title last year. The Rams took out South Salem in straight sets 25-17, 25-16, 25-21 in the final.
For the 4A/3A/2A/1A classification, Portland Adventist was the No. 1 seed and completed its mission as well with a state title.
Behind the Player of the Year in Oliver Thompson, the Cougars took out Central Christian in four sets 25-23, 25-15, 20-25, 25-23 to bring home the title, which is only the third team state title in school history and fourth overall counting individual crowns.
Track and Field
Ten of the 22 state champions came from the state track and field meet, which saw plenty of history and standout performances.
The Grant girls 4x100 relay team set a new state record, as did Ellery Lincoln in the 1500. She also won the 3000 the day prior.
Roosevelt senior Aster Jones made it three titles in the girls 100 and two in the 200, meanwhile Portland Christian senior Mili Estrada made it back-to-back titles in the 2A girls 100 hurdles.
Wells girls won the 4x400, Portland Christian junior Olivia Felton won the 2A girls pole vault, Hayden Arthur repeated as the 2A boys champ in javelin and Jefferson senior EJ Cozart went out with a triple jump state title.
It was another memorable weekend in Eugene, and there’s sure to be more to come next year!
