The back to back state champions, Jesuit’s men’s lacrosse team, are looking to earn another state trophy in 2024. Going into halftime tied 4-4 in last year’s State Championship, the Jesuit Crusaders finished the fourth quarter winning 10-4, beating the West Linn Lions to win the state title.
Coached by Michael Marcott, the team is hoping to do more than just win state, their goal this year is to go undefeated throughout the whole season.
“I just want everyone to stay motivated. It’s easy to get complacent after winning back to back. We have to keep working hard,” senior captain Richie Nadolny said.
Looking forward to the season, the men’s lacrosse team’s toughest challenge will be heading to Dallas, Texas to compete against 3 top programs.
Beyond winning state, senior Porter Malkiel said his goal for the team is “for everyone to look out for each other, be good teammates, and hold each other accountable at practice on and off the field.”
Senior Christian Buck and Nadolny noted that juniors Deuce Bechtold and Thatcher Killian will be players to look out for that have to step up as well as sophomores Dimitri Lampros, Elliott Hire, and Mackie Malkiel.
All three senior leaders noted that last year’s captain and Oregon Player of the Year, Jack Duncan-Bloom, will be missed the most this year from his vision on the field to his leadership.
As for in-state competitors, Lake Oswego is returning with a strong offense and Lakeridge is returning with a strong defense. The Pacers, wanting another shot at the Crusaders, lost in the 2022 finals, where Jesuit won 17- 9.
The Crusaders are hoping to set the tone in the season opener against Lake Oswego on March 14 at the Lakers field.
The Women’s Lacrosse team hasn’t lost a championship game since 2018 and is returning with another stacked roster as they look forward to 2024 with a goal to defend their title.
After winning the OGLA state championship in 2019, 2022, and 2023 and the culmination championship in 2021, a modified playoff bracket with the four highest ranked teams due to the COVID pandemic, anything other than another banner being hung in the Jesuit’s Knight Gym in 2024 would be viewed as a disappointment.
After experiencing so much success the past five seasons, head coach Lauren Lakey was asked how she keeps the standard high for her girls.
“Our program’s bread and butter is all about empowerment,” Lakey said. “So I would love for our players to come into our program and leave feeling empowered, feeling loved, feeling like there’s something bigger than themselves.”
Lakey’s Crusader’s graduated 13 seniors last season, losing essentially the entire starting lineup. Players like Piper Daskalos, an all American and current Johns Hopkins attack accounted for a bulk of Jesuit’s offense.
On the defensive end, Jesuit loses a three year starter at goalie and current University of California player Sydney Partovi who was key in the past three championships. Sydney Kim who plays at Tufts along with Avery Edwards and Mason Young anchored the defense.
The Crusaders clearly have some major holes to fill this season as they enter the 2024 schedule with a team full of youth.
“I think it is really rare for a program to have 13 stellar seniors like essentially a whole starting lineup, and have them graduate,” Lakey said. “We want to honor the legacy they left, but at the same time we easily reloaded.”
With all the key players graduating last season, Daskalos and Partovi undoubtedly have the biggest shoes to fill.
Junior draw specialist Gigi Abernethy and midfielder Quinny Handley are both division one level players who will take over as the top scorers and facilitators in Lakey’s offense.
Abernethy, a first team all state selection last season is committed to Bucknell University and is one of the premier draw specialists in the entire state.
Handley, a second team all league selection last season is a tall, athletic midfielder who is committed to the University of Pennsylvania where she will follow her older brother Sam Handley’s footsteps, who now plays professional lacrosse. Similar to her brother, Handley can dodge past defenders at ease, score the ball at will, and find her teammates around the crease.
Abernethy and Handley have played varsity since freshman year and will be crucial to the success of the Jesuit offense.
Even with a younger offense, the offensive systems that Lakey has run successfully for so many years will not be changing and they have no plans to slow down the pace.
“Our motto at Jesuit is to play fast,” Lakey said. “So we go really, really, really fast. We like to keep the ball moving. We don’t like to stall.”
Replacing Partovi in goal will be junior Evie Hester. Hester has sat behind Partovi for the past two seasons and finally gets her opportunity to take over. Hester may be a first year starter, but has had plenty of game experience throughout the past two seasons and should make the transition smoothly.
With an extremely talented Junior class, Lakey also mentioned Junior Georgia Daskalos, sister of Piper and described her as an extremely quick midfielder. She also said that junior Taylor Stalick and Odessa Knight will play a huge role on the defensive end.
With a younger team, senior leadership will be huge for the Crusaders this year. Lucy Maddocks and Courtney Vogt provide just that. Both with lots of varsity experience, Lakey will turn to both of them to provide leadership and guide the younger players on the team.
Maddocks, a wicked quick midfielder who is famously known for her overtime dagger in the state semifinal last season, has been on the varsity roster since freshman year. Vogt, a varsity player since sophomore year, is an athletic defender who will be key in building chemistry on the defensive side with almost an entirely new unit.
When asked about other players stepping up, Lakey sighted sophomores Kate Gabrielson and Taylor Young who had limited roles on varsity as freshmen.
With a young and reloaded roster, the Jesuit women will have no shortage of competition. Lake Oswego returns a loaded roster full of division one talent looking for revenge after falling short to the Crusaders in the state championship game in back to back seasons. The rematch will take place on April 4 and is surely circled on the calendar of everyone in the OGLA community.
Grant also returns a talented roster headlined by Northwestern commit Kate Ratanaproeksa who also looks for redemption after Maddocks heartbreaking goal in the semifinal game last season, that game between the Crusaders and Generals is scheduled for March 19.
Though the Crusaders have had so much success the past few seasons, they still have to prove that they can still dominate the state with a younger roster. New players will need to step up and new leaders will be established, but with Lakey at the helm, there should be no signs of the lady Crusaders falling off.
After 16 seniors graduated last year, the Jesuit baseball team will have a fresh start for the 2024 season.
“All of us coaches are talking about how excited we are for this new crew who have been just thirsty to be leaders, head coach Colin Griffin said. “ They’ve already stepped up in big ways in the offseason.”
Previously, many players were together at the JV level, but never together on varsity.
“We have to rebuild the team.It will be interesting to see how that all goes, I think it’s going to be good,” senior Brode Lyman said.
Their top pitchers from last year have all graduated–including MLB draft pick and Oregon Gatorade player of the year Nobel Meyer–but to Griffin, that doesn’t mean a lack of talent for this coming year.
As far as pitching goes, the team has a new, younger group, ready to lead.
“We have a lot of senior arms, some junior arms ready to go, and some sophomores back there too,” Griffin said. “Some returning arms we have are Mickey McClaskey, Jacob Bishop, Kainoa Santiago, and some more younger kids coming out that look good.”
Senior Mickey McClaskey, a right hand pitcher committed to University of La Verne, has an 83.4 MPH fastball and will be one of the leading pitchers for the Crusaders this season.
“Every team lost some good players, we aren’t the only young team. I feel like the biggest competition we have is West Linn. They have some really good guys on that team, so we will see how playoffs goes. We are going to take it one game at a time and see where it takes us,” McClaskey said.
Overall, the varsity baseball team has a tough schedule for the season. Starting off, they will play Lake Oswego on Wednesday, March 13, and following that, West Linn for their second game of the season on Friday, March 15.
“Griff lined us up against some really good teams coming out,” McClaskey said. “Our regular season will dictate our post season.”
The Crusaders are a team to watch this season, and with a new team of talented players, it will be exciting to see if they carry their momentum from last year.
“I have the same goal for every team, and that is that they come together and believe in one, trust in one, and have identity as a program, not just selfish baseball. Whether they have a role as a pinch runner on varsity or they’re the starting CF, they are all in it as one and— that’s always my goal,” Griffin said.
In spring of 2024, the women’s softball team is embarking on an exciting season where they will hopefully meet their goals of top three in the Metro League. After finishing 3rd last year, the team strives for the Metro League title and hopes to make a deep run in the state tournament..
Four seniors lead the team this season: Mary Cunningham, Lucia Regnier, Tully Jensen and Brooklyn Switzer
“Last season we definitely fell short but we won and lost every game as a team. This year I’m excited to apply what we have learned from last season. I believe we’re going to have a better outcome,” senior Mary Cunningham said.
The women’s softball team is coached by 27 year veteran coach Jim Speciale.
“My biggest goal is to always make the playoffs but also to finish top three in Metro. There’s always a goal to win the Metro league title, but the State win will be tough,” said Speciale.
Regnier feels the developing experience will be key.
“Berkleigh Tuck is our centerfielder and she’s one of our top hitters and she has always performed well and is a D1 commit. Mary Cunningham, our catcher and supports our team well is also is also committed to a college. Overall our whole team, our whole lineup, we can always rely on each other for offense and our defense,” said Lucia Regnier.
Varsity softball will have tough Metro League competitors this year like Southridge and Westview. They fell short in 2023 for the Metro title but the women are ready to reclaim it for the 2024 season.
Softball opens at home on March 13th at 5pm vs Barlow High School.
As the spring season begins, the Jesuit Men’s Golf team is ready to make a run for the state championship.
The golf team took home the Metro League title last year, and they are returning all five of their varsity players. This includes 1st Team All Metro League seniors Grady Brown, Mason Zimmerman, and junior Jack Harrington alongside Second Team All Metro league senior Evan Post and junior Joseph Ulrich.
“We’ve been on the team for four years together, so I would say that we are all very close. We have been through some crazy weather, we’ve been through pretty much everything on the golf course together. So I’d say that has built a ton of team chemistry and I think that will be vital for our success this year with five returners” Evan Post said.
The men’s golf team is trying to win their first state championship since the three-peat from 2017-2019. Taking over as head coach this year is Jesuit’s theology teacher Mr. Schulte.
“The goal for the varsity guys this year is to take home the state championship, and I am going to support them in the best ways that I can to help them achieve this goal” said Coach Schulte.
The team had a successful summer on the golf course, where Mason Zimmerman won the Central Willamette Major, shooting an impressive one under par through two days. Joseph Ulrich took the top spot at the Annual Bob Allard Championship, shooting even par through 36 holes of golf. Jack Harrington won the USGA Junior Amateur Oregon qualifier, which qualified him for the USGA Junior Amateur Championship alongside 265 of the best high school golfers in the United States.
The team to beat this year is reigning OSAA Men’s Golf State Champions Lake Oswego, who shot +34 over two days at Emerald Valley Golf Club. Lake Oswego is returning four out of their five varsity players from last year’s state championship team.
The team opens up their season on March 11th at Forest Hills Golf Course.
Last year, the Jesuit Women’s Tennis team clinched the 2023 state title and reclaimed the (once familiar) spot as the number one team in Oregon.
Led by former seniors Mishi Batinkova and Sofia Bell, the two underdogs defeated Sheldon and grabbed the doubles victory for Jesuit to put them back on top.
Another key component in last year’s success was current senior Carissa Gerung. As the one seed for Jesuit, she was able to place third in state for singles.
Gerung will be furthering her tennis career at Cal Tech, but until then, she will continue to hold the spot as the one seed and as the sole senior of the varsity team.
“I am looking forward to Carissa being a leader on and off the court this season. She has so much talent and I am excited for the four new freshmen to see her play and learn from her,” coach Kirsten Ruchaber said.
This season the team is primarily made up of new/underclassmen talent—four freshmen and ten sophomores—giving Gerung the chance to reestablish traditions and build team chemistry that will last for years to come.
Along with Carissa’s leadership Coach Ruchaber will be turning to her four juniors Kate Paine, Kitty Ayotte, Shonali Chakravarty and CeCe Dang for their consistent play and positive attitudes.
On her role as the sole-senior on the team, Carissa Gerung stated, “I am super excited to reintroduce some of the old traditions that the team used to have pre-covid, such as chapel time before matches and other team bonding activities,”—and with the Crusader’s packed schedule, there will be plenty of time for the team to come together.
Their first match of the season will take place at Jesuit against Westview on Tuesday, March 19. Traditionally Westview has been one of the top competitors in Metro League and in the state but after graduating multiple division one seniors, this gives Jesuit the opportunity to capitalize off of the Wildcats losses and start the season with a win.
“It’s important for us to get out of the Metro League as well to play some of the schools further away and it helps with state seeding and recognition,” Ruchaber said.
The OSAA allows each team 16 playable days giving them only so many days to establish their state ranking. Ruchaber has strategically scheduled her teams for tournaments in Bend and Roseburg back to back weekends in April.
“If we can go somewhere and play a tournament and get two matches in one day, that’s better than just playing one locally where the competition may not be as tough. I like to try to give them the toughest schedule that they can handle” stated Ruchaber.
When asking sophomore Anna Bucher about the team’s mindset heading into the 2024 season she stated, “Our team already is developing a great morale heading into the season and we all have the same goal to win state again.”
Coach Ruchaber holds a high standard for her players everyday, but her overarching goal is to create an uplifting environment. “I always encourage them to work hard as a team. Some girls play singles and some girls play doubles and both count for the same amount of points. So what’s really important is supporting each other. Whether you’re playing singles or doubles we’re all one team.”
This coaching strategy is what has won Ruchaber ten state titles and the same one that is setting Jesuit up for success in her 24th season as head coach.
All eyes will be on the Crusaders this year as they compete to stay on top and push to reestablish the Jesuit tennis dynasty in the state of Oregon.
The spring season at Jesuit High School means 2 things: warmer weather and a long awaited tennis season.
The men’s tennis team looks to stay at the top of the Oregon rankings after getting 2nd in state in 2022, and 4th in 2023.
Coached by Jeff Wood, the team is hoping to do more than just win state, their goal this year is to go undefeated throughout the whole season.
“We have a lot of great talent and leaders on the squad this year. I think we will definitely have the chance to win it all,” senior David Marsh said.
Jesuit High School has a storied history of success on the tennis court, with a legacy marked by championships, teamwork, and individual brilliance. Under the guidance of dedicated coaches, the Crusaders have consistently demonstrated their prowess, earning respect and admiration both on and off the tennis court.
Senior Captain Reif Larsen states that the Crusaders have something special this year.
“I think our energy sets us apart from other teams.” says Larsen, “I would say we are one of the louder teams and everyone supports each other.”
The presumed roster brims with talent and potential. Led by seasoned veterans Larsen and Alex Tran, the team is poised to make a statement in every match they play. Each player brings a unique skill set to the table, contributing to the team’s overall strength and form.
Tran said there is a variety of underclassmen ready to step this season.
“We have a handful of promising freshmen that are going to make waves within the team,” Tran said. “It’s going to be tough moving forward without last year’s seniors, but we’ve all been grinding throughout the year, and we’re without a doubt better than ever.”
The Crusaders are hoping to make a statement in the season opener against Tigard on the Jesuit home court.
After securing top finishes at state and setting numerous school records in 2023, athletes from Jesuit’s Track and Field team are determined to replicate and even surpass these accomplishments this spring.
During the 2023 state meet at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, junior Emma Bennett clinched victory in the 1500 and the 800, while senior Amalie Beil secured second place in the 800. In the 4k race, senior Liliana Hudnut claimed third place, with Maggie Bennett, now a freshman at Columbia University, closely following in fourth.
On the field, junior Cameron Gatlin demonstrated prowess by securing third place in the 300 hurdles. The women’s team collectively exhibited strength in the 4 x 100-meter relay, with Beil, Emma Bennett, Emerson Strub, and Jane Mattson securing a commendable third place. The efforts of the women’s team culminated in the achievement of an impressive fourth-place finish overall.
Turning to the men’s team, Jacob Nenow, now at the University of Tennessee, emerged victorious in the 3000, while Josh Augustine, currently a freshman at Gonzaga University, claimed third place. Junior Max Baricevic secured sixth place in the 400, and senior Caden Swanson, committed to Gonzaga University, achieved eighth place in the 800. Additionally, junior Royce Cleeland demonstrated skill by securing eighth place in the shot put field event.
As athletes such as Joshua Augustine, Maggie Bennett, Gus Clevenger, and Natalie Jack continue their athletic journeys in college, their legacy has left a lasting impact on the team.
“The seniors did a really good job creating a positive environment and left us prepared to continue cultivating an environment filled with a joy for running,” said Hudnut.
The women’s team is motivated by the WIM mantra, urging them to “want it more” and continually push themselves. Similarly, the men’s team employs various light-hearted sayings like “chin down” or “time to go” during workouts or races to uplift team morale.
Under the guidance of Coach Rothenburger, both the men’s and women’s teams are poised to embrace the journey of the season.
“He doesn’t put a lot of pressure on what certain things we need to achieve. He just wants us to remember that it’s a game and it’s enjoyable. If you’re having fun, and enjoying the hard work, success will come with that,” said Hudnut.
With track and field having both an indoor and outdoor season, athletes kicked off the indoor season at the University of Washington’s track in the Dempsey Stadium.
“The indoor season is different compared to outdoor because our races take place either on a banked 200 m track or a 300 m track. In comparison, in the outdoor 400 m track, turns are sharper, and there are fewer lanes which can translate to more shoving in races,” said Strub.
The team is gearing up for upcoming competitions including the Nike Indoor Nationals in New York and prominent outdoor meets such as the Arcadia Invitational in Southern California, Oregon Relays in Eugene, and the annual Twilight Relays hosted at Jesuit.
As the spring sports season approaches, Jesuit Women’s Golf is ready to defend their state title from last year when they won at Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis during the middle of May.
With junior Kate Lee leading the team into the 2024 campaign, the Crusaders have built a strong core that is hoping to build a culture of improving everyday and creating a fun atmosphere.
In addition to practicing at Langdon Farms in Wilsonville, Jesuit will now have access to use the SIM golf facilities near Washington Square as an indoor practice facility and hangout area.
Longtime head coach Laurie Wagner will return for another year to lead the team and continue to develop their young roster as multiple seniors such as Anna Poulin, Quinn Burke, and Beth Milne have gone off to college in the last two years.
“I’m super excited to get going this year. The team atmosphere is great, and I love spending time with my teammates on the course,” sophomore Kelly Mattson said.
The Crusaders will play their typical schedule of Metro League matches including some courses like Forest Hills, Pumpkin Ridge, The Reserve, and Langdon Farms.
Qualifying for the first varsity spots begins this week at Langdon Farms in typical Oregon rain.
