The softball tradition runs deep at North Medford, where the Black Tornado won a combined eight state championships under former coaches Larry Binney and Mike Mayben, second in state history only to Churchill's 10.
Since winning that eighth title in 2017, though, North Medford has not played in the state final. So when the Black Tornado takes the field Saturday against Sherwood in the 6A title game at the University of Oregon, it hopes to reconnect with that championship mojo.
“A lot of these kids, they've been around that tradition, and saw the Maryssa Beckers, the Rylan Austins,” said coach Chris Campbell, who received congratulatory messages from Binney and Mayben after Tuesday's semifinal win. “They see the state championship banners as they walk in the door, they see them on the fence where they practice every day. So they've got a big motivation to try to put another one up there.”
Fourth-seeded North Medford (24-6) knows it faces a tall task against No. 3 Sherwood (28-3). In a tune-up game for the state playoffs May 20, the Black Tornado made the long trip to Sherwood and lost 8-1.
“We didn't put together a very good showing up there,” Campbell said. “We just weren't quite ready. Long bus trip. It just kind of snowballed.”
Campbell was entrusted to maintain the tradition set by Binney (1987-2002) and Mayben (2006-2017), who each won four state championships. Considering Campbell was an assistant for three title teams in seven seasons under Mayben, and his daughter Cassie scored the winning run in the 2013 final, he was well versed in the program's winning ways.
In Campbell's first season as coach, the team went 25-5 and made the state semifinals. Two years later, North Medford had the makings of a powerhouse, but the COVID-19 outbreak canceled the season.
“That pandemic killed us,” Campbell said. “That right there could've been another state championship team. We were loaded. We definitely had the horses to make a good run at it.”
The Black Tornado lost in the quarterfinals in 2023 and the second round in 2024. The team entered this season with high expectations after returning its entire roster except for pitcher Gabbi Urban and catcher Presley Lawton, who now play at Mt. Hood Community College and Oregon, respectively.
North Medford won the Southwest Conference title for the first time since 2021. Junior shortstop Natalie Tlascala was voted the conference player of the year and was joined on the first team by sophomore pitcher Julia Edwards, senior catcher Sadie Hall and junior outfielder Maili Hamlin.
North Medford got three key additions in junior third baseman Becca Tuivanu (from Cascade Christian), senior right fielder Maleyah Thoele (from South Medford) and Hall, who skipped her junior season to focus on wrestling.
“This group has really come together well,” Campbell said. “They're a really determined, really gritty group. Our conference is really tough. So they've got a lot of experience playing in tight games.”
The Black Tornado's in-state losses came against McMinnville, Sheldon, Roseburg, Grants Pass and Sherwood. North Medford got payback for the 8-5 loss to McMinnville in late March by dropping the Grizzlies 9-2 in a Tuesday semifinal.
The team is looking to bounce back in a similar way against Sherwood. In the loss to the Bowmen, Edwards got knocked out in the third inning and the offense never got on track against Sherwood freshman pitcher Presley Sarono-Ramos.
“We got the opportunity to see that pitcher throw,” Campbell said. “We can make adjustments from what we saw. We'll go out and hopefully have a better performance on Saturday, and maybe flip the script again on them.”
Since that loss to Sherwood, North Medford has allowed only six runs in four playoff games. Campbell said the defense behind Edwards has been “phenomenal.”
“We've got a really fast outfield, and all three have really good arms,” Campbell said. “And we're pretty tough up the middle.”
A look at the state championship games, Friday and Saturday at the University of Oregon's Jane Sanders Stadium:
6A, Saturday, 3 p.m.
No. 4 North Medford (24-6) vs. No. 3 Sherwood (28-3): Sherwood has reached the final for the first time, winning 7-0 at No. 2 Jesuit in the semifinals behind three home runs – a grand slam by junior Maisy Schindler and solo shots by junior Jordyn Henderson and freshman Presley Sarono-Ramos. Under Kris Moore, the team's third coach in three seasons, the Bowmen have won a school-record 28 games, surpassing the previous mark of 24 (2006). Sherwood lost in the semifinals in 2023 and the quarterfinals last year, both times to Sheldon and ace pitcher Payton Burnham. The Bowmen's only losses this season are against Sunset, Forest Grove and McMinnville. Senior Destiny Cornwell and Sarono-Ramos have been sharing time in the circle in the playoffs, with Cornwell starting all four games. They combined for a 10-inning no-hitter in a 1-0 second round win over Tigard. North Medford is 7-2-1 in state finals, sharing the title with Beaverton in 1997. Junior SS Natalie Tlascala (.466, 5 home runs, 39 RBIs) is the Southwest Conference player of the year. Tlascala and junior Becca Tuivanu (.447, 4 home runs, 31 RBIs) bat third and fourth in the lineup, respectively. Sophomore Julia Edwards (17-3, 2.65 ERA) has thrown 134 2/3 innings, allowed 123 hits, struck out 93 and walked 47. Senior 1B Caileigh Raines is a fourth-year starter. Senior RF Maleyah Thoele is a transfer from South Medford, where she was a 6A second-team selection last year. Senior C Sadie Hall, a SWC first-team selection, is a two-time state wrestling champion. She has committed to wrestle at Southern Oregon.
5A, Saturday, 6 p.m.
No. 2 Thurston (23-5) vs. No. 1 Ridgeview (26-1): Ridgeview won its first 22 games before suffering its only defeat, 11-6 at Mountain View. The Ravens have the Intermountain Conference pitcher of the year in sophomore Brezlyn Hagemeister (1.35 ERA, nine shutouts), who has struck out 261 in 155 innings. She also is batting .500 with 42 RBIs. Senior SS Brooklyn Lick (.620, 52 RBIs), a Bushnell commit, and junior CF Hailey Nelson (.333) also were first-team picks. Ridgeview coach Sandy Fischer (229-69 in 12 seasons) started the program in 2013 and led the team to the 2019 state title. Fischer coached Oklahoma State to 901 wins and nine appearances in the Women's College World Series in 23 seasons. The Ravens have held foes to a 5A-low 59 runs. Ridgeview has set a school record for wins, surpassing the 24-2 mark by the 2019 title team. Thurston, playing in its first final, has a flair for the dramatic, winning six games in walk-off fashion. Junior Daphnie Heckel hit a walk-off three-run homer in a 15-13 first-round win over West Albany, and sophomore Kassy Anderson hit a walk-off three-run homer as the Colts scored six runs with two outs in the seventh inning to outlast Crater 18-15 in the semifinals. Thurston (10.6 runs per game) has scored 45 runs in three playoff wins. Heckel (.450, 10 home runs, 47 RBIs) and Anderson (.429, 9 home runs, 37 RBIs) account for the bulk of the team's 32 home runs. Senior IF Gaby Montes is hitting .505 and has scored 44 runs. Senior Kasey Ogan is the Midwestern League pitcher of the year. With 23 wins, the Colts have tied their school record (1990, 2011). Before this year, they had not won a playoff game since 2014, losing seven consecutive first-round games.
4A, Saturday, 12 p.m.
No. 3 Astoria (22-5) vs. No. 1 St. Helens (24-3): The Cowapa League rivals square off with the title on the line. League champion St. Helens took two of three games against Astoria this season, winning 7-6 and 6-4 and losing 1-0. The Lions account for two of Astoria's three in-state losses, the other coming against Scappoose. St. Helens, which won all four of its titles between 1986 and 1996, has not played in the final since 1999. The Lions are playing for a first-year coach in Natasha Sharp, who replaced Miranda Little. They have an outstanding sophomore pitcher in Emeline Curaming (1.17 ERA). She has thrown 138 innings, allowed 92 hits, struck out 148 and walked 42. She blanked reigning champion Pendleton 9-0 on eight hits in the semifinals. St. Helens' offensive leaders are juniors Adaleigh Ellis (.469, 6 home runs, 41 RBIs), Madelyn Hancock (.386, 6 triples, 4 home runs, 27 RBIs) and Halli Heys (.353, 25 RBIs) and sophomore Addison Andrehsen (.461). Astoria, a semifinalist last year, is appearing in its first final. The Fishermen have a school-record 22 wins, topping their 21 in both 2022 and 2024. Linfield-bound senior SS Kya Lindell is batting a team-high .485 and has 18 stolen bases. Sophomore 3B Hailey Svensen is hitting .415 with 21 stolen bases. Senior P Maddie Wilkin (10-2, 2.50 ERA) recorded the victory in a 9-4 semifinal win at No. 2 La Grande.
3A, Friday, 12 p.m.
No. 2 Dayton (26-3) vs. No. 1 Scio (27-1): Scio, runner-up the last two years, takes another crack at its first title, this time against Special District 3 rival Dayton, the only team to beat the Loggers this season. Scio won the first meeting over the Pirates 2-1, but Dayton dropped the Loggers 3-1 in the second round of district play as freshman Gabby Chupp and sophomore Charly Upmeyer combined for a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts. Scio defeated Dayton 7-1 in the quarterfinals last year. The Loggers have the state's all-time leading slugger in Cal Poly-bound senior P Myleigh Cooper, who this season has set state records for single-season home runs (26) and career home runs (75). Cooper has 56 hits in 68 at bats – on pace to break the state record with an .824 average – and has been walked 43 times, including eight in the last two playoff games. She has 72 RBIs this season. With juniors Cam Dalke (.695, 8 home runs, 56 RBIs) and Skylur Brown (.506, 6 home runs, 46 RBIs) and senior Meagan Trissel (.559, 3 home runs, 49 RBIs) providing support, Scio has 46 home runs and has scored 408 runs, tops for all classifications. Cooper, the two-time 3A player of the year, has a 1.17 ERA. In 113 2/3 innings, she has allowed 58 hits, struck out 194 and walked 32. Under coach Jim Mask (189-40 in eight seasons), the Loggers have won a school-record 27 games. Dayton is 4-5 in the finals, winning its last title in 2018. Chupp (.667, 6 home runs, 33 RBIs), Upmeyer (.576, 9 home runs, 63 RBIs) and senior Lillie Brooks (.561, 5 home runs, 28 RBIs) lead the attack. The Pirates' pitching staff has a 1.48 ERA behind junior Rachel Baumholtz (12-0, 1.50 ERA, 57 strikeouts in 42 innings), Upmeyer (9-3, 1.91 ERA, 92 strikeouts in 62 innings) and Chupp (5-0, 0.67 ERA, 61 strikeouts in 42 innings).
2A/1A, Friday 3 p.m.
No. 9 Grant Union/Prairie City (19-8) vs. No. 2 Weston-McEwen/Griswold (23-5): The Special District 7 teams collide in the final for the third year in a row. Grant Union won 10-0 in six innings in 2023 and 11-0 in six innings last year. The Prospectors graduated three starters from the 2024 team, including P Drew Williams, who tossed three-hit shutouts in the last two state finals. The teams shared the district title after splitting a doubleheader May 16 at Grant Union, the TigerScots taking the opener 3-1 and the Prospectors winning the second game 10-3. Weston-McEwen junior P Bre Ward (20-3, 2.55 ERA, 272 strikeouts), the starter in last year's final, is the SD7 pitcher of the year. The TigerScots offense features senior Ava Sams (.549, 2 home runs, 46 RBIs), junior Lily Langford (.494, 5 home runs, 29 RBIs), junior Hope Berry (.432, 5 home runs, 25 RBIs), senior Kylie Kramer (.457, 54 runs) and Ward (.488, 6 home runs). Grant Union is the lowest seed to make the finals this year. In winning three road playoff games, the Prospectors traveled 1,890 miles. They knocked off No. 1 seed Heppner/Ione 14-5 in the quarterfinals. Senior CF Reece Jacobs (.525, 9 home runs, 54 RBIs), senior SS Savannah Watterson (.533, 7 home runs, 46 RBIs) and senior 1B Lily Rockhill (.404, 3 home runs, 33 RBIs) drive the offense. Senior Addy Northway (11-1, .2.76 ERA, 124 strikeouts) is the team's ace, but Rockhill pitched in the win over Weston-McEwen, throwing a four-hitter with eight strikeouts. Grant Union coach Tim Boethin replaced Zach Williams, who went 135-18 in six seasons. The Prospectors, runners-up in 2022, are in the final for the fourth year in a row. Weston-McEwen is 0-4 in championship games (2007, 2015, 2023, 2024).
jerryu@osaa.org
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