Bill Poehler on high schools: Covering state tennis is a lot of driving
There may be no weirder schedule in high school sports in Oregon than the state tennis tournament when it’s raining. The tournament is so large that the matches are already spread out over two...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: The urgency of the state playoffs brings...
I love the playoffs. Teams play games for months of games just to put themselves in position to make the playoffs. But once they’re in the playoffs there is a certain finality associated with the...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: Driving a lot for a rained out softball game
That was a strange day. I intended to cover the McNary at Barlow softball game in the second round of the OSAA Class 6A state playoffs Wednesday. Despite constant rain all day the game was still...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: To stay in Eugene or not, that is the question
There seem to be a couple different schools of thought for Salem-area high school track and field teams in do they stay in Eugene for the state track and field meets or not. I know that West Salem...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: Long-held state record by Huntley and Roth fall...
A few years ago I met former Sheridan High School and Olympic high jumper Joni Huntley at a McMenamins in the Portland area and spoke with her about her career. Eventually I brought up the topic of her...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: An updated list of college signings
So I was thinking about something intriguing to blog about, but let’s face it, it’s Memorial Day and I want to go home. So I’m going to give an updated list of letter of intent signings and commitments...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: Random observations after a game
This is one of those times I have no solid subject about which to write a blog. So here’s some random thoughts about high school sports. Is it more difficult to repeat as a state champion in a team...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: I think state track fried my brain
I admit I am pretty burned out right now. I figured out what did it, too: The state track and field meets. Throughout the whole school year I’ve been accustomed to working a ridiculous schedule,...
View ArticleBlog: Bill Poehler on high schools: A sportswriter’s blog to eating in Oregon
These are a few of the great restaurants I have found in towns throughout Oregon in my travels. I’ve leaving out the bad or mediocre ones. A few of these are local chains, but I won’t bother listing...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: It took me a while to recognize Jed Lowrie
This might be a new record for me. On Friday, in the visiting locker room at Safeco Field, I interviewed Jed Lowrie, the starting shortstop for the Oakland Athletics. The last time I interviewed him in...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: What’s the difference in baseball players at...
I’ve been thinking about a concept. Over the past month I’ve watched baseball games, in person, at three levels: the Major Leagues, the Minor Leagues and American Legion. I’ve paid close attention to...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: Dayton’s A.J. Hedgecock working to get on the...
A.J. Hedgecock has added some things since the spring, like a new tattoo on his left forearm that says 503 with roses around it and a beard. There are some things he has taken off, too, like the...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: School pride at McKay is a refreshing thing to see
There is an interesting thing happening at McKay: School pride. While at the football team’s practice Monday evening I noticed that every time they took a break, they chanted “Northeast.” When you talk...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: North Salem football garners community interest
I’ve noticed a trend involving the North Salem High School football team: When I go out in the community, I seem to get a number of people who ask me how North Salem is going to do. These people...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: A year later and I’m still not sure about the...
About a year ago West Salem High School made headlines all over the nation with its black FieldTurf. Here we are after a full season of football, soccer, track and field and lacrosse on the thing and...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: Sprague’s turf field is showing its age
Back in 2007, Sprague High School put in a brand new FieldTurf football field. It was beautiful. West Salem had a turf field before Sprague, but Sprague’s was the first in the Salem-Keizer school...
View ArticleBlog: Bill Poehler on high schools: South Salem’s Sam Tweedt commits to pitch...
So I found out at the end of South Salem’s football practice today that senior Sam Tweedt has committed to play baseball at Oregon State. The 6-foot-3 righthanded pitcher seems like a good fit for...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: Seeing the NFL from McNary High School
A couple weeks ago I went out to a day of football camp for the McNary High School football team. My goal was to talk to a couple players and maybe a coach about the start of football practice the...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: Predicting the order of the CVC football race
So since I’m not really explaining it anywhere else I’ll do it here. These are my picks for what football teams in the mid-valley will place where in their leagues. Now that I think about it, I’ll do...
View ArticleBill Poehler on high schools: Predicting the order of Mid-Willamette...
So here is the second in my series of blogs about what teams I’m predicting to finish in what positions: 1. Silverton They return their starting quarterback (Cole Chandler) and almost their entire...
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