Ida B Wells Athletics Weekly
2026 Spring Season Preview
Greetings Sports Fans!|
The Spring Season is underway, and it looks like the weather is going to start cooperating with us! Once again, we have over 500 student athletes participating in a Spring Sport. This is a true testament to our community and the courageous spirit our student athletes possess to go out and compete! We have added a new Spring Sport as part of the emerging OSAA Sports, Flag Football. Big thanks to Robby Scharf, Danny Bradach, and Britney Small for spearheading the initiative and our amazing student athletes trying a new sport! Along with Flag Football, we are fielding Lacrosse, Track, Baseball, Softball, Golf, Tennis, and Men’s Volleyball. We are super excited about the season ahead!
This edition of IBW Athletics Weekly is dedicated to our Spring Preview put forth by our coaching staff.
Great to Be A Guardian!
Our 2026 varsity baseball season looks to be a year of growth for the Guardians... for the first time since 1990, we do not have one senior that is a returning starter. Juniors Ramsey Prentice and Grae Wilson, and sophomore Micah Burrell return with the most experience on the offensive side. On the mound we return four pitchers with varsity experience, Jack Burnham and Grae Wilson were year long starters as sophomores, and Ollie Hastings started three league games, Joah Kuehlthau also returns and will compete to be a starting pitcher. Returning letterman Senior Walter Robinson brings back some experience as a middle infielder. Junior Andrew Smith is also a returning letterman with experience in the outfield. Newcomers to varsity include seniors Luke Fawcett, Sylas Morrison, Sam Hartoch, and Sean Elliott, juniors Jimmy Tilles, Jude Nolan, Lucas Marr, Nick Elizondo-Bean, Nico Olivares, Noah Johnson, and Thurston Gilchrist. Our jv and jv2 teams will have full rosters and full schedules.
- Jeremy Shetler, Head Coach
We had an amazing turnout for Ida B. Wells Men's Golf. 30 athletes tried out over two weeks to make the team that was cut down to 16 players. Our shoot out was on March 17th held at Heron Lakes Greenback Golf Course. This was the first time in all my years of coaching that I had 16 players shoot 102 or better. My top player was Jr Finley Burlingame who carded a smooth 79, followed by Jr Roman Scherzer's 81, 2 beautiful 83's by Jr Simon LaPrete and newcomer Jr Crey Wieber. Rounding off the Top 5 Varsity players were Tie-5 senior Jack Kern and Freshman Thomas Hubert boh shooting 88. Jack snagged the 5th spot in a sudden death playoff.
As a whole the team looks tight and with good weather moving forward, the coaches, Hudson and Sanford, we're expecting a lot of movement up and down the roster. It is the first time in all my years of coaching that the team had 16 boys at around 100 or better. The boys will do battle at an Invitational at Columbia Edgewater Golf Course on the 30th of March @ 12:00 and our first PIL competition will be April 2nd at Eastmoreland GC @ 1:00. Come out and watch/cheer some great golf played by your Guardian athletes.
- Chris Hudson, Head Coach
The Ida B. Wells Women’s Golf team is swinging into the Spring 2026 season with a singular, razor-sharp focus: capturing the PIL Championship. The atmosphere at practice is electric, characterized by a "work-hard, play-hard" culture that balances elite shot-making with the close-knit camaraderie that has become the team's trademark. With the conference landscape looking more competitive than ever, the Guardians are leaning into a rigorous training schedule that emphasizes short-game precision and mental toughness under pressure.
Leading the charge this year are Captains Lennon Schmidt and Quinn Wardlaw, a duo that perfectly encapsulates the talent and leadership needed to hoist a trophy. Lennon enters the season coming off a sensational year of national competition, bringing a "low-score" pedigree and a calm, tactical approach to every hole. Beside her, Quinn provides the veteran stability and competitive fire that keeps the team grounded during high-stakes rounds. Together, they have fostered an environment where every player—from the varsity starters to the rising underclassmen—feels invested in the collective goal. For the Guardians, this spring isn't just about playing golf; it’s about executing a championship vision and bringing the PIL banner back to Wells.
- Mick Mulligan, Head Coach
Women’s Golf Team Visits Wildhorse Golf Course
The Wells golf team embarked on a team-building trip east to the Umatilla Indian Reservation, home to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). The weekend blended high-level sport, culture, and connection.
The team was hosted at Wildhorse Resort in Pendleton, home to the Wildhorse Golf Course, a championship course that hosts a LPGA tournament each summer. Players sharpened their skills during a short game clinic before taking on the course for a full round, experiencing firsthand the challenges of a professional-caliber layout.
The team visited Tamastslikt Cultural Institute to learn about the history and living traditions of the Tribes. They learned about treaty rights, cultural resilience, and initiatives to restore salmon populations and preserve “First Foods,” such as fish, roots, and berries that connect Umatilla Tribe members to their land.
It wasn’t all golf and learning. A trip to Quaking Aspen Bowling was a blast. High fives as the team rolled strikes all night long!
- Phil Donovan, Asst. Coach
The 2026 men's lacrosse team is looking to build off of a very strong end to last season, where we lost in overtime of the Cascade Cup semifinals. Our challenge coming into this season was having enough players to fill out our rosters. We thought we were going to be forced to drop our JV team and have one big varsity team. However our players stepped up and recruited their friends and teammates in other sports, resulting in a 16-player freshman class and giving us enough players for a JV team! Lacrosse is a hard sport to learn, but it has been great to see all of these new, young players pick it up and get better each week. Freshman Ashton Kuhns and Christian Anderson are just two examples of brand new players who have picked the sport up fast and are already major contributors to the JV team. JV has already played one game and brought fantastic energy start to finish. We look forward to seeing this team continue to grow and gel as a team as the season goes on.
On the varsity team, we have to replace a large and productive senior class from the year before. While we don't have quite the same sized depth chart as last year, our returning varsity players have stepped up both in their play and leadership. Seniors Paxton Foster-Kramer, Reece Earys and Henry Elkin are joined by junior Toby Carrick as our four team captains and have done a great job of filling their leadership roles. Players such as seniors Ivan Tapia and Sam Munks, junior Jarvis Eck and sophomore Alex Smith have stepped up into first time varsity roles. Juniors Kannon Walter, Tanner Naslund and Fletcher Hamman are now all varsity veterans, and they're playing like it. We even have a couple freshman in Ryker Bandstra and Ziggy Jordan who have been very impressive in their ability to contribute so early to the varsity team. This is a fun team to be around and when we play to our standards, a very fun team to watch. I encourage everyone to come out and support the team at any of our home games, particularly at a couple of our Columbia League rivalries: 4/30 vs Lincoln, 5/7 vs Central Catholic and 5/9 vs Hood River (Saturday). Go Guardians!
- Kyle Hincks, Head Coach
The Ida B. Wells Varsity Softball team is off to an exciting and promising start as we head into league play as the top PIL-ranked school in the state. With our largest roster yet, this group is already demonstrating the depth, talent, and resilience needed for a highly competitive season.
While our preseason record stands at 2–4, those results don’t tell the full story. The team has already scored an impressive 57 runs—well on pace to surpass our goal of 100—and all 16 players have crossed the plate. For comparison, we only scored 95 last season. Our losses have come against some of the strongest programs in the state, including #3 Lake Oswego. In that matchup, we battled through all seven innings in a 9–0 game—one of only two times this season Lake Oswego did not mercy-rule its opponent. The other was against defending 6A state champion Sherwood. These games reflect the level at which this team can compete.
This team is led by captains Sam Stevens and Zoe Wise, whose leadership and high standards are setting the tone. Sam is stepping into a new role as our closer in the circle and continues to grow into it. We are looking forward to her setting a high bar for a strikeout record. Zoe leads the team in RBIs and anchors our offense at 3B. Her IQ is unparallel and the team has a lot to learn from her.
We are seeing impactful contributions across every class. Senior Lillian Chang is playing with confidence and consistency, providing a steady presence both offensively and defensively. Junior Hayden Miramontes has been outstanding in the outfield and at the plate, making key plays and helping elevate the younger players around her. Junior Liv Firestone has been a force at shortstop, bringing intensity and competitiveness every time she takes the field. After transitioning from baseball last season, she’s already made her mark, including her first triple this preseason—with more to come. Junior Sophia Palladino continues to be one of the team’s most versatile players, stepping into any role needed and bringing an energy that makes softball fun.
Our sophomore class is making the strongest impact. Jillian Warberg has been fierce behind the plate and is on track to be one of the top catchers in the PIL this season. Ava McMahon is creating pressure on the bases and is poised to challenge program records in bunting and stolen bases. Riley Grace has stepped up admirably at first base, providing consistency on the field and helping anchor team culture in high-pressure moments. New additions this season, including Zara Eshelman, Kaili Dayag, Kieran Kelleher, and Sydney Carson, are embracing the challenge of varsity-level play and continuing to develop — and surprise us with their skill set— each day.
Our underclassmen are also making an immediate impact. Outfielder Tia Ramos brings unmatched energy and positivity, setting the tone for the team’s dugout presence. Lefty pitcher Ella Greenman has already tallied 14 strikeouts in her first few weeks, while Chloe Johnson leads the team with a slugging percentage over 1.000—something we haven’t seen since our last PIL Player of the Year.
Beyond their performance on the field, this team has shown exceptional commitment off the field. They have dedicated significant time to fundraising for a new batting cage as part of our program’s modernization, while also investing in team culture through Media Day, bonding events, and team dinners. Their energy is contagious—wherever Ida B. Wells plays, the dugout is alive, connected, and supportive. No one can compete with an Ida B. dug out party.
This is a young, driven, and united team with tremendous potential. As we enter league play, we are confident that their hard work, resilience, and team-first mindset will carry them into the playoffs—and position them to make a strong run at a championship-- or at least make the other teams shake in their cleats.
JV Softball is navigating some early-season growing pains due to coaching transitions, roster movement to varsity, and an influx of new players. While results have been inconsistent so far, the group remains positive and motivated. With time and experience, they will find their rhythm and continue to improve. Their determination will pay off--they're a team to watch! Go Guardians!
- Krissy Govertsen, Head Coach
For the 2026 Season, the Ida B. Wells men’s tennis team glides into the new season led by captains and seniors Hugh DeBose, Gabe Horwitz, and Ben Kaye. Also being led by new head coach Frankie Moua with his coaching staff of Jeff Kaye and Bryan Blake. This year, we are hopeful in curating a new team culture and also continuing to be a competitive tennis team inside and out of the PIL.
The team started the season with four matches starting off with a record of 2-2, with two wins against Corvallis High School and Forest Grove High School. The Wells team is hopeful and locked in on trying to get wins over tougher teams this year, such as Lincoln and Grant High school, who also boast very strong teams.
The Wells Men's Tennis Program is led through the mindset of learning through mistakes. We foster an environment that promotes growth through competition and coaching. The concepts taught in tennis can be applicable to everyday life if you stop to think about it. Tennis teaches you that there will be mistakes made, a lot of mistakes, but it is the time and effort put in that then shows you the fruits of your labor. The men’s team aims to improve 1% everyday, with the intention of wanting to improve and compete. At the end of the day we are a competitive team and would hope that anyone wanting to join the team would also follow suit with the same goals and aspirations.
With that being said, we hope to have a solid showing this year and will continue chasing our team goals that were set at the beginning of the season. GO WELLS!
- Frankie Moua, Head Coach
The Ida B. Wells women’s tennis program is headed into spring with a more experienced team than we have ever seen before due to our extended practice opportunities over the past year.
Our Varsity team includes many returning players to watch. Senior Samantha Roark will build on her strong season from last year and look to solidify the singles lineup this year alongside junior Isa Lados and transfer Maya Wasman.
Our doubles lines will consist of experienced returning partnerships with junior Kora Johnston and senior Zoe Divens leading the way. We are excited to see how the progress of junior Yael Horowitz and senior Dalya Lyons will translate as we begin the competitive season.
We opened the season with a win on the road at Corvallis on Wednesday March 18th.
The PIL district matches will begin on Friday April 10th when we travel to take on Benson and our annual match ups with Lincoln (at home on Tuesday April 21st and at Grant Monday April 27th) will be matches to circle on the calendar. Our top 12 varsity players will compete at the PIL district tournament on Wednesday May 13th and Friday May 15th at Portland Tennis Center.
The varsity and JV teams are led by the 2nd year returning coaching staff of Dyllan Fitzgerald and Lupine Swanson and our newest coach addition, Devrie Brennan who will be developing players at the JV2 level.
- Dyllan Fitzgerald, Head Coach
We are very excited for the season. We have over 100 new athletes out this season and over 230 athletes out for the team. We are a young team with some very solid returners. We had a number of very high level graduates but we return numerous State competitors. We look forward to challenging for the district titles on both the men's and women's side at both the Varsity and JV levels. Tyler Marshall, Tilda Hathaway, Eloise Blaine, Sammy Moylan and Addie Prather are all returning State meet competitors from last year. We also have a large number of younger athletes ready to step up this season as well. We have home meets at Ida B Wells on April 22 and May 6. Come out and support our team!
- Thor Esbensen, Head Coach
Get ready—this is an event you won’t want to miss!
The 9th Annual Playmakers Summit is happening on April 18th at Oregon Episcopal School, and spots are filling quickly. If you’re involved in girls’ and women’s sports in any way, this day is for YOU.
This FREE event brings together athletes, coaches, and leaders for a powerful day of inspiration, leadership, and connection. Even better—lunch is provided, so all you need to do is show up ready to learn and be energized! Link to Register. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdt3HoAp_0obZhbmn4HpHMNLA8hdZrKSReEh4si_6qhB9H3eQ/viewform
Here’s what makes this event so special:
- Dedicated Athlete Programming designed to empower and inspire female athletes
- A simultaneous Coaches Clinic specifically for those who coach female athletes
- Opportunities to connect, grow, and be part of a strong, supportive community
Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or supporter of girls’ and women’s sports, you are invited to be part of this incredible experience. Don’t wait—registration is required, and space is limited!
Get Your IBW Sports Button! Show your school spirit by purchasing a IBW sports button for just $5-- add up the amount of buttons needed and pay that x5 ! Once your button is ready, we’ll deliver it directly to your student to bring home or you can email ecaldwell@pps.net if you prefer to pick it up from our school. Purchase on SchoolPay today
https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Photo-Buttons-w-IBW-Athlete-Photo/SeywSvE
