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Stories by Joshua Hart

Columbian sports reporter

Union’s Jade Gruher putts from the fringe on the 17th hole in the 4A/3A district girls golf championships on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at Lewis River Golf Course in Woodland. Union sophomore Jade Gruher won the 4A title with a 76-77-185 total over two days. Kelso senior Liz Dolan scored a 74-80-186 to win the 3A title.

Union’s Gruher claims overall girls golf district title

Union’s Jade Gruher putts from the fringe on the 17th hole in the 4A/3A district girls golf championships on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at Lewis River Golf Course in Woodland. Union sophomore Jade Gruher won the 4A title with a 76-77-185 total over two days. Kelso senior Liz Dolan scored a 74-80-186 to win the 3A title.

May 27, 2021, 7:43pm Prep Sports

Union sophomore Jade Gruher struggled to find words to describe what Thursday’s district golf title meant after she put the final touches on a second-round 77 at Lewis River Golf Course. Read story

Hudson&#039;s Bay High School football coach Mark Oliverio at a gym workout for athletes at the school in Vancouver, Wa., Wednesday July 22, 2015.

Battle Ground picks Mark Oliverio as head football coach

Hudson&#039;s Bay High School football coach Mark Oliverio at a gym workout for athletes at the school in Vancouver, Wa., Wednesday July 22, 2015.

May 21, 2021, 3:48pm Prep Sports

Mark Oliverio has returned home. The 52-year-old Oliverio, who headed Hudson’s Bay in 2015 and 2016, was recently named Battle Ground’s head football coach. The school board is expected to approve his hire on Monday. In 2017, a promotion at Oliverio’s job… Read story

Washington Officials Association referee Lee Lofton calls two points for a takedown on Wednesday at Hudson's Bay High School. The dual meet between Woodland, Ridgefield and Hudson's Bay was believed by coaches to be among the first outdoor dual meets held in state history.

High school wrestling programs do anything and everything to have a season

Washington Officials Association referee Lee Lofton calls two points for a takedown on Wednesday at Hudson's Bay High School. The dual meet between Woodland, Ridgefield and Hudson's Bay was believed by coaches to be among the first outdoor dual meets held in state history.

May 14, 2021, 6:01am Newsletter

Local high school wrestlers returned to the mats for the first time in more than a year this week. It was anything but normal. Read story

Washougal's Savea Mansfield (3) dribbles down the court while being defended by Hudson's Bay's Paytin Ballard (21) during the third quarter of a girl's high school basketball game at Hudson's Bay High School on Wednesday.

Washougal girls aim to still rule 2A GSHL in basketball

Washougal's Savea Mansfield (3) dribbles down the court while being defended by Hudson's Bay's Paytin Ballard (21) during the third quarter of a girl's high school basketball game at Hudson's Bay High School on Wednesday.

May 12, 2021, 10:44pm Prep Sports

The Washougal girls basketball team has won five consecutive 2A Greater St. Helens League championships. Hudson’s Bay is fresh off a state appearance — at the 3A ranks. Read story

Columbia River'is Greer Snellman battles for a ball with an Aberdeen defender in a 2A Southwest District boys soccer semifinal on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at Columbia River High School. The Rapids topped Aberdeen 2-0 to advance to Saturday'is championship game against Tumwater.

Columbia River boys soccer advances to 2A district title game

Columbia River'is Greer Snellman battles for a ball with an Aberdeen defender in a 2A Southwest District boys soccer semifinal on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at Columbia River High School. The Rapids topped Aberdeen 2-0 to advance to Saturday'is championship game against Tumwater.

May 6, 2021, 11:11pm Prep Sports

A lot has changed for senior Greer Snellman since the last time Columbia River boys’ soccer team was making its traditional postseason run. Read story

Woodland senior Lucy George clears a hurdle in the 100-meter hurdles at a 2A Greater St. Helens League track meet on  April 15 at Woodland High School. George, a Grand Canyon University track and field commit, hasn't lost an event this season - she has competed in the long jump, high jump, hurdles, javelin and shot put - and has a Division I collegiate spot locked up. But while others see athletic success, George struggles to find confidence in herself. She still battles with body image issues and grapples daily with overcoming an eating disorder that stemmed from a past coach telling her she needed to lose weight.

Woodland High track star battled ‘dark days’ with eating disorder

Woodland senior Lucy George clears a hurdle in the 100-meter hurdles at a 2A Greater St. Helens League track meet on  April 15 at Woodland High School. George, a Grand Canyon University track and field commit, hasn't lost an event this season - she has competed in the long jump, high jump, hurdles, javelin and shot put - and has a Division I collegiate spot locked up. But while others see athletic success, George struggles to find confidence in herself. She still battles with body image issues and grapples daily with overcoming an eating disorder that stemmed from a past coach telling her she needed to lose weight.

May 6, 2021, 6:01am Clark County Health

Woodland High School senior Lucy George is undefeated in track and field this season. Read story

Columbia River volunteer coach Rick Sloan instructs freshman Logan DeJong, his eldest granddaughter, during a 2A Greater St. Helens League meet at Woodland High School. Sloan, 74, was a participant at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, placing seventh in the decathlon. He went on to have a 41-year coaching career at Washington State.

Track legend lending his expertise as volunteer coach at Columbia River

Columbia River volunteer coach Rick Sloan instructs freshman Logan DeJong, his eldest granddaughter, during a 2A Greater St. Helens League meet at Woodland High School. Sloan, 74, was a participant at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, placing seventh in the decathlon. He went on to have a 41-year coaching career at Washington State.

April 30, 2021, 6:05am Prep Sports

When scores of track and field athletes, coaches and fans converge at Ridgefield High School for Friday’s 2A sub-district meet, many won’t realize there’s a track and field legend walking among them. Read story

Battle Ground'is Kaden Perry (20) is surrounded by Camas defenders on Friday, April 23, 2021 (Ken Nowaczyk/For The Columbian)

Camas holds off Perry, Battle Ground, 78-77

Battle Ground'is Kaden Perry (20) is surrounded by Camas defenders on Friday, April 23, 2021 (Ken Nowaczyk/For The Columbian)

April 23, 2021, 10:45pm Prep Sports

Mitch Taylor watched the best basketball players of Southwest Washington compete in his 15 years as Battle Ground High School’s PA announcer. None were quite like Tigers senior Kaden Perry. Read story

La Center's Angel Merino (10) dribbles past Seton Catholic's Dennis Babiy (14) during a Trico League matchup last week. Merino, an exchange student from Madrid, Spain, is receiving a truly American experience through high school sports.

La Center exchange student Angel Merino making memories through sports

La Center's Angel Merino (10) dribbles past Seton Catholic's Dennis Babiy (14) during a Trico League matchup last week. Merino, an exchange student from Madrid, Spain, is receiving a truly American experience through high school sports.

April 17, 2021, 10:30pm Newsletter

La Center’s soccer team has given Angel Merino the American experience he craved when he journeyed from Spain last August as an exchange student. Read story

Skyview&#039;s Addie MacPherson is a standout basketball and softball player.

Simultaneous winter-spring seasons create a dual-sport dilemma

Skyview&#039;s Addie MacPherson is a standout basketball and softball player.

April 12, 2021, 8:05pm Newsletter

Skyview senior Addie MacPherson missed her sophomore basketball season with an ACL injury. Her junior softball season was canceled due to COVID-19. This year, MacPherson again met difficult news when the 4A/3A Greater St. Helens League announced earlier this year that seasons 2 and 3 would merge. Read story