Staff report
Columbia Gorge News
HOOD RIVER — The Hood River Valley (HRV) girls lacrosse team clinched the No. 5 seed and a home game in the 2026 state playoffs with a 14-13 win in its final match of the regular season May 8 against Oregon Episcopal School (OES).
The Eagles won at OES to complete the final week of the regular season — a week that started with a 17-4 loss to second-ranked Grant of Portland on May 4.
HRV will host a first-round game May 12 at 6 p.m. at Henderson Stadium against Central Catholic, a team the Eagles beat 17-5 on May 1. The winner of the first-round game will play at fourth-ranked OES (10-5) on May 14 in the quarterfinals.
Tennis
Likewise, HRV’s 5A girls and boys tennis teams have both enjoyed tremendous success this season and they’re hoping that their momentum will continue in the Northwest Oregon Conference district tourney.
The tourney concludes with semifinals and finals May 13 at Parkrose High School in Portland.
The Eagle girls squad, guided by eighth-year Coach Peg Bogard, is undefeated with a 15-0 match record. The Eagles were focusing on keeping their perfect record intact when they competed in singles and doubles matches at the three-day district event, which started May 11.
“We’ll go into the district meet with strong strategic skill and most of our players have three to four years of varsity experience,” said Bogard. “The depth of their experience has contributed greatly to their success this year, as well as their maturity and patience during competitive matches.”
The 12-member squad and players from the other eight NWOC schools are vying for berths in the OSAA 5A state tourney. The top-four singles players and the top-four doubles teams qualify for state May 22-23 at West Hills Racquet and Fitness Club and Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Beaverton.
“This year’s group is one of the best that we’ve had in recent years,” said Bogard. “Honestly, our undefeated record indicates that the team is very good this year. Our goal is to have all six girls qualify for state of course and they all have a very good chance of doing that, too.”
The Eagles’ singles squad is led by No. 1-seeded freshman Kaylen Mitchell (9-0 record) and fifth-seeded junior Zoe Aiken (11-3 record). The No. 3-seeded doubles team of senior Grace Kerr and junior Ava Giordano (11-2 record) is the Eagles’ top duo, followed by the fifth-seeded duo of seniors Anna Dalbey and Charlotte Fuller (12-2 record). If the six players qualify for state as expected, it will mark their first appearance ever at the season-ending postseason event.
The 12-member Eagle boys squad had a solid regular season with a 13-4 record, and they took third place in the nine-team NWOC standings. The boys squad, guided by longtime (20 years) Coach Jon Hiatt is led by Carson Abel, and Kane and Kash Wagner. The trio is expected to qualify for the state tourney. Abel is the fourth-seeded singles player in his bracket. Kane and Kash Wagner are the third-seeded team in the doubles bracket.
“We definitely had a good regular season, and we had a real solid effort by the boys in winning lots of close matches, so that was pretty exciting,” said Hiatt. “Carson, Kane and Kash have beaten a majority of the top players in our league. Our goal is for the three of them to qualify for the state tourney on Wednesday.”
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