Turning the page each year into the spring, Wilsonville’s boys lacrosse team featured some of the most exciting young stars in Oregon. A refreshed roster and a brand-new coaching staff are looking to propel this squad to the next level.
After what some would call a disappointing season, the 2024 campaign saw the Wildcats come just beneath the threshold for the OHSLA championship bracket. On a more positive note, this meant that Wilsonville would hold the one seed in the Cascade Cup, the tournament they would end up winning.
A three-game stretch of high-volume scoring that included a shutout 7-0 game against Roseburg would send the Wildcats to West Linn High School to face off against Ridgeview in the championship for the Cascade Cup. Winning in fashion, Wilsonville would take home the trophy in an 11-4 win over the Ravens. A pleasant send-off for seniors Eli Nelson and Gavin Waddell, both key assets on last year’s championship roster.
Big shoes need filling after Nelson and Waddell start their collegiate future at their respective institutions. In place of them, two juniors, Michael Hanson and Biz Nieuwsraten. Both have spent their whole amateur careers on varsity, with most of their impact felt in last year’s sporadic success.
On the other side of Nieuwstraten, is Hanson. An underutilized talent last year, Hanson is looking to make a strong statement in his first year starting on Attack. A successful sophomore season highlighted by 21 goals put Hanson in the front running to be the next great scorer out of the program with Nelson’s absence.
Along with Hanson’s natural scoring ability, he showed out on the playmaking side of the game, tacking on 9 assists to his totals and proving his ability to be a well-rounded, reliable asset this season. “Those boy s can’t guard me.” Stated Hanson, clearly in a confident mindset for this upcoming season.
Along with the two new faces at attack, the team saw a change in leadership this offseason after Neal Bateman’s resignation. In place of Bateman, former Oregon State head coach Chris Miller stepped up to steer this program in the right direction. Starting his coaching journey at South Salem, Miller quickly worked through the program, eventually landing a job offer to be the defensive coordinator.
Offensively, coach Miller has infused a 1-4-1 formation, differing from last year’s 2-2-2 to prioritize a more team-focused offensive scheme. Defensively, the team still has a lot of work to do, as Miller’s schemes remain a mystery; we’ll have to wait for their first stretch of games to see Miller’s true defensive plan going forward.
One week separates us from the 2025 season debut against Sprague. A win would launch confidence even farther later in the season and put the team in a prime position to make the championship bracket and break the lasting drought.