Bits & Pieces-Mid July 2023
Ex-West Salem footballer Anthony Gould to rep OSU at Pac-12 Media Day, local MLB signing soon, and more…
It is the off-season for many sports locally, but there are still plenty of items of note as we present the mid-July edition of Bits & Pieces.
Gould a player rep for Oregon State at Pac-12 Football Media Day
Anthony Gould went from outstanding football player at West Salem High to a top performer for the Oregon State Beavers.
A first team Pac-12 kick returner last season, the returning redshirt junior was named to several All-America teams in the media. Due in part to that success, Gould has been named as one of the two returning OSU players to meet with the press during the Pac-12 Football Media Day on July 20th at Resorts World—Las Vegas. The whole day is scheduled to be shown on the Pac-12 network.
Gould—who was also a key receiver for Oregon State last fall, will be joined by defensive back Kitan Oladapo from Portland’s Central Catholic High in the chat with media members as part of OSU’s segment during the day-long event. Oladapo—a returning redshirt senior—was a two-time conference defensive player of the week, and received a long list of all-conference honors, including honorable mention from the Pac-12, and first team recognition from the Associated Press. The pair will follow Beavers coach Jonathan Smith, who begins his own interview at 11:40 am, Pacific Time next Friday.
The University of Oregon’s media session is later in the day, with Ducks coach Dan Lanning leading off with his interview at 1:35 pm (PT). Duck player representatives are transfer quarterback Bo Nix—in his second year in Eugene—and linebacker Jeffrey Bassa. Nix—who transferred to U of O from Auburn—was an honorable mention all-Pac 12 performer who accounted for 315 yards passing and running per game for the Ducks—12th best in that category nationally.
Bassa—a returning senior from Salt Lake City—was second on the Ducks defense in total tackles with 62, while adding a pair of sacks and two interceptions. He recorded multiple tackles in 12 of 13 games last year, including at least five tackles in nine total contests.
Former South Salem baseballer Ryan Brown ready to sign MLB contract
Ex-South Salem pitching star and Oregon State closer Ryan Brown (6-2, 215) still has two years of athletic eligibility left in Corvallis, but his high school coach says don’t look for him to return to OSU.
Max Price says he believes Brown could be finalizing a contract with the Oakland Athletics in the coming days or weeks. The A’s drafted Brown in the sixteenth round of this week’s Major League Baseball Amateur Draft—the 466th player selected.
Price says he is almost certain his former player will sign a contract because he graduated from Oregon State this spring, and is “ready to get paid instead of paying (to continue with classes at OSU).”
Brown was a redshirt sophomore for the Beaver team this year. He appeared in 25 games for coach Mitch Canham, recording 11 saves—tied for the best mark in the Pac-12. For the season he had a record of 4-2 with a 3.23 ERA, striking out 34, while walking just five. He recorded six saves in 15 Pac-12 games, and struck out 16 batters in 17 2/3 innings. He was named honorable mention all-conference.
Price says he anticipates that Brown will end up playing for the Athletics in the Arizona Rookie League once a contract is inked.
(Note: story slightly reworded to clarify there is no certainty surrounding Ryan Brown’s signing with Oakland).
Gilmore Field ready for Central Valley Conference Baseball next spring
South Salem’s young baseball team played very well this past season—defying the odds with a frosh and sophomore-laden team that won the Central Valley Conference baseball title before falling in the second round of the OSAA 6A Prep Baseball Playoffs. Added to the degree of difficulty was an act of vandalism that deprived the team members of their home field.
Vandals drove a pick-up truck across South’s Gilmore Field on Hoyt Street last December, tearing up the infield. The act was even tougher to swallow as heavy rains most of the winter and spring months made repairs difficult to complete.
But after spending thousands of dollars, and having months of game inactivity, Gilmore Field is going to be in excellent shape for the 2024 CVC baseball season.
“It looks great,” says Coach Max Price about the Saxons’ refurbished turf.
“We stayed off of it to let it fully root… and it will be pretty cool to return next spring for the 70th season of Saxon baseball!”
South’s summer baseball season concludes as of July 14th. The varsity team played an abbreviated home schedule early in the spring, then was allowed to use Willamette University’s John Lewis Field for the conference season and the playoffs.