By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

Every season in student athletics, players graduate and the next season sees new players join the team in their place. Next year’s crop of first-year students features some players who could make impacts on their teams sooner rather than later.
Taisha Thomas is a center transferring to the women’s basketball team from Peninsula College. She was named to her conference’s all-defensive team, averaging 8.8 PPG and 6.8 RPG last season. Jessie Brown is another center, coming from Castle Rock, Colorado where was a three-year letterwinner in basketball.

Olivia Denton is a guard from Auburn, Washington, bringing three point skills with a 9.8 PPG average last year.

Joining the baseball team is Zach Griffin, a right handed pitcher from Phoenix, Arizona.

Two local catcher recruits are coming in, looking to help replace senior catcher Boog Leach; Anthony Zellner is a left handed batter from West Salem High School and James Anderson was named to the all-state team playing for Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis and is a utility player who also plays first base.

The football team will be reinforcing its numbers with a large incoming class, as 31 student athletes declared their intention to become Wolves.

Tyler Sweet, younger brother of first-year dual-sport standout Torreahno Sweet, will be playing wide receiver. He recorded 26 receptions for 366 yards and a touchdown as a senior in Upland, California.

Jash Allen is a running back recruit from Tigard High School. He ran for 1,501 yards and 28 touchdowns in his career, notching 7.6 yards per rush attempt for the Tigers. His breakaway speed helped him pick up many big runs last year, including a 74-yard touchdown against Tualatin.

On defense, Jonah Land will be coming to the defensive line from Waldport High School. Over his career for the Irish he made a total of 244 tackles, including 97 solo and forced four fumbles.

Joining the sturdy linebacker core is Kyle Otis from Toledo. Otis recorded 239 total tackles in his career and was named the all-league defensive MVP.

Ryan Worthley is one of the quarterback recruits, and played ball with Jash Allen at Tigard. Worthley threw for 2,137 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior to become MaxPreps’s fourth-ranked quarterback in the state. He has a calm presence in the pocket, and threw a 47-yard touchdown pass while he was getting hit against Newberg.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu