Hard Work Pays Off for the Student-Athletes Recognized in the Oregon Sports Awards Fall Season
Top high school athletes recognized for giving their all
The Oregon Sports Awards celebrates the very best in Oregon high school sports. This fall, we saw high school athletes who were hard outside hitters, broke a 5,000-meter record, offered a dynamic cross country (XC) one-two punch, were seasoned state champions, a state ranked scorer and a two-way threat on the turf.
The Oregon Sports Awards recognizes the top high school athletes from across the state each year. This year, in partnership with the sports journalists at The Oregonian/OregonLive and Oregonian Media Group and underwriters Pacific Seafood and Pacific Office Automation, Sport Oregon is honored to celebrate the top high school athletes selected for the 2023 fall season:
Oregon City's Paige Thies celebrates a point scored during the OSAA Class 6A volleyball state championship game against Jesuit on Nov. 4, 2023 at Forest Grove High School. Aaron Brewer for The Oregonian/OregonLive
PREP VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Volleyball: The very best in Oregon high school volleyball is outside hitter powerhouse, Paige Thies, from Oregon City High School.
Described by her coach Erica Frafjord as the hardest hitter she’s ever seen, the 6’2” junior is admired for her sense of joy and laughter amongst teammates and coaches.
So far, Thies has received first team all-Three Rivers League honors for the last two seasons, twice winning the league’s Player of the Year award. All eyes have been on Thies as she’s been heavily recruited, but has committed to the University of Arizona come 2025.
With one season left to play at Oregon City, Thies is determined to make it back to the 6A title game after falling to Jesuit this past season during a hard-fought battle.
“We’ll be strong again next year,” said Frafjord. “We’ve been growing this program, and Thies has been one of the reasons that we’ve put Oregon City on the map as far as a volleyball powerhouse.”
Crescent Valley's Emily Wisniewski hits the final stretch of the 2023 OSAA Class 5A girls cross country state championship race. Mark Ylen for The Oregonian/OregonLive
PREP GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR
Girls XC: The record-breaking Emily Wisniewski from Crescent Valley High School has been named girls cross-country runner of the year.
The junior polished off her sophomore season in June with a national record breaking 5,000 meter run of just 16 minutes, 10.2 seconds.
“I love racing. All the hard work when it pays off, I feel like nothing beats the feeling of achieving your goals,” said Wisniewski, who recently won the Nike Northwest regional near Boise, Idaho, and ran in the national race, Dec. 2 at Portland’s Glendoveer Golf Course.
Wisniewski is a student of her sport in every way, even taking the time to speak to a nutritionist to maintain a strong and healthy diet while training.
Wisniewski also takes responsibility in the weight room, where she focuses on hip mobility and core strengthening in addition to plyometrics — jump training using speed and force to build muscles.
“Doing well or achieving something I’ve been looking forward to kind of helps me realize how much better I can do and keep improving,” she said.
Crater's Tayvon Kitchen, right, and Josiah Tostenson compete in the OSAA Class 5A boys cross country state championship race at Lane Community College on Nov. 4, 2023. Mark Ylen for The Oregonian/OregonLive
PREP BOYS CROSS COUNTRY CO-RUNNERS OF THE YEAR
Boys XC: Dynamic duo Josiah Tostenson and Tayvon Kitchen from Crater High School are this year's boys cross country co-runners of the year.
Close friends since middle school, the two have become even closer while competing with one another in cross country, making them a deadly one-two punch for all other competitors.
At the Crater Twilight Invitational, Tostenson finished first in 14 minutes, 38.31 seconds. That time stood as the best by a boy's runner in the state all season. Kitchen was second in 14 minutes, 41.32 seconds.
Crater High School has been a powerhouse for cross country in recent years, with multiple runners finishing in top spots throughout big races.
With the recent graduation of Crater High superstar runner and team leader Tyrone Gorze (now a freshman at University of Washington), Tostenson and Kitchen were inspired to step up and take on roles of leadership for their team at Crater.
“We’re trying to be a good example and work hard,” Kitchen said. With both Tostenson and Kitchen in the top dozen 5k runners in the state, the legacy of Crater is in good hands.
Lakeridge's Rafe Loyo (10) celebrates with his team after winning the OSAA Class 6A boys soccer state championship on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023 at Sherwood High School. Tim Healy for The Oregonian/OregonLive
PREP BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Boys Soccer: Senior captain Rafa Loyo of Lakeridge High School has been named boys soccer player of the year.
This past season Loyo led his team to the 6A state championship, beating Jesuit in a 3-2 victory.
Growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, and moving to Oregon at the age of nine, Loyo’s love of soccer runs deep with competitive 11-11 play starting at just six years old. Loyo has felt the pressure of even the smallest games since his youth and now at age 17, this passion allows him to play with an edge that pushes him past his opponents.
“You can tell when players have it,” said coach Alan Cox. “You can tell when players are gonna have more than what they already do. And he was one where the first time we trained, it was non-negotiable for me. I was gonna put him on the varsity team, because I knew eventually this was going to be his team to run.”
Loyo spoke no English upon his arrival in Oregon, but was always able to communicate through his soccer abilities. These days, Loyo is one of the loudest and most confident voices on the pitch.
Loyo may play collegiately, or return to Mexico to continue his career, he said, but he remains unsure on his immediate future, and will look to seek the future that best fit his goals on and off the pitch.
He leaves behind a senior season that Lakeridge will not soon forget, playing alongside his teammates as state champions.
Jesuit's Abby Cox, left, drives with the ball during a game against Lake Oswego on Sept. 11, 2023. Ali Gradischer, The Oregonian/OregonLive
PREP GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Girls Soccer: This year's girls soccer player of the year is the fierce Abby Cox from Jesuit High School.
The Jesuit team is no stranger to big games over the years. In the four years that Cox has played, the Crusaders have gone 53-2-1, winning four Metro League titles, the 2022 Class 6A state championship and finding themselves in the national rankings.
Cox is also decorated as an individual player in her time on the pitch, she had been selected first team all-league in 2021, 2022 and 2023, as well as the co-Player of the Year for the Metro League in 2023.
Through her years with her team, she has truly become a leader.
“I felt way more responsibility on my shoulders,” she said. “Just knowing that I’m more responsible for the team and what we do and how we’re perceived by everyone around us. I definitely felt a little bit more there. Also, I took it as a great challenge and honor to be captain of this team. I learned a lot and hopefully I was a great leader to this team.”
Cox will lace up her cleats as a TCU Horned Frog this upcoming year, joining a competitive club that is happy to have her fierce skillset.
Tualatin's Jayden Fortier (8) runs with the ball during the game between Tualatin and Wilsonville on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 at Tualatin High School. Blake Benard for The Oregonian/OregonLive
PREP FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Football: Tualatin High School tight end Jayden Fortier has been named football player of the year.
Forced to leave the 6A title game vs. Central Catholic with a knee injury that we now know is a torn ACL, Fortier’s still not quite over the way his season ended.
“I think someday soon,” Fortier said, “I’ll look back and really think about everything that our team has accomplished.”
In 2022, the Timberwolves hired coach Dominic Ferraro and proceeded to compete in two back-to-back state semifinals.
At 6’5”, Fortier rendered himself more of an offensive talent with his pass catching ability.
“I remember my linebacker’s coach saying, ‘God, if we can just get him out there, he’ll be dominant,’” said Ferraro, “and so we kind of pushed him out onto the field. I think it was in the second quarter, McNary (High School) tried to run to his side two times in a row and he blew it up both times.”
Embracing his ability as a two-way player has made Fortier’s skillset sharp on both offense and defense.
In addition to his work as an offensive player this season — 108 total touches for 1,411 all-purpose yards and 24 total touchdowns — Fortier was named Three Rivers League Defensive Player of the Year and unanimously selected as first-team wide receiver, earning the same distinction as outside linebacker.
Fortier will continue to play tight end in college at Arizona State, but his ability as an adaptable player will leave him quite the legacy as a Timberwolf.
“He understands all of the positions in our offense,” Ferraro said. “That’s something that for him, as he continues his career, will serve him well.”
Sport Oregon and the Oregonian Media Group are proud to celebrate the season’s top high school athletes for the 2023-24 Oregon Sports Awards, presented by Pacific Seafood and Pacific Office Automation.
ABOUT THE OREGON SPORTS AWARDS
In 1948, the Oregon Sports Writers and Sportscasters’ Association hosted the first-ever Bill Hayward Banquet of Champions. The event began as a sit-down affair, honoring past and present Oregon sports greats.
Later, in 1986, the event was rebranded and renamed the Oregonian Banquet of Champions. In 2001, the event became the Oregon Sports Awards, presented by Nike.
In 2021-22, the Oregon Sports Awards began following a seasonal schedule with fall, winter, and spring awards given after each season, finishing in an end-of-year Celebration of Champions, recognizing every winner in every sport and overall Athlete of the Year Awards. This shift allowed the Oregon Sports Awards to shine the spotlight on the student-athletes when their season has recently completed while celebrating all winners equally including collegiate, professional and team awards.
Past award winners have included the likes of Terry Baker, Dick Fosbury, Steve Prefontaine, Joni Huntley, Neil Lomax, Danny Ainge, Dan O’Brien, Gary Payton, Tiffeny Milbrett, Joey Harrington, Nick Symmonds, Jordan Kent, Kevin Love, Liz Brenner, Megan Rapinoe, Ashton Eaton and Marcus Mariota.
ABOUT PACIFIC SEAFOOD
Founded in 1941, Pacific Seafood remains a family-owned and operated company dedicated to providing the healthiest protein on the planet. Pacific Seafood manages all parts of the supply chain from harvesting/fishing, processing, and distribution to provide customers with freshest, highest-quality, sustainable products. Pacific Seafood is headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon. Find products at your local grocery retailer or order direct from our dock to your doorstep at PacificSeafood.com/Shop.
ABOUT PACIFIC OFFICE AUTOMATION
Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Pacific Office Automation is the largest independent office technology provider in the nation. Since 1976, We’ve built our business on lasting strategic partnerships. We team up with our clients to review, evaluate and make recommendations to their unique situation. POA boasts a 47-year growth streak in the face of financial recession and global pandemic, which we credit primarily to the hard work and dedication of our talented team, the reinvestment of our growth into the development of new personnel, and the continued support we receive from our manufacturer partners and the state-of-the-art technology they provide. Our motto is Problem Solved. we believe the best solution to a problem is a proactive approach to preventing them.
ABOUT SPORT OREGON
Sport Oregon understands that the impact of sports is undeniable. It's economic. It's social. It's emotional. A dedicated, thriving sports tourism environment is crucial to the wellbeing of our state. Sport Oregon has an unapologetic love for Oregon, and wants to share it with the world. The natural scenery is our playground, and the vibrant hospitality community is eager and ready to host you, your events, your teams, your fans and your families.