Elias Esquivel

Some personal news:

I was part of company layoffs yesterday and am no longer the sports reporter for The Newberg Graphic, Molalla Pioneer, Canby Herald and Woodburn Independent. I don’t usually post on this page, but am trying to share this update anywhere where my former audience might see it.

It was an absolute pleasure to cover the young athletes of these communities. It was the best first job out of college I could’ve asked for.

I don’t believe my former employer will be replacing/rehiring my position, so I’m not entirely sure what the outlook for sports coverage in those areas will be. I wish I had better news to share.

Thank you so much if you ever read or shared my work. It means more than I could possibly put into words. I’ll always remember my time covering high sports in the Mid-Willamette Valley fondly.

It was a rough outing for Woodburn football in 2023.

The Bulldogs finished at the bottom of the standings in a grueling Mid-Willamette Conference, which featured six of the top-15 teams in the state rankings. In its first year back in Class 5A, it seemed like everything that could have gone wrong for Woodburn did.

Thrust into arguably the toughest conference in the classification, injuries plagued the season, resulting in freshmen starting on the offensive line and a forfeit in one of the final four games of the year.

There was a lot of losing. But those losses won’t be in vain. The scars from last season aren’t a reminder of a woeful campaign, but evidence of a resilience and grit that will carry Woodburn forward this year.

“The game is a lot more fun when you win games,” head coach Robert Kassebaum said. “The players responded and learned through that experience. … Once we faced that last year, I don’t think they feel like we’re going to face anything more tough.”

More at the link. Woodburn Sports

woodburnindependent.com/sports/woodburn-football-ready-to-orchestrate-bounce-back-season-in-2024/article_12080d6e-6177-11ef-bf97-5bfa1ec5f00e.html

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