Steve Gress

Albany

Deputy Editor at Albany Democrat-Herald

Deputy Editor at Corvallis Gazette-Times

Deputy editor for the Corvallis Gazette-Times and Albany Democrat-Herald. Former sports editor of those papers. Opinions are my own.

Articles

Commentary: NIL, transfer portal chaos has gone too far

4 weeks ago | gazettetimes.com | Steve Gress

Thank you Josh Huepel and the Tennessee football program. Huepel made it perfectly clear Saturday that “no one is bigger than” the program. His rare statement was in reference to now former starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who was “holding out” for a bigger contract … err … "NIL deal" from the university. According to ESPN, Iamaleava wanted a deal somewhere in the $4 million range (per year) after agreeing to a deal worth $8 million to join the Volunteers while still in high school.
Commentary: NIL, transfer portal chaos has gone too far

4 weeks ago | democratherald.com | Steve Gress

Thank you Josh Huepel and the Tennessee football program. Huepel made it perfectly clear Saturday that “no one is bigger than” the program. His rare statement was in reference to now former starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who was “holding out” for a bigger contract … err … "NIL deal" from the university. According to ESPN, Iamaleava wanted a deal somewhere in the $4 million range (per year) after agreeing to a deal worth $8 million to join the Volunteers while still in high school.
Commentary: Two regional sites better than four in the women's tournament

1 month ago | gazettetimes.com | Steve Gress

When UConn senior Paige Bueckers walked off the court for the last time Sunday afternoon and embraced coach Geno Auriemma, it was hard to hold back the tears — not just for coach and player but for yours truly. I’m sure I wasn’t alone. It was a moment and emotion that was 100% genuine, and why sports are so powerful. For Bueckers it was a storybook ending to an amazing career, one filled with so many highs and lows that any other outcome would have likely left most UConn fans distraught.
South Albany girls develop depth and confidence as they make run to 5A quarterfinals

2 months ago | democratherald.com | Steve Gress

Marc Cordle understands the value of being a dual sport athlete. His daughter, Kaylee, is one. So while the third-year South Albany girls basketball coach would have loved to have had all his players available for every game, he made sure to allow some to split time, if you will, with another sport. He had that kind of trust in all of his players, and the players in their coach, to allow that to happen without a fear of having it impact the RedHawks’ performance on the court.
West Albany girls overcome youth, adversity to make run to the 5A state quarterfinals

2 months ago | democratherald.com | Steve Gress

Coming off an 11-13 season and a sixth-place finish in the Mid-Willamette Conference, not many people expected a lot out of the West Albany girls basketball team this season. What had people excited, however, was the addition of transfers Payton Starwalt and Karlee Martirano, both sophomores. Even with that young talent, it was going to take some time to build the chemistry and trust needed for any team to make a run into the postseason.
West Albany, Crescent Valley and South Albany boys baksetball set for postseason action

2 months ago | democratherald.com | Steve Gress

For the second straight season, the West Albany boys basketball team is the No. 5 seed in the 5A state playoffs. The Bulldogs went on to finish in fourth place last season after falling to Mid-Willamette Conference rival Woodburn in the quarterfinals. Woodburn, also the Bulldogs, is back as well as the No. 8 seed after sharing the MWC title with West after West was forced to forfeit a win over Woodburn late in the season.
Six Mid-Willamette Conference teams make 5A girls basketball postseason

2 months ago | democratherald.com | Steve Gress

There’s little doubt that the Mid-Willamette Conference is the premier league in 5A girls basketball this season. When the regular season came to an end Tuesday night, all four teams that automatically qualified for the postseason were ranked in the top eight of the Oregon School Activities Association’s power rankings. Two more were in the top 14 and both earned the only two at-large berths to the 16-team playoff that begins Friday at the homes of the higher-seeded teams.
Plenty of key games as the Mid-Willamette Conference basketball seasons head into the second half

Feb 4, 2025 | democratherald.com | Steve Gress

While there is plenty left to be decided as the Mid-Willamette Conference boys and girls basketball schedules hit the midway point, three teams in each race appear to have the leg up on the competition in the battle to take home the regular-season titles. The top four teams from the MWC will join 10 other teams from across the other three leagues to automatically advance to the 5A state playoffs.
Oregon State men head to the beaches of Hawaii looking to keep momentum going

Dec 21, 2024 | gazettetimes.com | Steve Gress

For the fourth time in Wayne Tinkle’s 11 seasons at the helm of the Oregon State’s men’s basketball program, the Beavers have won eight of their first 10 games. And they have done it in mostly dominating fashion, winning all eight games by double figures and seven of them by at least 21 points. The two losses have each come by three points, 78-75 at home to Oregon, currently ranked No. 10, and 58-55 at North Texas.
Commentary: Is it now or never for Ducks to win first national title?

Dec 10, 2024 | democratherald.com | Steve Gress

For the better part of the last two decades, the Oregon football program has acted like it was in the conversation as one of the elites in the sport. The Ducks twice played for a national title, falling to Auburn in the 2011 (2010 season) Bowl Championship Series title game thanks in part to a fluky play — Michael Dyer was somehow not down and set the Tigers up for the game-winning field goal on the final play.