Around 30 minutes’ drive from Gresham, the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge sits right off State Highway 14, just east of Washougal, Washington. With five miles of trails, this refuge offers a wonderful hiking experience. I recently spent around three hours to see most of what the area has to offer, namely the three distinct trails available to explore. If you arrive at the main entrance off Highway 14, you will start your journey on the Mountain View Trail, which wi

Team photo by Sara Martin The Saints entered the NWAC Softball Championship tournament as the No. 5 seed but things got off to a slow start. First, the defending champs were upset 7-3 by Lower Columbia, so were sent to the consolation bracket where another loss meant elimination. They played again on Thursday night, falling behind Spokane 2-0 early before they blasted to an 8-2 lead. But the Sasquatch fought back to force extras and it was 8-8 in the bottom of the 8th before

The highly anticipated 2023 National Basketball Association Draft Lottery took place on May 16, granting basketball fans a sneak peek into the upcoming NBA Draft in late June. NBA teams anxiously awaited learning their draft order, sparking excitement over which would secure the first overall pick and the opportunity to acquire the exceptional French talent, Victor Wembanyama. For those unfamiliar with basketball, the Lottery is an annual event hosted by the NBA to determin

Heading into the NWAC Championship Tournament, we asked the coach and three players their thoughts about Mt. Hood’s 2023 season. Q1: What have been the team’s biggest strengths this season? Q2: What’s been your favorite memory this season? Q3: Summarize this season in words: Q4: What team would you want a rematch with, or to play, in the NWAC tournament? Brittany Hendrickson, head coach: A1: Team chemistry, family atmosphere, pitching staff is second in the NWAC in ERA and ha

SOFTBALL On Tuesday, May 2, the Saints welcomed the No. 1 softball team in the Southern Region of the Northwest Athletic Conference, the Lakers of Southwestern Oregon Community College. After being swept in Coos Bay, including a 1-0 heartbreaker in 10 innings, Mt. Hood was looking for vengeance and to keep rolling – especially after a walk-off win against Lower Columbia. The Saints would not get that vengeance in Game 1, being shut out 4-0, but they released all their energy

The Mt. Hood Saints and the Clark Penguins womens basketball teams met for the second and final time this season on Feb. 15. Mt. Hood took the first match, 79-78 in 2OTs, on Jan. 18, so Clark was looking for a little revenge. The game was tight throughout, with the Saints holding a narrow 31-26 lead at halftime. The Penguins trailed for most of the game but they came back and took their first lead in the final minutes. The Saints weren’t done, however – and 40 minutes was not

Emotions started to ramp up plenty early as the Saints volleyball team got ready for their final home match of the 2022 season, against the Clark Penguins on Nov. 4. And there was still plenty of excitement to come. By 5:30 p.m., before the 6 p.m. contest, Mt. Hood players warmed up and took selfies on the bench while spectators began showing up – mainly parents and families bringing flowers and balloons to support the Saints and cheer them on one final time at MHCC before mo

It’s been a long two-to-three years of anticipation for our Mt. Hood Saints volleyball team. We’ve all been waiting to have sports competition again, with wide-open gym doors for fans, for the first time since 2019. The current season is underway, and we can feel the excitement, as the Saints are (as of Oct. 20) tied for fourth place in the South Region, battling for a playoff spot in the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC). At the head of the team is Kirsten “Kirt” Day, Mt.

The returning NWAC softball Champs are back in full swing (so far as fall preseason practice and practice games), being led by veteran head coach Brittany Hendrickson. They are hoping for a repeat of a near-perfect season and championship they earned last spring. Matlyn Leetch, team captain, at the plate. Photo by Jennifer Wilhoite The departure of Most Valuable Player Haley Davis will truly be felt but the show must go on, and I have no doubt that another title for the Saint

[ NWAC baseball Championship Tournament FINAL UPDATE May 31: After two weeks of dramatic turns and clutch team play – and eight innings into a 1-1 pitchers’ duel with a championship on the line Tuesday – Mt. Hood finally blinked. Linn-Benton Community College took advantage of a hit batter and two infield errors, plating three runs in the top of the eight and defeating the Saints, 4-1, for the NWAC championship in Longview, Washington. Starting ace

The Mt. Hood softball team won the 2022 NWAC championship tournament last Sunday in Spokane, another proud moment in the Saints’ rich history. During their first full season back, after a forced pandemic hiatus, the Saints rose through the ranks of the Northwest Athletic Conference and clinched a playoff spot following a five-game win streak, which turned into a 10-game streak as they won each of their tournament games. They eventually beat the Bellevue Bulldogs in the final

It’s time to raise another championship banner in the Yoshida Events Center!Mt. Hood won yet another Northwest Athletic Conference softball title on Sunday in Spokane, Washington, downing Bellevue Community College, 8-7, in extra innings. The Saints (39-12 for the season) finished the four-day championship tournament undefeated, with five straight wins. It’s the first NWAC softball championship for fifth-year Mt. Hood head Coach Brittany Hendrickson. And it’s the sixth for th

[NWAC Super Regional UPDATE 2: The Saints are Longview-bound! In dramatic fashion, Mt. Hood emerged as the winner of the East Super Regional on Saturday. The Saints thus advance to the eight-team NWAC Championship Tournament that starts on Wednesday. After defeating Grays Harbor and host Big Bend Community College on Friday, Mt. Hood faced Big Bend twice more on Saturday. The Vikings broke open a tight contest late to powder the Saints 19-7 in their first game, which forced a

[NWAC tournament UPDATE 3: Mt. Hood is now ONE WIN from another championship trophy, after it beat rival Clackamas Saturday morning, 8-5.The Saints were led by – who else? catcher Hailey Davis, who belted a three-run, first-inning home run to jump-start the game, and finished with five RBIs – and by second baseman Matlyn Leetch, who went a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate and scored three runs. The Saints on Sunday at 11 a.m. will take on the winner of the Bellevue-Clackamas elim

Saints celebrate their 80-62 win against Clark on 1/26 The Saints have been working hard on the court, and each Mt. Hood men’s basketball player has an amazing story to share. As of Feb. 28, MHCC stood third in the South Division of the Northwest Athletic Conference at 9-4, with an overall season record of 13-11. With three regular seasons games remaining, the Saints ranked No. 7 out of 34 teams in the most recent poll of the league’s coaches. They hope to make the NWAC champ

MHCC Men’s basketball team celebrates after win against Clark. Photography by Aquilina Larkins

The 2021 volleyball season has come to an end for the MHCC Saints, who made it to the NWAC Championship Tournament. The Saints’ record for the season in conference play was 11-5, and 13-8 in all contests. That earned them fourth place in the nine-team South Region. Alyssa Asuncion (number 3) keeps watch on the volleyball court. Photos provided by Head Coach Kirsten Day. They played three times in the 16-team, double-elimination playoff hosted by Pierce College in Lakewood, Wa

The 2021 volleyball season has come to an end for the MHCC Saints, who made it to the NWAC Championship Tournament. The Saints’ record for the season in conference play was 11-5, and 13-8 in all contests. That earned them fourth place in the nine-team South Region. They played three times in the 16-team, double-elimination playoff hosted by Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington. Only half of the Northwest Athletic Conference’s 32 teams qualified for the tournament. Mt. Hood

I recently had the pleasure of getting to know some of the women that represent the Mt. Hood Saints volleyball team – Coach Kirsten Day and returning players Alyssa Asuncion, Josie Jansen, and Samantha Brewster. Since spring 2021, Day has been the head coach and driving force of this group of strong, dedicated group. She is a former MHCC student who played volleyball for the Saints in 1983-84. Seven years ago, she wanted to apply for the same position but was unable to withou

Rose 50th Anniversary Sign|Photo taken by Shalynn Rivas The Cambia Portland Classic returned to the Pacific Northwest on Sept. 16-19, bringing the best women in golf to town. Participants from all over the world came to compete in the final segment of the Race to the CME Globe – the pro tour’s top prize for the season. Celebrating 50 years, the Portland event is the longest-running non-major tournament in the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association). This was the first LPG