![Columbia River junior Alex Harris is the State Player of the Year in boys soccer, and Heritage picks Jason Castro, the school’s athletic director, to take over its baseball program.](https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/large_Clark-County-Today-High-School-Sports-Big-honor-at-Columbia-River-new-baseball-coach-at-Heritage.jpg)
Gatorade State Player of the Year in boys soccer goes to Alex Harris of Columbia River
In the final week of classes at many of the area’s high schools, Columbia River boys soccer and Heritage baseball is in the news.
Alex Harris, who amassed 51 goals this spring for the Columbia River Rapids, has been named the Gatorade Washington Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
Harris, a junior, had 10 hat tricks on the season, plus added 12 assists. He was credited with scoring eight of the team’s 12 goals in the state tournament.
Columbia River was undefeated into the state semifinals. The Rapids lost in penalty kicks. They rebounded the next day to win the third-place match.
A member of the school’s International Baccalaureate program, Harris has a weighted grade-point average of 4.30.
According to a press release from Gatorade, the player of the year program annually recognizes one winner from each state as well as the District of Columbia in football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball and boys and girls track and field. There is also a national player of the year in each sport.
Heritage hires familiar face
The Heritage Timberwolves’ search for a new baseball coach took them to the athletic office.
Jason Castro, the school’s athletic director, is the school’s new baseball coach as well. And no, he did not interview himself. Officially hired by the school’s principal, Derek Garrison.
![This 2020 photo of Jason Castro and his family was taken at the baseball field in Iowa, home of the famous Field of Dreams. Castro was recently hired as the head baseball coach at Heritage High School. Photo courtesy of the Castro family](https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/story_Clark-County-Today-Castro-Field-of-Dreams.jpg)
Castro was the 2010 state baseball coach of the year, as determined by the Seattle Times, and 2010 and 2012 coach of the year in the Class 2A Greater St. Helens League when he was at R.A. Long in Longview. He helped R.A. Long reach the state championship game in 2010.
In the past six years, he has been in athletic administration at Prairie High School and then at Heritage.Castros said he missed coaching and still has a passion for it.
“We look forward to Jason’s vision, experience, and enthusiasm for the game having a huge impact on the T-Wolves,” Garrison said.
We look forward to Jason’s vision, experience and enthusiasm for the game having a huge impact on the T-Wolves.
Bonus for Castro: He gets to keep his day job, too. Athletic directors in Evergreen Public Schools are allowed by the district to coach during one season. Christian Swain is the AD and football coach at Evergreen. Adam Mathieson is the AD and football coach at Mountain View. Castro will be the only AD in the district who coaches in a spring sport.
Also read:
- High school boys basketball: Prairie’s program getting back to its traditional winning waysPrairie High School boys basketball is back on top, winning a league title and a key playoff game as they push for a return to the state tournament.
- High school basketball: Chaos starts today with playoffs, and a challenging weather forecastHigh school basketball playoffs begin this week in Southwest Washington, with teams battling for state tournament berths while officials monitor winter weather conditions.
- Chat with the champions: Hudson’s Bay bowlers all about team and friendship firstHudson’s Bay and Skyview high schools claimed state bowling championships, with Sanaa Tyler winning the 2A individual title and MJ Westmorland finishing second.
- POLL: Will High School Sports Be Affected by the NCAA’s New Policy?The NCAA’s ban on transgender women in women’s sports sparks debate—will high school sports follow suit? Vote in our weekly poll.
- Opinion: Clark County loses a sports legendLegendary Battle Ground basketball coach Butch Blue has passed away at age 78. He led Battle Ground High School to five state tournaments and a 1990 state championship.