| School: Grant | Graduation Year: 2007 |
Year Inducted: 2019
Sports Played: Baseball, Track and Field
High School Honors: 2 Baseball letters. 1st Team All-PIL Pitcher and 3rd Team All-State as Senior; Team Captain. 2007 Major League Baseball draft pick by Atlanta Braves in 36th round.
1 Track & Field letter. PIL Champion in the High Jump (6’6”) and State Champion (6’10”) as Senior. Holds school record in the High Jump at 6’10”.
Post High School Career: University of Oregon 4 Letters in Track & Field, on 4 Oregon Pac-10 Championship Teams with points in Long Jump and High Jump and 4×100 relay. 2011 Pac-10 indoor Long Jump Champion. 1 Baseball letter with .343 batting average in 39 games in 2012. Earned Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Presently works for Point S Tire Co. in the Accounting Department; Sprint Coach at Westview High School since 2015.
Commentary:
The Portland Interscholastic League has had many great athletes over its long history and it is an honor to now be recognized as one of them. Being able to play two sports in the same season was uncommon so I would like to thank Baseball coach Rob Kennewell and Track & Field coach Greg Cotton for allowing me to do so.
I would also like to thank my parents Vernell Sr and Jan. My dad was my coach in all sports growing up, so without him laying a solid foundation, I would not have been as successful as I was. My mom, who was at every game no matter how far away, was my biggest fan. Athletics have always been very important to me, so my time as a General will always be special.