By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.–  The last time West Salem’s Zachary Dodson-Greene has played a minute of school organized basketball was back in the seventh-grade.  But for the senior football player, he’s just looking to find ways to stay active during the offseason of the football season.

“I just wanted to get out and stay in shape and be able to play games with my friends,” Dodson-Greene said.  “We have a pretty good team.  We got a pretty solid team…we’re a lot younger this year with all the seniors graduating.  Everyone needs to step-up.”

The addition of Dodson-Greene helps fill the void of one of the six seniors who graduated from the Titans 11-3 Spring season.  Though he’s knocking off the rust points of Head Coach Travis Myers, Dodson-Greene’s height, speed and athleticism is something you can’t teach.

“He has a few more practices to see where he’ll fit.  But you can tell he’s shaking off the rust when it comes to Hoops stuff,” “I don’t have that guy who’s that fast and athletic…I haven’t had one in a long time.  So having a guy like that to work with, it’s good to have that blueprint.

“He has work to do to get into the rotation, but he works his tail off and is having fun.  That’s the biggest thing for us.”

Dodson-Greene joins a returning cast of Brooks Ferguson, Jimmy Lathen, Jon Breyman, Tommy Slack and Trenton Ferguson.  The younger Ferguson, along with Connor Oertel and Jackson Leach have made sizable strides this season, said Myers as their young pieces have those older kids to look up to get caught up to speed at the Varsity level.

“Oh it’s big.  We got three sophomores who will be in our rotation, so they’re going to have to play major minutes.  Now it helps when I have Jon and Brooks who are back.  Jimmy is a three-year Varsity guy, so that’s good,” Myers said.  “Tommy’s made great strides last year and he’s continuing to get better.

“We have really good pieces.  It helps with young guys when you have guys who have been around and know how to do everything.  So, they’re able to come on in and just go.”

The Titans will open the season December 1 when they travel to Sherwood for some live reps at the Sherwood jamboree.  Their first ‘official’ game will be December 3 when they host Centennial at 7pm.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald