Even with only 2 players back from last year’s ALWS team, Post 158 has high expectations in return to Shelby.
While Portland (Ore.) Post 158 has just two players back from last year’s American Legion World Series team, head coach Joe Duran and his experienced coaching staff have high expectations for the Barbers.
“It helps a ton just having the same cohesive group of coaches, and the two guys that were here last year are leaders. All year they’ve been telling our kids what to expect,” Duran said.
Designated hitter Gabe Coltman batted .500 at last year’s ALWS and was named to American Legion World Series STAT BROADCAST All-Tournament Team, while Ryden Nakamura hit .600 as the Barbers advanced to the 2025 ALWS semifinals. Both had an RBI and scored in Portland’s 7-3 loss to eventual champion Chesapeake (Va.) Post 280.
Duran said this year’s team is “a special group, a resilient group; different than last year but in many ways just as dangerous. … I liken it to a Mike Tyson group last year, this is an Evander Holyfield.”
Portland (40-6), which played its toughest schedule ever this season under Duran, put themselves in a hole by losing their first game in the Northwest Regional. But the Barbers followed up that 2-0 loss to Lewiston (Idaho) with an 8-1 win over Kenai (Alaska) Post 20, then held off Medford (Ore.), 4-3; rallied past Lewiston, 7-5; and won both games on championship Sunday by one run each.
Pitcher Jonny King came on with two out in the top of the seventh to stop a potential Honolulu (Hawaii) Team Central rally in a 3-2 win, then Portland rallied from a 7-2 deficit to beat Lewiston in the championship game, 8-7.
“It just proves that it’s never over, and we preach that to the last out, until you have a last breath, and they’ve seen that happen, it’s happened all year, not just in the state, not just in the regional. And they never panic. It’s taught them to stay the course and to hold the line,” Duran said.
ALWS Schedule
Aug. 13: Game 3, vs. Jacksonville (Fla.) Post 316, 4 p.m.
Aug. 14: Game 5, vs. Bedford (N.H.) Post 54, 4 p.m.
Aug. 16: Game 11, vs. Midland (Mich.) Berryhill Post 165, 4 p.m.
Roster
No./Camo* Name Pos. Ht./Wt. B/T Graduates / School
14/14 Berta, Cooper P / LF 5'9"/165 R/R 2026 I Lakeridge
19/19 Coltman, Gabe LF / RF 6'5"/230 R/R 2025 I Sunset HS
18/18 Foglio, Ben P / 1B 6'3"/225 L/L 2027 I Clackamas
4/4 Foglio, Nolan C / 3B 5'10"/190 R/R 2026 I Clackamas
32/12 Frye, Ryan P / 1B 6’2”/205 R/R 2027 I Tigard
23/23 Gradwahl, Cal 3B / P 6'6"/190 L/R 2026 I Nelson
6/6 Ha, Andrew CF/P 5'11"/175 R/R 2026 I Lakeridge
3/3 Hemsley, Ryan SS/P 6'1"/190 R/R 2026 I West Linn
1/3 King, Jonny P/C 6'1"/165 R/R 2026 I Lakeridge
21/1 McCormack, Camden P / LF 6'4"/175 R/R 2026 I Tigard
24/24 Nakamura, Ryden RF/P 5'10"/190 R/R 2026 / Ridgeview
16/16 Sousa, Nick P / RF 6'0"/195 R/R 2026 / Clackamas
27/2 Tiede, Caleb 2B / 3B 5'10"/170 R/R 2026 I Clackamas
7/7 Tragesser, Jaden 2B/SS 6'0"/190 R/R 2026 I Lakeridge
9/9 Van Doren, Miles C/LF 6'2”/190 R/R 2027 I Tigard
Head coach: Joe Duran
Assistants: Ben Bertrand, Jason Fritz, David Schoppe
Bat boy: Mason Duran
*Players will wear camo jerseys for Military Appreciation Day.
Regional results
Aug. 5: Lewiston (Idaho) d. Portland (Ore.) Post 158, 2-0.
Aug. 6: Portland (Ore.) Post 158 d. Kenai (Alaska) Post 20, 8-1.
Aug. 7: Portland (Ore.) Post 158 d. Medford (Ore.) Mustangs, 4-3.
Aug. 8: Portland (Ore.) Post 158 d. Lewiston (Idaho), 7-5.
Aug. 9: Portland (Ore.) Post 158 d. Honolulu (Haw.) Team Central, 3-2.
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