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Roberts bids farewell to Ashland By DON HUNT ASHLAND - Heather Roberts, who resurrected the girls basketball program at Ashland High, has resigned to take over the girls program at Lakeridge High in Lake Oswego, Ashland Athletic Director Jim Nagel confirmed Wednesday. In five seasons with the Grizzlies, Roberts compiled a record of 77-50, including a 16-11 mark last season. She guided the Grizzlies to the Class 4A state tournament the past three years and had them in the playoffs all five years she was at the school. The Grizzlies' best season under Roberts came in 1998-99 when they went 19-7, won the Southern Oregon Conference championship and finished fifth at the state tournament. "She truly did an outstanding job of putting girls basketball on the map at Ashland High," Nagel said. "Before Heather got here, this was a volleyball school and basketball was an afterthought. "She put the standard way up there and stirred up interest in the community. We had some good crowds for girls games the past few years." Roberts will teach home economics at Lake Oswego with an emphasis on clothing classes, Nagel said. "It's a very attractive package," he added. Nagel said a search for Roberts' successor will begin immediately, adding that he knows of a good candidate in the northern part of the state that he plans on contacting in the next day or two. "We've still got a few teaching openings and this person would fit into one of them," he said. Nagel said two assistant coaches who are currently on the basketball staff will also be considered. Roberts took over the Ashland program in the fall of 1996. The Grizz went 13-12 overall and 9-7 in the SOC during her first season and advanced to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. Her star player that first season - Sarah Petersen - was the conference player of the year. The Grizzlies went 12-11 the next season and then reached their pinnacle the following year when they won the SOC and took fifth at state. Last season Ashland finished third in the SOC - its worst conference showing in three years - but still advanced to the state tournament for the third straight season. "Heather brought a lot of stability to the Ashland program," said South Medford coach Andrea Wegner, who was the only female other than Roberts to head up an SOC basketball program. "Her teams were always well-prepared and fundamentally sound." The Lakeridge girls finished third in the Three Rivers League last season - behind state champion Oregon City and highly-ranked Lake Oswego. The Pacers then lost to Jefferson in the sub-tournament. The team was coached for five years by Mark Wipf, who resigned in June. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.