Auburn’s top sports stories and photos of 2025
Published 6:30 am Thursday, January 1, 2026
It was a year full of upsets and heartbreak across Auburn athletics this past year. Here are some highlights from professional and high school sports in 2025.
• Suarez delivers Mariners salvation with eighth inning slam: It was a roller coaster ride for the Mariners in 2025 as they came closer than ever to their first World Series in franchise history. In the biggest game of his career, Eugenio Suarez delivered with a grand slam in the eighth inning to send Seattle into chaos and put the Mariners up 3-2 in the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was no doubt the biggest swing of the Mariners’ season and possibly one of the most clutch moments in Seattle sports history. The grand slam led to a 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Oct. 17, allowing the Mariners to lead the series 3-2. The Mariners ultimately lost the ALCS in seven games.
• Auburn Mountainview soccer takes third at state: For the last two years, the Auburn Mountainview Lions have shocked the soccer world. As the No. 17 team in the boys state soccer tournament and now as the No. 15, they have advanced to the final four. But the search for a state title will have to wait another year as their state champion hopes were dashed in the semifinals for the second straight year, this time by Mercer Island, 2-0, on May 30 at Sparks Stadium. “This one really hurt. We thought we had them. We thought we could do something special today,” Manager Joey West said.
• Auburn girls place for the first time since 1997: For the second straight season after winning a district title, but losing the quarterfinal qualifier, the Auburn Trojan girls basketball team was tasked with being a top eight seed in the round of 12. That’s where they were a year prior, but got upset and sent home before they could even get started. This year was a different story. For the first time since 1997, the Trojan girls took home a trophy, finishing in sixth place after a loss to Chiawana 47-41. For a team that was ranked sixth in its own district, to take home a trophy is a special achievement. “If you look at our gym, girls basketball history is very rich. We always look (at the banners) like we can be a part of history. I feel like they are all my little girls, so I am really happy for them. They just are great kids who work hard and never give up,” Head Coach Jessica Hansen said.
• Ravens advance to districts as Cameron Bain dazzles again: The last thing head coach Brad Comstock wanted was a three-way tie-breaker to make the postseason if his Auburn Riverside Ravens baseball team fell to Kentwood in the season finale on May 6. “We had a lot of options to get into the playoffs. The win was the easiest way to take care of that. I’m really happy we took care of business,” Comstock said. Auburn Riverside entered the final game with a one-game advantage over Mount Rainier and Kentwood. If the Ravens fell and the Rams won, all three would enter a three-team round robin. The Ravens were led by junior right-hander Cameron Bain, who threw a complete game to down Kentwood 7-3 and avoided the three-team tie-breaker.
• Auburn HS football coach steps down after eight seasons: Auburn High School football will have a new signal caller as Head Coach Aaron Chantler announced his resignation on social media on Nov. 18. “Today I resigned as HC at AHS so I can focus on my health and family. Thank you to everyone who has played a role in my journey,” he posted in an online statement. “It’s not goodbye, just see you later. Finally, thank you to all my players over the years, I truly love you guys and will always be here for you.” Chantler took over the Auburn program back in 2018 after longtime coach and father-in-law Gordy Elliott stepped down after 16 years. He talked with Elliott about making this move long before the season started, and it was by no means a rushed choice.
