LEFT: Former Redmnd High baseball coach Marc Horner took over at Ridgeview just before the season. He plans to only coach the Ravens this year so he can focus on his district office job. ABOVE: Ridgeview’s Ben Gunnels bats in an April 25 game against Cascade.(Geoff Folsom/Spokeman photos)

It was a bit of an adjustment for Marc Horner to coach against a team he helmed for more than a decade, but the Ridgeview baseball coach enjoyed the experience.

Horner even led the Ravens (4-8 Intermountain Conference, 6-16 overall) to an 8-7 victory in their first game against Redmond on May 1. The Panthers came back to win 1-0 the next day, but Ridgeview took the three-game series with a 10-9 May 4 victory.

Horner coached the Panthers from 2002-14, leading them to multiple appearances in the state semifinals. His former players include current Redmond coach Doug Taylor and his assistants.

“When you look out on the field and see all the coaches and players you worked with, it was pretty cool to know every kid and every adult and what they bring to baseball in Redmond,” Horner said.

Horner has been working in Redmond School District administration as facilities and events coordinator. But he agreed to come back to high school coaching after then-Ridgeview baseball coach Jake Branham was placed on administrative leave after reportedly being arrested Feb. 20 on rape and sex abuse charges. The charges did not involve any alleged victim in the school.

Superintendent Mike McIntosh and Ridgeview Principal Lee Loving asked Horner, Tony Pupo, the district’s director of operations, and Steve Dietz, a former Crook County head coach and Redmond assistant, to take over the Ridgeview team for the season, Horner said.

“The kids were very responsive,” Horner said. “We just started from where Jake took off.”

So far, the team has improved on 2017, when it went 0-16 in IMC (3-21 overall) under coach Jared Young. Horner said the team is made up of high character guys who are persistent and trust the system. Going into their May 8 game against Summit, Ridgeview sat 1/2 game ahead of Mountain View for third place in the league and a spot in a play-in game.

“We just try to get better every day and every pitch,” he said. “They’re super-resilient.”

Ridgeview plays at Bend Wednesday and at Mountain View Friday before closing out the regular season at fifth-place Redmond, which is only 1 1/2 games out of third place, on Monday.

Pitcher/outfielders Kade Nyman and Evan Hockett, who had three hits in the May 1 victory against Redmond, have led the Ravens, along with shortstop Ben Gunnels.

Horner was not away from baseball during his time out of high school coaching. He started SunWest Baseball, a youth development program for 9 to 14 year olds that is entering its fifth season. The program, which is sponsored by SunWest Builders, has 90 players.

Next season, it will expand to the high school level for Ridgeview and Redmond players interested in playing college ball, Horner said. He hopes the improved competition and increased number of games in the offseason will improve both programs.

“You play 40 or 50 games during the summer, versus the 23 games they play now during the spring,” he said. “It’s not a Ridgeview program, it’s not a Redmond program, nobody profits from it. It’s all geared toward the skill level and character building of the kids.”

Between summer baseball, his job with the district and four kids playing sports, Horner said he will not be able to return to coach Ridgeview in 2019. He said some quality candidates have already applied for the job.

Including Branham, who did not coach a game, that means the new coach will be the fifth in four years for next season’s Ridgeview seniors. But Horner said the players will be up to the challenge.

“It’s been an absolute honor and joy to work with them,” he said.

Moving away from coaching will give Horner a chance to focus on events at school facilities. One of the big ones coming up is the Hub City Hoop Jam, a new 3-on-3 tournament Aug. 11 and 12 that is an affiliate of the popular Spokane Hoopfest.

Organizers will place 40 basketball courts in the Redmond High parking lot. The event will also include a food court and an area sponsored by Wild Ride Brewing, Horner said. And school district teams and groups that help run the event will get money from entry fees and sponsorships to go toward their programs.

“It helps the students,” Horner said. “All the money gets directed to the programs for their sweat equity.”

— Reporter: 541-548-2186, gfolsom@redmondspokesman.com