Knichel, Cruz, Edetsberger, Keith Highlanders win top trophies at resurrected Portland Games

Hillsboro, Oregon – June 6, 2026 – The Portland Highland Games returned after a year’s hiatus with a new date and venue at the Washington County Fairgrounds, with a large crowd in attendance.

Zephan Knichel, Lynwood, Washington, endured the heavy morning rain to win the aggregate Open solo piping, and Alonso Cruz and Jayce Edetsberger shared the overall trophy in the Grade 1 amateur solo snare drumming, the top contested snare event.

The Keith Highlanders were the aggregate winners in Grade 4, the highest contested band category in the afternoon, when the rain gave way to overcast but dry conditions.

Our thanks to the British Columbia Pipers’ Association for once again diligently and proactively sharing results, information and photos with us.

Grade 2
Medley
Cascadia
Judges: John Toohey, Alex MacIntyre (piping); Duncan Millar (drumming); Hugh Armstrong (ensemble)

MSR
Cascadia
Judges: Hugh Armstrong, Alex MacIntyre (piping); Duncan Millar (drumming); John Toohey (ensemble)

Grade 3
Medley
Portland Metro
Judges: John Toohey, Alex MacIntyre (piping); Duncan Millar (drumming); Hugh Armstrong (ensemble)

MSR
Portland Metro
Judges: Hugh Armstrong, Alex MacIntyre (piping); Duncan Millar (drumming); John Toohey (ensemble)

Grade 4
Overall
1st Keith Highlanders
2nd Northwest Junior
3rd Portland Metro Youth
4th Cascadia 4
5th Clan MacLeay

Medley
1st Northwest Junior (2,2,1,1)
2nd Keith Highlanders (1,1,2,2)
3rd Cascadia 4 (3,3,3,3)
4th Portland Metro Youth (4,4,4,4)
5th Clan MacLeay (5,5,5,5)
Judges: John Toohey, Alex MacIntyre (piping); Duncan Millar (drumming); Hugh Armstrong (ensemble)

MSR
1st Keith Highlanders (2,1,2,1)
2nd Northwest Junior (3,3,1,2)
3rd Portland Metro Youth (1,2,4,3)
4th Cascadia 4 (4,4,3,4)
Judges: Hugh Armstrong, Alex MacIntyre (piping); Duncan Millar (drumming); John Toohey (ensemble)

Grade 5
Overall
1st Tacoma Scots
2nd Clan MacLeay

Quick March Set
1st Tacoma Scots (2,2,1,1)
2nd Clan MacLeay (1,1,2,2)
Judges: John Toohey, Alex MacIntyre (piping); Duncan Millar (drumming); Hugh Armstrong (ensemble)

Solo Piping
Open
Piobaireachd
1st Zephan Knichel
2nd Cameron Bonar
3rd Zak Read
4th Micah Babinski
Judge: Alex MacIntyre

MSR
1st Zephan Knichel
2nd Cameron Bonar
3rd Zak Read
4th Micah Babinski
Judge: Dan Diessner

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Cameron Bonar
2nd Zephan Knichel
3rd Zak Read
4th Micah Babinski
Judge: Hugh Armstrong

Grade 1
Piobaireachd
1st Colin Richdale
2nd Kyle Gaul
3rd Adi Moss-Sheth
4th Malachi Wonder
5th Jon Scott
Judge: Dan Diessner

MSR
1st Colin Richdale
2nd Adi Moss-Sheth
3rd Kyle Gaul
4th Jon Scott
5th Malachi Wonder
Judge: Hugh Armstrong

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Kyle Gaul
2nd Colin Richdale
3rd Malachi Wonder
4th Adi Moss-Sheth
5th Jon Scott
Judge: Keith Paton

Grade 2
Piobaireachd
1st Travis McEachern
2nd Garrett Bargabos
3rd Vienna Scheyer
4th Tyler Coleman
5th Sean Underwood
6th Andrew Burns
Judge: Hugh Armstrong

MSR
1st Travis McEachern
2nd Tyler Coleman
3rd Garrett Bargabos
4th Vienna Scheyer
5th Sean Underwood
Judge: Jeff Brewer

Jig
1st Travis McEachern
2nd Vienna Scheyer
3rd Sean Underwood
4th Tyler Coleman
5th Garrett Bargabos
6th Andrew Burns
Judge: Keith Paton

Grade 3
Piobaireachd
1st Truin Tomasetti
2nd Elsa Wonder
3rd Rhys Class
4th Trenton McGregor
5th Duncan MacLeod
6th Matthew Fleek
Judge: John Lee

Strathspey & Reel
1st Matthew Fleek
2nd Truin Tomasetti
3rd Trenton McGregor
4th Rhys Class
5th Seòsamh MacMhaolain-Williamson
6th Gavin Calder
Judge: John Toohey

Jig
1st Matthew Fleek
2nd Gavin Calder
3rd Gunner Hall
4th Ben Lawler
5th Elsa Wonder
6th Keelan Allen
Judge: Keith Paton

Grade 4
Piobaireachd
1st Carl Wilder
2nd Andrew Heuett
3rd Logan Gillespie
4th Ayden Fitzpatrick
5th Ilan Moss-Sheth
6th Stuart MacDonald
Judge: Alex MacIntyre

2/4 March
1st Adelynn Williams
2nd Ayden Fitzpatrick
3rd Ilan Moss-Sheth
4th Flint Yoder
5th Nicholas Hauser
6th Logan Gillespie
Judge: John Toohey

Strathspey & Reel
1st Adelynn Williams
2nd Ayden Fitzpatrick
3rd Patrick Sutherland
4th Oliver Cahill
5th Ilan Moss-Sheth
6th Carl Wilder
Judge: Jeff Brewer

Grade 5
2/4 March
1st Logan Lewis
2nd Caleb Lawler
Judge: John Toohey

Slow Air
1st Caleb Lawler
2nd Logan Lewis
Judge: Dan Diessner

Beginner
2/4 March
Gabrielle Michalenka
Judge: John Toohey

Solo Drumming
Snare
Grade 1
MSR
1st Jayce Edetsberger
2nd Christian Nickerson
3rd Alonso Cruz
Judge: Duncan Millar

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Alonso Cruz
2nd Christian Nickerson
3rd Jayce Edetsberger
Judge: Duncan Millar

Grade 2
MSR
1st Max Fenwick
Judge: Duncan Millar

Hornpipe & Jig
1st Max Fenwick
Judge: Duncan Millar

Grade 3
2/4 March
1st Isaiah Dahlstrom
2nd Colleen Salmi
3rd Samuel Lawler
Judge: Duncan Millar

6/8 March
1st Colleen Salmi
2nd Samuel Lawler
3rd Isaiah Dahlstrom
Judge: Duncan Millar

Grade 4
2/4 March
1st Ivy Moore
2nd Brandon Potter
3rd Jessamy Taylor
4th Liam Baird
Judge: Duncan Millar

6/8 March
1st Ivy Moore
2nd Brandon Potter
Judge: Duncan Millar

Tenor
Open
MSR
Alexis Hagen
Judge: Duncan Millar

Hornpipe & Jig
Alexis Hagen
Judge: Duncan Millar

Beginner
2/4 March
Seth Baird
Judge: Duncan Millar

6/8 March
Seth Baird
Judge: Duncan Millar

Bass
MSR
Liam Baird
Judge: Duncan Millar