#3 Mazama @ #5 Marist (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
Potential semifinal preview. If Nick Hudson has another four or five touchdown day, the Spartans might pull away early and sit on a lead. Mazama might have to play keep away.
#4 Estacada @ La Grande (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
Is Estacada the thorn in everyone’s side–not easy to beat or prepare for, schematically unique, but not a true contender–or are they the real deal?
#9 Ashland @ #2 Henley (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
The over/under sits at 72 total points for this one. Ashland and Henley both have high powered, explosive, athletic offensive groups–which defense is able to get a few stops?
#4 Kennedy @ #7 Yamhill-Carlton (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
Kennedy and YC are coming from different places but now are neighbors in the rankings. Does YC continue their ascent and take down a perennial contender? Does Kennedy right the ship and remind the state who they are?
#5 South Umpqua @ #10 Lakeview (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
South Umpqua has upside, but they won’t be at an unbeatable athletic advantage when they play Lakeview. How do they handle having defenders be able to track with their receivers/put stress on their DB’s?
#2 Vale (3A) @ Baker (4A) (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
Is the Vale defense ready for the challenge of lining up against a team as athletic as Baker? They will need to be in order to take down the likes of Banks or Cascade Christian in the playoffs. Is Baker able to get their first win of the season against, potentially, the best defense they will see all year?
Seaside @ Hillsboro (5A) (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
Hillsboro went against a Wing-T team to open the season and had success defensively, is Seaside’s Jake White–a n all-state caliber back–the difference between a Hillsboro win and a Hillsboro loss?
#10 Junction City @ Stayton (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
Stayton and Junction City started out with very different sets of expectations, but now both are in the potential playoff team bubble. Does one fall out of the bubble with a loss?
#1 Heppner @ Colton (Friday 9/15, 7pm)
Greg Grant and the Mustangs are coming to town, how does a Colton team with monumental preseason expectations handle going against the perennial state title favorite? Can Heppner dominate a certain playoff team and show why they’re still top dogs despite what Weston-McEwen and Lowell have shown so far?
#5 Regis @ #9 Gervais (Thursday 9/14, 7pm)
First time both teams are 2-0 in a long, long time. Gervais has a bit of a following developing across the state, how do the Cougars handle being in the spotlight against some of 2As best talent?
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