Banks @ Kennedy (Friday 10/6 @7pm)
Rematch of the state semifinals from last season. Banks looks like the best team in the state right now, but Kennedy has shown they’re still a player no matter how many players they lost off last year’s roster. A battle of undefeated teams, a win for either puts them in prime position to end up as the #1 seed in November.
Players to watch: Kennedy: Brody Kleinschmidt (Sr, WR/DB), Elijah Traeger (Sr, QB/DB); Banks: Ashton Crossen (Sr, RB/LB) Luke McAuley Bigsby (Jr, OL/DL)
Scio @ Dayton (Friday 10/6 @7pm)
Scio is off to their best start since making the state semifinals in 2017, and look like a real contender. Nobody has held the Dayton rushing attack under 300 yards this season, and few have held it under 400. Can Scio step up and pull off what would be their programs biggest win in six years?
Players to watch: Dayton: Boston Hodges (Sr, QB/DB), Zach Smith (Sr, RB/LB); Scio: Bryan Parazoo (Sr), Cody Roofener (Sr)
Yamhill-Carlton @ Valley Catholic (Friday 10/6 @7pm)
Valley Catholic has officially pulled themselves out of the gutter and put themselves back on the map. Yamhill-Carlton could very realistically start 2-3 but end 6-3. On the turf in Beaverton, history says two potential playoff teams will walk on the field, but only one will have a shot at the post season afterwards.
Players to watch: Yamhill-Carlton: Kyle Slater (QB/DB), Kaden Sutton (Sr, RB/LB), Carson Carden (Jr, WR/DB); Valley Catholic: Noah Holub (Sr, WR/DB), Jackson Farris (Jr, RB/LB)
Lakeview @ Coquille (Saturday 10/7 @1pm)
Lakeview is on the cusp of something special, and if they clear this hurdle are looking at a realistic worst case scenario of 8-1 rolling into the playoffs and a top-5 seeding. The Honkers shut down a Wing-t team in North Valley last week, can the Coquille Wing-T, backed by state championship winning experience on the field and on the sideline, fare any differently?
Players to watch: Lakeview: Adrian Stubbs (Sr, RB/LB), Benny Alves (Sr, QB/DB); Coquille: Riley Jones (Sr, OL/DL), Bo Messerle (Sr, RB/LB)
Estacada @ La Salle Prep (Thursday 10/5 @7pm)
Estacada is in real trouble. 1-4 with a loss to Molalla gives the Rangers virtually no at-large path to the playoffs, meaning they have to win at least three of their next four to get an auto-bid and play in November. Beating La Salle, currently tied for first in SD2 with Molalla, would go a long way in that effort. La Salle is on the cusp of their first postseason berth since 2019, and with a win against Estacada would make their matchup with Molalla week, for all intents and purposes, a “league championship” game.
Players to watch: La Salle: Jacob Thayer (Jr, TE/LB), Daniel Rodriguez (Sr, OL/LB); Estacada: Andrew Riedel (Sr, QB/DB), Elliot Coyle (Jr, RB/DB)
St. Helens @ Tillamook (Friday 10/6 @7pm)
St. Helens is a surprise at 4-1, now they walk into Tillamook where the Cheesemakers will be–understandably–very motivated following their upset loss to Seaside last week. This is the Lions’ biggest test so far this season. The question remains and will be answered here: Who are the Lions? Are they in, or are they out?
Players to watch: St Helens: Austin Stockwell (Sr, RB/LB), Colby Shafer (Sr, WR/DB), Mason Stroud (Sr, WR/DB); Tillamook: Tanner Hoskins (Sr, QB/DB), Griffyn Boomer (So, WR/DB), Andrew White (Sr, RB/LB)
Seaside @ Scappoose (Friday 10/6 @7pm)
Seaside is going to feel confident coming into this one, but if there is any venue well suited to ruining the aspirations of visiting teams it’s Scappoose. Seaside will win or lose this one on the defensive side of things: Can they contain Nowlin and the skill players for Scappoose, or do they run roughshod and send Seaside back to the coast with a loss? It’s unlikely Seaside can win a shoot out here.
Players to watch: Seaside: Jake White (IF HEALTHY) (Jr, RB/LB), Gavin Pugh (Sr, TE/DL), Ryder Jackson (So, RB/DB); Scappoose: Max Nowlin (Jr, QB), Cayden Baker (Jr, RB/LB), Eli Harrah (Sr, WR/DB)
Crook County @ Pendleton (Friday 10/6 @7pm)
Pendleton hasn’t lost a game to an Oregon opponent yet, but Crook County might have the pieces to make this a fun one. Even against quality opponents like Junction City, Redmond, and Caldera–games CC lost–the Cowboys have looked like a peer to their opponent rather than a step behind. If Crook County wins this one, they’ll be in prime position to make the playoffs.
Players to watch: CC: Luke Freauff (Sr, WR/DB), Jacob McKinnon (Sr, QB/LB); Pendleton: Benito Jennings (Sr, WR/DB), Thaiden Cannin (Sr, WR/DB)
Others: Culver @ Regis (Friday 10/6 @7pm), Lowell @ Monroe (Friday 10/6 @7pm)
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