St Helens @ Scappoose (Friday 10/13 @ 7pm)
St Helens feels like a team on the rise, but can they go punch for punch against their rivals on the road? Scappoose dominated this one last year, and generally has been in control of the rivalry for decades. Is this Lions team different?
Players to Watch: St Helens: Austin Stockwell (Sr, RB/LB), Colby Shafer (Sr, WR/DB), Mason Stroud (Sr, WR/DB); Scappoose: Max Nowlin (Jr, QB), Cayden Baker (Jr, RB/LB), Eli Harrah (Sr, WR/DB)
Junction City @ Cascade (Friday 10/13 @ 7pm)
Cascade is on the doorstep of being a great team. The run game is there, the defense shows flashes of dominance, and few teams are more physical. Great teams win games like this one, a solid playoff caliber team in Junction City coming to town, convincingly and early. So the question is for Cascade to answer: Are they a great team?
Players to Watch: Junction City: Cooper Rothenberger (Sr, QB/LB); Cascade: Bryce Kuenzi (So, RB/LB), Karsten Sande (Sr, WR/DB), Teagan Allen (Sr, OL/DL)
Philomath @ Marist (Friday 10/13 @ 7pm)
Philomath showed some good stuff against Cascade, and could’ve pulled off the win if the ball had bounced differently on a ew occasions. Marist’s offense looks like one of the best in the state, and Nick Hudson is in the midst of a POTY campaign. Is Philomath up to the challenge? If they can compete in this one for much of the game, is there a chance they’re a playoff spoiler in a couple weeks?
Players to Watch: Marist: Nick Hudson (Jr, QB), Aiden Hazen (Sr, RB/LB); Philomath: Caleb Russell (Jr, QB/LB), Kaden Muir (SR, RB/LB)
La Salle @ Molalla (Friday 10/13 @ 7pm)
Possibly the league title game for SD2–easily the most chaotic league in all of small school football. La Salle has the speed, Molalla has the power. Both teams are drastically improved from a year ago and have serious ambitions, but neither has been on stage like this before. On the grass in Molalla, someone could clinch a home game in the first round of the playoffs Friday.
Players to Watch: La Salle: Jacob Thayer (Jr, TE/LB), Daniel Rodriguez (Sr, OL/LB); Molalla: Mason King (Jr, QB/DB)
Yamhill-Carlton @ Warrenton (Friday 10/13 @ 7pm)
Yamhill-Carlton comes into this one following back-to-back 35-0 victories over Rainier and Valley Catholic, Warrenton comes in following consecutive road wins over Valley Catholic and North Marion. Both are potential playoff teams, but between Yamhill-Carlton and Warrenton only one can end up with the third automatic bid from SD1. This game, in essence, will decide who plays in November and who has to hope for an at-large bid.
Players to Watch: Yamhill-Carlton: Kyle Slater (QB/DB), Kaden Sutton (Sr, RB/LB), Carson Carden (Jr, WR/DB); Warrenton: Kaleb Earl (Sr, TE/DE), Talon McGorty (Jr, QB/LB)
Dayton @ Santiam Christian (Friday 10/13 @ 7pm)
Dayton increasingly looks like the best offensive team in 3A. Currently second in points per game, only behind Cascade Christian, the Pirates run game looks almost unstoppable with Zach Smith and company. Santiam Christian has had success in the past against Wing-T teams, including against Dayton in the playoffs, does that success repeat?
Players to Watch: Dayton: Boston Hodges (Sr, QB/DB), Zach Smith (Sr, RB/LB); Santiam Christian: Daniel Fosdick (Jr, QB), Tyler Ragan (Sr, OL/DL)
Lakeview @ Cascade Christian (Friday 10/13 @ 7pm)
Is Adrian Stubbs enough of a player defensively to hold Cascade Christian under 35? If the Honkers can do that, they have a shot against the Challengers, but it’s a tough ask. Lakeview’s best defense might be their offense in this one.
Players to Watch: Lakeview: Adrian Stubbs (Sr, RB/LB), Benny Alves (Sr, QB/DB); Cascade Christian: Caleb Scaglione (So, RB/LB), Ashton Moody (SR, QB/LB), Peyton Maurer (Sr, WR/DB)
South Umpqua @ Coquille (Friday 10/13 @ 7:30pm)
South Umpqua seems to have righted the ship, but this game is the test of that observation. Coquille, though they aren’t what they were two years ago, still has athletes and is well coached. If you let them run the ball on you, nothing is a safe bet. If the Lancers are going to be in the thick of things in the middle of November, they will show it on the road at Coquille.
Players to Watch: Coquille: Riley Jones (Sr, OL/DL), Bo Messerle (Sr, RB/LB); South Umpqua: Elijah Earls (Sr, QB/LB), Jacob Logan (Sr, RB/LB)
Others: Willamina @ Gervais (Thursday 10/12 @7pm), Regis @ Blanchet (Friday 10/13 @ 7pm)
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