Marist Catholic football coach Zach Loboy doesn't want to make too much out of Friday's 4A nonleague home game against reigning state champion Henley.
Considering how the Spartans' season ended last year – a 42-28 loss to the Hornets in the state final – downplaying the game will be a tough sell to his players.
“I haven't pressed this as a revenge game, but I know all the kids, as soon as they saw the schedule, I'm sure they circled it,” Loboy said.
Both teams have first-year head coaches. Top-ranked Marist Catholic defeated Churchill 33-30 and Tillamook 42-13 in its first two games under Loboy, who was promoted from defensive coordinator. No. 3 Henley, coming off its first title since 1982, beat Lakeview 34-6 in the debut of coach Matt Green, also a former assistant.
But many key players from last year's final return for both teams, which should provide a little extra fuel.
“We know we've got a bullseye on our backs. They want revenge,” Green said.
Both starting quarterbacks from 2023 are back and have been impressive so far. Marist Catholic senior Nick Hudson has completed 49 of 76 passes for 734 yards and 10 touchdowns with three interceptions. Henley junior Joe Janney led the way against Lakeview by completing 13 of 20 passes for 179 yards and four touchdowns.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Hudson is coming off a junior year in which he passed for 3,766 yards and 47 touchdowns and made the 4A first team.
“In my eyes, he's the best quarterback in 4A,” Loboy said. “He's probably one of the best in the state, regardless of classification. He throws a great ball. Another year of experience under his belt, so he's making better decisions. I don't know if his accuracy can get any better.”
Green knows his secondary will be tested, but is confident it will meet the challenge. The Hornets intercepted Hudson four times in last year's final.
“I think our corners and safeties match up well with their athleticism,” Green said.
Henley must find a way to slow down Marist Catholic senior receiver Aaron Bidwell. In two games, the 6-5, 190-pound Bidwell has 17 catches for 324 yards and seven touchdowns, matching his scoring total from last season.
“He's tenacious. He runs his routes hard every play,” Loboy said. “He's got terrific hands. He really doesn't drop balls. And it doesn't hurt to be 6-5.”
Containing Janney, who passed for 14 touchdowns and ran for 14 scores last season, will be a chore for Marist Catholic. In last year's final, he rushed for 180 yards and four touchdowns and passed for a score.
“Last year we were not prepared for their quarterback to do some of the stuff he did, to scramble and move and throw on the run,” Loboy said. “He had enough movement to really give our defense some fits.”
The Spartans can't afford to overcommit against Janney's running threat.
“He's really worked on his passing in the pocket this year,” Green said. “He's getting better, being a student of the game.”
Marist Catholic, which returned six starters on each side of the ball, believes it is a more complete team than the one that lost to Henley in the final.
“Our team last year was a little bit one-sided offensively and defensively, and they were able to exploit some of those things,” Loboy said. “This year we've got a different team. We're a little bit bigger and stronger up front.”
Henley graduated an outstanding class that included the 4A offensive player of the year in running back Logan Whitlock, but the Hornets believe they have enough experience and talent to make another run.
“A lot of our guys played last year in the state championship game,” Green said. “We're missing a lot of leadership right now. I think that will come in the middle of the season. We've got athletes all over the field.”
Other top matchups in Week 2:
Thursday
5A No. 8 Canby (1-1) at 5A No. 5 Bend (2-0), 7:15 p.m.: A nonleague rematch from last season, when Canby won at home 22-0. The Lava Bears, who finished 4-5 last season, appear to be much improved, beating 6A Gresham 44-14 and No. 6 West Albany 23-14 in their first two games. Canby lost at West Albany 49-26 in Week 1.
1A-6 No. 4 Prairie City/Burnt River (2-0) at 1A-6 No. 7 Joseph (1-1), 7 p.m.: Prairie City/Burnt River has dominated so far, outscoring Siletz Valley and Wallowa 122-0. Joseph, coming off a 58-39 loss to reigning state champion Echo, presents a bigger challenge. Prairie City downed Joseph 18-6 in Week 2 last year but the Eagles got payback, winning 33-19 in the state semifinals.
Friday
6A No. 7 Sherwood (1-0) at 6A No. 1 West Linn (1-0), 7 p.m.: A clash between reigning league champions in Sherwood (Pacific Conference) and West Linn (Three Rivers League). The teams last met in the 2022 quarterfinals, when West Linn handled the Bowmen 56-7.
6A No. 4 Lake Oswego (2-0) at 5A No. 2 Silverton (2-0), 7 p.m.: Silverton isn't afraid to take on tough 6A teams. Now the Foxes get a dangerous-looking Lake Oswego team in the first meeting between the schools since 2002, when the Lakers dispatched Silverton 51-7 in the first round of the big-school (4A) playoffs.
4A No. 9 Mazama (1-0) at 5A No. 4 Mountain View (2-0), 7 p.m.: An intriguing cross-classification match between the Vikings and the Cougars. The game will feature two outstanding running backs in Mazama senior Kris Baldwin (342 yards, 17 carries in 55-24 win over Klamath Union last week) and Mountain View junior Angel Valenzuela (1,827 yards in 2023).
5A No. 1 Wilsonville (1-0) at 5A No. 7 Summit (0-2), 7 p.m.: The Storm, which has lost to No. 2 Silverton 35-12 and reigning Idaho champion Highland 28-19, will be fired up to play the Wildcats. Last season, Wilsonville defeated Summit 35-20 in Week 4 and 34-2 in the semifinals on the way to a state title.
3A No. 2 Banks (1-0) at 4A No. 5 Seaside (2-0), 7 p.m.: Banks and Seaside battled for 4A Cowapa League supremacy before the Braves left for 3A in 2022. They even met in the 4A final in 2018, with Banks prevailing 31-20. Friday marks their first clash since the Braves blanked the Seagulls 38-0 in 2021.
4A No. 4 Cascade (1-0) at 4A No. 2 Scappoose (2-0), 7 p.m.: A rematch of last year's quarterfinal, when Scappoose won at home over Cascade 24-19. In that game, Scappoose came back from a 19-3 deficit behind Max Nowlin, who passed for 248 yards and one touchdown and ran for a score. Nowlin, a senior, threw for 741 yards and seven touchdowns in the first two games.
2A No. 1 Oakland (1-0) at 2A No. 4 Weston-McEwen (0-1), 5 p.m.: The Oakers look to follow up a massive 42-35 victory over reigning state champion Lowell by beating the TigerScots. Weston-McEwen has defeated Oakland in the regular season the last two years, but the Oakers dropped the TigerScots 46-32 in the 2022 state final.
2A No. 7 Regis (1-0) at 2A co-No. 5 St. Paul (1-0), 7 p.m.: Two of the state's top small-school programs collide as the Rams, 2A semifinalists last year, visit the Buckaroos, now in 2A after making the 1A-8 semifinals a year ago. Regis sophomore Korben Schumacher passed for 264 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 39-14 win over Clatskanie.
