WEST LINN – Entering the football season, No. 1 West Linn knew it had proven senior weapons on offense in quarterback Baird Gilroy, receivers Danny Wideman and Wyatt Smiley and tight end Baron Naone.
Through two games, though, a newcomer is stealing the show. Jet-quick junior running back Viggo Anderson, generously listed at 5-foot-8, 170 pounds, has provided the Lions (2-0) with a jolt of energy.
Anderson followed last week's impressive debut with another gem Friday night, rushing for 149 yards on 19 carries and catching a 26-yard pass as host West Linn routed No. 7 Sherwood 35-0 in a 6A nonleague game. In two games, Anderson has rushed for 284 yards and given the team another threat in the passing game.
“Seriously, he kind of caught me off-guard, especially that last game,” Gilroy said of Anderson's emergence. “The defenses can't find him, apparently. He's a special talent. I love him.”
Anderson, who spent most of last season on the practice squad and JV team, has seized his opportunity.
“I knew I had a challenge to beat out some of the great other running backs,” Anderson said. “I just had to work as hard as I could to get the starting spot.”
Anderson is hard for defenders to find behind the offensive line of senior center Tristan Brester (6-1, 260), senior guard Ryan Holmes (6-2, 260), junior guard Kalani Ioapo (6-4, 299) and senior tackles Jake Normoyle (6-5, 299) and Connor Stuart (6-6, 265).
“I just love to hide behind my linemen, especially Kalani.” Anderson said. “But I try to use my vision. I try to make the first guy miss.”
Normoyle calls Anderson “sneaky.”
“That's what makes him so good,” Normoyle said. “He kind of pops out randomly. It's kind of crazy how much he's developed and become a baller.”
Wideman said of Anderson: “He's real shifty, real slippery. He's an automatic first-miss tackler.”
West Linn, which opened with a 51-14 road win over 2023 Idaho semifinalist Eagle last week, was in total control against the Bowmen (1-1). The Lions scored touchdowns on their first five possessions to lead 35-0 with 5:18 left in the third quarter, triggering a running clock.
The 6-5 Gilroy completed 11 of 16 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns, a 46-yarder to Wideman in the second quarter and a 10-yarder to Smiley in the third quarter. Gilroy also scored the team's final touchdown on a two-yard run.
Wideman had five catches for 82 yards and Smiley had three catches for 40 yards. Senior Will Ingle subbed for Anderson in goal-line situations and ran for touchdowns of five and three yards on his only two carries. West Linn had a 352-164 edge in total yards.
The defense was stellar in keeping Sherwood's dangerous and deceptive wing-T in check. Junior lineman James Johnstone had a sack, senior lineman Brett Ronson and senior linebacker Radley Klein shared a sack, Naone had a big tackle for loss on a fourth-down play and junior MJ Kennebrew added a late interception.
It was the kind of dominance that West Linn has become accustomed to in making the semifinals in 2021 and 2023 and winning the state title in 2022.
“We're a different team,” Gilroy said. “Where we're talented is different, but I think our talent is the same, if not better. I loved my team last year, but I think this team can do the same, if not more.”
Gilroy, who has passed for 498 yards and four touchdowns in two games, is in an envious position.
“I'm so lucky. I think this is the best line in the state, no debate,” Gilroy said. “So much size, so much discipline, so much experience. And I'm just surrounded by weapons everywhere.”
Normoyle and Holmes are the only starting linemen back, but the others were in the rotation last season.
“They've been picking it up really well,” Normoyle said. “All summer the whole O-line was going to workouts together, just getting that chemistry up.”
Still, as good as the Lions were Friday, they did show flaws, racking up procedure and holding penalties.
“We're going to work on that Monday. Probably run a lot,” Anderson said. “We're going to get more disciplined.”
Sherwood knew it was taking a giant step up in competition after beating Roosevelt 42-7 in its opener. The Bowmen had their moments, collecting eight first downs in the first half and averaging 4.7 yards per carry for the game, but could not finish drives.
Still, it's clear that their running backs – seniors Wilson Medina (15 carries, 56 yards), Andrew Waletich (six carries, 46 yards) and Layton Walter (seven carries, 62 yards) – are going to be a handful for most defenses.
“We're kind of young. We have a lot of new starters,” Medina said. “There was a lot of people in their second varsity game. So a lot of it has to do with inexperience. It's good that we're getting it out of the way now instead of dealing with it in the postseason.”
Medina said the Lions are “legit.”
“I feel like them and Tualatin are going to be No. 1 and No. 2,” Medina said. “I feel like they'll go a long way in the postseason. I do feel like we'll see them again.”
jerryu@osaa.org
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