For the past decade, West Linn's football team has worn a giant target on its back in Oregon.
Friday night, that target traveled with the Lions to Sumner, Wash., where the reigning Washington big-school champion Spartans had a score to settle for West Linn dealing them their only defeat in 2024.
The Lions long anticipated an ambush.
“We met their coaches at a coaches clinic in Seattle, and that's all they were talking about was having West Linn come up and play,” Lions coach Jon Eagle said.
Reigning 6A champion West Linn shook off a slow start – much like it did in last year's meeting – and overcame Sumner 31-24. Senior Sloan Baker completed 16 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns and the No. 2 Lions held the Spartans to three points in the second half to improve to 3-0 on the season.
“I'll tell you what, that's a very, very good football team,” Eagle said of Sumner (1-2), ranked in the top five in Washington. “They would do very well in Oregon.”
The task seemed daunting early for West Linn. The Spartans drove for two touchdowns in the first quarter to open a 14-3 lead.
“They ran it down our throats the first two times they had the ball,” said Eagle, whose team trailed Sumner 20-0 last year before winning 34-27 at home. “I'm going, 'Oh boy, this is not going to be pretty.' But we battled back.”
Down 21-10 late in the second quarter, West Linn junior Josiah Molden came through an interception that set up a 28-yard touchdown pass from Baker to junior tight end Gavin Thaut, cutting the lead to 21-17 at half.
The Lions took a 24-21 lead on the opening drive of the second half when Baker found Molden in the back of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown pass.
After Sumner pulled even at 24-24 on a field goal midway through the fourth quarter, West Linn junior Shane Peters returned the kickoff to the Spartans' 35-yard line. Peters scored on a three-yard run with two minutes left, his second rushing touchdown of the game, to make it 31-24.
West Linn's defense closed out the win.
“I really attribute the victory to our defense,” Eagle said. “We were a little bit undersized compared to Sumner's offensive line. Our defensive players and coaches made adjustments to slow down their running game.”
Baker continued his steady play at quarterback. For the season, he has completed 51 of 70 passes for 852 yards and 11 touchdowns with one interception.
“Baker's killing it,” Eagle said. “The guy's a fierce competitor. He can run, and he's a very accurate thrower with a quick release. And he's a fast processor of information.”
With senior running back Viggo Anderson (sprained toe) missing his second game in a row, sophomore Cohen Bissell rotated with Peters at the position. Bissell rushed for 67 yards on 13 carries and caught two passes for 56 yards.
Up next for West Linn is a home date with Camas, last year's Washington runner-up to Sumner. Eagle coached 13 seasons at Camas, guiding the team to two state titles.
Defense propels Central Catholic
For the second week in a row, Central Catholic's defense successfully contained one of the state's top running backs. Unlike last week, it paid off with a victory.
The No. 4 Rams won 35-6 at No. 8 Jesuit in a 6A nonleague game to improve to 2-1. They held Crusaders junior Luke Ortner, who rushed for a 6A-high 568 yards in the first two games, to 107 yards on 28 carries, 3.8 yards per carry.
It came one week after Central Catholic (2-1) limited Lake Oswego senior LaMarcus Bell, a Utah commit, to 87 yards on 15 carries in a 21-0 loss to the No. 1 Lakers.
“The defense is playing really well right now,” Rams coach Charlie Landgraf said. “We talk a lot about winning at the point of attack, and block destruction, then getting 11 hats to the ball. I think we're on the right track. Credit to the defensive staff for putting good game plans together on back-to-back weeks.”
Landgraf praised the play of senior linebackers Hudson Coe, Donnie Vercher and Tyson Davis and senior defensive lineman Matt Watson, who had a sack and an interception. Davis, a standout running back the past two seasons, has played more on defense this year.
“He's been a really big spark for us,” Landgraf said. “He's just been a tremendous addition on that side of the ball. Big, physical linebacker. With him and Donnie back there, we feel like they can cover and defend sideline to sideline, but also get downhill and really stop the run in the box.”
After Jesuit took a 6-0 lead on a three-yard run by Ortner, Central Catholic senior quarterback Robbie Long broke loose for a 62-yard touchdown run on the Rams' second play from scrimmage for a 7-6 lead.
Long had a big night, completing 18 of 23 passes for 185 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for 99 yards and one score on six carries. Long's scoring passes were six yards to junior George VanSandt, 29 yards to junior Jamear Shambry, 42 yards to Davis and 20 yards to junior Seager Milholen.
The Rams finished with a 351-217 edge in yards.
Summit thrives in 'gauntlet'
Summit, No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 5A coaches poll, continued its redemption tour Friday with a 21-14 home win over No. 2 Mountain View in an Intermountain Conference showdown.
The Storm, the 2022 state champion, lost to the Cougars the last two seasons in games that decided the IMC title. Friday's win came a week after Summit won at two-time reigning 5A champion Wilsonville, which won the previous three meetings between the teams.
“We've been battle-tested,” Storm coach Corben Hyatt said. “We've faced a little gauntlet early in the season. We feel good.”
Summit (4-0, 1-0) ended Mountain View's regular-season winning streak at 21.
“Our seniors had never beaten Mountain View,” Hyatt said. “Getting that win over Wilsonville was the same thing. We always say, 'You've got to win the city championship before you can win the league championship.' Knocking off Mountain View was huge for us. We have a lot of confidence.”
Junior Andrew Guthrie completed 15 of 17 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns, one each to seniors Connor Conneely (seven catches, 72 yards) and Dylan Hughes. Senior Jude Anderson rushed for 121 yards and one touchdown – an 81-yard burst -- on seven carries.
Conneely and Hughes also stood out on defense against Mountain View (3-1, 0-1). Conneely had six tackles, three assists and an interception. Hughes had six tackles, two assists and two tackles for loss.
“It was a super physical, well-fought game,” Hyatt said. “I feel like this team is kind of where I wanted them to be at this point. We're excited.”
Conneely, the catalyst for the win over Wilsonville, came up clutch once again. His interception set up a 12-yard touchdown pass from Guthrie to Hughes that gave Summit a 14-7 lead. In the third quarter, he turned a short pass over the middle into a 35-yard score to make it 21-7.
“The kid's amazing. He makes plays when we need them at the most critical times,” Hyatt said.
Titans trending up
Behind the running of senior Koen Campos and a much-improved defense, 6A West Salem has quietly opened the season with three solid wins.
The Titans won at McMinnville 48-14 in a nonleague game Friday as Campos rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries and senior Jacob Sanderson completed 7 of 10 passes for 207 yards and three scores.
In its first two games, West Salem avenged losses from last season by beating Sprague 26-16 and Sheldon 29-14 in Special District 1 contests. After going 6-5 last season, and losing to Jesuit 21-20 in the quarterfinals of the 6A secondary bracket, the Titans have started strong despite breaking in new starters at 12 of 22 positions.
“I knew there was a lot of question marks going into the season, a lot of guys that were JV players having to step up,” coach Shawn Stanley said. “And they've done that so far.”
The 6-foot, 204-pound Campos transferred from 5A Crescent Valley last season and ran for 1,607 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also is dangerous as a receiver.
“I think we have one of the best running backs anywhere,” Stanley said. “He's a game-changer. We've had backs in the past that were really fast or really elusive or really physical. He's a great combination of all those things.”
Stanley said his team is more physical this season, in particular on defense. Burly senior defensive linemen Kit Shinkle (5-11, 250) and Kysen Ramirez (5-11, 280) are a handful, and senior middle linebacker Deacon Shinkle (6-3, 225), a hurdler in track, is making plays all over the field.
Senior safeties Evan Wusstig and Landon Tomlin are making their presence felt in the secondary.
“There weren't a ton of shots put on people in the second level last year,” Stanley said. “We've had more big hits in the past few games in the secondary than we probably had all last year.”
The defense is holding foes to 14.7 points per game, down from 26.3 in 2024.
“We worked hard on our team speed in the offseason, and I think that's showing through,” Stanley said. “When you turn on the tape, that's evident.”
West Salem visits North Medford (0-3, 0-3) before playing host to No. 5 Willamette (3-0, 3-0) on Oct. 3.
“We're not looking past North Medford or they'll definitely get us,” Stanley said.
Cascade dominates
Cascade more than lived up to its No. 1 ranking in the OSAAtoday 4A coaches poll with a 35-7 nonleague win at No. 3 Tillamook on Friday.
Senior Bryce Kuenzi rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries and junior Josiah Hawkins had a touchdown catch and an interception for the Cougars (4-0), who led 35-0 at half.
Last week, Cascade made a statement by running away from then-No. 2 Scappoose 59-37 at home. The way the Cougars have dominated early, coach Shane Hedrick said it is among the best team in his 40 years of coaching, reminding him of his 2008 Central squad that went undefeated until falling in the 4A semifinals.
“This team has the potential to be right up there at the top,” Hedrick said. “It's physical, it's got kids that can catch, we've got a quarterback that can throw, and we've got what I believe most would say is the best 4A running back in the state.”
Kuenzi, whose junior season was cut short in the sixth game with a torn ACL, has bounced back in the big way. He has rushed for 579 yards and nine touchdowns on 69 carries, averaging 8.4 yards per carry.
“He looks awesome,” Hedrick said. “He's doing everything. This was our first turf game, and I was a little worried about that, but he did a good job with it. I think his confidence is good.”
Cascade's best lineman, senior Bryce May (6-2 ½, 330), also had his junior season halted by a torn ACL. May did not have surgery and has moved from guard to tackle this season in an effort to limit his wear and tear. He is scheduled for surgery Dec. 1, according to Hedrick.
Hedrick said May, who does not play defense, is as dominant at the line of scrimmage as former Central defensive lineman Marlon Tuipulotu, now with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“In terms of staying on his feet, and finding action, he's that good,” Hedrick said.
'Great night, I can't lie'
Caleb Scaglione wasn't about to let co-No. 2 Cascade Christian suffer another painful loss to No. 5 Siuslaw in a 3A nonleague game Friday.
The senior receiver scored on a 59-yard fumble return, 21-yard interception return and 56-yard punt return and threw for a 46-yard touchdown to senior Caleb Parker on a double pass as the Challengers (4-0) rolled 57-0 over the visiting Vikings (1-2).
If that wasn't enough, Scaglione ran for a two-point conversion. He also had a second fumble recovery and 6.5 tackles.
“It was a great night, I can’t lie,” Scaglione told the Rogue Valley Times. “It honestly will just be a memory that will last a lifetime. I’ll remember this game forever.”
Cascade Christian dropped the previous three games between the teams, including a 40-35 loss on a touchdown in the closing seconds at Siuslaw last season. The Challengers lost to Siuslaw 38-34 and 28-23 in 2021, the second one in the 3A quarterfinals.
jerryu@osaa.org
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