Banks football coach Cole Linehan knew his offense was in good hands when Hayden Vandehey took over at quarterback last season.
But even Linehan marveled at how Vandehey was in total control Saturday in leading the Braves past Marshfield 21-14 in a 4A semifinal at Cottage Grove High School.
“It was fun to see him go to work,” Linehan said.
The 6-foot-1, 176-pound senior completed 25 of 36 passes for 239 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown to senior Blake Markham. But it was his scrambling – he rushed for 77 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries – that sunk the Pirates.
“He made some great choices with his legs when he needed to,” Linehan said. “We’ve always known he’s a smart, heady football player, and we leaned on him a bunch against Marshfield. When we needed eight yards, he gave us nine. When we needed a big pass, he’d put one in there for us.”
Vandehey has raised his game from last season, when he threw for 2,649 yards and 30 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. This year, he has passed for 2,843 yards and 32 scores with six interceptions.
“He just made leaps and bounds improvement on all aspects of his game,” Linehan said. “He’s had a great senior year, as far as leadership goes.”
In his career, Vandehey has passed for 5,567 yards and 62 touchdowns and rushed for 1,036 yards and 15 scores. He will go down as arguably the best quarterback in school history, considered with Linehan’s brother, Gabe Linehan, who passed for 2,500 yards as a senior in 2007 before going on to a college career as a tight end at Boise State.
“My little brother did some unbelievable things, but as far as pure passing numbers, Hayden’s got to be the best we’ve ever had,” Linehan said.
Vandehey will try to lead top-seeded Banks (10-1) to its first title Saturday when it meets Cowapa League rival Seaside (10-1) in the 4A final at Hillsboro Stadium. The Braves won at Seaside 10-7 on Oct. 12.
Starck effect
Seventh-seeded Thurston’s surprising run to the 5A final has been especially magical for Colts coach Justin Starck and his son, Grant Starck, a standout junior lineman on the team.
Justin was an assistant coach at Thurston when Grant was born and took over as head coach the following season. Colts football has strengthened their bond over the years.
“It’s so special,” Justin Starck said. “He’s just really grown up around our program and dreamed about how things would go when it was his turn, when he was in high school. For things to be playing out this way is really special.”
Thurston, which has never won a title, has advanced to its first championship game since finishing as runner-up in 2008. And 6-5, 285-pound Grant Starck has been a big part of it.
A second-year starter at left tackle, he has been integral in protecting the blind side of quarterback Cade Crist, who has thrown 30 touchdown passes. And he has helped pave the way for a running game that averages 222.3 yards per game.
Justin said that Grant “loves playing defense,” but that his future probably is as an offensive lineman. He got his first scholarship offer in the summer, from Southern Oregon, and has been hearing from Oregon State and Portland State, among others.
“His pass protection is his strength, but he sure loves pancakes,” Justin said. “He likes to drive-block. In the spring when they do those exposure-type camps, he always performs really well in one-on-one pass protection. He’s proud of the fact that he hasn’t given up any sacks. He takes a lot of pride in keeping his quarterback clean.”
Justin was a standout offensive lineman at South Salem and was a two-year starter at Oregon. After an NFL tryout with the Rams, he played professionally in Europe and in the Arena Football League.
So how does Grant compare to him at this stage?
“He’s bigger. He has better athleticism,” Justin said. “I think I had a little bit better straight-ahead speed, but he has better balance and awareness. He’s more athletic. He’s a way better defensive player than I ever was. And his pass protection is better.”
The coach also has a freshman son in the program. Grayson Starck (5-11, 165) played linebacker and tight end for the freshman team this season.
“He’s got the height gene coming, so I think he’s going to keep growing,” Justin said. “He might wind up at defensive end.”
The Colts (9-3) meet No. 1 Wilsonville (12-0) in the 5A final Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium.
Assembly line
Lake Oswego wasn’t sure what to expect from its offensive line after graduating four starters from last year’s semifinal team, including two three-year starters in tackles Dawson Jaramillo and Shawn Elliott.
But the line has gelled into a cohesive unit, protecting a first-year quarterback in senior Jackson Laurent and creating space for a talented cast of skill players to shine. It is a big reason why the top-seeded Lakers (11-1) have returned to the semifinals, where they will play No. 4 Jesuit (11-1) on Friday at Hillsboro Stadium.
“They’re a close-knit group,” coach Steve Coury said. “Sometimes you’re blessed to have a bunch of guys that are good friends off the field. These guys have done a great job of that. They’re a bunch of friends that have a lot of pride in what they’re doing.”
Coury said assistants Chris Hubley and Bill Hewes have done a “tremendous job” of coaching the linemen. The unit includes center Mo Linver (5-11, 250), guards Ryan Bertelsen (6-3, 285) and Cody Carlson (6-3, 240) and tackles Tanner Hall (6-1, 225) and Tiger Shanks (6-6, 330). Asher Corbett (5-11, 200) also sees time at guard.
Bertelsen is the lone returning starter. Shanks was a starter at Lakeridge the last two seasons before transferring to Lake Oswego, where he played as a youth.
“He’s been a good addition for us,” Coury said of Shanks. “He’s one kid that’s really improved. He’s always been the big kid on the block. Our coaches have done a tremendous job with him, and he’s responded to the coaching. He’s a lot better today than he was Week 1.”
Fralichs frolic
It’s hard to imagine where reigning 3A champion Cascade Christian would be without a Fralich on its roster.
Brothers John and Kristian Fralich – a senior and sophomore, respectively – and their senior cousin Ian Fralich have been the weapons of choice this season for junior quarterback Kiegan Schaan.
Of Schaan’s 29 touchdown passes, 25 have gone to the Fralichs. John has 10 scores, Kristian eight and Ian seven.
“They’re pretty low-key. They just go about doing their business,” Challengers coach Jon Gettman said. “They just have a good bond. They care about one another, so they like seeing the success of one another. The biggest thing is they just fulfill a little different role, each one.”
The 5-9, 160-pound Ian is a crafty route-runner. John (5-10, 150) is more of a threat to turn a short pass into a touchdown. And Kristian (5-7, 145) “is probably the most explosive of all three of them,” according to Gettman.
“He’s more dynamic of an athlete,” Gettman said. “Just short, quick bursts, more of a juker.”
John has 44 catches for 792 yards, Kristian 41 catches for 602 yards, and Ian 30 catches for 409 yards.
John provided a desperately needed spark for the team in the semifinals against Amity. With Cascade Christian trailing 24-13 in the second quarter, he returned a kickoff 63 yards for a touchdown, the first of 36 consecutive points in a 49-24 win. He and Ian also had touchdown catches in the game.
Unfortunately for the Challengers, Ian suffered a broken collarbone in the game and will not play Saturday when No. 3 Cascade Christian (11-1) goes for a repeat title against No. 1 Rainier (12-0) in the final at Cottage Grove High School.
jerryu@osaa.org
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