No. 4 Central Catholic and No. 2 Tualatin are hoping to draw on some of their championship DNA when they collide in the OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 6A football final at 12:30 p.m. Friday at Hillsboro Stadium.
The Rams (12-0) have senior quarterback Cru Newman, who two years ago passed and ran for 347 yards in leading his team past Tualatin 44-14 in the championship game.
The Timberwolves (11-1) have two starters from last season's state champion basketball team in Jayden Fortier and AJ Noland, senior receivers who are college football commits and key cogs in a prolific passing attack.
Tualatin football coach Dominic Ferraro recalled how the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Fortier rose to the occasion in an upset of top-seeded West Linn in the 6A basketball final – collecting 15 rebounds – and wouldn't mind seeing a similar performance.
“He was like, 'I'm going to do the dirty work,'” Ferraro said of Fortier, who also has dominated at linebacker this season. “He knows we're going to need a Herculean effort from him on Friday.”
Overcoming Central Catholic, which is going for its third title in four postseasons and fifth championship since 2013, will be a massive chore. The Rams are riding high after a 12-7 semifinal win over top-seeded and reigning champion West Linn, avenging a loss to the Lions in last year's final four.
Central Catholic was jubilant in victory, but Rams coach Steve Pyne knows his team can't afford an emotional hangover against the Timberwolves, who are seeking their first title.
“You spend emotional energy at this juncture of the playoffs, it doesn't matter who you're playing, or you go home,” Pyne said. “Hopefully we can fill the tank back up and be ready to compete against Tualatin.”
The Rams are in proven hands with Newman, who has completed 67.0 percent of his passes for 2,325 yards and 30 touchdowns with four interceptions and rushed for 623 yards and 13 scores. The third-year starter has passed for 7,338 yards and 93 touchdowns and run for 2,022 yards and 24 scores in his career.
Ferraro got to know Newman while coaching on Pyne's staff at the Les Schwab Bowl last summer and was impressed.
“He's a great kid,” Ferraro said. “He's a great athlete, and a darn good quarterback. We're going to have our hands full with the guy. He is a dude.”
Tualatin has its own standout quarterback in 6-5, 215-pound junior Nolan Keeney. Since returning from missing five games with a broken collarbone, Keeney has passed for 1,017 yards and 13 touchdowns in the playoffs.
Keeney benefits from having two college-bound athletes at receiver in Fortier (Arizona State) and Noland (Colorado State).
Fortier is coming off an historic performance in a 42-23 win over No. 3 Sherwood in the semifinals, when he caught six passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 1,055 yards and 10 scores for the season. Noland moved back to receiver in the playoffs after filling in at quarterback and has 11 catches for 350 yards and six touchdowns in the last three games.
Fortier and Noland are “fantastic playmakers, obviously Division I athletes,” according to Pyne.
“We're got to know where they are all the time,” Pyne said. “If you don't, they're going to burn you. The quarterback is good, too. They're different when he's back there. They become a little more dynamic. He's pretty elusive for the size he is. That was one of the things that jumped out to me, he extends plays.”
Central Catholic's defense shut down West Linn's passing attack in the semifinals, applying steady pressure up front and locking down in the secondary The Rams will need to do the same against Tualatin.
“Our defensive backs, as a group, they were our player of the game,” Pyne said. “They disrupted routes and made windows tight for the West Linn quarterback to deliver the ball. On top of that, up front, we moved him off his spot.”
Central Catholic could become the first team to win three big-school titles in four postseasons since Marshfield won three in a row from 1954 to 1956, although 1954 was a co-title. Grant won three outright titles from 1943 to 1946.
The Rams' senior class is 37-2 at the varsity level.
“That speaks volumes to their commitment to keeping our tradition, our legacy, alive in the program,” Pyne said. “I'm just excited to get one more opportunity with this group.”
Tualatin is 0-3 in the championship games, losing in 2007, 2010 and 2022. The Timberwolves fell to Sheldon in the semifinals last year, when Ferraro took over as coach for Dan Lever, who took the job at 5A Silverton.
“Three straight years to the semifinals or further, it's just not normal,” Ferraro said. “Our kids might think it's normal, but it isn't. We're talking about appreciating the moment and not having any regrets.”
A look at the other finals matchups:
6A Columbia Cup – 1 p.m. Saturday, Cottage Grove HS
No. 21 Sunset (8-4) vs. No. 18 South Medford (9-3): The Apollos and Panthers meet in the second Columbia Cup final. Sunset's four losses have come by a combined 22 points. The Apollos are led by quarterback Drew Nees, who has passed for 2,023 yards and 22 touchdowns. Owen Scholes rushed for 112 yards on 16 carries in a 50-21 semifinal win over Barlow. South Medford has been winning with defense (four shutouts) and a consistent rushing attack (263.6 yards per game). Ryder Scheid rushed for 250 yards and five touchdowns last week against Clackamas, giving him 1,121 yards this season.
5A – 4:30 p.m. Friday, Hillsboro Stadium
No. 3 Mountain View (12-0) vs. No 1 Wilsonville (11-1): Wilsonville has finished as runner-up in 2016, 2018 and 2022 since winning its only title in 2004. Wildcats senior quarterback Kallen Gutridge (3,505 passing yards) has thrown for 53 touchdowns this season, No. 4 on the state's all-time list. Junior Mark Wiepert has 1,420 receiving yards and 19 touchdown catches. Wilsonville's only loss was 22-13 at 6A finalist Tualatin. Mountain View, which won a playoff game this year for the first time since 2017, won its only title in 2011. The Cougars feature 5-11, 195-pound sophomore Angel Valenzuela, who has rushed for 1,745 yards and 27 touchdowns. Quarterback Connor Crum has passed for 24 touchdowns, 16 to Jack Foley. Mountain View is holding opponents to a 5A-low 7.8 points per game.
4A – 5 p.m.,Saturday, Caldera HS
No. 1 Marist Catholic (11-1) vs. No. 1 Henley (12-0): Marist Catholic, the 2021 runner-up, has reached the final under first-time head coach Charlie Landgraf, a former Jesuit lineman. The Spartans have won five titles, most recently in 2009. Marist Catholic junior Nick Hudson leads 4A in passing with 3,420 yards and 42 touchdowns. His top two targets are 6-6 senior Kaden Erlenbush (64 catches, 962 yards, 14 touchdowns) and 6-4 senior Brady Bidwell (76 catches, 986 yards, 12 touchdowns). Henley, a quarterfinalist the last two seasons, has reached its first final since winning its second title in 1982. That team was coached by Lee Schroder, the grandfather of Hornets coach Alex Stork's wife, Makena. Henley running back Logan Whitlock has rushed for 1,944 yards and 42 touchdowns, giving him 75 scores in his career.
3A – 5 p.m. Saturday, Cottage Grove HS
No. 2 Cascade Christian (12-0) vs. No. 1 Banks (12-0): The top two seeds clash in a battle of unbeaten teams. Reigning champion Cascade Christian has a 25-game winning streak. Quarterback Ashton Moody has passed for 2,183 yards and 29 touchdowns with three interceptions and has rushed for 506 yards and 14 scores. Peyton Maurer leads the Challengers in receiving yards (964) and touchdown catches (nine). Banks, the 4A champion in 2018 and runner-up in 2019, switched to 3A last year and made the semifinals. The Braves are balanced on offense, averaging 172.1 passing yards and 156.7 rushing yards. Kade Long has passed for 24 touchdowns – 12 to Max Walker – and rushed for seven scores. Ashton Crossen (966 rushing yards, 17 touchdowns) is Banks' top ground gainer.
2A – 2 p.m. Saturday, Hillsboro Stadium
No. 3 Lowell (11-1) vs. No. 1 Weston-McEwen/Griswold (11-0): Both teams are going for their first titles. Weston-McEwen defeated Lowell 27-21 in the quarterfinals last year, when it lost to Oakland in the final. The TigerScots beat Lowell 25-23 in a rematch in Week 4, rallying from a 21-12, third-quarter deficit to take the lead with four minutes left on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Easton Berry to Caleb Sprenger. Berry missed the team's quarterfinal game with an injury but returned in the semifinals to pass for 231 yards, rush for 115 yards and account for five touchdowns to help beat Regis 55-39. Lowell is playing in its first championship game. The Red Devils have a the state's leading rusher in junior JaMar Thurman, who has rushed for 2,687 yards and 41 touchdowns. Lowell sophomore quarterback Carter Harris left the team's 32-18 semifinal win over Oakland with a neck injury and is questionable for the final.
1A-8 – 1 p.m. Saturday, Caldera HS
No. 2 Crane (10-0) vs. No. 1 Lost River (10-0): Reigning champion Lost River carries a 19-game winning streak into the final against Crane. Senior Connor Dunlea is the catalyst for Lost River, rushing for 1,263 yards and 16 touchdowns and collecting 11 interceptions, including four in a 54-28 semifinal win over St. Paul. He also returned a kickoff 83 yards and an interception 73 yards for scores. Quarterback Chase McAuliffe has 20 touchdown runs. Crane, a three-time runner-up (1998, 2015, 2016), is unbeaten in its first season under coach Matt Hawley, who left coaching after guiding Vale to the 3A title in 2014 but returned to replace Stub Travis (167 wins in 23 seasons) with the Mustangs. Crane stopped Myrtle Point 26-22 in the semifinals as senior Carter Nichols rushed for 230 yards on 39 carries. Nichols, 6-7 junior tight end Cody Siegner and junior quarterback Josh Zander were starters on Crane's back-to-back state champion boys basketball teams.
1A-6 – 2 p.m. Saturday, Hermiston HS
No. 10 Echo (8-3) vs. No. 4 Joseph (9-1): Joseph posted a 52-28 home win over Echo in the season opener, but the Cougars are much improved, winning seven in a row after a 1-3 start, including playoff wins over No. 7 Alsea, No. 2 Powers and No. 3 Elkton. Senior multi-purpose threat Dom Curiel has scored 38 touchdowns for Echo, and sophomore Kohlvin Wyse has excelled since taking over at quarterback for Curiel in Week 4, passing for 587 yards and six touchdowns in the playoffs. The Cougars, who had not won a playoff game since making the 1987 semifinals, are in their first final. Joseph was runner-up in 2008, but won the unofficial title when six-man debuted in 2018. The Eagles topped No. 1 Prairie City/Burnt River 33-19 in the semifinals, avenging their only defeat. Kane Johnson threw touchdown passes of 54 and 65 yards to Kellen Crenshaw and 58 yards to Jaxon Grover.
jerryu@osaa.org
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