Last week we released our Washington 2014 Prep Football Pre-season poll. Tonight we take a stab at Oregon. During the season we contribute every week to the AP Polls or other statewide polls but have not done a lot of preseason projections in the past. For some Summer Fun we are posting our Oregon Poll for who we think might just be the teams to take it all. Here without further adieu is our 2014 Oregon Prep Football Preseason Poll for the 6 A Division.
If You Missed it Check out the 2014 NWPR Big School Washington High School Football Poll Right Here:
1: Central Catholic – 15-0 – 2013 State Champs- And they are loaded again.
Blake Brandel, Riley Gallant, TJ Salu, Ronnie Rust, Tyson Cooper, and #6 RB in the Nation Cameron Scarlett all have collegiate offers or interest. Right now they look to have the inside track all the way to the finals. BUt anything can happen! This team however is capable of breaking into the Top 50 in the Nation. An early Power showdown against Don Bosco in California is going to tell us more about that.
2. Jesuit– Not as many star this year- Nor worries. They over power guys and win – Look for Running Back Chase Morrison to go for 2,500 plus yards and dominate. The QB is Eric Restic who as a sophomore showed great poise and skill and the ability to win. Power football at its best.
2013: Lost State Championship to CC- 38-28
3. Tigard–
They reload – but will they be as good? Conner Crist (Top Linemen), Sam Inos (WR/Safety) and Landon Floyd (RB And Safety) are 3 to watch in a deep program.
2013: 83-49 Semi Final Loss to CC
4: North Medford
Four of the best Juniors in the State will be back in players Jared Evans, SWC Player of the Year Troy Fowler, Nick Janakes, and Tristen Holmes.
2013: Lost 42-0 to Tigard- A year makes them so much better in 2015 and they could win it all!
5: Lakeridge
Eric Dungey at QB has now 11 or 12 offers and in our view is a Top 5 in the NW Region. Look for him to throw and run this year. Lopeti Aisea at RB/LB and Jack Cole at WR will lead a talented team into 2015. How good can they be? Depth of the team will show out early in the year. The Coaching controversy has boiled over and is now on simmer. Chad Carlson has to pull the team together in a year that will define him as a coach with the entire State and Nation watching.
2013: Lost big to Jesuit in a Brawl – 24 penalties that touched off a National debate!
6: West Salem The Titans rush into 2014 with Keegan Hlad (WR) and Cade Smith (QB) appearing to be the best 1-2 Punch in the State. They have some real surprises in store and once again a powerhouse line that should allow these coaches to go to work!
2013: 49-34 Loss to Glencoe
7: Oregon City
RB’s Trevon Bradford and Conner MItchell both have 4.4 range speed and are tough! Hunter Knighton (WR) and Chris Mengis (Linemen) will set the tone for the Pioneers.
Coach Randy Nyquist of West Albany is a premier coach in the NW and is bringing his Championship experiences to the 6A and Mt Hood and Boy look out. These guys will pound the ground!
2013: 14-9 Loss to North Medford –
8: Sheldon-
Kellen Strahm will anchor both sided of the ball. The Coaching, Youth program, and football IQ of these kids is top notch. We look for them to make a statement again this season.
2013 Missed the final 4 wth a 24-17 loss to canby
# 9 Sherwood
Big Story here. Championship Coach Greg Lawrence and the Bowmen leave 5 A at 103-14 since 2004 and move to 6A and into the 3 rivers. This team has to reload but they are always reloaded. These are Champions who like Bellevue in Washington run the Wing T like no other.
Lots 21-20 State Final in OT to Coach Nyquists West Albany squad.
10: Canby
Led by Jace Cates , a 2 way stud, the Cougars will be ready to go deep again.
Canby has a sytem that is undeniable. Wing T Wins! They went to the final 4 and came up a little short against Jesuit 35-17 in a year where they lost their leader in Sam Bodine. A tough resilient program.
2013: Lot to runner up Jesuit 35-17
11: Southridge
They will be tough – Lost a lot of guys but Derek Parnell is a two way beast and Pepe Tanuvasa at LB is the best in the State potentially at that spot. A cast of immense talent will lead these always nasty and fast Skyhawks.
Lost 28-20 to Lakeridge in the playoffs last year
12: TIE : Westview- Sunset- Lake Oswego
All went into the playoffs last season. Sunset will be led by Willy Pflug at QB who has 3 or 4 offers for college. Westview brings Ian Meyers and Teagan Lind (The Twin Towers) to the DE and TE spots as top tier talent and return Austin Brisbee who is one of the most explosive QB’s in the entire NW. Lake Oswego has some impressive young Talent back and one of the best young QB’s in the entire Region in Mitchell Verburg. This should be a great year for all 3 of these teams!
Teams on the Verge of the Top 12
Sprague, Roseburg, Clackamas, Grants Pass, Crater, Glencoe, McMinnville, Beaverton, and McNary
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Chris L
June 26, 2014 at 10:09 am
I went to the Oregon City vs Canby playoff game last year expecting to see OCs spread versus Canby and the Wing-T. Canby ran very little Wing-T stuff. In fact, it looked like they had changed their offense quite a bit.
Dirk Knudsen
June 26, 2014 at 11:36 am
Chris the staff out there has changed things up for sure. I think they carry that offense into the future looking to open it up depending on the weapons and kids they have year to year- but your right. They are so well coached- those guys are going to make adjustments! Thanks for your help!
Dirk
Jeff Lewis
June 26, 2014 at 3:12 pm
Dirk,
I think you, and a lot of others, will be surprised at how far Sherwood will fall off this year. Notice your recap above mentions NO ONE by name returning for the Bowmen, and with good reason. Don\’t get me wrong, they have some talented athletes, and a great system run to perfection, but nowhere near that of years past. I think 5-4 would be a huge success this year. Hope I\’m wrong, but I don\’t think I am.
Dirk Knudsen
June 26, 2014 at 3:28 pm
Jeff- I always back historically good programs with good systems until they prove otherwise. The Sherwood youth program is a juggernaut and is as big or bigger then most any other youth program going and they win. Stars aside Sherwood has won on team concept and execution. They are coming into a tough league so they have many challenges ahead. It will be fun to watch all this unfold!
Tim Hyatt
June 27, 2014 at 10:55 am
I think your top three are spot-on and will likely finish that way this year. However, I like Canby to finish in the top 5-6 since they are so explosive and I think will be better than last year. The newly-structured Three Rivers League will be ridiculously competitive. Newberg is expected to be the punching bag for that league but I think they will surprise people because they have loads of undiscovered talent and arguably the best defensive coach in the state. Tualatin or West Linn will bring up the rear. Sherwood will be fortunate to finish at 500 this year, because they have never had to compete as such a high level every week. They open up with a very good Grants Pass team, perhaps the best in years and it doesn\’t let up all year.