Scappoose has a nicely maintained grass football field. But Indians coach Sean McNabb wouldn’t mind seeing it turn a little bit sloppy Friday night when No. 1 Wilsonville pays a visit.
“I’ve never wanted it to rain, but it wouldn’t be such a bad thing on Friday,” McNabb said. “Slow them down a little bit.”
If the rain arrives as forecasted Friday, it could be the ultimate equalizer for the seventh-ranked Indians (4-1) against the Wildcats (5-0) in the 5A Special District 1 West contest. Their power-running game would be much better suited to a slow track than Wilsonville’s dynamic passing game.
“I’m hoping the rain holds off,” said Wilsonville coach Adam Guenther, whose team will play on grass for the first time this season. “I’m hoping we hit a window in there. We’ll practice out in our side lot where we still have some grass, and just get ready.”
So far, no team has even come close to stopping Wilsonville quarterback Nathan Overholt, who has thrown for 1,497 yards and 24 touchdowns. Scappoose could use all the help it can get.
“He’s the real deal,” McNabb said. “He seems so confident in the pocket. He’s got good receivers. He’s accurate. He can feather the ball when he needs to, and he can put it on a rope when he needs to. He’s the best quarterback we’ve seen in a long time.
“We’ve got to get to him, put pressure on him. A lot of teams haven’t.”
Overholt has thrown eight touchdown passes each to senior receivers Jonah Gomez and Sam Westing. Gomez has 30 catches for 477 yards, both team highs.
But Scappoose also presents some problems for Wilsonville. The Indians have a massive line – led by junior guard Thomas McKedy (6-5, 305) and senior tackles Terrence Lewis (6-3, 260) and Liam McMullen (6-4, 260) – and two bulldozing backs in 230-pound senior Quincy Cleveland and 220-pound senior Matthew Roth.
“They’re bruisers,” Guenther said. “They are definitely the largest team we’ve faced.”
Scappoose’s most dangerous weapon is senior running back Connor McNabb, the coach’s son. McNabb (6-0, 189) has rushed for 764 yards and eight touchdowns and caught two scoring passes.
Indians junior quarterback Jakobi Kessi is a dual threat in the team’s zone-read offense, passing for 610 yards and six touchdowns and running for 363 yards and five scores. His primary receiver is 6-6 senior Gavin Larson, who has three touchdown catches.
Scappoose will try to control the clock with its running game but keep Wilsonville off balance with short passes.
“We’re going to dink and dunk, throw screens and do that,” McNabb said. “We’ve always been such a fast-paced, no-huddle team, and we’re actually huddling a lot more this year just because a lot of those guys go both ways. We’re still trying to put pressure on defenses, just doing it a little bit differently.”
Scappoose, a longtime staple in the 4A Cowapa League, is playing in 5A for the first time. The Indians are more than holding their own, their only loss a 47-27 decision to No. 5 Pendleton (5-0).
“Originally I was a little upset, I guess because we’ve been in the Cowapa for so many years,” Sean McNabb said of moving to 5A. “The closer we got, the more excited I got about the challenge. We’re starting to grow out here. We’re getting a lot of transfer kids and open enrollment kids. There are houses going up everywhere.”
A glimpse at other Week 6 games across the state:
No. 4 Jesuit (4-1) at No. 3 Sheldon (4-1): Two traditional state powers that are trending upward meet in a 6A nonleague game. Jesuit has won three in a row since a 20-14 loss to Lake Oswego as its offensive line is bowling over opponents, allowing the Crusaders to average 306 rushing yards per game. Sheldon has won four in a row since a 51-50 overtime loss to Graham-Kapowsin (Wash.), led by Penn State-bound quarterback Michael Johnson Jr. The Irish have a big Special District 7 game at South Medford next week.
No. 7 West Linn (4-1, 1-0 6A Three Rivers League) at No. 2 Lake Oswego (4-1, 1-0): West Linn scratched out its second overtime win of the season last week, escaping 26-20 over Sherwood. In last year’s game, Lake Oswego converted three turnovers into touchdowns and rallied from a 20-7 halftime deficit to win 21-20, ending West Linn’s four-year run in the series.
Sherwood (1-4) at McMinnville (4-1): When the 6A Pacific Conference reformed this year, it looked as if Sherwood was the head-and-shoulders favorite. But while the Bowmen have had a bumpy start with a tough schedule, McMinnville has compiled the conference’s best nonleague record at 4-1. Can the Grizzlies contend for the Pacific title? Friday will be revealing.
La Salle Prep (4-1, 3-0 5A Special District 1 East) at No. 5 Pendleton (5-0, 3-0): First place in the division is on the line in the game between the Falcons, who have lost only to Garfield (Wash.), and the unbeaten Buckaroos. Pendleton will need to corral La Salle Prep senior quarterback Ethan Edgerly, who accounted for touchdowns passing, rushing and receiving in last week’s 36-16 win over Hood River Valley. The Buckaroos can clinch their first winning season since 2013.
No. 9 Willamina (4-1, 1-0 3A Special District 1 West) at No. 2 Amity (5-0, 1-0): The Warriors will be looking for revenge for last year, when Willamina beat them 16-13 to end their four-year streak in the series. In that game, Amity’s Brian Hatch – now a senior – rushed for 138 yards in the first half but was plagued with leg cramps in the second half.
No. 5 Vale (2-3, 0-0 3A Special District 3) at No. 7 Nyssa (4-1, 1-0): In last year’s chapter of the longstanding rivalry, Nyssa won 18-12, an outcome that ultimately decided the Eastern Oregon Conference title. Nyssa has won four in a row – the last three by 159-6 – since opening with a 7-6 loss to 4A Baker. Vale has played four Idaho teams, falling last week to Homedale 55-22 despite Colton Kesey passing for a season-high 248 yards and three touchdowns.
No. 5 Neah-Kah-Nie (4-1, 3-0 2A Special District 1) at No. 3 Knappa (5-0, 2-0): Knappa’s offense has been virtually unstoppable so far, averaging 491 yards and 56.0 points per game, the highest of any 11-man team in the state. Loggers junior quarterback Eli Takalo has passed for 13 touchdowns and run for 14 scores. Neah-Kah-Nie’s only regular-season loss last year was 36-20 at home against Knappa.
jerryu@osaa.org
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