Entering the football season, much of the talk around Bend was how Summit was a legitimate 5A championship contender.
With 18 starters returning from a 6A quarterfinal team, the Storm was ready to take 5A by … well, storm.
Quietly toiling across town, though, were the Bend Lava Bears. Coming off a 3-7 season, they were under the radar, but with 33 seniors on the team, they expected to make a leap.
Five weeks into the season – with undefeated Bend outscoring its opponents 220-7, including shutouts in the last three games – it's fair to ask if the Lava Bears are good enough to steal the Storm's thunder.
Much will be revealed Friday night when No. 2 Bend (5-0, 3-0) visits No. 1 Summit (4-1, 3-0) with first place in the Intermountain Conference on the line. The game is loaded with implications in the IMC and 5A power rankings, not to mention bragging rights.
“Anytime you play someone from in town, it does carry a little more weight,” Bend coach Matt Craven said. “I think both teams had this game circled on the calendar. I think both teams are looking to make a mark in this game. Being the underdog, we've got nothing to lose.”
The schools are anticipating a playoff-type atmosphere.
“When the two administrations have to get together to figure out how they're going to deal with the logistics of the crowd, you know it's a big one,” Summit coach Corben Hyatt said. “But we've kind of played big games in the last five weeks, so we feel good about it.”
Bend's traditional in-town rival is Mountain View, which opened in 1979, before Summit's appearance in 2001. The high stakes of Friday's game puts Bend-Summit in a new light, however.
“We were always the ones that were the odd man out on the rivalry thing,” Hyatt said. “Bend-Mountain View has always been the big thing. But this goes to a whole another level with what they've done so far this year, and what we've done. It's exciting.”
Bend went 13-22 in the last four seasons in 6A, losing in the first round in three playoff appearances. The Lava Bears were competitive last season but were ravaged by COVID, forcing them to forfeit a game to Sprague and play with a skeleton crew against South Salem, losing 50-46.
“I don't think last year's record, because of the two COVID weeks, was a very good indicator of our season,” said Craven, whose team lost to Summit 20-0 last season, the second loss in a row to the Storm after four consecutive wins.
The Lava Bears have only five juniors on their roster after losing much of that class to Caldera, the new high school, but they are buoyed by a deep and talented senior class that is loaded with competitors.
“The biggest characteristic of this team has been consistency,” Craven said. “We've been able to play at a very intense level each week. And we haven't really had giant letdowns. If something goes sideways in a game, these kids don't panic. They just keep playing steady.”
Bend leads 5A in scoring offense and scoring defense. The Lava Bears have four shutouts, including the last three weeks, when they blanked Centennial 55-0, No. 10 Canby 35-0 and Redmond 43-0.
Bend's defense is led by senior defensive end Trenton Karpstein, senior middle linebacker Kaleo Kelly, senior outside linebacker Austin Baker and senior defensive tackle Erick Samayoa.
“Austin's a kid that could probably start for us at four different positions on defense. I wish we could clone him,” Craven said. “Samayoa is a Tasmanian devil inside the tackles. Speed has been the key for this team. We don't block out the sun, but we try to maximize our speed.”
Hyatt is impressed by how Bend rallies to the ball.
“They're physical and they fly around,” Hyatt said. “They're not very big. I think we're bigger, but they play really good sound football.”
Bend's wing-T offense averages 284.2 rushing yards and 92.8 passing yards per game. Seniors Malakai Nutter (461 yards, nine touchdowns) and Jack Sorenson (328 yards) lead the rushing attack. Senior quarterback Logan Malinowski has passed for eight touchdowns, five to 6-foot-4 senior Blake Groshong.
The Lava Bears will try to keep the physical Storm off balance with their misdirection and play-action passing.
“They play a very sound 4-3 scheme,” Craven said. “They don't take a lot of chances. They line up and make you physically beat them. If you can, then I think they tip their hat to you. If you can't, then it's going to be a long night for your offense.”
Summit has won four in a row since opening the season with a 19-12 loss at 6A No. 4 Tualatin (5-0), including a 33-21 win over 5A No. 3 Wilsonville.
Senior quarterback Hogan Carmichael has thrown 13 touchdown passes and junior Sam Stephens has run for five scores. The defense has playmakers up front in senior linemen Chip Allers (6-3, 220) and Spencer Ellliott (6-2, 240).
Other notable matchups in Week 6:
Thursday
Nelson (3-1, 2-1) at Barlow (3-2, 3-0), 7 p.m.: Nelson, coming off a breakthrough win overtime over rival Clackamas, will try to build on the momentum against another Mt. Hood Conference contender in Barlow, which defeated Clackamas in overtime two weeks ago. Nelson sophomore Avirey Durdahl threw four touchdown passes last week.
5A No. 5 Thurston (3-2, 3-0) at 5A No. 8 Eagle Point (4-1, 3-0), 7 p.m.: The winner between the Colts and Eagles will stand alone in the first place in the Midwestern League. Thurston, which has won three in a row since losses to No. 3 Wilsonville and No. 1 Summit, must contend with Eagle Point senior running back David Brown.
3A No. 7 Yamhill Carlton (4-1, 3-0) at North Marion (3-2, 2-1), 7 p.m.: Since opening the season with a loss to Dayton, Yamhill-Carlton has won four in a row and moved to the top of Special District 1. If the Tigers can beat North Marion, they will set up a showdown next week against No. 2 Banks.
Friday
Grant (3-2, 3-0) at Franklin (4-0, 3-0), 7 p.m.: The Generals and Lightning are tied for first place in the Portland Interscholastic League. Franklin has been impressive early under first-year coach Jamal Jones, outscoring opponents 167-33, but the wins have come against teams with a combined record of 2-18.
McMinnville (3-2, 1-0) at 6A No. 10 Sherwood (3-2, 1-0), 7 p.m.: Could McMinnville make a push for the Pacific Conference title? The Grizzlies, who opened Pacific play last week by beating Newberg 49-21, will have to go through reigning conference champion Sherwood, which thumped them 48-14 last year.
6A No. 2 West Linn (4-1, 1-0) at 6A No. 4 Tualatin (5-0, 1-0), 7 p.m.: Two titans clash in a game that will go a long way toward deciding the Three Rivers League title. West Linn appears to have reached another level in the last two weeks with blowout wins over Lake Stevens (Wash.) and Lake Oswego, but Tualatin's defense is stout. The Timberwolves handled West Linn twice last year, including 35-13 in the 6A semifinals.
6A No. 8 South Medford (5-0, 3-0) at 6A No. 1 Sheldon (5-0, 3-0), 7 p.m.: South Medford has cruised through its first five games, but has yet to face an elite 6A team. The Panthers will find out where they stand when they visit the Irish in a game between teams tied for first place in the Special District 1. Sheldon won 54-37 at home last year.
4A No. 2 Pendleton (4-1, 1-0) at Crook County (3-2, 1-0), 7 p.m.: Pendleton bounced back from a 49-14 loss to Lewiston (Idaho) by dominating Ridgeview and Madras the last two weeks. If the Buckaroos are going to claim the Special District 5 title, they can't afford to look past the Cowboys, who are coming off a 26-0 win over The Dalles.
2A No. 8 Monroe (4-1, 3-0) at 2A No. 3 Lowell (5-0, 3-0), 7 p.m.: A first-place showdown in Special District 2 between teams with explosive offenses. Lowell leads 2A in scoring at 50.6 points per game and Monroe is fourth at 41.6. The Dragons beat the Red Devils 38-28 at home last year.
1A-8 No. 3 Adrian (4-1, 3-0) at 1A-8 No. 7 Elgin (4-0, 2-0), 7 p.m.: Two-time reigning state champion Adrian has been on a roll since opening with a 44-28 loss to Lost River, beating previously undefeated and fifth-ranked Crane 38-16 last week. Elgin, which forfeited to Adrian last season, has allowed 16 points in four games. The winner moves to the top of the Special District 2 East division.
1A-8 No. 8 Enterprise (4-1) vs. 1A-8 No. 5 Crane (4-1) at Ontario HS, 5 p.m.: In the nonleague game, both teams are looking to rebound from losses after opening the season 4-0. Enterprise fell at Sherman/Condon 66-46 and Crane lost at Adrian 38-16.
1A-6 No. 4 South Wasco County (3-1, 3-1) at 1A-6 No. 10 Echo (4-1, 4-1), 7 p.m.: Echo, riding a four-game winning streak since a 24-21 loss to Joseph, will face the Redsides and No. 1 Spray/Mitchell/Wheeler in back-to-back weeks in key Special District 1 games. South Wasco County will be looking to avenge a 32-29 loss from last year.
jerryu@osaa.org
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