No. 2 Summit chased away some ghosts Friday night with a 28-20 win at No. 1 Wilsonville in a 5A football showdown.
Since beating the Wildcats 35-28 in the 2022 state final, the Storm had lost the last three meetings between the state powerhouses, including 34-2 in the 2023 semifinals.
“It was definitely a big one for us,” Summit coach Corben Hyatt said of knocking off the two-time reigning state champion.
Summit junior quarterback Andrew Guthrie completed 19 of 30 passes for 275 yards and four touchdowns, three to senior Connor Conneely, who had 11 catches for 171 yards. The Storm (3-0) also had success on the ground as senior Jude Anderson rushed for 157 yards on 23 carries.
“We've been super balanced this year,” Hyatt said. “That's what's exciting about this team. All three games are almost 50-50, so it's hard to game plan against us. We're pleased with where we're at.”
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Guthrie has taken a step forward this season after assuming the starting role last year, when the Storm reached the state quarterfinals before falling to Silverton. He has thrown for 604 yards and eight touchdowns in three games.
“Huge difference,” Hyatt said of Guthrie. “We're super blessed to have so many receivers this year, but he's taken a much greater leadership role. That kid worked all offseason with those guys and really developed a rapport with them. He's making the right decisions.”
Hyatt said that Conneely (5-9, 165) “came on like gangbusters” last season after missing the first four games with an injury. He has carried that play into this season, catching 19 passes for 353 yards and five touchdowns.
“He was set to have a huge season last year, and when he got hurt early on, I kind of challenged him and said, 'You need to develop your leadership skills,'” Hyatt said. “His leadership has been amazing. It's like having another coach on the field. He means so much to us.”
Against Wilsonville (1-1), Conneely caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Guthrie to give Summit a 21-14 lead in the third quarter. Guthrie connected with senior Dylan Hughes for a 18-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-14 in the fourth quarter.
Wilsonville scored a touchdown to make it 28-20 with 1:38 left, but an onside-kick attempt failed, and Summit ran out the clock.
Hyatt said his team's physicality made the difference later in the game.
“We wore them down in the second half,” Hyatt said. “We were able to establish the run game.”
Wilsonville junior quarterback Trevor Glos completed 27 of 44 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Senior Keona Tam had 10 catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
4A showdown
No. 1 Cascade established itself as the clear frontrunner in 4A with a 59-37 home win over No. 2 Scappoose on Friday night.
The Cougars (3-0) trailed 14-0 and 21-16 in the first quarter before taking control and beating the Indians (2-1) in a nonleague game for the second year in a row.
Senior quarterback Cade Coreson, playing his first game this season, completed 11 of 14 passes for 263 yards and five touchdowns. Junior Josiah Hawkins (three catches, 141 yards) and senior Matt Hinkle (three catches, 70 yards) each caught two touchdown passes, and senior Bryce Kuenzi rushed for 173 yards and two scores on 17 carries.
Cascade, which lost in the state semifinals last year, is keeping its impressive start in perspective.
“We’re not close to where we need to be, for sure, to win a state championship,” Hawkins said. “We just need to go every day, be better every day, and keep doing things that we’re doing out here, and keeping everyone healthy.”
The Cougars kept their poise despite falling behind by two scores in the first two minutes. A defensive adjustment in the second half was key in slowing down the Indians.
“As a team, we did really well responding to adversity,” Hinkle said. “Especially our defense, when we switched to that three-front to get more reinforcement with our secondary, I think that really made a big change. and I think that was really a turning point in the game.”
Added Hawkins: “We forced them down low, so they had to make some short passes and get them over the top. That’s how we started it.”
Coreson threw touchdown passes of nine yards to Hinkle and 50 yards to Hawkins as Cascade shook off a 14-0 deficit to lead 16-14. Kuenzi ran for a 66-yard touchdown and Hawkins caught a 42-yard scoring pass in the second quarter for the Cougars, who led 38-24 at half.
The lead grew to 52-24 in the third quarter on a 33-yard touchdown pass from Coreson to Hinkle and a one-yard scoring run by Kuenzi.
Scappoose junior Will Kessi completed 28 of 44 passes for 364 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Drew Butler had eight catches for 101 yards and two scores.
--Jeremy McDonald contributed to this report
Hilanders clamp down
Last season, Burns won its second state championship on the back of a defense that recorded five shutouts and held opponents to 9.8 points per game.
This year, with six starters back from that defense, the 3A No. 1 Hilanders seem to be on a similar track. They have allowed 13 points in a 3-0 start, including Friday's 48-7 home win over Madras.
“Our run defense has been really good,” coach Matt Bruck said. “We've got a bunch of new kids in there, so we're still trying to find our stride.”
Bruck said that like last season, the defense is playing fast and aggressive. And the unit is showing its versatility in matching up with different types of offenses.
“In terms of scheme, I feel like we were flexible last year, and we're carrying that over to this year,” Bruck said. “It's more just them being aggressive at the point, and playing fast. We just kind of build from there.”
The Hilanders are experienced on the back end with three returning starters in defensive backs Coltin Miller, Preston Hill and Jack Wright. The other starters back are junior linebacker Jasper SkunkCap, senior lineman Joe Weil and junior lineman Ben Chamberlain. Miller and Weil made the 3A first team in 2024.
The defense graduated its ring leader in linebacker Easton Kemper, the 3A defensive player of the year, but others have filled that leadership void.
“He was kind of the focal point of our defense,” Bruck said. “This year, it's kind of a mix between Jasper and Jack. It's a little more split between some different players.”
Wright, the 3A offensive player of the year last season, is off to a big start. He completed 8 of 11 passes for 194 yards and four touchdowns against Madras, giving him 592 yards and 11 touchdowns through three games. He has yet to throw an interception.
Miller has 17 catches for 352 yards and seven touchdowns. He had four catches for 101 yards and two scores against Madras.
McNary skid ends at 30
Emotion overwhelmed McNary's football team Friday night after the Celtics went on the road for a 19-15 win at Centennial, ending a 30-game losing streak.
The Celtics (1-2), who dropped from 6A to 5A this season, had not won a game since beating North Medford 37-7 in a 6A first-round playoff game in 2021. They went 0-9 in each of the last three seasons.
Students and fans rushed the field at the final horn.
“There was a lot of joy and excitement on the field, into the locker room, all the way on to the bus ride home,” first-year McNary coach Josh Riddell said. “We got home at 12, and the kids were still juiced.”
Riddell was a ballboy for McNary's 1997 state championship team, but played at McKay, where he was the Valley League offensive player of the year as a quarterback in 2003. He took the McNary job with the hope of restoring the program, and Friday's win brought hope to him and the players.
“For the seniors, they're just so appreciative of the hard work of the staff, but more importantly for us, the kids' hard work came to fruition,” Riddell said. “They've been showing up every day. I'm just glad to see it come together,”
McNary trailed Centennial 15-7 in the second half when senior linebacker Kyle Wilson scooped up a fumble and ran 55 yards to the Eagles' 5-yard line, setting up a 12-yard touchdown pass from senior Aris Vasseur to senior Evan Snowden to make it 15-13.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Vasseur passed to senior Jordan Hunter for a 50-yard touchdown to give the Celtics a 19-15 lead. The defense held it from there.
“There were a lot of unsure moments in that game, and they stuck together,” Riddell said. “It was an awesome thing to see, them sticking together and saying, 'Hey, we can do this.'”
McNary bounced back from losing to Redmond 28-12 and Ridgeview 35-0 in its first two games.
“A lot of it was just communication,” Riddell said of the losses. “We're playing nine sophomores, so we're just getting them into the right spots.”
Sunset QB breaking out
Sunset found itself in a tough spot at quarterback last year after the position was left bare by players transferring away.
The Apollos opted to convert Marcus Hahm, a receiver in the program who had promising skills and athleticism. And after a season of him learning the ropes, that decision is starting to pay off.
Through three games, the senior has completed 65.8 percent of his passes (50 for 76) for 683 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 240 yards and seven scores on 40 carries.
“It was out of necessity,” Sunset coach Damien Merrick said of moving Hahm. “We were just kind of left scrambling. We knew he was a good competitor, and we knew he had good composure and good moxie. It was just a matter of getting the mechanics.”
Friday night, Hahm led Sunset (2-1) to its second consecutive win by going 11 of 15 for 198 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 33 yards and one score – all in the first half – in beating Roosevelt 42-6.
“One thing he's improved on a ton from last year is the understanding of the offense,” Merrick said. “ I think he was guessing a decent amount last year at who his primary read was.
“Definitely had a lot of growing pains, took some chances with the ball like all young quarterbacks do. He's really grown up and matured a lot in that regard. He's taking really good care of the ball.”
Hahm's athleticism allows him to extend plays.
“He's good at creating stuff,” Merrick said. “He keeps his eyes down field. The play is never over with him.”
Junior receiver Griffin Ellingson has developed a connection with Hahm. Ellingson has 26 catches for 424 yards and six touchdowns this season, adding four catches for 137 yards and two scores against Roosevelt.
Eddyville rising
Eddyville Charter, which didn't have a football program for eight seasons before joining the six-man pilot program in 2018, could be ready to chase after its first state title.
The Eagles, No. 3 in the OSAAtoday 1A-6 coaches poll, followed a 39-6 season-opening win over reigning state champion Powers by routing No. 5 Elkton 45-6 on Friday. Senior Darian Schultz passed for 323 yards and six touchdowns, two each going to senior Garrett Reed and junior Ethan Musick. Senior Ashton Fawver scored a touchdown and had an interception.
“The score wasn't indicative to how hard the game was,” Eddyville coach Abe Silvonen said. “Elkton is a much bigger, more physical team. Our guys are pretty beat up. They took the punishment. So we're going to be a little sore come Monday.”
The last two seasons, the Eagles finished 8-2 and lost in the quarterfinals. They ended last year with two losses, falling to Powers 51-6 in a district crossover game and Prairie City/Burnt River 54-0 in the playoffs.
“We were so injured by the time we got into the postseason that we were in survival mode,” Silvonen said.
The nucleus of this year's team is Musick (a 6-3, 220-pound lineman), Reed, Schultz, Fawver and junior Morgan Demaris, a fullback and defensive lineman who racked up 13 solo tackles against Powers.
Silvonen liked the returning talent, but it wasn't until he saw the team's commitment to training in the summer that he was convinced “we had something special this year,” he said. In his fifth season as coach, he said this team is “by far, hands-down” his best.
“We spread it around. We've got a lot of talent,” Silvonen said. “A lot of other teams run heavy with one or two guys, but we've got scorers in every direction.”
jerryu@osaa.org
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