Glencoe's return to 6A football this season has been wildly successful due to a rushing attack that features senior Daniel Heninger, who has run for 2,371 yards and 27 touchdowns, both 6A highs.
But as the seventh-seeded Crimson Tide (8-1) prepare to play host to a first-round playoff game Friday at Hare Field against No. 10 Lakeridge (5-4), they know that the degree of difficulty will rise exponentially.
“They've got guys all over the place,” Glencoe coach Ian Reynoso said of the Pacers. “It's going to be the biggest test that we've had. We're realistic to know we're going to play against athletes like we've never seen before. These guys are going to be faster than anybody we've played against.”
No team has been able to slow down the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Heninger this season. Even in Glencoe's only loss of the season – 12-10 against Pacific Conference champion Sherwood – he rushed for 181 yards. He is averaging 12.2 yards per carry.
Heninger tuned up for the playoffs with another dominant effort in last week's 48-6 win at McMinnville. He rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on six carries, had two catches for 55 yards and scored on his first punt return of the season.
“His season is nothing short of spectacular,” Lakeridge coach Spencer Phillips said of Heninger. “We've seen a lot of great running backs, and he absolutely deserves to be in that category of elite runners. He's definitely led them to this point.”
For Heninger to continue his success in the postseason, he must deal with a physical Lakeridge defense that is battle-tested from the rugged Three Rivers League. The Crimson Tide can't afford to get behind the sticks and can't panic if the running game is not yielding its usual big dividends.
“We've got to make sure we stay true to what we do and what we know,” Reynoso said. “What are normally 50-yard plays are going to hopefully be 10-yard plays.”
Glencoe's offensive line – junior Porter Braun at center, freshman James Curbow and senior Isaac Reynoso at guard and juniors Brock Sahlfeld and Landon Duyck at tackle – is undersized but athletic. Senior fullback Lincoln Kemper also has been integral in clearing the way for Heninger, who has fewer than 10 negative-yard rushes all season.
“He's making it the first five or six yards without being touched,” Ian Reynoso said.
Glencoe hasn't had to throw often, but sophomore quarterback Nolan Wolfe (6-3, 198) is making steady progress. He got a confidence boost last week when he completed 7 of 8 passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns.
“He's the best leader I've had as a coach, just in terms of his demeanor on the field and with his teammates,” Ian Reynoso said. “Throughout the season, he's gotten a little more confident, a little more successful.”
Glencoe is likely to find itself in more passing situations against Lakeridge. Wolfe's improvement gives the team confidence that he can make plays.
“If it's there, we're going to give him the opportunity to show that he can try to be great, too,” Ian Reynoso said.
In the final OSAAtoday 6A coaches poll, Lakeridge stands at No. 6 and Glencoe at No. 10. The Pacers' only losses have come against No. 1 West Linn, No. 2 Lake Oswego, No. 3 Nelson and No. 5 Central Catholic. The only team the Crimson Tide has faced from the top 10 is No. 8 Sherwood.
“We get those games almost every week.” Phillips said. “To be battle-tested, I think it's an unmeasurable advantage that you get going into the playoffs. We know what it looks like. We know what it's going to take to beat a team like Glencoe.”
Lakeridge, looking to make the quarterfinals for the third year in a row, is coming off a 35-14 loss to Lake Oswego. The Pacers feature senior quarterback Drew Weiler (1,416 passing yards, 17 touchdowns), senior running back Ansu Sanoe (837 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns) and senior receiver Turner Tropio (nine touchdown catches).
A look at other intriguing match-ups from the opening playoff round:
Friday
6A championship
No. 9 Tualatin (6-3) at No. 8 Jesuit (7-2), 7 p.m.: Tualatin has beaten the Crusaders in each of the last three regular seasons, including a 13-7 win at Jesuit on Sept. 5. In that game, Tualatin's defense gave up 206 rushing yards to junior Luke Ortner but repeatedly came up with key stops in the red zone.
6A Columbia Cup
No. 21 Beaverton (5-4) at No. 20 North Salem (5-4), 7 p.m.: The game will showcase Beaverton senior Oliver Luebkert (93 catches, 1,521 yards, 24 touchdowns), the state's top receiver, and North Salem senior Jakai Phillips (1,430 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns), among 6A's leading rushers. Luebkert is within reach of the state record for touchdown catches in a season (28, Jesse Levin, Beaverton, 1997). With career totals of 3,047 yards and 48 touchdowns, he also is close to the all-time marks of 3,315 yards and 51 scores.
5A
No. 9 West Albany (6-3) at No. 8 Hood River Valley (8-1), 7 p.m.: Hood River Valley claimed a three-way share of the Northwest Oregon Conference title, but the Eagles, No. 10 in the OSAAtoday 5A coaches poll, did not beat a team currently ranked in the top 10. The Bulldogs, No. 8 in the coaches poll, lost only to teams ranked in the top seven.
No. 10 Ridgview (7-2) at No. 7 Wilsonville (8-1), 7 p.m.: Two-time reigning champion Wilsonville is ranked third in the coaches poll – losing only to No. 1 Summit -- but fell in the seeding due to strength of schedule. The winner will face either second-seeded Silverton or Crater in the quarterfinals.
4A
No. 9 Stayton (7-2) at No. 8 Junction City (6-3), 7 p.m.: It's been a magical season for Junction City, which rebounded from going 1-8 to win the Sky-Em League title under first-year coach Tye Rauschert. Stayton's defense, with four shutouts, poses an obstacle for the Tigers.
No. 11 Marist Catholic (4-5) at No. 6 Estacada (6-3), 7 p.m.: Both teams had chances to win league titles last week but came up short. With a win, reigning state champion Marist Catholic could set up a quarterfinal against Henley, the team it met in the state final the last two years.
3A
No. 10 Santiam Christian (7-2) at No. 7 Kennedy (6-2), 7 p.m.: Kennedy is looking for payback for last year, when the Trojans lost at Santiam Christian 42-21 in the first round. The Eagles have lost only to Banks and Dayton, two undefeated teams.
2A
No. 12 Colton (6-3) at No. 5 Clatskanie (9-0), 7 p.m.: Clatskanie, 3-6 last year, had its best regular season in school history, but despite its record, had to settle for the fifth seed. Colton, averaging 38.0 points per game, is a dangerous first-round foe.
1A-8
No. 9 Powder Valley (6-3) vs. No. 8 Perrydale (7-2) at McMinnville HS, 6 p.m.: Perrydale, a quarterfinalist in 2022 and 2023, is back in the postseason after missing the playoffs last year. Powder Valley hasn't won a playoff game since making the semifinals in 2022.
1A-6
No. 10 Powers (5-4) at No. 7 Jordan Valley (6-3), 2 p.m. (MT): Powers graduated most of its team after winning the state championship last year, but has retooled to make the playoffs. Jordan Valley is riding a four-game winning streak.
jerryu@osaa.org
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