In recent seasons, 4A football has been the domain of perennial contenders such as Cascade, Henley, Marist Catholic and Scappoose.
This season, though, two teams moving up from 3A are primed to break into that elite circle.
Cascade Christian, coming off its third 3A championship in four seasons, and Banks, which has won 42 consecutive regular season games, move up to 4A to bolster an already strong field.
“It's absolutely loaded this year ... 4A is going to be super competitive,” Banks coach Cole Linehan said. “I look forward to every week having to figure out a way to get it done.”
Cascade Christian – with an enrollment of 178, well below the 281-580 range for 4A -- requested the move for travel and scheduling purposes. For a program accustomed to competing for state titles, going up a level represents a new challenge.
“Across the state, there are a lot of unknowns with all the teams up north,” Challengers coach Jon Gettman said. “We really haven't played any teams up there.”
After a four-year interlude in 3A, Banks has returned to 4A, where it won the state title in 2018 and was runner-up in 2019. The Braves went 43-4 in 3A, falling in the semifinals three times and finishing runner-up to Cascade Christian in 2023.
They will be comfortable in a Special District 1 that includes former Cowapa League rivals Astoria, Scappoose, Seaside and Tillamook, alongside Taft and Woodburn. Their enrollment of 281 is the lowest in 4A outside of Cascade Christian.
“We were probably one cycle away from truly going up there, but it's something we're all looking forward to,” Linehan said. “We're looking forward to bringing back the old traditions, the old rivalries we played in years past. We've always enjoyed being in the Cowapa League. It's going to be a lot of fun.”
Gettman said that Cascade Christian's nonleague schedule – Scappoose, North Bend, Marist Catholic – will give him a good idea of where the team stands in 4A. The Challengers already have a history against several teams in their league (Special District 4), playing Phoenix and North Valley the last four seasons and Henley and Hidden Valley the last two years.
“It's good in the preparation and knowing what's coming,” Gettman said. “There's confidence in saying, 'Hey, we've seen these teams.' Travel is a little bit different, too. We're going over to Klamath Falls a number of times in league, and that's really it. So that's nice to have, as well.”
Last season, Cascade Christian beat those four Special District 4 teams by a combined 221-22. That included a 43-16 win over 4A semifinalist Henley, avenging a 37-36 loss to the Hornets in 2024.
The Challengers graduated only four players from a team that went 13-0 and outscored its foes 682-75. They have the top-line players to contend with 4A's elite teams, but must stay healthy to have a chance against deeper programs.
“Football is a numbers game,” Gettman said. “Couple kids get hurt, now you're challenging your depth overall.”
The biggest change for Cascade Christian is at quarterback. The Challengers graduated dual-threat Deryk Farmer and are replacing him with sophomore Jacoby Gettman, the coach's son.
“He's more of a passing quarterback,” Jon Gettman said. “So that will totally change our offense. Deryk was able to run the ball, and we won't be doing that with Jacoby. He doesn't need to be the playmaker that Deryk was. We'll rely on the other guys for that.”
With tougher competition, Cascade Christian and Banks will have to utilize their top players deeper into games. So many of their games in recent seasons resulted in a running clock.
“I'm just looking forward to having to compete every single week,” Linehan said. “That's the thing that over the last four years we've really missed. There were times, multiple years in a row, where our starters never saw the fourth quarter for like six weeks straight. It's just hard to prepare for a long run in the playoffs when your guys are not getting to play four quarters.”
Banks lost several key weapons on offense but can build around a returning starter at quarterback in senior Nate Lyda and a cast of promising skill position players. The Braves also have a dominant lineman in 6-foot-4, 300-pound Cade Wilson, their top college prospect since Gabe Linehan (Boise State) in 2008.
“He's an absolute monster,” Cole Linehan said of Wilson, who has offers from Idaho, Eastern Washington, Portland State and San Jose State. “He's one of the best, if not the best, lineman that I've coached.”
Linehan is confident that his team has the talent to be a player in 4A.
“We lost some really dynamic threats these last couple years, but I really like this group,” he said. “It'll be interesting to see how we compare. Right now we're razor thin, but we have a really good 11.”
jerryu@osaa.org
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