In last year's football season opener, a young Silverton team made a statement by going on the road to beat perennial Idaho power Coeur d'Alene 21-14.
“I think that was a sign that we were on to something with this crew,” Foxes coach Dan Lever.
That hunch proved true as Silverton went on to win the 5A championship. At 7 p.m. Friday, with many of those same players, the Foxes begin defense of that title at home against Coeur d'Alene.
“They're going to be ready,” Lever said of the Vikings, who opened the season last week with a 35-10 win over Lakeland. “I'm looking forward to it. Out-of-state games are fun. They're different.”
The Foxes, voted No. 1 in the OSAAtoday 5A preseason coaches poll, are built around a talented and experienced offensive line. The unit features a third-year starter at center in senior Kane Mack (6-1, 285) and a 5A first-team pick at guard in junior Mark Bailey (6-3, 255).
“We're basically bringing back all five offensive linemen from last year, which I've never had before,” Lever said. “It should be our strength going into it. This is a physical group.”
The Foxes have a new quarterback in junior Quenton Lake, a transfer from North Salem, where he threw 14 touchdown passes and made second-team all-conference last season. Since coming over during spring semester, the 6-4, 215-pound Lake has had plenty of time to absorb Silverton's system.
“He's really come a long way, really gelled well with the team and our school,” Lever said. “He's got a lot of tools that we're going to enjoy using. He's going to be able to extend plays with his feet, and he's a physical kid. He's got great arm talent. There's not much I don't think we can't do with him, at this point.”
The Foxes are eager to unleash junior running back Keysean Davis. A member of Silverton's state-champion 4x100-meter relay team, the speedy Davis showed glimpses of his talent last season before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone in the fourth game.
“He's had a great camp,” Lever said. “He can score from anywhere on the field. He's one of those kids where you just hold your berath when he touches the football. He can really turn on the jets. We've just got to keep him healthy.”
The line should give Davis, senior running back Levi Schurter (seven touchdown runs in 2025) and junior fullback Ryder VanDeweghe plenty of room to operate.
On defense, the Foxes will be without their leader in senior safety Lincoln Teeney, the reigning 5A defensive player of the year. Teeney, who missed the final three games last season with a broken foot, broke the foot again in June and had surgery. Lever is hoping that the Idaho commit will return by midseason.
Coeur d'Alene, which finished 7-4 last year, was impressive in rolling past Lakeland. Senior quarterback Tannar Stern completed 14 of 17 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 103 yards and two scores. Senior Ben Murray scored touchdowns rushing and receiving.
“Stern is a very explosive player on both sides of the ball,” Lever said. “Limiting those two guys is going to be key to our success.”
It is the first of three challenging nonleague games for Silverton. The Foxes play host to 6A No. 6 Willamette and visit 6A No. 10 Grants Pass before starting Mid-Willamette Conference play Sept. 18 at South Albany.
“We want to be tested in this program,” Lever said. “We're all about how good we can be in November. We really feel like iron sharpens iron.”
A look at other top match-ups in Week 0:
Friday
6A No. 1 Lake Oswego at 6A No. 6 Willamette, 7 p.m.: Fresh off their 6A title, the Lakers jump into a difficult nonleague stretch against the Wolverines, Casteel (No. 8 in Arizona), No. 3 Central Catholic and co-No. 7 Sherwood. Oregon-bound senior defensive end Josh Christensen will try to put pressure on Willamette junior quarterback Zeke Thomas, a Boise State commit.
Mountainside at 6A No. 4 Tualatin, 7 p.m.: Tualatin, bounced in the first round of the 6A playoffs the last two seasons after finishing as runner-up in 2023, boasts one of the best running back combinations in the state in senior Cole Hachmeister and junior Iden Rule. Mountainside has electric senior running back Reese Ballew, who was primed to break out last year but missed the last seven games with a shoulder injury.
5A No. 6 West Albany at 5A No. 4 Mountain View, 7 p.m.: Traditional 5A powers collide for the first time since the 2024 semifinals, when Mountain View prevailed 40-17. After two state runner-up finishes, Mountain View fell in the semifinals last season. West Albany lost in the quarterfinals.
4A No. 10 Central at 4A No. 8 Tillamook, 7 p.m.: Central (4-5 last season) drops from 5A to 4A and opens with a nonleague game against the Cheesemakers, state quarterfinalists the last two years. Tillamook senior quarterback Kevin Hurliman, a third-year starter, passed for 22 touchdowns in 2025.
3A No. 3 Santiam Christian at Gervais, 7 p.m.: Two of the state's better small-school programs kick off the season under new coaches. Santiam Christian's boss is former Oregon State and NFL tight end Tim Euhus. Gervais hired Michael Davenport to replace JJ Navarrete, who left for Woodburn after leading the Cougars to the 2A semifinals in 2024 and 3A semifinals in 2025.
2A No. 3 St. Paul vs. 2A No. 4 Oakland at Harrisburg HS, 7 p.m.: St. Paul has had the upper hand on the Oakers in recent seasons, beating them 28-20 in the state final in 2024 and 28-22 in the season opener at Harrisburg last year. St. Paul reached the semifinals last year. Oakland is looking to bounce back after going 4-5.
Tri-Valley (Idaho) at 1A-8 No. 1 Adrian, 7 p.m. (MT): The two-time reigning state champion Antelopes, who have won 24 consecutive games, take on a Tri-Valley team that was Idaho's 1A runner-up in 2025. Adrian won at Tri-Valley 44-14 in its opener last season.
1A -8 co-No. 4 North Douglas at 1A-8 co-No. 4 Crosspoint Christian, 6 p.m.: North Douglas and Crosspoint Christian were state runners-up to Adrian in 2024 and 2025, respectively. The teams last met in 2024, when North Douglas won 52-14 in the regular season and 50-6 in the semifinals.
jerryu@osaa.org
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