It's been 17 years since Sutherlin's football team won a playoff game. During that span, the Bulldogs lost in the first round four times – including the last two seasons -- by an average margin of 33.5 points.
But early indications this season are that Sutherlin is on the cusp of a breakthrough The Bulldogs have been impressive in a 4-0 start, outscoring opponents 139-26.
“We knew we'd be pretty good, but we didn't know quite where we'd be,” said fourth-year coach Bret Prock, whose team is No. 6 in the OSAAtoday 3A coaches poll. “We're happy with the results of the first four weeks.”
This week, the Bulldogs face their moment of truth when they line up against No. 1 Vale (3-0) in a nonleague game at noon Saturday at La Pine High School. Prock is keeping expectations in perspective.
“Our seniors obviously want the moon, but they know they're a part of a bigger process that we're instilling in the kids,” Prock said. “We want to be the Vales and the Burns of the world, but we know that it takes time. I think we're in the early stages of that.
“We know Vale is currently the cream of the crop in 3A. It's an opportunity to see where we're at. It's a team that we're hoping to see in a lot of meaningful situations in the next few years.”
The Bulldogs are on an upward trajectory under Prock, following a 3-6 season in 2023 by going 7-3 and 6-4 the last two years. With only seven seniors, and starting sophomores at nine of 22 positions, they continue to ascend that growth curve.
“We've had a good three-year window,” Prock said. “Over the last three years, our kids have done a great job of learning the system.”
It helps that assistant Josh Gary, who had two stints as Sutherlin's coach covering 13 seasons, took over Sutherlin's middle school program in 2023. The youth players are running the same wing-T hybrid offense employed by the Bulldogs.
Prock was versed on the I-formation in his playing days at Glendale under his father, Steve, and embraced the wing-T when he switched to the offensive side after a five-year run as Sutherlin's defensive coordinator. Since he took over, his emphasis has been on improving the passing game to strike a balance.
Sophomore Braxton Gary, Josh's son, has passed for 361 yards and seven touchdowns in four games. He was efficient in last week's 42-6 win at Amity, completing 6 of 8 passes for 139 yards and three scores.
“He knows the system and he runs it so well,” Prock said. “We're putting a lot of weight on his shoulders. He does a good job of creating. He's growing.”
Sutherlin rushes for 267.5 yards per game, led by sophomore Brody Abney (34 carries, 415 yards, three touchdowns) and senior Eden Cardoza (31 carries, 247 yards, two touchdowns). The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Cardoza, who also has three touchdown catches, is a key cog in the offense .
“He's such a versatile kid,” Prock said. “He's kind of that slot/H that we move around a lot. The offense really clicks when he's able to be out in front of stuff when we're running. Also, he runs great routes, catches the ball well.”
Cardoza anchors the defense as an all-league linebacker. Senior inside linebacker Aaron Lepre and senior defensive lineman Beau Olsen also are integral pieces on the dominant unit.
“Last year we had to score a lot of points to make the playoffs because we were still learning and pretty green on defense,” Prock said. “Some of that has paid off this season.”
Sutherlin's defense has a monumental task in containing Vale. The Vikings feature dual-threat junior quarterback Cal Johnson, who has thrown 11 touchdown passes, eight to senior receiver Kellen Hartley.
Other top match-ups in Week 4:
Friday
6A No. 4 Nelson (2-1) at 6A No. 2 West Linn (3-0), 7 p.m.: Nelson has made a rapid rise since the program started in 2021, unseating Central Catholic in the Mt. Hood Conference and reaching the state semifinals last season. A road win over the Lions would be a massive feather in the Hawks' caps.
6A No. 5 Grants Pass (3-1) at North Medford (2-2), 7 p.m.: The winner in the Special District 2 opener for both teams will gain a leg up in what promises to be a hotly contested race. In last year's game, Grants Pass built a 14-0 lead and held on to win 21-18.
Springfield (3-0, 1-0) Midwestern League) at 5A No. 9 Thurston (2-1, 1-0), 7 p.m.: Springfield, which is holding opponents to 140.7 yards and 7.0 points per game, goes for its first victory over the Colts since 2015. Last week, Thurston rebounded from a 31-8 loss to co-No. 2 West Albany by beating Churchill 34-16.
Stayton (3-1, 1-0 SD2) at 4A No. 5 Estacada (2-1, 0-0), 7 p.m.: A year ago, Stayton started the season 4-0 before a 24-14 home loss to Estacada. Since a season-opening 32-28 loss at 3A No. 1 Vale, the Rangers have scored 96 points in defeating La Grande and Astoria.
3A No. 2 Burns (2-1) at Baker (3-0), 7 p.m.: Burns, last year's 3A runner-up, is coming off back-to-back shutouts of Sisters (55-0) and Ontario (48-0). Baker's offense is averaging 45.0 points per game, up from 15.1 last season, when the Bulldogs finished 3-7.
3A No. 5 Scio (3-0, 1-0 SD2) at 3A No. 7 Harrisburg (3-0, 1-0), 7 p.m.: Harrisburg, playing its first season under former Oregon and NFL tight end Josh Wilcox, has allowed only six points through three games in its move up from 2A. Scio can match its win total from last season with a victory.
2A No. 1 Heppner (4-0) at 3A No. 3 Kennedy (3-0), 7 p.m.: The Mustangs and Trojans square off in a cross-classification 11-man game. They last met in 2021, when Heppner prevailed at Kennedy 34-28 in a 2A nonleague game.
2A No. 4 St. Paul (3-1, 1-0 SD2) at 2A No. 8 Santiam (3-0, 0-0), 7 p.m.: Santiam, which has outscored its foes 168-17, will be looking for payback for last season, when it lost at St. Paul 52-6.
1A-6 No. 4 Ione/Arlington (4-0, 3-0 SD1) at 1A-6 No. 1 Jordan Valley (3-0, 3-0), 2 p.m. (MT): First place in Special District 1 is on the line. Jordan Valley must find a way to slow down Ione/Arlington junior AJ Rourke-Smith, who has rushed for 1,106 yards and 18 touchdowns.
jerryu@osaa.org
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