High school football capsules

Hundreds of enthusiasts have gathered at a pub garden on Monday to witness the peculiar spectacle of the 'world gravy wrestling championships.'

All games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Rankings in parentheses are from the OSAA coaches poll rankings

THURSDAY

Time: 7:15 p.m.

2022 records: Sweet Home 3-6, 1-5 4A Special District 3; Madras 4-5, 1-4 4A Special District 5

The Huskies will look to avenge a 26-20 home loss to the White Buffaloes in last year’s opener. Last fall, a competitive Sweet Home squad had three losses by 13 or fewer points under current third-year coach Ryan Adams.

After starting 3-0 last season, Madras had four lopsided defeats in league play and the only win came by forfeit against 1-7 The Dalles.

Location: Eugene

2022 records: Alsea 2-6, 0-4 1A-8 Special District 1 North; Crow 1-5, 1-5 1A-6 Special District 2 North

Alsea has made the move from 8-man to 6-man football this fall within the 1A classification, making Crow a league opponent in Special District 2 North.

Last year, the Wolverines and now fourth-year coach Tim France got wins against Crosspoint Christian and Falls City, but five of the remaining six contests were defeats by large margins. Crow is in its third year of six-man football.

Lebanon's Wyatt Wessel (10) and the Warriors open the football season Friday at home against Mid-Willamette Conference opponent McKay.

FRIDAY

2022 records: McKay 3-6, 3-5 Mid-Willamette; Lebanon 4-4, 4-4 MWC

The Warriors and third-year head coach Troy Walker will try to end the program’s streak of three straight losing seasons that followed a stretch of five consecutive winning records (including the 2016 state title) under previous head coach Ty Tomlin.

Lebanon got past McKay 41-39 in Salem in last year’s opener. The Warriors will try to close the gap on the rest of the conference after a 2022 campaign that saw losses by 29 to Dallas, 21 to South Albany and 34 to Central, all state playoff teams.

McKay last had a winning record in 2003.

2022 records: Woodburn 7-3, 4-1 4A Special District 2; Crescent Valley 1-8, 1-7 Mid-Willamette

The Raiders, featuring record-setting senior quarterback Rocco McClave, are another team hoping to make up ground.

Third-year coach Andrew McClave (Rocco’s father) and the Raiders look to shore up a defense that gave up a lot of points last fall. For the most part, CV was not competitive in conference but put up some big offensive numbers. The Raiders got their lone win against rival Corvallis and scored 52 versus Silverton and 71 against Dallas

Woodburn, a 5A school that played 4A football the past two seasons, is coming off two straight winning records for the first time since 1990-91. The Bulldogs took a first-round state playoff loss to Tillamook in 2022.

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2022 records: South Albany 7-3, 6-2 Mid-Willamette; Central 7-3, 6-2 MWC

The RedHawks are chasing the program’s third straight season with a winning record for the first time since new athletic director Jay Minyard got three in a row in his three-year run as head coach from 1998 to 2000, and Mike Bussard made it four straight in 2001.

South, coached by Jeff Louber and David Younger, won seven games last fall for the first time since 2008. Louber and Younger are entering their 11th season coaching together, first as West Albany assistants and now in their ninth year with one or both as South’s head coaches.

South defeated visiting Central 17-7 in last year’s opener. The RedHawks went on to tie Central and Silverton for first in the Mid-Willamette before losing on the road to eventual semifinalist Bend in the opening round of the playoffs.

Under coach Joel Everett, Central had a winning season last fall for the first time since 2016.

2022 records: Corvallis 0-9, 0-8 Mid-Willamette; West Albany 5-4, 5-3 MWC

Both teams look to bounce back from 2022 seasons that ended below the standards of success both have established in recent years.

West’s five wins were the school’s fewest in a full season in the 5A classification since 2010. (The Bulldogs were in 6A for four years starting in the fall of 2014.) Corvallis went winless for the first time since 2000.

West and current 10th-year coach Brian Mehl won last year’s opener between the two schools, 40-14. The Bulldogs lost 20-14 loss to three-win McKay to close the regular season, pushing the Bulldogs from the top spot in the Mid-Willamette to the 13 seed in the state playoffs and a first-round matchup at Thurston. West fell 13-12.

Corvallis has a new head coach for the first time in 21 years as first-year coach Thomas Casey takes over for fellow CHS alum Chris McGowan. Casey will look to take a step forward with the Spartans after the varsity had just three games decided by fewer than 22 points in 2022.

Location: Prineville

2022 records: Philomath 3-6, 2-4 4A Special District 3; Crook County 5-5, 3-2 4A Special District 5

The Warriors and now-third-year coach Alex Firth will look to build off a competitive season last fall.

Three league opponents were just out of arm’s reach in losses by 14, 19 and 18 points. The Warriors finished with the momentum of wins against Klamath Union and Sweet Home.

Crook County defeated host Philomath 24-7 in last year’s opener. The Cowboys completed their regular season with league wins versus Baker and Madras and finished with a first-round playoff loss to Henley.

2022 records: North Marion 3-6, 2-4 3A Special District 1; Harrisburg 2-7, 0-6 3A Mountain Valley Conference

The Eagles and coach Chase Beach, now in his third year leading the program, doubled their win total in 2022 from the year before and face a team that handed them a 26-21 road loss in last year’s opener.

Harrisburg will try to close the gap, and Friday’s opponent provides a good opportunity for a positive start.

North Marion started 3-2 last year but finished with four straight losses by 40 or more points.

2022 records: Rainier 5-5, 3-3 3A Special District 1; Scio 5-4, 3-4 3A Special District 2

The Loggers, led by sixth-year head coach (and alum) Justin Guest, face a familiar nonleague opponent, one they defeated 38-14 on the road last year.

Scio beat Rainier three times in four years before a 2018 39-0 road loss. The Columbians won the next two games as well, 34-12 in 2019 and 36-8 in 2021, both at Scio.

2022 records: Valley Catholic 1-7, 1-5 3A Special District 1; Jefferson 0-9, 0-7 3A Special District 2

The Lions and second-year coach Jacob Karnes will look to turn the program around after a winless season that included just 44 points scored. Jefferson went a combined 11-6 in 2020 and 2021.

Valley Catholic has won one total game in the last three years and has two winnings seasons (2013, 2016) since the program started in 2007. Last year’s victory came against winless Corbett.

Location: Vernonia HS

2022 records: Central Linn 1-8, 1-5 2A Special District 2; Vernonia 3-5, 1-4 2A Special District 1; Jewell 2-6, 2-4 1A-6 Special District 2 North

The Cobras, with first-year head coach (and athletic director) Kevin Wise, will try to end a stretch of three straight one-win seasons. Wise is the program’s sixth head coach in the last seven years.

Vernonia, in a co-op this year with Jewell, has one winning season (9-1 in 2015) since going 7-4 in 2007.

2022 records: Oakland 12-1, 7-0 2A Special District 3; Monroe; 5-4 4-2 2A Special District 2

The former league foes meet after host Oakland defeated Monroe 42-14 in last year’s season-opener.

The Dragons and 14th-year coach Bill Crowson are coming off a sixth straight winning season, including the 2017 2A state title.

Last year, Oakland avenged a September loss to Weston-McEwen/Griswold to win the 2A crown with a 46-32 victory.

SATURDAY

Location: Umatilla HS

Time: 2 p.m.

2022 records: Santiam Christian 9-2, 6-1 3A Special District 2; Vale 7-3, 4-0 3A Special District 4

The Eagles, coming off a 2022 state quarterfinal defeat, are chasing the program’s 25th winning record in the last 26 years with second-year coach Justin Carley.

Another regular state title contender, Vale lost 14-12 to eventual state runner-up Kennedy in a state semifinal last year.

— Compiled by reporter Jesse Sowa

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