Les Schwab Best of the West Classic Saturday Night

The Les Schwab Best of the West Football Classic tripleheader kicks off Saturday afternoon actually, at 3:30, when the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears (2-2), the defending Alaska state champions, take on the Lake Oswego Lakers. The game not only opens the classic tripleheader, it also opens Lake Oswego's season.

The Crimson Bears are best known to Oregonians for hosting 3A Rainier last season, and handing the Columbians a 37-0 loss. After winning the state title, the Crimson Bears started the season second ranked in Alaska. The rating appeared appropriate as they won their first two outings, 45-7 over West Valley of Fairbanks, and 35-7 over Wasilla.

But a 27-7 loss to visitors from Blackfoot, Idaho, and 34-19 to Palmer, AK, suggests that despite seven returning defensive starters, graduation of QB Ryan "Bubba" Larson may have dropped Coach Bill Chalmers' Crimson Bears from the level they were at last year, when only one team came within a double digit margin, as the Crimson Bears went 11-0, and claimed the title over Palmer.

The Crimson Bears top weapon is WR Alex Fagerstrom, last year's All-State Offensive Player of the Year, and a playmaker in the secondary for Juneau Douglas. The 2,000+ mile trip to Portland is an effort to gain national attention for Alaska football, and a win against Coach Steve Coury's perennial playoff power Lakers would do just that. Junior running back Silver Maake is the other projected star for the Crimson Bears.

The biggest question about the Lakers, third ranked in the preseason, in this matchup is whether the first game issues that can disrupt even the best of teams will be an issue when playing a team with half a season under their belt. But it is also the Lakers, who lost to the eventual state champions from Sheldon by one point in last year's quarterfinals, their only loss of the season, and also reached the semi-finals the year before.

Despite graduating nine all state players, expecially including 2,200+ yard RB Zach Young, Coach Coury always reloads. QB Jack Lomax threw for over 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns is an offense that featured Young first, last, and all night. And NG Jeff Kremer has earned the label "Best we have ever had" from Coach Coury, who has had a bus load of pretty good players.

The second game kicks off a little before 6, when the Bellvue, WA, Wolverines open their season, taking on the Central Catholic Rams (1-0). Bellevue has won five state titles under Head Coach Butch Goncharoff, and went 11-2 last season, before losing to O'Dea in the semi-finals. Returning all-state LB Jamal Atofau anchors the Wolverine defense. Bellvue is ranked twelfth state wide in Washington by MaxPreps in the preseason.

The Rams are fresh off their 42-22 win over the Bishop-Kelly Knights in Boise, ID. Gerald Kaufman's 63 kickoff return got the Rams started, and QB Derek Bowen threw for three touchdowns 176 yards on a 13 of 19 passing show, and also ran for another score.

The high profile of Bellvue in the highly competitive Puget Sound area led some to see this game as the tallest order for the Oregon teams, but Coach Steve Pyne's squad turned heads in Idaho, and they would love to grab another win at the expense of another out of state opponent they weren't supposed to be able to compete with.

The nightcap of the Best of the West series pits the Oregon and Washington defending champions, and preseason #1 ranked teams. The Sheldon Irish (1-0) take on the Skyline, WA, Spartans. Sheldon, fresh off their 13 win 2007 state championship season, demolished the Churchill Lancers 50-7 in their opener, scoring on 6 of their first 7 possessions. Sheldon's Anthony Yakovich returned the opening kickoff 68 yards for a touchdown, and QB Jordan Johnson took advantage of the working margin, completing 15 of 19 passes for 210 yards and 2 TDs, and rushing 9 times for 55 yards and four more scores.

It's the opener for Skyline, who is the preseason #1 in Washington, after rolling undefeated to the Washington state championship last year. The only teams to come within double digits of the Spartans were Bellevue, in the opener, and O'Dea, who lost the championship game 42-35. The Spartans do have a coaching change, as Mat Taylor has taken over for Steve Gervais.

The Spartans are all about offense, with passing duo of junior QB Jake Heaps, who threw for 3,094 yards and 31 TDs as a sophomore, and WR Gino Simone, who had 70 catches for 1,418 yards and 19 TDs.

The big interstate games don't stop there, as the #2 South Medford Panthers (1-0) visit the Evergreen, WA, Plainsmen, #22 on MaxPreps' Washington all-class preseason rating. The Panthers rolled past West Salem 35-6 in their opener, as Patrick Thibeault carried 22 times for 93 yards and three touchdowns. Coach Bill Singler appears to have successfully filled the quarterback slot, as junior Josh Milhollin completed 10 of 18 passes for 188 yards, and a touchdown to E.J. Singler, in his first start.

The Plainsmen are coached by Tom Smythe, one of the winningest coaches in Oregon high school history. Smythe led Lakeridge and McNary to championships, and the Plainsmen to last year's Greater St. Helens League title, and an 8-2 record. WR/DB Kyrell Hudson is a D-I recruit, and
Evergreen's top threat. The Plainsmen, like the Panthers, are looking for a new QB as the key to just how far they go this season.

5A has a number of interstate showdowns on the schedule as well. The Walla Walla, WA, Blue Devils kick off the Hermiston Bulldogs' season, and the Hudson's Bay Eagles visit the Glencoe Crimson Tide (1-0). The Tide are opening their home season after a 22-11 win over the Bend Lava Bears, in a rematch of their playoff semifinal contest last season, as Kyle Hogan ran for 150 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

Down south, the Shasta, CA, Wolves visit the Crater Comets (0-1), and the Yreka, CA, Miners visit the Mazama Vikings (1-0). The Comets dropped a 27-13 decision to the Wilsonville Wildcats, who were predicted by some to struggle (by their standards) this year. The Wildcats delivered a clear message that reports of their demise just might be premature. The Vikings opened with a 19-13 win over Summit. It's the first of 4 games against Oregon opponents this season for Yreka.

Top games not involving intrastate travel are available for Oregon fans as well.

The #1 West Albany Bulldogs (1-0), fresh off a 14-7 win over #2 Sherwood, visit the #3 Jefferson Democrats (1-0), who knocked off 6A PIL favorite Grant 36-28 in overtime. West proved they can win a low scoring game, and reminded everyone that they play defense, not just offense in those games they win. Jeff proved that they are still one of the most formidable offenses in the state, regardless of classification.

The Thurston Colts (1-0), fresh off a 60-13 demolition of Corvallis, visit the South Albany Rebels (1-0), fresh off a 63-13 demolition of Liberty, in new coach Tony Matta's debut. Thurston QB Tym Pearson completed 25 of 36 passes for 452 yards and 4 touchdowns, 369 before halftime, and carried for another. The Rebels lit up the scoreboard behind 414 rushing yards on 45 carries, led by Jesse Duke, who had 181 yards on 11 carries. If that wasn't enough, South Albany QB Zac Hunter completed 6 of 9 passes for 4 TDs and 112 yards.

An interesting 4A encounter will be the late opener for both the Siuslaw Vikings and the La Salle Falcons, who meet at Jesuit High School. The Vikings are the two time defending Far West Conference Champions, and the Falcons flew threw an undefeated regular season to win the Capital Conference last year. Both are expected to return to the playoffs, despite major graduation losses. This game will show everyone a lot about just where both teams are at.

The most interesting game in the south just may be the 4A North Valley Knights' (1-0) visit to the defending 3A Champion Gold Beach Panthers (1-0). The Knights scored as time ran out to complete a 9-7 comeback win over 5A Klamath Union, and the Panthers ran over 5A Crook County for a 36-22 win. Both teams demonstrated they can play with the bigger, deeper teams. Now the unstoppable GB offense meets the once and again rock hard NV defense. Something has got to give.

The 4A showdown between the Scappoose Indians (1-0) and the Gladstone Gladiators(1-0), the "Sporty" game of the week, and the 3A meeting between the Regis Rams (1-0) and the Amity Warriors, who opens the second run of Coach Joel Magill, who previously led the Warriors to a championship, provide classic "name" appeal, and darn good football as well. See the Capital Conference weekly rundown for more on the Indians and Gladiators. Look no farther than the line of scrimmage in Stayton at the Rams home opener for helmet cracking action.

Don't overlook 2A action either, as there is a rematch of last year's title game on tap, as the Culver Bulldogs (1-0) pay a visit to the Heppner Mustangs (1-0). The Bulldogs beat up on Lost River 28-0 last week, and took a 10-6 win over Heppner in last seasons' title game. But that game wasn't in Heppner.

The Mustangs got off to an fast start, with a 42-38 win over Kennedy, as they dedicated their stadium to 33 year Coach Les Payne, who unveiled a passing attack that accounted for 283 yards.

Three top 1A showdowns stand out as well. The Dufur Rangers (1-0), 28-16 winners over St. Paul in the kickoff of the Dufur 8 man classic, visit the Imbler Panthers (1-0), who won their opener 60-38 in Prairie City, rebounding nicely from their loss in last year's 1A title game against Mohawk.

Speaking of Mohawk (0-1), they did something they rarely do at the Dufur 8 man classic, or anywhere else, for that matter. They lost, to Cove 48-46. The Indians will look to right the ship, but it won't be easy, as the Powder Valley Badgers (1-0) come calling, fresh off a 56-16 thumping of Mohawk's Trico neighbors from McKenzie.

And those Cove Leopards (1-0) hop over the mountains to visit the St. Paul Bucaroos (0-1). If the title game doesn't feature at least one of these six teams, it will be news. The second week showdowns will show a lot about which ones are most likely to get there, and which ones have work to do.

All in all, the second week of the season has a host of huge games.

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