7 Takeaways from Week 1 of Oregon Prep Football
"Brief" analysis of the first games locally and across Oregon for in 2023
This isn’t a feature to be repeated often. Normally, I just like to let the games played speak for themselves. That said, there are some exceptions to that general rule of mine. Take these “insights” for what they are worth—shots from the hip from a guy who has been broadcasting and/or writing about prep football for a few decades.
1) Week one doesn’t always indicate anything about particular teams.
I heard from MORE than one coach that the biggest improvement in prep football teams happens between week one and week two. That makes a lot sense because most contact has been controlled, and jamborees, for all their value, do not equal a full game. With that said, here are some general observations in that regard.
Jesuit and Sheldon both lost in their first game. Badly. For some who have watched those teams walk all over their beloved teams, there was probably a certain measure of… giddinss. But to upon further examination, these teams are far from down and out.
Jesuit faced Washington power Skyview on the road in Vancouver. The two teams were in a tight battle last year, with Jesuit pulling out a 24-21 victory. This year, the host Storm not only played solid offense, but they shutout the vaunted Crusaders O with stellar defense. Anyone thinking this means a subpar Jesuit season should think again. They will still be one of the teams to beat in the powerful Metro League. But opponents can take solace that there is a chink in the Crusader’s armor.
Sheldon was 6A state runner-up to West Linn last year, and always seems to reload every fall. But for their first game, they played host to Mililani High School of Hawaii. Hawaiian football starts earlier than in Oregon, so the team already sported a record of 2-1, losing only to longtime power Punahou High. The Irish were routed. Soundly. Final: Mililani 37, Sheldon 3. Heard word that Sheldon’s coach called Mililani the fastest prep team he had ever seen. The Salem-Keizer teams competing in Oregon Special District One can attest to being “spanked” by Sheldon this past season. Sheldon players will lick its collective wounds, then get back to work. While they lost a long list of talented seniors to graduation, including SD-1 player of the year Brock Thomas, they remain at the top of heap. Underestimate the Irish at your own peril.
2) North Salem and South Salem again look like the local teams to beat early.
Remember my cautionary notes in my first take. Easy wins early can sometimes lead to overconfidence, and this is in no way handing a playoff spot to the Vikings or the Saxons. But they are impressive so far.
Granted, North’s 35-6 victory Thursday over PIL opponent Roosevelt came against, well… a PIL school. The Portland Interscholastic League’s football programs are uneven at best due to a variety of factors unique to the students and the schools involved. And early games against PIL teams are always to be taken with a grain of salt. But the Vikings—for a half to be sure—looked like contenders.
North coach Jeff Flood has set aside his tried and tested wing-T offense for a more wide-open approach to get the ball to all the weapons he has on the field—and hats off to him for making the switch after 30 years. Quarterback T C Manumaleuna —committed to play at Oregon—only threw four passes in the first game. But the spread—fly offensive look installed under the direction of former McNary and Willamette quarterback Luke Atwood produced quick results in the form of five rushing touchdowns. Wideout Pierce Walker—who is probably one of the most underrated receivers in SD-1—got the first TD on a fly sweep—a 15 yard scamper to pay dirt.
New North Salem Viking running back—and former McKay player—Jamahl Wilson got the lion’s share of the scoring against Roosevelt in the form of three touchdowns, including a 78 yard scamper captured by Nisha Strauch of Full Access Sports that you can see here.
Sammy Davis got the last TD of the contest for the Vikings. In the meantime, T C had just four passes, and completed two for 44 yards. Not much in the passing department, but that phase of the game is being worked on—trust me in that regard. Walker, state 100 meter champion DeMari Thompson, and a long list of wideouts are ready to make that part of the game work.
But first, Coach Flood wants to make sure his team understands what it takes to win a full football game. They did really only play one half against Roosevelt, even if it was devastating to the opponent. The Sheldons, South Salems, and South Medfords of the District won’t wither so easily.
For South Salem, one of the biggest questions this fall revolved around who would take the place of record-setting quarterback Daschel Smith this season. Smith—now at Southern Oregon State—threw for over 2800 yards and 33 TDs his senior season. His successor is a player who left South last year so he could actually play.
Athan Palmateer quickly became Sprague High’s quarterback in 2022, and threw for over a thousand yards and 15 TDs in a solid season for the Olympians. When coach Jay Minyard announced his retirement at Sprague in the spring, Palmateer transferred back to South—where he had played with his teammates for many years dating back to grade school.
On Saturday, Palmateer looked very comfortable in the pocket for South as they entertained Washington power Liberty High of Issaquah, Washington. In the 49-21 Saxon victory, Palmateer was a precise 17-21 for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Two of the TDs were thrown to Eli Johnson—the son of former Olympic decathlete Dave Johnson. He had just three catches, but total 148 yards, including a 68 yard TD catch. Also in the mix were Parker Williams and Estbeban Mendez. Williams, who was defensive player of the game at last June’s Les Schwab Bowl—had a pick six of 58 yards, and scored on a physical eight-yard TD catch near the goal line. The ever-dependable Mendez is approaching 100 career catches for South. He tallied six catches for 48 yards.
All that to say that Coach Scott Dufault and his offensive coordinator—former Saxon quarterback Josh Vanlue—like what they saw. But again, the first game doesn’t indicate long term success. South will still need to maintain a run game of some measure to keep teams off balance. The 90 yards-PLUS on the ground in the Liberty game is a good sign. The Saxons will see how they measure up against Sunset on the road on Friday. The Apollos won their first game, 26-21.
Good luck to North and South—who clash to end the regular season in late October.
3. So which Medford team will be the playoff contender? How about both of them.
Coming into the preseason, I like to probe the thoughts of local football coaches about who the top teams on their schedule will be in the upcoming season. It is all completely informal, unscientific—and mostly speculation. Still, in asking about top contenders—other than Sheldon—coming from the South, coaches that would say anything thought North Medford would be the team to beat. South Medford would be ok, but they graduated a lot of players from a pass-oriented system. North Medford returned some big, big guys to their roster, including large and agile tight end A.J. Pugliano—who is also headed to Oregon. Even with the challenge of developing a new quarterback, the Black Tornado were hailed as the best team in town.
Week one results have made some people rethink that Medford projection. North Medford’s Thursday night game at Tigard was one to forget. The Tornado turned the ball over four times in the first half, and had five miscues for the game, losing to the Tigers 27-7. Tigard may not be considered a top playoff team, but they still have a strong football tradition, so the loss wasn’t completely unexpected. On Friday, South Medford entertained Mountainside of Beaverton—which was ranked seventh in the 6A coaches preseason poll. When the dust had settled in that ball game, the Panthers claimed a 42-28 victory over the favored Mustangs. South Medford rolled up more than 300 yards rushing in the team’s revamped, run-oriented offense put in place by longtime coach Bill Singler.
All that said—it would be no surprise to yours truly if BOTH Medford schools are battling for a playoff spot this year. Bounce back is expected at North Medford, and South Medford’s team will be reminded that one victory does not a season make.
4. Early team examination: Sprague
As a broadcaster, I do my darndest to maintain impartiality when it comes to schools within the greater Salem-Keizer area. I like to point out that I was a ball boy in grade school for South Salem, taught for 23 years at North Salem, did my first games on the radio for McNary, had two daughters attend McKay, and had my third graduate from West Salem. Oh, and yeah—I graduated from Sprague.
That said, there are times when I lean toward any one of those schools in a given week. This time around—it is the Sprague Olympians. I was never a star for the Olys, but loved my football experience during all three years I was there (back when those were the years for high school). When Jay Minyard as football coach announced his retirement last spring, and AJ Robinson was named as his successor, I took a little time to arrange a photo shoot. Not to have the two coaches show off their bulging muscles, but to deal with a symbolic passing of the baton. It also meant a lot to me, as Jay came to North Salem first in coaching around the Salem-Keizer community—and I got to know him as a fellow Viking teacher. And I recalled AJ from his dad’s time as Silverton’s head coach when the Foxes won their first football title in the 1990s. AJ was a toddler—as he reluctantly likes to remind me. Dad Robby and I shared a classroom part time at Silverton. I also broadcast Western Oregon football games when AJ was a quarterback there, so there are some strong emotional ties for me.
That entire, garrulous introduction is my way of saying that it appears Sprague football is in good hands. AJ was a solid coach at 5A Churchill of Eugene—where he guided the team to the state title game in 2017. He was not only a quarterback at Western Oregon, but a man who was committed to learning the offensive system in order to understand it—and utilize it for success. He did that at Churchill, and appears destined to do the same at Sprague.
The Olympians lost a hard-fought opening contest Friday to Liberty of Hillsboro—a team that got to the semi-finals of the Columbia Cup playoff bracket, and returns plenty of players this year. The 40-36 loss had plenty of positives for Sprague to build upon. Some positive plays in the new offense, and also on defense. Coach Robinson also said there are lessons to be learned—including what it takes to be a good 6A football game. The Olympians had some problems with cramping of several players during the game. Whether it was due to conditioning or just not hydrating enough is beside the point. The team will have to work together to solve such issues and play four full quarters of football—a point repeated by more than one coach locally.
Sprague will win games this year, and the players—and even new coaches—will learn the nuances of the new offense and defensive schemes to make them a more formidable opponent. Sprague fans should be encouraged and patient—the program will continue to thrive.
5. Early team examination #2: McNary
One thing new coaches need to have is optimism. Lots of optimism. When Connor Astley was elevated to McNary’s head coach in the summer of 2022, it was a very sudden change. Astley had to quickly pull his staff together and make all the preparations for the upcoming season in just a matter of weeks. Add in the loss of a large senior class, and the transfer of a handful of other players in the district, and you have many issues to deal with.
He was also thrown into a brand-new football conference (Special District One) that blended Salem-Keizer teams with those from Southern Oregon—another scouting obstacle to overcome. Through it all, Connor Astley was decidedly positive, and more importantly, worked to develop his players as not just footballers, but young men. His leadership program is a great way to get the teens involved in the local community in a positive way. All of it a winning formula for the McNary Celtics.
McNary didn’t win a single football game last year, and players could have dwelled on the results with a measure of pity. But instead, the team is back with good numbers, and a positive attitude.
Game one with McMinnville showed the potential of the Celtics. Although they fell to the Grizzlies on Friday, there was much to build upon. Positive offensive outcomes. Strong defensive plays. And a coaching staff still dedicated to developing every aspect of the teen athlete.
I can’t predict how many games McNary will win this year. But be certain of this: it will still be a decidedly victorious football season.
6. Early team Examination #3: McKay
I am being 100 percent honest when I say this: McKay head football coach Brandis Piper is a man who seemingly has a fantastic smile painted on his face. He might be having the most awful day ever—but always is quick with a grin that lights up an entire football venue. Piper’s positive vibe seems to ripple through his entire team, even as the sun beats down and the sweat drips from their collective foreheads.
Coach Piper is one reason that the McKay community continues to provide strong support for the Royal Scots football team.
McKay finished last season with a 3-6 record, losing a few tight games in the tough Mid Willamette Conference in the closing minutes. That might wipe a smile from many a face—but not Brandis Piper. The team also lost elite running back Jamahl Wilson to transfer this summer. The smile dims a little, but doesn’t disappear. Coach Piper simply makes some adjustments.
Piper still has plenty of reasons to be happy with a Scots team that returned as three and even four-year starters this fall. The combination of QB Kyrin Fuiomaono to WR Justice Anthony remains a potent passing combination, and the team has remained committed to improving—coming to weight lifting tirelessly all summer, and taking part in team camps to improve their skills.
That positive vibe can be seen as players go through drills, laugh at each other, and bear down to get a play right. Any football program would love to have such team cohesion on a consistent basis.
McKay avenged last year’s two-point home loss to Lebanon when they faced the Warriors in Lebanon on Friday. After taking an initial ten point lead, the Scots found themselves embroiled in a tight battle that came down to a couple of huge plays late. Maybe the biggest was when Fuiomaono stepped in to break up a Lebanon pass to the end zone with under three minutes left, then directed his own team on the field to run out the clock. The 31-28 win put McKay at the top of the standings, along with perennial powers Silverton and South Albany.
Yup, Brandis Piper is smiling, and the McKay football team likes it that way.
7. A Return to Prominence: West Salem Football
I debated with myself on how to write this segment—it is an admittedly touchy subject. West Salem’s football team ended up in an unfamiliar position at the end of last season—near the bottom of the standings. So how will this year turn out?
Coach Shawn Stanley had never experienced a losing season since he first took over the Titan program decades ago. The team beat McNary last season to avoid going winless, but it still stung for a program normally in the playoff mix.
To quote the coach: “we aren’t used to losing around here.”
Indeed.
Without rehashing the entire 2022 year, West had problems with injuries. All prep football teams worry about the possibility each season. Some teams have more depth than others, but last season, West was young, and was starting a young quarterback.
When a key transfer receiver went down for the year, and that young quarterback—Kaden Martirano broke his wrist in week four—it was the beginning of a tough chapter in Titan football history.
Coach Stanley and his team had to rearrange the playing pieces—then arrange them again. Trying to fill the void left by injuries was a thankless task, one that many of the team’s opponents had dealt with in years previously.
West fell on the road at Grants Pass by just two points—the game where Martirano went down with the broken wrist. But the challenges were just beginning.
A senior—Jimmy Lathen—was ultimately chosen to quarterback the team late after several players (including sophomore Cole Hansen and frosh Demari Hall) auditioned for and played the part. Lathen was a gamer—an athlete. Elite passing wasn’t his forte’, but he could make the spot pass, and run—run he could with great enthusiasm.
But even as the losses piled up and the team made small adjustments to improve their chances—Coach Stanley continued to admire what he saw on the field. The Titans would not quit.
They did NOT quit after getting blown out by arch-rival South Salem. Not after losing in the closing seconds to Sprague. The team showed a determination that was on full display in their 47-7 win over McNary.
But the game Coach Stanley (and I) will remember best was the season finale’ against SD-1 champion Sheldon—who had thumped many a team all season.
The Irish were prohibitive favorites. And they did score enough to remain impressive—winning 41-0.
But not contained in the box score is the effort put out by the Titans the entire first half. And while I can’t prove it with any quotes from the coaching staff, I believe West was trying to avoid a first half blow out that would trigger the so called “Mercy Rule.”
A national guideline that varies from state to state, the OSAA’s mercy rule for football was revised during the pandemic, making 35 points the cut line for using a running clock (no stops) once a team has a lead of that total or higher.
West Salem seemed to be focused on avoiding that status until after halftime.
I have to admit that details from that first half are a bit fuzzy. I was only there to take in the odd Thursday night game and ended up talking at the same time with a several people.
West contended plays at every turn, even as Sheldon seemingly scored at will.
The plays that struck me occurred late in the first half. West kept the visiting Irish out of the end zone and celebrated as if they had won the state title. It was then that I realized that the extra effort helped the Titans avoid the mercy rule. Sheldon led 28-0 at the time. A touchdown and extra point would have started the running clock.
Instead, Sheldon lined up for a short field goal. They had made several during the season, and it appeared to be a chip shot—but it was missed, wide right. More celebration by the Titans and even their fans, as word about the mercy rule must have filtered through the crowd.
West got the ball back, but could not gain the yardage needed for a first down, and punted it back to Sheldon.
The Irish began yet another drive, and looked to score again in the closing minutes. But the West defense seemed energized. Even after a good run, West would turn them back again. And again. On one play, their quarterback Brock Thomas took the snap and rolled out looking for a target, but they were all covered.
Thomas circled for a moment then looked to run, only to be tackled for a loss.
More wild cheering from the Titan fans, more high fives amongst the players.
The half came to an end, and West Salem had avoided the mercy rule for the moment.
That’s how I recall the order of events. Someone could certainly correct me—but the events did occur and it rang true when I interviewed Coach Stanley this past summer.
Stanley talked about how his team “never quit.” The Sheldon game illustrated that quite well.
Although the Titans will lose a few games this year, the one thing they will not do is “quit.”
For all the conference titles, state playoff games, and semi-final appearances Coach Stanley has made, this may be his greatest accomplishment. It is the foundation for living one’s life, and good advice. Having dogged determination.
West Salem will have a better record this year than in 2022—but there is no way to tell how quickly the young squad will improve—game two against powerful Lake Oswego might provide a clue this week. There is one thing I can tell you with certainty.
The Titans won’t quit. And that will serve them well in 2023.
Enjoy week two of the season.