Three years removed from a state title and the Southridge Football program out of Beaverton has had its ups and downs. One thing that has remained consistent has been the quality of athlete coming out of the the Murrayhill area. Its the ideal place to raise a family, where sports are looked at as a way to represent your community and carry on proud traditions.
Whether its football, baseball, or basketball the Beaverton area schools continue to dominate the state on an overall level. The first question outsiders have is, why is the Metro League so dominant? There are obvious economic advantages but if you get involved with the youth programs you will see that things are just different. Its a way of life, and it not only helps on the field but in the classroom.
The Southridge Skyhawk class of 2014 is a prime example of a group that has been bread to win. Together they have yet to lose a football game in High School covering the last year and a half at the Freshman and JV level. As it stands right now they are 14-0 (9-0 Frosh, 5-0 current JV). Its not just one or two kids its an arsenal of athletes.
The core group is large lead by the QB and WR tandem of AJ Woodin (5-11 185 So.) and Jordan Morgan (6-2 190 So.) . The two have hooked up for countless touchdowns over recent years. This season Woodin has accounted for 15 Tds ( 14 passing, 1 rushing) while throwing (2) Int’s. He has been a leader on and off the field eating and sleeping football. His work ethic at such a young age speaks volumes about the mentality of a Beaverton athlete. His summer schedule was one of strenuous workouts and daily doubles that no one required him to be at. It is this mindset that makes this group special.
Morgan may be the top prospect of the group. He has 14 total touchdowns (10 receiving, 1 rushing, 1 kick return, 1 punt return) although only one has come on Varsity thus far. His overall athletic ability is off the charts as demonstrated on the football field and on the Track. Jordan won several long jump competitions at the Varsity level as a freshman, beating Jesuit’s record breaking running back Jordan Talley who is now the starting tailback at Eastern Washington as a freshman. Morgan has jumped 22 9″ with a 10 foot broad jump, and was clocked at 4.59 in the 40 with a 36″ vert while at UCLA over the summer. He will be teaming with two of the top junior receivers in the state in Justin Calo (6-0 165 WR Jr) and Kevin Mclean (6-2 190 Jr) to form one of the best young receiving groups in the state.
Two kids that are already Varsity starters and two of the top ranked sophomores in the state are Mike Varadi (6-0 220 FB/LB So.) and Willie Eteaki (6-2 305 OL/DL So.). Both kids have unlimited potential and provide a strong foundation for the team to build around. Any team that wants to win the Metro League Title and beyond has to have the horses that are just bigger and stronger. These two would fill that bill. Eteaki became the first Freshman ever to start at Southridge and will end up being one of the top lineman in the Pacific Northwest before he is done.
Varadi is just a beast. He was one of the only incoming Sophomores invited to the Barton Premier Marketing Event at UW over the summer. He is currently starting at linebacker on a vastly improved Varsity Skyhawk squad. He is also considered one of the top linebackers in the state for the 2014 class, and will be a two way starter for the next three years.
The group just gets deeper and deeper which has to have Head Coach Brad Mastrud excited about the future. Tyler Cox (6-3 220 OL/DL So) and Danny Tanabe (6-2 220 OL/DE So) both are playing up on Varsity and are currently backing up the highly touted Senior duo of Nathan Ledigge (6-7 280 OL Sr) and Sean McGill (6-8 280 OL Sr). Cox is a monster and will most likely just get bigger. He looks to be one of the top up and coming athletes in Oregon.
Alex Beakman (6-0 170 WR/K So) is another kid that seems to be extremely versatile spending more and more time with the Varsity squad and kicking a 43 yd FG earlier in the year. Rounding out the group is a trio of running backs that can all get the job done. Devin Martinez (5-7 170 RB So.), Maleke Nathman (5-9 185 RB So.), and Jake Pruitt (6-2 195 RB So.) are all backs that other schools would love to have. You don’t see a drop off which is nice considering injury is common with the position.
Martinez is a transfer from California who is an absolute stud. He is currently squatting 450 with a 275 bench, and ran a 10.92 100 meters and 4.56 (40) while in Cali as a freshman. His testing results are through the roof for a kid at such a young age so the sky is the limit. He got some of his first Varsity experience this past week. Nathman has already started at the Varsity level (Lincoln) and will be a big time player moving forward. We have seen Nathman at various Barton events and think he is legit. You may see him move to slot with all of the athletes that reside in the backfield.
Pruitt is the bigger back who has scored multiple touchdowns on JV (6), and is also a Varsity kid now. He’s a 4.7 (40) kid that’s big and strong and will only help bolster the Skyhawks Roster. With all that said the Metro League is wide open. Last year we saw a sophomore group of athletes from Aloha propel them to a state title. Right now the Skyhawks are one of the hottest teams in the state with junior quarterback Reza Aleaziz (6-4 220 Jr.) doing big things. They sit at (2-3) with losses to Oregon City and Lincoln but Southridge is young. They beat a good and very well coached West Salem team who will win the CVC title, and also destroyed crosstown rival Beaverton.
NEI currently has Southridge ranked #11 in the state even with a 2-3 record. They will have a battle this week as the injury plagued defending state champions from Aloha host the Skyhawks. They will most likely be without State Player of the year Thomas Tyner (concussion), and high profile athletes Bryson Sullivan and Sheldon Prince.
The Skyhawks will be one of the league favorites in 2012 and 13′. We will have to wait and see if this group is capable of beating some very tough Metro League competition. There isn’t an easy game which speaks to the talent level of the conference. When other conferences are getting worse the Metro League is getting better. We wish the Skyhawks continued success and look forward to following the kids from Murrayhill.
