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The Westview district in Beaverton is one of the nicest places to raise a family, and be involved with youth sports. Year after year some of the best boys and girls basketball and baseball/softball teams compete at the top of the 6a classification level.They have produced countless D1 athletes since the school opened a decade and a half ago.
All of this said as Westview has had some quality football teams over the years, but never been able to get over the hump. In 2012 the numbers are low, but the enthusiasm is high as the Wildcats have some athletes in place who could help Westview make a run in the brutally tough Metro League.
Jesuit, Aloha, and Southridge will all be in the class 6a Top 10 and Westview, Sunset, and Beaverton will vie for the remaining playoff spots. The Wildcats have some legit all league kids returning, and hear is what you can expect from the kids out in Rock Creek..
Julius Rucker (6-2 190 Sr.) will handle the quarterback duities. He’s a talented basketball kid and a very good overall athlete. You will see two brothers that transferred from David Douglas a year ago get most of the carries out of the backfield in Xavier Williams (6-0 220 Sr. RB) and Jarell Williams (6-0 215 Sr.). Both are a load, and if they can stay healthy expect them to do some good things wearing out linebackers with physicality.
One of the top returning wide receivers in Oregon that comes from a football family is Daniel Abdie (6-1 170 Sr.WR). He earned second team all league honors a year ago, and will be looked upon to provide leadership on a squad that needs a game breaker. Abdie did well at our Winter Elite events and needs to have a big season. Matt Gorman (5-10 180 Sr.ATH) will be another returning starter that will bey in the Westview system. He stepped up big as a junior, and is a one of the teams top two way threats.
If the Wildcats line can stay healthy they actually could do pretty well. Malcom Lewis (6-0 260 Sr. OL/DL) will most likely be a two way starter, and did very well at our elite events over the winter. He’s an outstanding kid and very tough defensively causing havoc in the middle. Dylan Savage (6-0 215 Sr. C/DE ) will be looked upon to keep everybody on the same page, as he returns as the only two way all league kid for the Wildcats. Savage earned second team all league honors at LB, and 3rd team honors at Center.
Add in 3rd team all league returnee Luke Henderson (6-3 255 Sr. OL), Ian Blackburn (6-2 250 Sr. OL) , and undersized but very tough and talented junior Chris Loveless (5-9 185 Jr. OL/DL), and you have what could be a team that could do very well if they maintain team unity and health.
Westview will have plenty of their top kids playing both ways, and their strength on defense will definitely be at the linebacker spot. Savage returns as one of the Metro’s top LB’s, and Mitch Kekel (6-0 200 Jr. LB/ATH) will be the other big time talent that they will be relying on. Kekel is considered one of the top junior backers in Oregon, and earned 3rd team all league honors as a sophomore last season. He was a standout among some of Oregon’s best at our winter elite events, and all of us at NEI cant say enough good things about Mr.Kekel.
Hank Kamakaala (6-0 180 Sr. LB) and 2011 second team all league linebacker Shane Suyama (5-11 205 Sr LB) will also play big roles on defense. Suyama is a talented baseball player much like many other Wildcat athletes. Over the years we have seen many Westview kids focus on baseball, which has definitely taken a toll on the football program.
Head Coach Greg Fisher has done a good job getting the most out of his athletes, and this season will require some of the same efforts. Fisher has never backed away from a tough non league schedule, and this year it’s not easy. They should beat both Barlow and Gresham out of the Mt Hood, and it will be very interesting against Lincoln and South Medford who will both be league title contenders.
We wish the Wildcats success over the 2012 season, and we hope to see most of the Westview team at our Barton Showcase Event on June 30th at the University of Washington with many D1 and D1aa’s in attendance.
