Pacific Conference Overiew:
You can expect the conference title to be a battle of two teams with Tigard and Century taking the lead in 2012. They both have 9 all league athletes returning from last season ,and the Tigers will get the nod based on all of the success they have had in previous years. As stated earlier the Jaguars of Century could be the sleeper of the year state wide, and have the potential of making a run with their no huddle offense. Tigard has the three headed monster back (Floyd, Wick, Greene) and then some with one of the best juniors in the state in Manu Rasmussen, but does lose a lot on the line so they will need to prove that they can handle the up front pressure from good teams. The defense is ridiculously fast, but far from huge so they will be relying on quickness and overall athleticism to get the job done.
Century has the players, but hasn’t been there before so they will have to gain confidence in themselves early and ride that into the league season. They will play Tigard early on in conference in what will likely determine 1st place in the Pacific. Expect Tualatin to be one of the better teams state wide like usual, but the fire power that they have had from years previous might not be quite the same. We expect the T Wolves to challenge both Tigard and Century but to battle for more of 2nd/3rd placfe finish.
McMinnville is a team that has been on the rise, but had a bit of a set back when Head Coach Jeff Kearin announced his resignation in mid July. They return the Pacific Conference Offensive Player of the Year in Spencer Payne and a very talented junior QB in Greg Gubrud. The overall numbers don’t usually allow them to battle with the Tigard’s and Tualatin’s of the conference, but they should maintain that 4th spot at least.
The four remaining conference teams are in a dog fight to get their football programs back to competitive status. Glencoe and Hillsboro have both been at the top before and just don’t have the same feeder programs as in years previous, while Forest Grove and Newberg have struggled to gain relevancy in the football world against top competition. You can expect all of these teams to compete with one another, but to get blasted by the top three so it will be very interesting to see what they do moving forward.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – OFFENSE
1. Spencer Payne (5-9 190 Sr. RB) McMinnville
2. Zach Floyd (5-10 175 Sr. RB) Tigard
3. Xavier Mitchell (6-0 170 Sr. WR) Century
4. Sam Riddle (6-2 190 Sr. QB) Century
5. Benny Wick (5-9 190 Sr. RB) Tigard
6. Jeffrey Williams (6-2 230 Sr. RB) Tualatin
PLAYER OF THE YEAR- DEFENSE
1. Benny Wick (5-9 190 Sr. LB) Tigard
2. Jeffrey Williams (6-2 230 Sr. LB) Tualatin
3. Manu Rasmussen (6-0 165 Jr. DB) Tigard
4. Chance Taylor (5-10 170 Sr. LB) Tigard
5. Anthony Consolo (5-10 170 Sr. S) Tigard
1. TIGARD (11-1)
State Ranking #6
QB Jett Even
RB Zach Floyd, Benny Wick
SB Manu Rasmussen, Kaz Greene
WR Anthony Consolo, Chance Taylor
TE Jake Biglow, Conner Olson
OL Kane Adams, Matt Franz, Ethan Lange, Janak Ward
DL Joe Lobatto, Matt Franz, Ethan Lange, Blake Chamberlain, Janak Ward, AJ Hotchkins
LB Chance Taylor, BennyWick, Jake Biglow, Robbie Chabreck
DB Manu Rasmussen, Zach Floyd, Anthony Consolo, Daren Rodrigues
The Tigard Tigers will come in ranked one of the Top 10 teams in Oregon, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have work to do. There perimeter is outstanding with countless high profile athletes that can run and get in the end zone. That said, they lose three big time senior lineman that opened holes for them a season ago.
The Tigers run the ball at least 80% of the time and have multiple player of the year candidates in the backfield. Zach Floyd (5-10 175 Sr. RB/DB) returns as one of the most electric backs in the northwest, scoring 23 Tds in 2011. He was runner up player of the year to Spencer Payne of McMinnville and just continued to get better as the year progressed. Floyd was also a second team DB and will have the services of his sidekick Benny Wick (5-9 190 Sr. RB/LB) who almost equaled Floyd’s TD total and also earned all league honors at linebacker. Wick is small powerful back and is one of the State of Oregon’s top two way threats.
Kaz Greene (5-7 155 Sr. Slot) was the third member of the three headed monster that did work last season, and found the end zone multiple times earning honorable mention all league honors. The best out of all of them may be Manu Rasmussen (6-0 165 Jr. Slot/DB) who will only be a junior and is ranked as one of the top athletes in the State of Oregon on both sides of the ball for his class. He is a lock down corner, and managed to score 7 Tds as a sophomore offensively. He is the future of Tigard Football.
Two other seniors that will play a big role will be Chance Taylor (5-10 170 Sr. LB/ATH) and Anthony Consoslo (5-10 170 Sr. DB/Slot) both of whom were all league athletes last season. Taylor is undersized, but just a very talented football player and earned 1st team honors in 2011. Consolo is one of the fastest rising DB’s in Oregon, and had a very good junior season grabbing 2nd team accolades. Add in two very talented juniors in Jake Biglow (5-11 220 Jr TE/LB) and Joe Lobbato (6-2 215 Jr. DE/FB) and you have one of the sickest perimeters in the state. Biglow was an all league kid on both sides of the ball and Lobbato has a ridiculous upside.
The question becomes which lineman will be able to step in replace three very accomplished seniors from last year. If anything is going to prohibit Tigard from doing there thing it will be due to the lack of openings up front. Matt Franz returns as the starting center after a 1st team all league season as a junior. The kid is talented, but undersized and will have serious problems with massive lines much they will see against Aloha in week 2. Ethan Lange (5-11 220 Sr. OL/DL) and Janak Ward (6-2 225 Jr. OL) both return and have legit skills, and Kane Adams (6-3 275 Sr. OL) could be clutch as the biggest kid on the line. Most of the lineman will go both ways and Blake Chamberlain (6-3 245 Sr. DL/OL) will contribute on both sides of the ball, this being his third on Varsity.
Holding it down at QB will be Jett Even (6-3 170 Jr. QB) who is a kid that we saw at our elite events during the winter and did very well as the off season progressed. He is completely untested, but just needs to stay turnover free and keep the offense in rhythm as the running game will take care of itself.
Overall, the Tigers are always good but the line is a concern. They will put a lot of points on the board against most teams, but I think week two will be most telling as the Aloha Warriors come to town with All American back Thomas Tyner. Tigard’s D has a ton of athletes, but the size differential will be a question mark. Look for Century to challenge Tigard for the league title as they should be the unquestioned top two teams in the conference.
( Back to Front: Chance Taylor, Zach Floyd, Benny Wick, Kaz Greene)
CENTURY (6-4)
State Ranking #9
QB Sam Riddle, Brad Bennett
RB Devin Wiggins, Tristan Howell
SB Vance Hamilton, Marcos Hernandez, Daniel Hernandez
WR Xavier Mitchell, Brad Bennett, Spencer Erickson
OL Alex Sirois, Austin Thimjon, Sheridan Olds, Sam Devedjian
DL Sam Devedjian, Sheridan Olds
LB Savon Sengsavanh,
DB Josh Wise, Vance Hamilton, Sam Riddle, Marcos Hernandez
The sleeper of the year hands down state wide will be Century. I would like to bet that the Jags don’t make it in the original AP Poll, because most people from outside the area don’t have a clue. The good thing about the football academy is that we get to train all the top athletes in the Pacific NW, which is where we were able to see a bunch of the Century kids.
Sam Riddle (6-2 190 Sr. QB/DB) will start at quarterback, allowing the 1st team all league QB from a year ago, Brad Bennett (6-0 175 Sr. WR/QB) to move to receiver and be exploited in their no huddle offense. Head Coach Bill Smith has done an outstanding job installing the up tempo game plans that were good for 38.3 points a game last season. Riddle is one of the best overall athletes in the conference, and is a talented DB but will only be used on a necessity basis with him playing quarterback. The good thing for the Jags is that they can feel comfort in the fact that have two prime time QB’s that both know the offense very well.
Look for Xavier Mitchell (6-0 175 Sr. WR) to be the guy on offense, after returning from a unanimous first team all league season from a year ago. Mitchell’s an awesome kid that is considered one of the best receivers in the state, and a 4.0 student to boot. He will have plenty of help with 2nd team all league WR/Slot Vance Hamilton (5-11 160 Sr.) returning after an outstanding junior season. The running back position will be on a committee type basis, with Devin Wiggins (5-7 150 Sr. RB) and Tristan Howell (5-8 170 Sr. RB) getting a bulk of the work.
The real driving force behind Century’s season could be with their up front cast. They return four all league lineman from a year ago, headlined by Alex Sirois (6-5 295 Sr. OL) who was injured part of last season but already has an offer from D1 N.Dakota. Austin Thimjon (6-1 300 Sr. OL) is back after a 1st team all league season in 2011, and Sam Devedjian (6-2 210 Sr.DL)will play a big time role again after a 1st team all league season defensively. Add in Sheridan Olds (6-4 235 Sr. OL/DL) getting 2nd team all league honors a year ago, and you have a group that could potentially help you win a conference title.
Savon Sengsavanh (5-11 175 Sr. LB) and Josh Wise (5-8 155 Sr. DB/WR) will both be key defensively. Much like Tigard they have a bunch of athletes but are still untested on D so the battle those two will have early in the league season will be epic. Sengsavanh earned 2nd team all league honors and Wise was an honorable mention kid and they will both have to step up. In all Century is looking at potentially having their most successful year in school history and is a legit conference title contender.
( Left to Right: Sam Riddle, Xavier Mitchell, Brad Bennett)
TUALATIN (8-3)
State Ranking # 11
QB Brandon Shroyer
RB Zach Salton, Jeffrey Williams
WR Brennan Symes
SB Andrew Schlottman
OL Cody Summers, Will Chapman, Kenny Walter,
DL Austin Green, Dane Simonson, Cody Summers, Kenny Walter
LB Jeffrey Williams
DB Zach Salton, Nick Hines, Andrew Schlottman
The T Wolves are always good and run one of the most successful programs in the entire state from the youth on up. That said they do lose a lot of talent from the last two seasons and their are some voids on both offense and defense. Junior Brandon Shroyer (6-1 195 QB) will be starting at QB after making the move from the Lake Oswego area a few years back. He is a talented overall athlete and a kid they will need to lead.
Jeffrey Williams (6-2 230 Sr. RB/LB) and Andrew Schlottman (6-2 190 Sr. Slot/DB) will be key members of the offensive unit with Zach Salton (5-10 190 Sr. Slot/DB) also providing solid numbers from a season ago. Williams is the most high profile athlete of the group on both sides of the ball, and has received an offer from Southern Utah. He’s a big, fast kid that will be looked upon to take over the role that Brady Watts held last season. Both Williams and Schlottman earned honorable mention all league honors in 2011, and will both need to stay healthy as they are key on both sides of the ball. Salton did a good job getting in the end zone multiple times last year and will need to continue that.
Up front Cody Summers is the leader of the group with Will Chapman (5-11 220 Sr. C) and Kenny Walter (6-2 260 Sr. OL/DL) both providing a solid nucleus. They are not deep up front so they will need to stay healthy if they want to compete with some of the big boys. Summers (6-2 265 Sr. OL/DL) is a good size kid that earned honorable mention all league honors last season, and will be key to making the running game work.
Chapman earned 2nd team all league honors at center a year ago, and Walter could start both ways. Both are tough kids that are mobile and get the job done. Look for Austin Green (6-1 210 Sr. DE) to be one of the better D lineman on the team as he comes off the ball hard, and Dane Simonson (5-11 220 Sr. DL) should do some of the same.
Coach Hastin does a phenomenal job keeping his teams in the mix regardless of how deep they may be, and you can bet Tualatin will still be one of the better 6a teams in Oregon.
( 6-2 230 Jeffrey Williams will be one of the best two players in the state)
MCMINNVILLE (5-5)
State Ranking #17
QB Greg Gubrud
RB Spencer Payne
WR Kane Kennedy
OL Kurtis Cooper , Dominic Kidd
DL Dominic Kidd, Kurtis Cooper
DB Kane Kennedy
McMinnville is an extremely interesting story as they have some very talented kids, and a coach that just recently packed up and left back to coach college. The Grizzlies return the 2011 Pacific Conference Offensive player of the Year in Spencer Payne (5-9 190 Sr. RB) , one of the most exciting players in the State of Oregon. Payne went for 25 Tds a year ago and is a threat to take the ball to the house anytime he gets a lane. He is most definitely one of the most under the radar kids in the region, and someone for everyone to keep and eye on moving forward.
Maybe the top QB in the conference is Greg Gubrud (6-2 185 Jr. QB) who is an outstanding basketball player and QB to boot. He got some very valuable game experience last season, and showed what he is capable of earning honorable mention all league honors on a team that was consistently improving. The Grizz not only lose their head coach, but open the season against nationally ranked Jesuit so give them props for not trying to play a lackluster schedule just to get W’s.
Kane Kennedy (5-9 170 Sr. WR/DB) earned all league honors on both sides of the ball, and will be called upon to get in the end zone and help alleviate from all of the attention Payne will get. He is not a big kid, but super athletic and was a lock down DB last season receiving 2nd team honors on that side of the ball.
You can expect Kurtis Cooper (5-10 200 Sr. and Dominic Kidd (6-2 290 Sr to provide leadership up front as both kids racked up honorable mention all league honors last season. Kidd has good genes and is a big force up front defensively and will be relied upon big time. Cooper is the smaller lineman, but quick and efficient and will get the job done.
The Grizzlies have done a good job in recent seasons building from the ground up, and it will be interesting to see how they respond with their former coach Jeff Kearin leaving back to coach at D3 Occidental College in LA. Payne is a phenomenal back and someone we consider one of the state’s best, while Gubrud is an awesome athlete and could be a difference maker in the coming years.
GLENCOE (2-8)
State Ranking #34
RB Ryan Spaulding , Ryan England
WR Larry Trebriel
LB Ryan Spaulding, Michael Schrader
DB Ryan England, Larry Trebriel
Glencoe is one of the most tradition rich football schools in the state of Oregon, but its been a tough last half decade for the school. Numbers have picked up as of late, but the Crimson Tide are still struggling to get back to anywhere close to old form. Ryan Spaulding (5-9 190 Sr. RB) returns after a very successful year in 2012, that saw him rack up 2nd team all league honors getting in the end zone multiple times. Counter part Ryan England ( Sr. RB/DB) was the other back that did very well and found himself being an honorable mention all league back himself. It comes down to who is going to be able to block for these athletes, and if they have anyone that could hold off some of the big boys within the conference.
Michael Schrader ( Sr. LB) may be the top overall player on the team if we are talking college football, and he too earned second team honors at backer in 2011 which is tough to do when you don’t have a lot of support around you. Schrader will be all over the field this year, and will have to be on his game if they want to hold opponents to a reasonable amount of points.
Larry Trebriel (6-0 185 Sr. WR/DB) could be a sleeper then others don’t know about and we look forward to seeing what the kid can do. The Crimson Tide are a proud football school that knows what its like to win. They have a new coaching staff that has done a good job breathing life into the program, and they should challenge for that 5th spot within the conference.
NEWBERG (3-7)
State Ranking #35
QB Andrew Reichenback
RB Ian Burgess , Mitch Lemos
OL Dakota Train
DL Dakota Train
LB Ian Burgess , Mitch Lemos , Erich VanBergen
DB Dustin Roth , Andrew Reichenback
Newberg is a growing community that is looking to put there football on the map much like the wrestling, but has struggled over the years to do so. They got there lunch handed to them by Oregon City in last years play in game, but bring back some kids that want to change that. Andrew Reichenback is a big talented athlete that can play on both sides of the ball and do a good job. He earned 2nd team all league honors last season, and showed that he is a physical kid that will need to be a general more than ever this season.
Senior Dakota Train will be a leader up front and is someone that earned all league honors on both sides of the ball. They will need him to have a outstanding season and for a few of the other lineman to step up. Expect Ian Burgess (5-9 180 Sr. RB/LB) and Mitch Lemos (5-10 190 Sr. RB/LB) to get the bulk of the carries after getting good experience last season. They will need to get big time numbers from both of these kids if they want to compete.
Dustin Roth will return as a senior leader in the secondary after earning honorable mention all league honors last season. He has dealt with some injury issues, but will be relied upon heavily to hold things down in the defensive backfield.
Newberg will be fighting for that 5th spot in the conference with teams like Glencoe, but will struggle to move into one of those top 4 spots. The biggest highlight for the Tigers comes with QB Reichenback and what he can potentially do on both sides of the ball.
FOREST GROVE (3-7)
State Ranking # 38
RB Steven Izquerdo
A very tough season ahead for FG as they don’t usually have the personnel to compete at the 6a level. They did win their first playoff game in some time last season, but lose some talented seniors that had a lot to do with that. You can expect Steven Izquerdo (Sr. RB) to get the ball early and often as he was the only all league kid back from last season. They will battle for that 6th spot but probably no higher then that.
HILLSBORO (0-10)
State Ranking # 42
RB Vince Nakomoto
WR Adam Morton 6-2 180 Michael Gaskell 5-10 170 Jr.
DB Adam Morton 6-2 180 Michael Gaskell 5-10 170 Jr.
Ken Ingram is an outstanding coach and is enduring some difficult times. The Spartans are coming off a (0-10) season after the Colt Lyerla era ended with so much success. Ingram will have his team back but this could be a tough year once again.
