Page 2 - Copyright 2013 - Pamplin Media Group
Basic HTML Version
KO2
the times
September 5, 2013
Complete Auto Care
NelsensCompleteAutoCare.com
13880 S.W. PACIFIC HIGHWAY • TIGARD, OR 97223
(503) 639-4100
Is your vehicle ready for the
upcoming cold & rainy season?
Clip this coupon for
FREE VEHICLE INSPECTION
And
10% OFF
After any needed repairs! Call for an appointment soon!
With coupon, expires 10-31-13
428482.099513
2012 Metro standings
W L gB
Southridge 5 0 —
Jesuit
4 1 1
Aloha
3 2 2
Sunset
2 3 3
Beaverton
1 4 4
Westview
0 5 5
Jesuit, Southridge favored in competitive Metro
By MATT SINGLEDECKER
The Times
October 11th could be a huge, make
that, monumental day in the race for the
Metro League Championship.
Early indications suggest the winner of
Jesuit-Southridge showdown on that mid-
October evening will seize the Metro crown
and roll to the 6A playoffs as the league’s
number one seed.
It’s alleged all roads to a league crown
could through either Southridge (the two-
time defending Metro champ with loads of
returners and all-league stars) or Jesuit who
sports a speedy, bristly, broad-shouldered
defense with Division One talent in every
area.
However, anyone who’s clued into the reg-
ularly ruthless Metro League knows it’s not
that cut-and-dry.
Surely, the Jesuit-Southridge clash will
hold pivotal importance in the Metro chase.
The Skyhawks boast 13 players who started
at least one game back on offense and an ad-
ditional 10 on defense. Wide receiver Jordan
Morgan-an University of Arizona commit- is
one of the best playmakers in the state and
has a battle-tested quarterback in A.J.
Woodin throwing the rock to him. South-
ridge returns four of their five starting offen-
sive linemen from last year as well all-league
running backs Devin Martinez and Jacob
Pruit.
Jesuit has an embarrassment of riches on
defense with the likes of defensive ends
Christian Martinek (an Oregon State com-
mit) and Henry Mondeaux (more than 12 D1
offers) as well as middle linebacker Joey Ali-
fieri (a Stanford commit).
The Crusaders also have explosive play-
makers in Trent Werner and Chase Morri-
son on offense in addition to a rebuilt offen-
Other four Metro teams aim
to topple Crusaders, Skyhawks
sive line.
“My pick right now would be Jesuit.
They’re the big dog on the block,” said South-
ridge head coach Doug Dean. “They’re going
to be a team to be reckoned with.”
But, waiting in the wings behind the sup-
posed big dogs are four teams pining both for
respect and a chance to topple the Metro blue
bloods. The top three teams in the Metro re-
ceives a first round bye in the 6A playoffs.
“Jesuit is always one of the top teams and
Southridge is pretty loaded coming back,”
said head coach Bob Boyer. “After that, any of
the other four Metro teams can take that
third spot.”
“There’s not a big discrepancy between the
two but it’s nice to say someone other than
Jesuit,” laughed Sunset head coach Faustin
Riley. “Southridge probably gets the nod,”
said Sunset coach Faustin Riley. “They’re
TIMES FILE PHOTO
Southridge head coach Doug Dean and the Skyhawks got the better of Jesuit last season in a memorable 26-21
triumph. The two teams square off this year on Oct. 11 at Jesuit.
j ust ve ry
deep with a
lot of kids
who played
at the high-
est level.”
Aloha be-
g i n s
t h e
post-Thomas
Tyner era
with a new coach in Bill Volk and seven re-
turning starters. Senior wide receiver/defen-
sive back Maurice McSwain could give Mor-
gan a run as the Metro’s most dangerous
playmaking threat. There’s seasoned talent
flanking McSwain, too, with all-league defen-
sive back/wide receiver Calvin Davis, wide
receiver/defensive back Richard Belog and
senior quarterback Krautschield all back as
seniors.
Sunset has a two-way stud in tight end/de-
fensive end Josh Brown and junior quarter-
back Willy Pflug who made marked improve-
ments during the summer. The Apollos’ of-
fensive line has a pair of starters back in the
mix with Mark Iguidbashian and Alex Betan-
court. Sunset’s wide-ranging array of offen-
sive formations and arrangements keep op-
ponents out of sorts and on their heels.
Beaverton owns a solid defense that’s
paced by all-league 6’3” defensive back Bryce
Barker and three solid linebackers in Grant
Johnson, Anthony Battaro and Kiuna Talale-
motu. Each of the linebackers started as ju-
nior. Barker-a junior this year-will play both
wide receiver and quarterback.
Westview is trying work their way up the
Metro standings by pushing the pace with a
hurry-up, no-huddle offense. The Wildcats
have a handful of starters on both sides of the
ball back in the mix.
So, while the on-paper favorites for Metro
honors go to the Skyhawks and Crusaders,
there’s plenty of football to be played, plenty
of story lines to look forward to as the season
commences.
