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September 5, 2013
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Bowmen are
the team to
beat in NWOC
By DAN BROOD
The Times
SHERWOOD — In the past, Sherwood
High School head football coach Greg Law-
rence has been a bit hesitant to tab the
Bowmen as the favorites going into North-
west Oregon Conference play.
Even last year, prior to the start of the sea-
son, Lawrence said that “Wilsonville is the
cream of the crop.”
Of course, the Bowmen defeatedWilsonville
35-14 in their league showdown last year on
their way to posting a dominating 7-0 mark in
NWOC action. From there, Sherwood went on
to win the Class 5A state championship, down-
ing Marist in the title tilt.
So, this year, Lawrence has no problem in
saying the Sherwood squad is the team to beat
in NWOC play.
“We’re the favorite,” Lawrence said. “I think
The conference includes four
new head coaches this year
By DAN BROOD
The Times
In the past two seasons, one thing has
been totally above doubt when it comes to
Pacific Conference football — Tigard has
been the best team.
It’s hard to argue that point, as the Tigers
went 7-0 in conference play in both 2011 and
2012.
But, this year, it looks like nothing is for cer-
tain, at least for now, when it comes to who
picking a conference favorite going into the
2013 campaign.
“That’s really tough to say now,” Tualatin
coach Rob Hastin said. “There are so many un-
knowns. I don’t know. We’re just going to have
to go out and play the games.”
“I have no clue,” Tigard coach Craig Ruecker
said in regard to who should be tabbed as
league favorite. “I spend most of my time just
trying to get myself organized and take care of
our program. I don’t really know who returns
what players and who is supposed to be good.”
That said, it may be hard to pick against the
Tigers. After all, they haven’t lost a Pacific
Conference contest since they fell 47-14 to Hill-
sboro back on Oct. 29, 2010.
Meanwhile, the always-strong Tualatin
team, which placed second in the conference
standings at 6-1 last year, also couldmake plen-
ty of noise in league competition this season.
“We always want to compete at the highest
level in the Pacific Conference,” Hastin said.
“We’re looking to compete and keep getting
better.”
And, while there may not be a definite
league favorite in some coaches eyes, it looks
to be agreed upon that the conference will fea-
ture strong quarterbacking play, as the league
returns three of the top four QBs from a year
ago.
“We have some very good quarterbacks in
the league,” Hastin said. “They are some very
high-caliber athletes.”
The list of quality quarterbacks includesMc-
Minnville senior Gage Gubrud, who shared
first-team All-Pacific Conference honors last
year.
“He’s special,” Ruecker said of Gubrud, a
three-sport star at McMinnville who is begin-
ning his third season as the Grizzlies’ QB.
Tigard and Tualatin also return their start-
ing quarterbacks from last year. Tiger senior
Jett Even and Timberwolf senior Brandon
Shroyer shared second-team all-conference
honors last year.
Other quarterback situations in the league
could also raise some eyebrows.
Out at Forest Grove, 6-foot-4 sophomore Tay-
lor Jensen, son of FG coach Dwight Jensen,
could get the nod as signal-caller for the Vi-
kings this year.
At Century, senior Marcos Hernandez, who
was a first-team all-conference pick at safety
last year, takes over the quarterbacking duties
for the Jaguars’ high-powered offense.
Glencoe returns its starting quarterback in
senior Avery Elrod.
Century, in addition to having Hernandez
take over at quarterback, will have a number of
new players on the field this year after gradu-
ating many of its top players from last year’s
Jaguar squad that scored at an average of
about 43 points a game while finishing third in
the final conference standings at 5-2.
But Hastin isn’t expecting Century to have
much of a drop off.
“(Century coach) Bill Smith has done a great
job out there,” Hastin said. “He’s created a lot
of enthusiasm for the program.”
M c M i n -
nville, which
finished in
fourth place
in the con-
f e r e n c e
s t and i ng s
last year at
4-3, has a
new coach
this year in
Robin Hill,
who was a
l o n g t i me ,
successful coach at Sprague.
“He’s the guru of the Wing-T,” Ruecker said
of Hill. “It will be interesting to see if he puts it
in down there.”
Glencoe finished in fifth place in the league
standings last year at 3-4. Forest Grove was
sixth at 2-5. Newberg was seventh at 1-6, but
the Tigers do have some key returnees this
year, including running back Andy Tautfest
and linemanDane Jensen. Junior GraysonOvi-
att will be Newberg’s quarterback.
Hillsboro finished in eighth place in confer-
ence play last year, going 0-7 for the second
consecutive season. The Spartans have a new
head coach this year in Adam Reese, who has
built the Hillsboro High School wrestling team
into a state power.
Pacific Conference play is set to start on
Sept. 13. That night, Tigard will host Glencoe
and Tualatin will travel to Forest Grove.
Tigard comes in as the two-
time defending champion
Pacific Conference title is up for grabs
2012 Pacific standings
W L gB
Tigard
7 0 —
Tualatin
6 1 1
Century
5 2 2
McMinnville 4 3 3
Glencoe
3 4 4
Forest Grove 2 5 5
Newberg
1 6 6
Hillsboro
0 7 7
Times file PHOTO: DAN BROOD
lOUD AND PROUD — Tigard fans cheer on their
team in last year’s state playoff semifinals.
see NWOC / Page KO15
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