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South Salem wide receiver Joseph Carey (6) celebrates his go ahead touchdown pass with quarterback Gabe Matthews (3) against North Medford during the first round of the 6A state playoffs, Friday, November 6, 2015, at South Salem High School in Salem, Ore. South Salem won the game 21-20.
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Central High School’s Alvin Berroa runs the ball on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, in Independence, Ore.
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Regis’s Adair Pelayo and the Rams fall to Kennedy 14-6 in a Tri-River Conference game Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, in Mount Angel.
Class 6A state playoffs
No. 7 Oregon City at No. 6 South Salem, 7 p.m.
On the air: Radio on KBZY 1490 AM, audio streaming on http://www.clypian.com, video on CCTV2 at 11:59 p.m.
Ending a drought: It may not have been pretty, but South Salem’s 21-20 win against North Medford last week ended a streak for the Saxons. The win was South Salem’s first state playoff win since 2010.
Familiar face: Second-year Oregon City coach Randy Nyquist is well known in the mid-valley. He spent more than a decade in building West Albany into a state power. He coached that program to Class 5A state championships in 2007, 2008 and 2013 and he was the coach there back to the days of the old Valley League when South Salem and West Albany were league opponents. He also was the coach at Jefferson for a time and took that team to the state playoffs. At Oregon City (8-2), Nyquist has built the program in much the same mold he has at other schools: A power run-heavy offense.
Time to prove they’re for real: There has been skepticism among the state’s media of if South Salem is worthy of being considered one of the best teams in the state. The Saxons are one of four undefeated teams in the state, but are still not considered a legitimate contender for the state championship. South Salem (10-0) can make a statement by beating one of the Portland-area heavyweights in Oregon City.
West Salem at No. 4 West Linn, 7 p.m.
On the air: Radio on KYKN 1430 AM.
Testing pass defense: The Titans (7-3) made a statement in last week’s 32-0 win against Franklin as they limited the passing game. But the passing game of West Linn (9-1) is at a different level. West Linn junior quarterback Timothy Tawa has completed 190 of 272 passes (69 percent) for a state-best 3,257 yards and 41 touchdowns with two interceptions with his primary target in senior receiver Connor Berggren, who has caught 66 passes for 1,406 yards and 17 touchdowns. West Salem has its work cut out for it on defense in this game.
Class 5A state playoffs
No. 9 Central at No. 2 Crater, 7 p.m.
On the air: Radio on KAJC 90.1 FM
Resurgent Crater: Crater (10-0) is making good on the promise it showed most of the season. The Comets’ 45-0 win against Silverton in last week’s first round was the program’s first state playoff win since 2009. Crater has put up big numbers this year behind senior quarterback Matt Stuck (2,199 yards and 18 touchdowns on 56 percent completion percentage) and senior running back Cavin Gillispie (1,263 yards and 19 touchdowns on 151 carries).
Last remaining: The tough Mid-Willamette Conference didn’t have a great reputation this season after the top seven teams beat up on each other for the conference title. No. 7 seed Central (7-3) is the only of the conference’s teams still alive in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs – South Albany, Lebanon and Silverton all lost in the first round – and the Panthers have a tough task in playing No. 2 seed Crater in the quarterfinals.
Class 4A state playoffs
No. 3 Cascade vs. No. 1 Philomath, 7 p.m.
Where: Corvallis High School.
Rare turf appearance: There aren’t many schools at the Class 4A level that have turf fields, but this game is being played on turf. Between No. 1 seed Philomath (8-1) and No. 9 seed Cascade (8-1) both teams have played one game each on a turf field this season.
Rematch: Philomath defeated Cascade 26-14 on Sept. 25 when they played a game that eventually determined the Oregon West Conference champion. Philomath’s Logan Williams rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries and Trenton Looper rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, and Cascade’s Garrett Coffey rushed for 127 yards and 19 touchdowns, but in a rare feat was kept out of the end zone.
North Marion at No. 9 North Bend, 7 p.m.
Shocking North Marion: The No. 15-seed Huskies’ 21-14 win at No. 2 seed Sisters in the first round was North Marion’s first state playoff win since 1982. Ammon Suchanski rushed for two touchdowns and Noah Norris returned a punt 80 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Now the Huskies (5-5) have another long haul to play in the second round at North Bend (7-2).
Class 3A state playoffs
Salem Academy at Scio, 7 p.m.
A milestone: Salem Academy’s 35-6 win at Rainier in last week’s first round of the 3A state playoffs was the program’s first state playoff win since 1991. Salem Academy (8-2) quarterback Andrew Baker was 16 of 20 passing for 201 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of that win.
Surprisingly tested: No. 1 seed Scio (10-0) got a surprise in Friday’s 46-20 win against No. 16 seed Nyssa in that the Loggers were tested. The Loggers still rushed for 490 yards – including 255 yards and four touchdowns by Anthony Johnson – but Scio trailed 8-0 in the first quarter and 20-16 at halftime.
Conference opponents in playoffs: The one good thing about conference opponents playing in the state playoffs is the teams know each other. PacWest Conference champion Scio defeated Salem Academy 68-47 at Scio on Sept. 25 when they played in a conference game.
Coquille at Blanchet, 7:30 p.m.
Where: McCulloch Stadium.
Strong defense: The strength of Coquille (10-0) this season has been its defense. The team has held opponents to 83 points, fewest among 3A teams. A Blanchet (9-1) team that trailed No. 14 seed Clatskanie 12-0 at halftime of last week’s first round game has to start strong on offense. Coquille senior running back Joseph Scolari has rushed for 1,066 yards and 18 touchdowns on 106 carries.
Harrisburg at Santiam Christian, 7 p.m.
Rematch: No. 2 seed Santiam Christian (9-1) dominated No. 7 seed Harrisburg (8-2) 49-15 in the season opener, but Harrisburg is getting better and the Eagles have been without starting quarterback Daniel Hendrix the past two games. Santiam Christian is the only of the West Valley’s teams left in the playoffs as Harrisburg knocked off West Valley No. 2 Dayton last week.
Class 2A state playoffs
Burns at Kennedy, 1 p.m. Saturday
Tough opponent: Last year’s state champion Burns (7-3) hasn’t lost to a 2A opponent this season; the team’s losses came to 4A Sisters and 3A Vale and Taft. Burns is coached by former Cascade coach Terry Graham.
Home-field advantage: The Mount Angel home of Kennedy (8-1) has been helpful to the team this season. A 53-12 win against Irrigon in the first round of the playoffs extended the home record this season to 5-0.
Imbler at Regis, 1 p.m. Saturday
Tough rushing attack: No. 11 seed Imbler (5-4) has been adept at running the ball all season. Senior running back Tyler Tandy has rushed for 1,822 yards and 22 touchdowns on 260 carries and junior Brandon McGilvray has rushed for 605 yards and seven touchdowns on 95 carries, and an athletic Regis team has to find a way to slow the rushing attack. While No. 3 seed Regis (7-3) has been among the state’s best all season, Imbler got hot late in the season and has won four straight.
Class 1A state playoffs
No. 5 Perrydale at No. 7 Wallowa, noon Saturday
Winning tradition: Perrydale (9-0) has one of the state’s best postseason winning percentages. The Pirates are 19-12 overall in the state playoffs and have a .612 winning percentage.
A passing team: No. 3 seed Wallowa (7-3) showed in last week’s 54-20 win against Triad that the team can pass. Koby Frye was 3 of 7 passing for 100 yards and two touchdowns and Noah Allen was 3-for-3 passing for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Perrydale’s vulnerability has been in the pass defense and the Pirates must get pressure up front to keep the Cougars from spreading out the field.