Local football history is being made this weekend.
For the first time, three high schools will be competing for state football championships in the same season.
They all play in Bend on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Vale is making its 17th appearance in its history, playing against Burns in the 3A state title game.
Adrian is making its fourth appearance in the title game, facing North Douglas in the eight-man 1A title game.
And Harper plays in its first title game, facing Powers in the six-man 1A title game.
All three won their semifinal games on Saturday, Nov. 23.
HARPER
The Hornets take on the top-ranked six-man team in the state.
The Powers Cruisers are from a school in the Coast Range about 45 miles southeast of Coos Bay. The Cruisers stand at 11-0 on the season, beating South Wasco County in the semifinals.
“They’re pretty diverse,” said Ron Talbot, Harper defensive coach. “They have a good running big. They have a good receiver…We’ve got our hands full.”
Powers uses both the run and the pass effectively.
“I think we can shut their run game down,” Talbot said. “We’re going to have to be able to shut the pass down to control them.”
Regardless, “We’re going to have a battle,” Talbot said.
Coach Ricky Ostle notes that “football runs really deep in the community” of Powers.
The Cruisers won back-to-back state titles in 1996, 1997 and in 1998, when they beat Crane. They last made the championship game in 2003, losing to Powder Valley.
“We don’t do anything special,” Ostle said. “We play fundamental football.”
He didn’t single out any of his players as key to watch.
“We don’t have a main weapon. They’re all weapons,” he said.
From reviewing game films, he said the Hornets appear “strong, physical, fast to the ball.”
“I think it will be a dog fight,” the coach said.
Harper advanced to the Bend game by beating the Prairie City/Burnt River Panthers in La Grande on Saturday, Nov. 23. The score: 65-22.
“They came out in the first half fired up,” said Harper Coach David Marker. “They played really tough in the first half.”
Marker said the Hornets, during the halftime break, adjusted the defense to stop the Panther passing game.
“We were pretty much ready for their run,” Talbot said. “They did go to a passing game.”
He said Richard Joyce got the call to cover a Panther receiver who was effective against the Hornets. After that change, Talbot said, the Prairie City/Burnt River team completed only one more pass.
Joyce, who also plays quarterback, ended the game with three interceptions and 15 tackles while Cope Christensen had 12 tackles.
The Hornets faced several penalties.
“We were being real aggressive,” Marker said.
The team likely has lost defensive end Hoss Johnson, who took a helmet to the knee late in the game, Marker said.
Title game: 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 (Pacific), Caldera High School, Bend.
ADRIAN
Adrian’s semifinal game against Crane at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande was a wild ride until the final eight seconds of the fourth quarter.
With the score knotted at 26, Trey Bayes connected with Brooks Martin on a 16-yard pass to score the go-ahead touchdown and seal a 34-26 victory on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The Antelopes’ Rance Jordan, a running back, scored four times, while teammate Colten Bayes scored twice on two-point conversions in helping Adrian advance to the state championship game against third-ranked North Douglas (11-0).
Adrian’s head coach, Bill Wortman, said neither Crane nor Adrian wanted to give up during Saturday’s game.
“That’s eastern Oregon football,” he said.
Wortman said the state championship game matches the best team from the west and the top team from the east.
“They’re undefeated too, and it’s going to be two fast teams going at it,” he said.
North Douglas High School, located about an hour south of Eugene, defeated Crosspoint Christian 50-6 in its semifinal game on Saturday, Nov. 23, in Grants Pass.
Wortman said while the Antelopes had not watched film on North Douglas, he said the Antelopes would fare well if they played “Adrian football.”
“As long as our kids give it their all, I’ll be happy,” he said.
Title game: 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 (Pacific), Summit High School, Bend.
VALE
The Vale Vikings dominated their semifinal game on Saturday, Nov. 23, beating North Valley 20-3.
The Vale team didn’t look back after North Valley kicked a 31-yard field goal in the early going. The undefeated Vikings, who have outscored opponents 454-106 this season, didn’t let North Valley score the rest of the game.
Vale’s defense held North Douglas to 126 yards and had four interceptions. Troy Dalton collected two, while Damick Eddy and Landon Haberman pulled down one apiece.
Vikings senior running back Kase Schaffeld punched into the endzone in the second quarter on a four-yard carry to start the Vale scoring. Schaffeld, who rushed for 178 yards on 31 carries, later scored on the two-point conversion.
In the third quarter, the Vikings padded their lead to 14-3 on a four-yard rush by Schaffeld. Quarterback Brooks Aldred, who went 5-for-9 in the game, snuck into the end zone on a two-yard run in the fourth quarter to extend Vale’s lead to 20-3 with just over five minutes left to play.
The Vikings hold the record in Oregon for most state titles with 12, according to the Oregon School Activities Association, the high school sports governing body.
The Vikings, who last won a state title in 2015, face No. 11-ranked Burns (10-2).
Burns (10-2) knocked off Banks 22-15 on Saturday, Nov. 23, in Bend.
Vale Coach Jeff Aldred, who led the Vikings to the squad’s 2015 championship his first year on the job, said his team has put in a “gritty, gutty effort” this season.
At this point in the year, after 12 football games, players are “banged up.”
“I’m really pleased with how they’re playing at this point of the season,” Aldred said.
Vale faced the Burns Highlanders in October and beat them 18-12 in overtime at home.
Aldred said the Vikings know the Burns team “quite well,” and the Highlanders deserved to be in the postseason.
He said having a pair of eastern Oregon rivals from the same league in the state title game is unique.
“I think our kids are definitely up for the challenge,” he said. “I know Burns will be too.”
Title game: 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 (Pacific), Summit High School, Bend.
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