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Sunset race kicks off Friday
By Joe Hansen, Sports Writer
Thursday, September 18, 2008 | No comments posted.
As Sunset Conference football league play is set to start Friday, coaches around the league agree about one thing: This conference is wide open.
Last year, Gold Beach and Cascade Christian owned the league, regularly racking up 40- and 50-point victories against everyone except each other — the only close score featuring those teams was when Gold Beach beat Cascade Christian 27-22.
This year, things are different.
“The gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ is closing,” said Gold Beach coach Kevin Swift.
The big difference is that, for a change, Gold Beach and Cascade Christian actually look beatable — literally. Gold Beach lost to Class 4A North Valley 13-12 on Sept. 5. Cascade Christian is now 0-2 in preseason play, losing to the same Knights of North Valley 20-3 Sept. 13, as well as dropping its Sept. 6 season opener 14-7 to a good 4A opponent in Sutherlin.
Granted, the losses for the 3A Panthers and Challengers came at the hands of solid 4A programs. But last year, Gold Beach and Cascade Christian spent the preseason beating up on bigger schools.
The newly-egalitarian Sunset Conference has another big difference: This year, the league gets to send four teams to the state playoffs, as opposed to three last year, as per a rotating Oregon School Activities Association state playoff scheme.
The extra ticket to the big dance, along with the comparative weakness of the league’s elite, has teams around the league eying a trip to state.
“I think this conference is open, from 1 through 4,” said first-year Myrtle Point coach John Marquez. “Right now I think we fit into the playoff scheme. We fit into that top 4.”
Marquez isn’t the only new coach to bring hope to a Sunset program.
Since coming off of an 0-6 league season in 2007, Bandon has added new coach Motts Thomas, a man who brings a wealth of coaching experience at all levels of the game. The results: The Tigers are 2-0, pulling out a 28-14 win against Valley Catholic and handing Yoncalla a 52-0 thumping.
“Bandon has really surprised me,” said Marquez. “It just took a new coach who has experience and knows what they’re doing.”
“I think we’ve got some quality coaches that are really going to lift their programs to new heights,” said Swift.
And with Myrtle Point’s pass-heavy offense working — even though prospective starting quarterback Ryan Hamilton went down with an ankle injury in the season opener, making way for Kyle Davis — the 3-0 Bobcats certainly aren’t out of line in dreaming of a trip to state. But then again, neither is 1-1 Coquille — despite the Red Devils’ stumbling performance in a 32-0 loss to Creswell two weeks ago — or Reedsport.
“I think the whole conference looks tough,” said Coquille coach John Breuer, echoing the thoughts of other coaches around the league. “I think a lot of teams have improved this year.
“I think we’re going to be shooting for a playoff spot.”
Reedsport has gone 2-1 in the preseason and also looks to be set to compete for one of those top four spots. But Glide is something of a mystery, having spent its preseason thrashing Class 2A opponents Riddle and Glendale. And, of course, there is the ultimate Sunset wild card in new conference addition Rogue River.
Opinions vary about what the top of the league will be, except in one case — Gold Beach is on everyone’s list. With returning all-state standouts Jeffrey Knox (quarterback) and Travis Moore (fullback) to run the option behind a monstrous front line, and an improving defense, picking another trip to state for the reigning state champion Panthers is a close to a no-brainer as one can get in the Sunset Conference.
That’s less true with Cascade Christian.
“I think Cascade’s down this year, I really do. They lost a lot of they’re linemen,” said Marquez.
But Marquez, like other coaches around the league, isn’t taking anything for granted — in this year’s Sunset conference, that would be folly.
“My attitude around here is, ‘hey if you do the job you’re going to the playoffs,’” said Marquez. “You want to be the best, you got to beat the best. Be No. 1 and control your own destiny.”
In this week’s games, Gold Beach hosts Glide, Bandon visits Myrtle Point, Coquille travels to Cascade Christian and Reedsport hosts Rogue River.
Last year, Gold Beach and Cascade Christian owned the league, regularly racking up 40- and 50-point victories against everyone except each other — the only close score featuring those teams was when Gold Beach beat Cascade Christian 27-22.
This year, things are different.
“The gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ is closing,” said Gold Beach coach Kevin Swift.
The big difference is that, for a change, Gold Beach and Cascade Christian actually look beatable — literally. Gold Beach lost to Class 4A North Valley 13-12 on Sept. 5. Cascade Christian is now 0-2 in preseason play, losing to the same Knights of North Valley 20-3 Sept. 13, as well as dropping its Sept. 6 season opener 14-7 to a good 4A opponent in Sutherlin.
Granted, the losses for the 3A Panthers and Challengers came at the hands of solid 4A programs. But last year, Gold Beach and Cascade Christian spent the preseason beating up on bigger schools.
The newly-egalitarian Sunset Conference has another big difference: This year, the league gets to send four teams to the state playoffs, as opposed to three last year, as per a rotating Oregon School Activities Association state playoff scheme.
The extra ticket to the big dance, along with the comparative weakness of the league’s elite, has teams around the league eying a trip to state.
“I think this conference is open, from 1 through 4,” said first-year Myrtle Point coach John Marquez. “Right now I think we fit into the playoff scheme. We fit into that top 4.”
Marquez isn’t the only new coach to bring hope to a Sunset program.
Since coming off of an 0-6 league season in 2007, Bandon has added new coach Motts Thomas, a man who brings a wealth of coaching experience at all levels of the game. The results: The Tigers are 2-0, pulling out a 28-14 win against Valley Catholic and handing Yoncalla a 52-0 thumping.
“Bandon has really surprised me,” said Marquez. “It just took a new coach who has experience and knows what they’re doing.”
“I think we’ve got some quality coaches that are really going to lift their programs to new heights,” said Swift.
And with Myrtle Point’s pass-heavy offense working — even though prospective starting quarterback Ryan Hamilton went down with an ankle injury in the season opener, making way for Kyle Davis — the 3-0 Bobcats certainly aren’t out of line in dreaming of a trip to state. But then again, neither is 1-1 Coquille — despite the Red Devils’ stumbling performance in a 32-0 loss to Creswell two weeks ago — or Reedsport.
“I think the whole conference looks tough,” said Coquille coach John Breuer, echoing the thoughts of other coaches around the league. “I think a lot of teams have improved this year.
“I think we’re going to be shooting for a playoff spot.”
Reedsport has gone 2-1 in the preseason and also looks to be set to compete for one of those top four spots. But Glide is something of a mystery, having spent its preseason thrashing Class 2A opponents Riddle and Glendale. And, of course, there is the ultimate Sunset wild card in new conference addition Rogue River.
Opinions vary about what the top of the league will be, except in one case — Gold Beach is on everyone’s list. With returning all-state standouts Jeffrey Knox (quarterback) and Travis Moore (fullback) to run the option behind a monstrous front line, and an improving defense, picking another trip to state for the reigning state champion Panthers is a close to a no-brainer as one can get in the Sunset Conference.
That’s less true with Cascade Christian.
“I think Cascade’s down this year, I really do. They lost a lot of they’re linemen,” said Marquez.
But Marquez, like other coaches around the league, isn’t taking anything for granted — in this year’s Sunset conference, that would be folly.
“My attitude around here is, ‘hey if you do the job you’re going to the playoffs,’” said Marquez. “You want to be the best, you got to beat the best. Be No. 1 and control your own destiny.”
In this week’s games, Gold Beach hosts Glide, Bandon visits Myrtle Point, Coquille travels to Cascade Christian and Reedsport hosts Rogue River.
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