They might never make it in to the state championship game on Saturday, but a group of Gold Beach players have spent this season watching and learning and helping out in whatever way possible.

For Gold Beach’s freshmen, the season has been an often eye-opening experience. That has continued the past month in the playoffs.

“It’s been awesome,” said Travis Wood, one of the freshmen who hopes to be running the ball in a championship game later in his career.

The freshmen have been helping out on the scout team as the Panthers have prepared for each opponent.

“It’s been pretty tough,” said Kyle Johnston, who along with twin brother Quinn are the smallest Panthers at about 5 feet and just over 100 pounds. “I like it.”

The entire season has been learning about what it takes to be part of the Gold Beach program, which has reached the state championship game three of the past five years.

“I love playing for Gold Beach,” Wood said. “The (coaches) go hard on everyone that’s part of the team. The same is expected for the freshmen as the upperclassmen. It kind of means a lot because we (as freshmen) try that much harder.”

Cody Hamilton, another freshman, said one of the biggest lessons of the season has been to go 110 percent all the time, including the offseason.

“If we don’t work hard, we won’t go anywhere,” Hamilton said, adding that it was easy to buy into the team’s year-round weightlifting philosophy.

“It’s helped a lot for everybody,” he said. “That’s why we’re a pretty good team.”

This year has been a big step up for the freshmen, but also a big improvement in success on the field.

Last year, the eighth-grade team at Riley Creek won just one game. This year, the junior varsity team for the Panthers lost just once — to Cascade Christian.

“It’s pretty sweet,” Hamilton said.

The playoffs, too, have been fun for the freshmen as the Panthers have advanced to the title game.

“It’s more exciting,” Hamilton said. “If we lose, we’re out.”

Plus, he added, “It’s always fun to see Jeffrey Knox scoring a touchdown or Travis Moore breaking a tackle.”

Knox, the Panthers’ quarterback, and Moore, the team’s fullback, have helped the younger players see what it takes to be successful.

“They’re really good,” Hamilton said.

“When I see them lifting lots of weights and sprinting, it makes me want to be as fast as them, and as strong,” Kyle Johnston said.

Moore hopes the freshmen have learned from the seniors.

“They see us working hard in the weight room and on the field,” he said. “They see what they need to do.”

Gold Beach loses a big group of seniors to graduation next spring. The younger players will be working to make sure the Panthers continue as a successful program.

“I think it’s important to keep the tradition going the same as it is now,” Johnston said.