A Legit Contender in the Years Ahead: Lakeridge HS

&nbsp; Breaking down the Lakeridge roster you see one of the most talented teams in the entire Northwest, littered with some of the state’s top young prospects. They won’t be senior dominant, but the years ahead look incredibly promising. Elvis Akpla did a nice job getting LHS back on track in Oregon’s toughest conference. That said as I would give immense credit to the Lakeridge athletic department on the hire of new head coach Spencer Phillips. Making his way back home, after spending four years as the Philadelphia Eagles QB Coach, Phillips was a part of the Eagles Super Bowl team in 2018. It’s not often a high school team obtains the services of an NFL talent, but this worked out. The Pacers won’t have a ton of experience back. D1 Athletes such as Jalen John (Arizona), Tiger Shanks (UNLV), and Cooper Justice (Utah) aren’t easily replaced. [player_tooltip player_id="28768" first="Andrew" last="Oliver"] 6-1 210 DB/ATH 21’ returns after leading the conference in INT’s last year. His presence will be necessary and crucial.<strong> Bryce Caufield</strong> 6-5 225 WR/TE 21’ has the potential of being Oregon’s breakout player of the year this coming season, with coach Phillips saying "He has grown so much since he’s gotten here and is the best WR I've seen in this league so far. He reminds me of a Zach Ertz type player." [player_tooltip player_id="28810" first="Barrett" last="Bevacqua"] 6-3 270 C/DL 21’ is the other senior they will rely on heavily. The 2* lineman had an outstanding 2019 campaign, earning honorable mention all-conference honors on offense, while also playing well on D. It never gets any easier in the Three Rivers League which typically features five of the state’s top 10 6A teams. As we look at some of the Pacers underclassmen, you see a handful of kids that will rank at the top charts within Oregon, projecting at the Division 1 level. This year’s success will be determined heavily by Junior LB’s [player_tooltip player_id="28864" first="Zac" last="Waible"] 6-3 205 22’ and [player_tooltip player_id="28862" first="Nui" last="Tovey"] 6-3 215 22’. Waible had a monster sophomore campaign, making 63 total tackles and earning all-conference accolades. His 455 pound deadlift speaks to his ability. Tovey had a very similar season making 47 total tackles and 3 tackles for loss. He tests off the charts and brings legit size and speed to the table. Both of these kids will need to stay healthy and plays lights out, in a conference where D1 offensive athletes are everywhere. <strong>Jake Reichle</strong> is the other Junior you will hear a lot about. Both of his brothers are PAC 12 basketball players as Coach Phillips says, "When I watch this kid practice, I don’t think there is a more natural football player I’ve seen. I think Jake will be under the radar as a Junior, and he will become an all-state player before he graduates. <strong>Baylor Corbin</strong> 6-2 170 WR 23’ and <strong>Ryan Oliver</strong> 6-1 180 QB 23’ are two other sophomores who could rank as two of the best state-wide before they are done. Corbin is well known while being dominant coming up through the youth ranks and Oliver (Younger brother of Andrew) went off last year playing JV ball, throwing 35 TDs as a freshman, while only playing in the 1st half. It’s always a wait and see when you have young athletes, but if things continue as projected, Lakeridge could have the #1 D1 duo in Oregon for the class of 2024. <strong>Ethan Biondine</strong> 6-0 200 LB 24’ made the move from Hawaii, where he was a part of the prestigious St Louis program, which is typically ranked nationally. A few weeks back Biondine was named the underclass defensive MVP at the National Preps Showcase in Eugene among 400 athletes in attendance. Speaking on his game Coach Phillips says, "Pound for pound the strongest player on the team. I've never been around a kid his age that plays so physically. He is going to be a scary player on defense and he’s only a freshman. Add to this <strong>Joey Olsen</strong> 6-5 200 TE/WR 24’ who is going to be a big time D1 athlete and Lakeridge is feeling good about their chances in the future. Phillips says, "I will be the first to say this, he’s a PAC 12 Player. He’s ultra-competitive and a leader at 15 years old. Expect him to be one of the top recruits in the state if not the Pacific Northwest." In summary you can expect to see the Pacers listed as a TRL title contender and a top 10 team in the years to come. You will have to deal with a #1 ranked West Linn squad and the traditional foes such as Lake O, Tigard, and Tualatin. If you can win those battles the sky is the limit. &nbsp; &nbsp;