Week Three 3A Top-10 and Breakdown

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>3A is a story of two tiers, which didn't change this week. Here' where we stand:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>10)&nbsp; Sisters (n/a) AND Lakeview (n/a)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two very different teams from top to bottom. Sisters' backfield battery of Justin DeSmet and Hunter Bronson is playoff caliber, and looking ahead at their remaining schedule it's not impossible to see them potentially sitting at 7-2 when November hits. The line isn't huge, but it does the job. Where Sisters is straight wing-t with tight splits and constant misdirection, Lakeview is spread out from numbers to numbers and chucking the ball around. The ceiling probably isn't anywhere beyond a first round appearance, but Quarterback Benny Alves throwing to Reciever Denver Johnson is a connection good enough to win plenty of games before November.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>9) Kennedy (6)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Siuslaw missed an incredible amount of tackles defensively and, while the Kennedy defense did do what they were supposed to, the regular blocking nd mental miscues committed by Siuslaw's offensive line ensured that despite a less than optimal offensive performance from Kennedy, three touchdowns would be more than enough to win the game. The line of scrimmage remains a concern.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>8)Yamhill-Carlton (10)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tigers look like one of the best in the second tier. Give them space and a little confidence and they can beat a lot of teams. This week against Kennedy is a prove-it game for YC if they want to be a quarterfinal or better team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>7) Santiam Christian (8)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles looked a lot more put together against Creswell. Not just that the team as a whole performed better, but assignments were carried out at a crisper speed and the overall schematic picture seemed more clear. Opening against Vale was a tough task for a young team, given time to mature they will look like a team that could win a playoff game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>6) Scio (7)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Loggers keep moving up. Man do they hit the line of scrimmage fast. Cody Roofner and Bryan Parazoo run the mesh of the Pistol Wing-T like seasoned pros, nearly as fast as Cascade was running it a few years back. As always, depth remains a concern, but Scio looks like they could win their next three games–@Amity, v Salem Academy, and v Taft–by an average of 30 points or more.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5) South Umpqua (4)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is where the contenders column begins to take shape. The questions for South Umpqua remain the same, however: What do they look like when fully healthy/eligible/with a few games under their belt, and do they have the overall athleticism–not just Jacob Logan and Eli Earls–to take down the Banks' and CC's of the world?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4)&nbsp; Dayton (5)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Pirates had 436 (436!) yards rushing against Warrenton last week, and it felt like they could've had another 150. Dayton's O-line is eating people up, and the backfield of [player_tooltip player_id='209680' first='Zach' last='Smith'], Alex Garcia, and Boston Hodges looks like a backfield worthy of a state title team. Even with the loss of Nate Arce to graduation, this looks like the best offensive team Dayton has had since 2016.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3) Vale (3)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If there was a second tier of contenders–the top tier of the top tier–it would start here. Vale, Cascade Christian, and Banks all have arguments to be at #1 and look the part on film. Vale's defense is unreal. Jake DeVos–a 6 foot 3 220 pound junior–looks unblockable on the edge, and [player_tooltip player_id='1066605' first='Skyler' last='Cade'], Brooks Haueter, and POTY leader Colten Stepleton is a second level that it seems like a certainty no contender could score more than three touchdowns against. Match up against a running team–like Dayton, Scio, or Kennedy–in the Semifinals, the Vikings will be in the state title game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2) Cascade Christian (2)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Challengers looked much improved against Sutherlin. Similarly to Santiam Christian, it wasn't as much they looked faster, could throw the ball farther, or suddenly became more physically imposing–they just looked like a more crisp football team. Cascade Christian did not look like the team everyone expected in the preseason, that might be weeks away, but they certainly looked like a much better version of their week one selves.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Others:Coquille (n/a), Rainier (n/a)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1 ) Banks (1)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Banks looks like the best team in 3A football. They might not have the same amount of top end athleticism as a Vale, but the execution of what they're trying to do on both sides of the ball is unmatched at any classification of small school football. Banks is consistently one of the best coached teams in the state regardless of classification and it shows. Tillamook struggled from start to finish with the Braves' defense, and it's hard to see anyone in 3A faring much better.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->