4A Games to Watch in Week Six

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Estacada @ La Salle Prep (Thursday 10/5 @7pm)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Estacada is in real trouble. 1-4 with a loss to Molalla gives the Rangers virtually no at-large path to the playoffs, meaning they have to win at least three of their next four to get an auto-bid and play in November. Beating La Salle, currently tied for first in SD2 with Molalla, would go a long way in that effort. La Salle is on the cusp of their first postseason berth since 2019, and with a win against Estacada would make their matchup with Molalla week, for all intents and purposes, a “league championship” game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch: La Salle: [player_tooltip player_id='285879' first='Jacob' last='Thayer'] (Jr, TE/LB), Daniel Rodriguez (Sr, OL/LB); Estacada: Andrew Riedel (Sr, QB/DB), Elliot Coyle (Jr, RB/DB)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>St. Helens @ Tillamook (Friday 10/6 @7pm)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Helens is a surprise at 4-1, now they walk into Tillamook where the Cheesemakers will be–understandably–very motivated following their upset loss to Seaside last week. This is the Lions' biggest test so far this season. The question remains and will be answered here: Who are the Lions? Are they in, or are they out?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch: St Helens: Austin Stockwell (Sr, RB/LB), Colby Shafer (Sr, WR/DB), Mason Stroud (Sr, WR/DB); Tillamook: [player_tooltip player_id='738760' first='Tanner' last='Hoskins'] (Sr, QB/DB), [player_tooltip player_id='1234454' first='Griffyn' last='Boomer'] (So, WR/DB), Andrew White (Sr, RB/LB)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Seaside @ Scappoose (Friday 10/6 @7pm)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Seaside is going to feel confident coming into this one, but if there is any venue well suited to ruining the aspirations of visiting teams it's Scappoose. Seaside will win or lose this one on the defensive side of things: Can they contain Nowlin and the skill players for Scappoose, or do they run roughshod and send Seaside back to the coast with a loss? It's unlikely Seaside can win a shoot out here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch: Seaside: [player_tooltip player_id='511862' first='Jake' last='White'] (IF HEALTHY) (Jr, RB/LB), Gavin Pugh (Sr, TE/DL), [player_tooltip player_id='1112406' first='Ryder' last='Jackson'] (So, RB/DB); Scappoose: [player_tooltip player_id='511860' first='Max' last='Nowlin'] (Jr, QB), [player_tooltip player_id='1224410' first='Cayden' last='Baker'] (Jr, RB/LB), [player_tooltip player_id='1095889' first='Eli' last='Harrah'] (Sr, WR/DB)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Crook County @ Pendleton (Friday 10/6 @7pm)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pendleton hasn't lost a game to an Oregon opponent yet, but Crook County might have the pieces to make this a fun one. Even against quality opponents like Junction City, Redmond, and Caldera–games CC lost–the Cowboys have looked like a peer to their opponent rather than a step behind. If Crook County wins this one, they'll be in prime position to make the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Players to watch: CC: Luke Freauff (Sr, WR/DB), Jacob McKinnon (Sr, QB/LB); Pendleton: Benito Jennings (Sr, WR/DB), Thaiden Cannin (Sr, WR/DB)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->