Top Oregon Players who’s Season Has Ended
We have now entered the second round of the postseason in Oregon. The brackets have been narrowed down to the final eight teams, and previews for the upcoming matchups will be released later this week. With only eight teams remaining…
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Continue ReadingWe have now entered the second round of the postseason in Oregon. The brackets have been narrowed down to the final eight teams, and previews for the upcoming matchups will be released later this week. With only eight teams remaining in each bracket, many teams have been either eliminated or did not qualify for the playoffs. The following list will include any players from teams that are not practicing this week to play in a game. Therefore, the 6A Columbia Cup will count as playoffs, and any player on a team still in the Columbia Cup will not qualify for this list.
AJ and North Medford drew what may be the most unlucky matchup in the playoffs, Central Catholic. North Medford was given the #13 seed, and Central Catholic was given the #4 seed when they should have been in the top 2. Pugliano, alongside Terrell Kim, were the leaders on the very talented North Medford squad, and they were rolling there after a hiccup in week one, and then AJ went down for the season with a knee injury just before playoffs. It would have been exciting to watch AJ in the playoffs against the uber-talented Central Catholic squad. Despite getting injured, AJ had a very successful season and will be on his way to Eugene to play for the Ducks next season.
Highlights
Trent is an imposing tackle prospect, especially for Oregon. You cannot teach 6’7. Trent was the anchor of the offensive and defensive line for West Salem, and they made it to the first round of the playoffs, sneaking in as the #16 seed to play #1 West Linn. They did not come out on top, but Trent looked like he belonged out there with all of that talent. Trent will also head to Eugene as he committed to play for the Ducks in April over schools like Oregon State, Washington State, Nevada, and USC.
Will is a player that I and many others feel deserves more recruiting attention. The 6’5 EDGE rusher has been fantastic this season for Sheldon and is one of the top prospects in Oregon. Sheldon was taken down in round one of the playoffs against #5 Lakeridge 10-13. The heartbreaking loss will be tough to swallow for Will and the other seniors on the team, but Will is going to be playing D1 football next season, whether that is FCS or FBS; we do not know that yet. His offers as of right now are Portland State, Montana, Idaho, Weber State, Eastern Washington, and just recently Sacramento State. I would not be surprised if he got some FBS interest, either.
Clay and the Oregon City Pioneers had a very impressive season and should be proud of what they accomplished in a very competitive TRL. Clay was phenomenal all year, winning First Team TRL WR and LB, both unanimously. Clay will be heading to Boise State to play for the Broncos next season, and I do not see any way he does not succeed at the next level. Clay projects as a very athletic LB who should excel in coverage at the next level.
The second North Medford player we have on this list is Terrell Kim. He stood out this summer at camps and showcases as he is just an immovable object in the interior of the offensive line. When he anchors in pass protection, good luck pushing him back. The power was always there with Kim, but his quick and agile feet were on full display at the camps, which led to an offer and a commitment to Oregon State for Kim. He was a standout lineman this season in all of Oregon and continued his dominance from the summer.
Sam is a kid who I did not expect to be writing about this week as he was a part of 5A’s #4 seed Springfield, who went 8-1 in the regular season. The team looked great, and I fully expected them to take care of #13 Lebanon in the first round but got upset 13-14. Sam was the best player on a loaded Springfield team and won First Team Midwestern League OL and DL while also winning Defensive Player of the Year. The only D1 offer Sam has is from FCS Rhode Island, but he has received PWOs from Oregon and NC State as he shined at their summer camps. His other offers include NAIA Carroll College, D3 Linfield University, and Pacific University. Sam is one of the hardest-working kids in the state, and I expect him to excel wherever he ends up. Look out for his commitment in December.
Highlights
Letisi and South Salem went 9-0 in the regular season and earned the #6 seed in the playoffs. They got upset in the first round by #11 Tigard, which was not something I expected. Hatimu is probably the most underrated player in Oregon, as he won Defensive MVP of the whole Northwest Showcase in the summer. He continued his outstanding play into the season and helped lead his team to an undefeated regular season record. Despite all of this, there has not been a lot of buzz recruiting-wise for him. The word that comes to mind when watching Letisi is “slippery.” He excels off the edge in high school, but his size at the next level will probably have teams move him inside. He could perform inside if appropriately used. Oregon high school football fans will miss being able to watch him every week.
Konold and Canby were given a rough ranking as the #12 seed in the 5A playoffs, as I thought they were easily a top-ten team. That ranking led to them meeting the defending 5A champs in the first round, #5 Summit. Canby held their own and fought until the end but lost 14-16 on the road, ending their season in gut-wrenching fashion. This season, Konold won NWOC First Team RB and LB and Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Konold’s junior season was cut short due to injury, but he was able to bounce back and have a very successful senior year. Konold has offers from D3’s Linfield and Pacific as of right now.
Only a few people knew about Eddie until he was offered by and committed to Oregon State. That is not because of his skill set but because he plays for 4A Crook County. Eddie was easily their best player, and they did not have much outside of him, so they were able to sneak into the playoffs as the #15 seed in 4A. They had to play #2 Marist Catholic and lost 42-14. Eddie, who stands 6’4 and can run like he is 5’9, will be heading to Corvallis shortly and will be one of those guys that the Beavers hope they can develop. The size and the athleticism is there for Eddie, but the transition from competing in 4A football to D1 will be a challenge.
If you asked me who was the offensive player of the year in Oregon this season, I would say Athan Palmateer. Athan led the Saxons to a 9-0 record with 2,863 passing yards, 40 touchdowns (29 passing, 11 rushing), and only 3 interceptions all season. He was stellar all season. That is why I was shocked to see they were shut out 17-0 in the playoffs. While their playoff result is unfortunate, it does not affect what he could do in the regular season. He showed improvement in all aspects of his game, as he can throw any route you could think of. Not only can he sling the football, but he is athletic enough to be a threat with his legs. I really like Palmatter, and even though we are unsure of his offers at this point, I expect to see him somewhere playing college football.