Way Too Early: Oregon Preseason 6A Top 15 (2024)

1)West Linn- The Lions have something to prove after not getting the job done in the state semis against Central Catholic this past year. Unanimous 1st team all-conference QB/WR tandem [player_tooltip player_id='406774' first='Baird' last='Gilroy'] and [player_tooltip player_id='285868' first='Danny' last='Wideman'] return along with 6-4 standout WR [player_tooltip player_id='406767' first='Wyatt' last='Smiley']. Also back from injury will be 6-3 220-pound RB/OLB [player_tooltip player_id='312496' first='Hudson' last='Hardy'] who will rank among Oregon's best for the 2025 class.    Add to this 4*DE/TE [player_tooltip player_id='285855' first='Baron' last='Naone'] and 2x 1st team OL [player_tooltip player_id='406756' first='Jake' last='Normoyle'] and the Lions should control the games up front. Returning the nation's top 2027 CB [player_tooltip player_id='632957' first='Josiah' last='Molden'] won't hurt either. In summary West Linn has unreal talent and will need to make a statement next season.   2)Central Catholic- Credit to the Rams as they have been Oregon's top team over the last decade, winning numerous state titles. They not only beat West Linn last year but beat Washington state champ Bellevue 48-27 for the 2nd year in a row.    All of that said as they will lose 3x Mt Hood POY [player_tooltip player_id='152354' first='Cru' last='Newman'] who was key in all of their success. That will be tough to make up for even with a litany of talent returning. 3* WR's [player_tooltip player_id='1094734' first='Landon' last='Kelsey'] and [player_tooltip player_id='152653' first='Zhaiel' last='Smith'] should be considered one of the top WR combos in the West. Current sophomore's [player_tooltip player_id='402427' first='Tyson' last='Davis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='402415' first='Killian' last='Sombe'] are equally impressive at the RB spot. They will also feature one of the region's top lines, led by 6-5 270-pound standout [player_tooltip player_id='406759' first='Zac' last='Stascausky'].   CC has proven me wrong multiple times, but I just don't see them getting the W without Cru against West Linn.    3)Lakeridge- Once again I have the Pacers ranked among the top teams in the state. On paper next year's group could feature one of the best defenses ever to represent the TRL. 6-3 240-pound DE/OLB [player_tooltip player_id='769915' first='Noah' last='Tishendorf'] will be a 6A POY candidate. 6-5 [player_tooltip player_id='754631' first='Kayce' last='Tinner'] is one of state's fastest rising prospects, with 6-5 250 pound DE [player_tooltip player_id='410655' first='Colin' last='Fratzke'] having a big junior year.    The size is obviously there with a pair of current sophomore LB's returning and ranked among the state's best in [player_tooltip player_id='769991' first='Yahkyll' last='Noil'] and [player_tooltip player_id='402414' first='Kalani' last='Messenger']. It doesn't stop there with [player_tooltip player_id='402418' first='Marcus' last='Post'] and [player_tooltip player_id='406755' first='Zyon' last='Floyd'] leading the secondary.    Lakeridge lost to West Linn & CC by a combined score of 94-16 last year so they still have a long way to go but the talent speaks for itself.   4)Mountainside- One of the fastest rising programs in Oregon. If there was anyone potentially able to hang with West Linn and CC in the years ahead it might be the Mavericks.    Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1094961' first='Jordan' last='Hicks'] went off, rushing for 1300+ yards and 16 TDs and 2025 DB's [player_tooltip player_id='285873' first='Kellen' last='Hicks'] and [player_tooltip player_id='511859' first='Madden' last='Tanuvasa'] will rank as two of the top players in Oregon, both earning 1st team all-conference honors.   6-4 200 pound athlete [player_tooltip player_id='457009' first='Sam' last='Vyhlidal'] was a 1st team all Metro guy on both sides of the football. He will be a conference and state POY candidate the next two seasons. Fellow sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='402389' first='Andrew' last='Ramtel'] led the Metro statistically at WR. If they can get some line play, the sky's the limit.    5)Lake Oswego- The biggest question comes at QB where things are up in the air. Standout 2026 RB [player_tooltip player_id='402416' first='Lamarcus' last='Bell'] went for 1100 yards and 11 TDs, to go with zero fumbles this past season. He will be called upon even more so with the graduation of [player_tooltip player_id='152359' first='Zavier' last='Russell'].   Lakeridge has beaten LO the last two years which likely doesn't sit well with Steve Coury. The Lakers offense struggled against TRL competition averaging 10 points per game. Expect the D to be the X factor with two Oregon's best leading the way in [player_tooltip player_id='285881' first='Lusiano' last='Lopez'] and 6-4 220 pound OLB/DE [player_tooltip player_id='285849' first='Oliver' last='Macy'].    6)Jesuit- The Crusaders always reload but do lose some significant talent from a team that caught fire to close the year. The Metro League Offensive & Defensive POY [player_tooltip player_id='152333' first='Lonnie' last='Burt'] graduates, along with UW commit [player_tooltip player_id='520433' first='Elias' last='Johnson'] and 3x 1st team all-conference athlete [player_tooltip player_id='152334' first='Jace' last='Burton'].   QB Trey Cleeland will be back, but inexperienced talent will be everywhere, so there will be questions marks. Look for Jesuit to lean on the D to keep them in tough ball games, with 1st & 2nd team all-conference LB's [player_tooltip player_id='1104022' first='Kevin' last='Keanaaina'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1104029' first='Sam' last='Hunt'] returning. Current sophomore's [player_tooltip player_id='402422' first='Rowen' last='Lewis'] and [player_tooltip player_id='777410' first='Roman' last='Mallard'] will both be key defensively as well.    7)Sherwood- It's tough to compare any team with last year's Bowmen D which literally didn't allow points for most of the season. Even in a weak conference it was an incredibly impressive feat.   Tualatin put things into perspective during the state semi's dropping 42 on Sherwood. That said as they will lose Pacific Conference POY's [player_tooltip player_id='278398' first='Kasen' last='Covert'] and [player_tooltip player_id='278441' first='Keaten' last='Fried'] to graduation and need some of the young guys to step up big.   QB [player_tooltip player_id='893365' first='Jackson' last='Bell'] is talented and ready to go with RB [player_tooltip player_id='1103727' first='Wilson' last='Medina'] being one of the state's breakout performers. Most importantly on D, [player_tooltip player_id='766200' first='Treyson' last='Eddleman'] will return and rank as one of Oregon's best for the 2025 class. Him and his brother [player_tooltip player_id='1112405' first='Kilian' last='Eddleman'] could very well vie for conference POY honors.    8)Tigard- The Tigers have a bunch of young talent coming up through the ranks with a handful of all league kids returning next season. [player_tooltip player_id='406770' first='Trevin' last='Laird'] will project as one of the top two way threats in the conference, with [player_tooltip player_id='904368' first='Ivan' last='Morales'] being among the top LB's anywhere in the state.   In the secondary [player_tooltip player_id='1094719' first='Colt' last='Ness'] and [player_tooltip player_id='285880' first='Owen' last='Wright'] are listed among the top DB's in Oregon for the 2025 class. Both are exceptional overall athletes who excel in other sports.  The unknown with Tigard comes with the offense, finishing 0-5 in the TRL last season.    9)Tualatin- This will be interesting. The T-Wolves graduate a ton of talent but return one of the top QB's in the West in [player_tooltip player_id='285857' first='Nolan' last='Keeney']. The addition of 2x all conference athlete [player_tooltip player_id='412220' first='Maliq' last='Smith'] from Glencoe should help offset some of the losses, with Jr. [player_tooltip player_id='278532' first='Calvin' last='Evans'] leading the TRL in tackles and having an unreal season overall.    Tualatin has a talented 2026 class so expect some of those current sophomores to step up and play a key role next season.    10)West Salem- I see Shawn Stanley's team getting back in the mix and winning the South/Central title next season. QB [player_tooltip player_id='285871' first='Kaden' last='Martirano'] earned 1st team all-conference honors but will need to improve on his 48% completion percentage.    [player_tooltip player_id='769995' first='Evan' last='Wusstig'] was maybe the most impressive sophomore in Oregon, earning 1st team all-conference accolades on both sides of the ball. The Titans have numerous other young guys coming up who can play, as indicated by their convincing 42-21 win over Sheldon at the end of last season.         11)Sheldon   12)Sunset   13)Oregon City   14)North Medford    15)South Medford