The Mountainside Mavericks had every reason to hang their heads last year. Every reason to mope off the field and accept a demoralizing 56-17 defeat to a 1-3 Southridge team as just another loss in a long varsity season without any seniors. Nobody would blame them either, as there were no expectations.
But that’s not what happened on that bitter September night in 2018.
Instead, there was a palpable feeling of energy and belief; of young players enjoying one another’s company and refusing to easily go out into the night. It definitely did not seem like a team with an 0-4 record. While that night may not be one to remember for an invigorating win or even an exciting game for the neutral, it is a result that can be categorized as a turning point for this Mountainside team.
“We lost the game to Southridge last year pretty handily, but we scored a touchdown late in the game and our sidelines were electric,” Mountainside head coach John Mannion said. “They deservedly won the game, but the guys were feeding off establishing the brand and establishing ourselves as a scrappy team, and one that is not going to mope around.”
That season the Mavericks went 3-6 as it struggled to adjust to the physicality of the Metro League. Those three wins could be considered a benefit of a softer end to season schedule, but that’s not entirely the case. With a 17-13 win over Aloha and 23-16 win at Westview, those wins were significant building blocks and momentum builders heading into the offseason.
A year later Mountainside put together a performance against Southridge that defines all the progress that it made. The defense held firm and that same sense of energy from a year ago was on full display as the Mavericks defeated Southridge 42-21 en route to a 6-3 season.
A more developed sense of culture and identity is starting to bubble to the surface, but now Mountainside faces its biggest challenge yet when it hosts No. 17 Clackamas, a team that has reached at least the state semi-finals in each of the past two seasons.
When Clackamas won the state title in 2017, this Mountainside team was competing at the JV level. Last season it was competing at the varsity level with no seniors. This year, the fruits of its labor are starting to shine through, and it all begins at the defensive end.
Between its opening loss to No. 2 Jesuit and win against Southridge, Mountainside did not give up a single offensive touchdown. That is three full games in which its only allowed touchdown came against Reynolds on special teams.
“Defense is a trademark of a good team,” Mannion said. “I found that for years and years that if you have a good stingy defense and you play good special teams then you’re giving yourself a chance.”
One defensive player that has impressed Mannion this season is senior linemen Jontae Allen. This season he led a defensive line, one that could arguably be considered as one of the most talented in Metro, with double-digit sacks playing as both a defensive end and defensive tackle.
Senior tight end Jonah Amaya echoes his coach's sentiment.
“We know that our d-lineman are really talented guys,” he said. “Every one of them are super talented and so when I look out there I can trust that they will do their jobs. I know for a fact that if there’s a point on the board another team's going to have to work for that. It’s really reassuring when those guys go out.”
Against the Cavaliers that defensive line will have to make game-changing plays because what they will be competing against is experience. Most of Clackamas’ seniors have nine games of playoff experience while this is the Mavericks first jaunt in the playoffs.
According to Amaya, Mannion gave his team a simple message: “They are exactly like you except for their attitude.”
But if you take it back to the beginning, the Mavericks are in the best situation that they could have hoped for. If you were to have told the coaches and players a few months ago that they were going to be hosting a team like Clackamas, most wouldn’t have believed it.
“I would have told you that you were crazy,” Amaya said. “Like I said, we didn’t know what to expect going into this year, and having that knowledge that we’re going into this year's playoffs with so much more of an advantage is really crazy.”
Added Mannion: “That’s a huge jump [in one season] and I told them that on Saturday after our lifting session. To climb into the top 16 this year is a big deal. For our program, especially one that is so new,”
“If you have said that I don’t know if would’ve thought that possible, but I certainly would have been hopeful based on the buy-in and effort level of these guys. It’s been a big jump and one that we’re awfully proud of.”
Mountainside showed a remarkable amount of improvement this season, but a hurdle is coming up. If the Mavericks can clear it, they might have a shot against No. 1 Tigard in the second round. Despite everything else, this Mavericks season can already be considered a success.
“We know it’s going to be a hard-fought game and one that they come in with a lot of talent, a lot of experience,” Mannion said. “So we’re going to need to match that right out of the gate.”
No. 18 Liberty (6-3) @ No. 15 Grant (7-2), Friday, 7:00 p.m.
If you’re looking for offense, look no further than the game between Liberty and Grant on Friday night.
With three wins in its last five games- including last week’s 45-14 win against McMinnville- the Falcons have the potential to cause some issues for an otherwise stout Grant defense that has won its final four games of the regular season by a combined margin of 203-33.
While Liberty does not have a defense like the one the Generals employ, its offense should be enough to cause a scare. The Falcons crossed the 40-point barrier in five of its nine games and will be one of the toughest offenses that Grant has faced this season.
The Generals are the favorites in this game, but it has the potential to come down to the final few possessions. With a 29-28 win over No. 13 Newberg and last week’s 52-13 win at Lincoln on its resume, Grant has all the momentum, but that can all change in a single snap.
The winner will have a shot at either No. 2 Jesuit or No. 31 Oregon City in the second round next week.
No. 25 Jefferson (6-3) @ No. 8 Sheldon (5-4), Friday, 7:00 p.m.
Jefferson running back Damir Collins has been nothing short of phenomenal this season. On Friday night, the three-star junior back will get his shot at the playoffs when Jefferson takes on Sheldon.
If you needed a reminder of the natural skill Collins possesses, last weeks 46-0 win over Franklin may be a good starting point. Against the Lightning Collins rushed for 323 yards and four touchdowns alone which has been par for the course for him this season.
With a 5-4 record, Sheldon’s No. 8 ranking may seem too high, but that is for good reason. The Irish went 4-0 in league play and had non-league games against No. 2 Jesuit and No. 5 West Linn. The Irish have always been a powerhouse program in the area- Oregon Ducks’ star quarterback Justin Herbert is an alumnus- and it showed in last week’s 42-32 win at Grants Pass.
Jefferson has scored at least 40 points in over half of its games and has had a three-game winning streak this season, but it will take a lot to upset Grant. Collins has proven that he has the ability to take over any game; it will be a necessity on Friday night if the Democrats hope to advance and take on either No. 24 Glencoe or No. 9 Barlow.
No. 19 West Salem (5-4) @ No. 14 Sunset (5-4), Friday, 7:00 p.m.
In a game between two teams with identical records, Friday night’s matchup between West Salem and Sunset could just come down to who can execute better down the stretch.
Coming off of a 47-21 win against Sprague, West Salem has the potential to waltz into Beaverton and upset the home team. However, if an upset is in the cards the Titans will need to find a way to slow down Sunset quarterback Callum Craig. In a 41-15 win over rivals Westview, Craig passed for 245 yards and three touchdowns while adding 92 yards and a touchdown with his legs.
Behind Craig, Apollos' had a great start to the season, but eventually slowed down in the middle of its schedule. The two league losses against No. 2 Jesuit and No. 11 Beaverton were difficult to take, but it also has an impressive win over No. 6 Aloha which had its best season in years.
Winners of three of its last four games, including a 47-21 win against Sprague, West Salem has what it takes to pick up the win, but will need to play a solid game and have a bit of luck to do so. Whichever team advances also has the tough task of taking on either No. 3 Lake Oswego or No. 30 Grants Pass. But first comes what is expected to be an exciting, competitive game.
No. 21 McNary (4-5) @ No.12 Sherwood (7-2), Friday, 7:00 p.m.
For the second-consecutive season, McNary started slowly only to catch fire in the second half of its schedule en route to winning the Mountain Valley Conference title.
After five straight losses to open the regular season, the Celtics rebounded in spectacular fashion as it won its remaining four games, most recently a 35-15 win over South Salem. Despite a slow offensive start to the season, McNary picked it up during a stretch run in which it hasn’t scored fewer than 25 points. Oregon State commit Junior Walling has been sensational this season and is one of the most versatile players in the state. The senior was recently voted the Mountain Valley Conference Player of the Year, and while recruited as a linebacker, he put up four touchdowns against the Saxons in a running back role.
On the other sideline, Sherwood is coming into the game with one of the most potent offenses in the state and a whole bunch of overall talent. The Bowmen have hung at least 40 points on opponents in six of its nine regular-season game, most recently coming in a 49-13 win at Century. Despite its losses, this Sherwood side is not one to be taken lightly. The team’s only losses came against tough opponents like No. 5 West Linn and No. 4 Central Catholic (they only lost to the Rams 35-29). The Bowmen will be looking to extend its winning streak to five games when it takes on the Celtics, and a win could potentially set up an exciting rematch versus West Linn in the second round.
