Posted: Friday, August 29, 2008 12:00 am
MWC football picks
By Aaron Yost
Gazette-Times reporter
As the third football season since the formation of the Mid-Willamette Conference opens tonight, there is only one thing everyone can agree on: West Albany will be a tough team to beat.
For the rest of the conference, finding a way to reach the playoffs is the primary goal.
But before conference play begins, every team will get its feet wet in nonconference play.
One game leaps off the schedule as a telling early-season test. Of the remaining seven games, each will be informative.
Sherwood at West Albany: West Albany has been the dominant team in 5A since the classification was established in 2006, while Sherwood has fallen just short of state-wide elite status.
This is the second straight season the Bowmen have opened the season against the previous year's state champion.
Given that the Bulldogs have a plethora of returners, including Oregon State commit John Braun as well as fullback Matt McHenry, tailback Anthony LaCoste and quarterback Reese Miller, it looks like a less successful opener for Sherwood …
West Albany 31-7
Corvallis at Thurston: Tradition is nice, talent is a necessity and experience is hard to come by. The Spartans have the first and second items. They'll get the third against a Thurston team expected to contend for the Midwestern League title.
With only four starters returning from last season's 6-5 squad, the Spartans will break in a number of younger players tonight. How fast they adjust to the speed of the varsity game will be key.
Thurston, on the other hand, also made the playoffs last season, losing 27 seniors to graduation.
The game is in Springfield, so …
Thurston 27-14
North Eugene at Crescent Valley: The Raiders were rocked by North Eugene last season, but they've grown up a lot in the last 12 months.
While both teams lost players to graduation, CV has 28 seniors and one of the most talented sophomores around in Andre Oglesby.
Win this game and the Raiders could be off to a confidence building start to the season.
The Highlanders want a win to erase the taste of last season's 0-5 MWL record.
Give the edge to …
Crescent Valley 29-20
Parkrose at Lebanon: One of the worst football programs in 5A meets one with a lot of youth and high hopes.
Woodburn thinks so much of Parkrose as an opponent that it moved its Mid-Willamette game with CV in order to host the Broncos for homecoming.
Lebanon may be young, but it's playing at Heath Stadium.
That won't be the difference …
Lebanon 41-7
Woodburn at North Marion: The Huskies lit up Woodburn last August to open the season at home.
While Woodburn has a new coach in Rex Meshelle and a recent high turnout of 70-plus kids, it takes more than a coaching change to turn a program as downtrodden as WHS has.
This one will be closer, but …
North Marion 34-13
Liberty at South Albany: Liberty scored 105 points in two games last season. It scored 82 in its other eight games.
South Albany had a near miss for the playoffs in 2007 and returns a fair amount of experience, including 1,000-yard rusher Jesse Duke.
Don't expect this to be close …
South Albany 45-12
Springfield at Dallas: Dallas made the playoffs for the second straight season last year, while Springfield missed out with a last-game loss. Both teams have new coaches this season.
Skip Raish, the long-time coach at Willamette High in Eugene, took over at Springfield, while former North Bend coach Bill Masei takes over at Dallas.
The Dragons lost several of their top performers from last year's team, but have been more consistent despite repeated coaching changes than Springfield.
Still, an upset seems likely …
Springfield 14-13
Silverton at St. Helens: St. Helens won just three games last season, but one of those was in the Lions' season finale, a 28-21 decision over playoff-bound Wilsonville.
The Silver Foxes made the playoffs and were entertaining in a loss at Klamath Falls in the first round. Silverton appears to be a program on the rise in the MWC.
It's on the road, but …
Silverton 22-9
Aaron Yost is a sports reporter for the Gazette-Times. Contact him at aaron.yost@lee.net.