The players are deep into their preparation for the 2022 Les Schwab Bowl.
The rosters for each team are set and there are changes compared to previous games. The game had featured some of the best high school seniors in the state in the past, but will now include underclassmen on the rosters.
The game will also move from a North vs. South geographical matchup to “Team Columbia” vs. “Team Willamette” format.
The “Team Columbia” roster features five players from 6A champion Central Catholic. Quarterback Cru Newman, WR/DB Timmy Mitchell, LB Gibson Coyle, along linemen Beau CressAllen and Matix Carpenter represent the Rams. Six Jesuit players – WR/DB Jace Burton, RB/DB Lonnie Burt, RB/DE Noah Staley, along with linemen Sylus Wallace, Roice Cleeland, Sean Khouri – are on the roster.
Former Tualatin running back Malik Ross, along with former Timberwolves tight end Kellen Hale, headline the Team Willamette roster. Former Summit stars WR/DB Joe Schutz, RB/DB Ryan Powell, LB Jack Clemans, K/P Soren McKee, along lineman Spencer Elliott, are also on the roster.
The new format allows coaches to get a look at players they may not have seen during the season.
“You get a better respect and understanding of who they are. You get snapshots of some of them during the season, but there are others you’ve never seen play because they’re a 3A or a 2A kid,” said Central Catholic coach Steve Pyne, who is coach of Team Columbia. “Then you get a chance to meet those kids and just see them experience “big-time football” in the state of Oregon. That’s fun.”
The game is scheduled to be played on Saturday at Linfield University.