H.S. Blitz: Games heat up as season hits half-way point!
What games will KATU's High School Blitz be focusing on this week? Check the full schedule at the end of this story!
Hey, welcome back. It’s the midpoint of the regular season, "hump week" if you will, and it falls on a Thursday because of in-service week in the state of Oregon. The Thursday night games have become a fixture in Oregon high schools and we have followed the pack and moved our show to the same night. Majority wins - at least for our program.
Our Game of the Week takes Craig and Co. to Oregon City , where the Pioneers meet the Clackamas Cavaliers in a Three Rivers matchup between two teams that need a bounce, a big win to jump start their seasons and get back into the playoff race. We will go live with the winners and help celebrate a positive outcome.
Two notable rivalry games are on the schedule starting with a Pacific conference showdown between Tigard and Tualatin. Nothing like same district rivals to get the fans fired up and with good reason…. The winner gets an inside track to the No. 1 spot in the postseason. Tualatin won the last two games, but this contest pits a speed running team, the Tigers, against a big passing team, the Timberwolves..this game always affects the title outcome and this is no different… also in this category… Lakeridge versus Lake Oswego.
Tom Smythe’s reclamation project at Lakeridge in it’s second year has a 4-0 record, albeit against teams with no victories, but in a match with district rival Lake O, this will be a real test for the Pacers to be more than a speed bump for the Lakers on their way to another Three Rivers title.
Three matchups in the Mt Hood league will shake up the standings. No. 6 Centennial meets Central Catholic at Hillsboro Stadium where the Rams hope to stick a loss on the Eagles unblemished record and tighten up the race.. Reynolds meets Barlow for MHCC field bragging rights and the Bruins need a win to keep up with the Eagles and Rams… Gresham and David Douglas, both at 2-3, need wins to have a chance to play in November’s postseason, this will be a close slugfest worth watching..
Two more Pacific conference games, in Hillsboro, showcase the local guys… Hillsboro versus Century and McMinnville versus Glencoe… Mac Hi has rebounded from it’s training camp woes to get a victory, but these should be short work for Hillsboro and Glencoe with their size and experience giving them an edge..
A pair of games feature the PIL… Roosevelt takes a two game win streak to Franklin with a real chance at three straight….West Linn comes to town, Lincoln High’s field turf actually, to meet Grant, two playoff teams from last year who have stubbed their toes early and need wins to get back, even in this crazy hybrid season.
We hope to get some 5A results from down the valley, looking at the games between No. 8 Lebanon and No.9 West Albany, Dallas at No. 6 Crescent Valley and surprising Woodburn at No. 5 Corvallis.
Twelve games on a nice night, no excuses not to see one first and join us for the rest at 11:30 p.m. I’m going for three, so see you from the sidelines and dress warmly.
The Schedule!! High School Blitz Lineup For October 7th:
Clackamas at Oregon City
#8 Tigard at #3 Tualatin
#6 Centennial v. Central Catholic
McMinnville v. Glencoe
#9 Hillsboro v. Century
West Linn at Grant
Roosevelt at Franklin
David Douglas at Gresham
Reynolds at Barlow
Lakeridge at #6 Lake Oswego
#8 Lebanon at #9 West Albany
Dallas at #6 Crescent Valley
Silverton at #5 Corvallis
Tune into High School Blitz at 10:35 p.m. on Thursday night to see all the highlights!
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