League Titles and OSAA berths at stake Friday night.

The final week of the 2009 regular season 2A schedule serves as a de facto district seeding playoff. League championships and top OSAA seeds are on the line in all five 2A districts. Headlining Friday’s action will be #1 Knappa (8-0, 4-0) @ Portland Christian (7-2, 4-0). Meanwhile, the MVC has three teams locked at 5-1, with all four district seeds up for grabs. The TRC, SCL, and BMC champions are not finalized yet, giving 2A fans from the Columbia Basin to the California border a terrific final week of small-school gridiron action.

Unlike almost every other sport, football does not use a district playoff system to determine OSAA seeding. Even ties in the standings are decided by SOP formulas. So it is quite rare and enjoyable to see the scheduling gods bestow upon 2A fans such a terrific final week of football with all five districts hosting several key games that may make or break a team’s playoff hopes.

Northwest League

The GOTW is #1 Knappa (8-0, 4-0 NWL) @ #11 Portland Christian (7-2, 4-0 NWL) in a game that may be moved to Gladstone High School. The top ranked and undefeated Loggers have been the class of 2A football the past two seasons, going 20-1 with their only loss a 21-20 upset at the hands of Nestucca last season. The defending 2A champs graduated a good part of that team, especially that massive offensive line that powered the Loggers through last year’s playoff run. But the 2009 version has not missed a beat.

This year, Knappa has spent most of its NWL games playing under a running clock in the second half, having outscored all 2A opponents 380-42. The Loggers feature Cody Strickland at QB, and a potent stable of running backs, led by Bryan Sablan, Tevan Klauser, Eddie Corder and Jeremy Lemire. If there is any consolation to Portland Chrsitian, it’s that Nestucca again gave Knappa a scare last week, as the Loggers pulled out a 28-18 win in Cloverdale.

The Royals are peaking at the right time, after suffering a critical injury to its best overall player, Preston Dace, earlier in the season. PC coach Andrew Jannsen was forced to devise and revise various offensive schemes at first without Dace, then with Dace as he worked his way back into the offense. Portland Christian runs one of 2A’s most innovative and entertaining offenses, using multiple sets and formations, highlighting getting the ball into the hands of Dace and junior Sam Swerhone, a legitimate all-state receiver candidate.

At stake Friday is more than another trophy and banner for the gym. The winner claims the NWL #1 seed and a first round home game against the TRC #3. Friday’s loser will earn the NWL #2 seed and a trip to Eastern Oregon against the BMC #2, which looks to be #6 Pilot Rock.

Mountain View Conference

Heading into the final week of play, the MVC has three teams (North Douglas, Monroe and Central Linn) tied at 5-1, with Oakridge sitting at 4-2. When the MVC was created after the last reclassification, there was some confusion over the new league’s SOP’s relating to tie-breakers. Hopefully, the MVC athletic directors have those SOP’s handy because they may be called upon once again next Saturday morning.

The key game is #10 Monroe (6-2, 5-1 MVC) @ #9 Central Linn (5-4, 5-1 MVC). If the Cobras win at home, they should earn the MVC #1 seed due to their 7-6 head-to-head win over North Douglas on October 2. So Central Linn needs no help from any other team to earn the MVC #1 seed and a first-round home game against the NWL #3, projected to be Nestucca. But a Central Linn loss on Friday, coupled with an Oakridge win, could drop the Cobras all the way into fourth place at 5-2, having lost to the Warriors head-to-head, 28-21.

If Monroe beats Central Linn, then the Dragons finish 6-1 in MVC play and earn at least a share of the league championship. But district seeding may have to wait for the result of #7 North Douglas (8-1, 5-1 MVC) vs. Yoncalla. Assuming the Warriors beat the Eagles to finish 6-1, then North Douglas should earn the MVC #1 seed due to its earlier 20-7 win at Monroe. Either way, the MVC #2 seed draws a first round home game against the SCL #3.

Even Oakridge has incentive this Friday because this year it is the MVC’s turn to receive four OSAA spots in the playoffs. The Warriors (5-3, 4-2 MVC) can clinch one of those spots, and a first round road trip, with a win at Oakland (1-7, 1-5 MVC).

With the MVC #1 and #2 seeds hosting first round OSAA playoff games, North Douglas is virtually guaranteed one of those spots, with the other going to either Central Linn or Monroe. The trade-off is that the MVC #3 seed hits the road to face the BMC #1, which is projected to be #2 ranked Heppner. The bottom line is that by Saturday, two MVC teams will likely be 6-1 and two more will finish 5-2. Who those four teams are, and where they play their first round OSAA games are all up for grabs Friday night.

Tri-River Conference

With apologies to #2 Heppner, the running joke this season has been that it’s a good bet that the Loggers will win the 2A championship. The punch line, of course, is the dual reference to #1 Knappa and #3 Scio. Last year, Knappa crushed Scio, 38-8, in the 2A semifinals. If the TRC Loggers want another crack at their NWL namesakes, a win Friday will be the first step toward that rematch.

The top TRC game this Friday features #3 Scio (9-0, 4-0 TRC) hosting #5 Santiam (7-1, 3-1 TRC). A Logger win clinches the TRC title outright and gives the Loggers a first round playoff game against the BMC #3, projected to be either Elgin or Stanfield. A Wolverine victory would tie Santiam with Scio at 4-1 with the Wolverines owning the head-to-head tie breaker. But a Scio win drops Santiam to 3-2 in TRC play, with all eyes turning to what happens in Mt. Angel.

The other key TRC games pits #4 Kennedy (5-4, 3-1 TRC) against Blanchet Catholic (5-4, 2-2). If JFK wins, and Santiam loses, then the Trojans are the TRC #2 seed and will travel south to face the SCL #2 seed. Santiam becomes the TRC #3 seed and heads to the NWL #1 seed. But if Blanchet upsets JFK, and Santiam loses to Scio, then there will be a three-way tie between Kennedy, Santiam, and Blanchet at 3-2 each. In that scenario, al three teams will have a common loss to Scio, but will have defeated each other once.

Likewise, if Santiam beats Scio, and JFK defeats Blanchet, those three teams will tie at 4-1 at the top of the TRC, with each giving the other their common loss. In that case, it will be time to break out the TRC SOP’s and argue whether it’s spelled “OZZIE” or “AZZI.” Either way, TRC fans are in for a treat this Friday.

Southern Cascade League

The SCL is in a similar situation as the TRC, with the possibility of a clean 1-2-3 finish or a bizarre combination of tie-breakers and SOP’s deciding playoff berths. Sitting atop the SCL is #7 Lost River (6-3, 3-0 SCL). But the Raiders must close out the season with a trip to their bitter rival Bonanza (3-3, 2-1 SCL). If Lost River wins, the Raiders earn the SCL top seed at 4-0 and a first round home game against the MVC #4 seed (discussed above). But if the Antlers win, Bonanza and Lost River are tied at 3-1 and must await the result from Lakeview (3-5, 2-1) @ Chiloquin (2-5, 1-2).

As with the TRC scenarios, a Lost River win at Bonanza, coupled with a Chiloquin win over Lakeview, leaves a clear #1 seed and three teams tied at 2-2 for the remaining two playoff slots. But if Bonanza beats Lost River, and Lakeview wins at Chiloquin, then there will be a three-way tie at the top at 3-1 each, with each giving the other their lone loss.

Finally, if Lost River wins at Bonanza and Lakeview wins at Chiloquin, then the Raiders are the SCL #1, Lakeview earns the SCL #2 slot and a home game against the TRC #2, and Bonanza claims the SCL #3 and a trip to the MVC #2. Once again, SCL teams and fans have a lot on the line Friday night.

Blue Mountain Conference

Heppner (8-0, 6-0 BMC) have claimed the BMC title and #1 seed, and host Enterprise (4-4, 2-4 BMC). Few expect the #2 ranked Mustangs to suffer a home loss, and even if Heppner loses, the Mustangs are still claim the BMC #1 seed due to their 28-7 win over #6 Pilot Rock (6-2, 5-1).

The Rockets host Irrigon (1-6, 1-5 BMC) and should finish 6-1 in BMC play. That will give Pilot Rock the BMC #2 seed and a first round home game against either Knappa or Portland Christian (NWL #2). But the GOTW in the BMC involves Elgin (4-4, 4-2 BMC) @ Stanfield (6-2, 4-2 BMC). The winner will finish 5-2 in BMC play, which should be good enough for the BMC #3 slot and a tough road game at the TRC #1 seed. The Elgin-Stanfield loser is out, which only adds to the playoff tension as many seniors all over the state will play their final high school football game Friday night. Those who survive Friday’s finale will extend their careers one more week at a time.