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| Friday, September 3, 2021
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CHALLENGERS
HEAD COACH
Jon Gettman (12th year, 105-24) GENERAL INFORMATION ASSISTANTS: Mike Schaan (defensive coordinator/offensive line/ defensive line), Jeff Olson (linebackers), Sam Carpenter (deGettman fensive backs), Joe Hagler (running backs), Matt Hagert (receivers), Andy Scaglione (head JV/defensive backs/receivers), Steve Furst (quarterbacks), Ryan Sample (JV assistant/receivers), Darren Turituri (offensive line/defensive line/JV defense), Marty Maurer (tight ends), Jim Lockwood (running backs/linebackers). 2020-21 OVERALL RECORD: 5-0. PREDICTED FINISH THIS YEAR: First. 2019 RESULTS CASCADE CHRISTIAN OPPONENTS 52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phoenix 13 49. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Klamath Union 27 49. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Harrisburg 0 42. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pleasant Hill 0 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hidden Valley 42 60. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . South Umpqua 0 50. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas 2 49. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brookings-Harbor 0 61. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Mary’s 7 State Playoffs 54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sutherlin 28 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hidden Valley 51 2020-21 RESULTS CASCADE CHRISTIAN OPPONENTS 40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brookings-Harbor 8 55. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Mary’s 6 54. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Douglas 8 37. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . South Umpqua 0 13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Santiam Christian 10 RETURNING STARTERS OFFENSE (4): Center Daniel Nering (6-2, 230, jr.), tackle Bryson Cannon (6-4, 200, sr.), guard Liam Benade (6-2, 265, jr.), tight end Austin Waits (6-2, 240, sr.). DEFENSE (3): End Liam Benade, linebacker/end Bryson Cannon, linebacker Austin Waits. OTHER NOTABLES Receiver/defensive back Tyler Almasy (58, 145, jr.), receiver/defensive back Reese Barney (6-2, 175, sr.), linebacker/offensive lineman Zachary McKenzie-Cook (5-10, 180, sr.), defensive back/receiver Bryson Jackson (5-10, 160, jr.), kicker/receiver/defensive back J.T. Knobloch (5-9, 160, jr.), defensive tackle/ offensive guard Matthew Moses (6-0, 300, jr.), quarterback/linebacker Keith Reed (62, 175, jr.), running back/receiver/defensive back Brody Sample (5-8, 155, jr.), linebacker/ running back/receiver Cole Shields (5-10, 210, jr.), defensive lineman/linebacker/offensive lineman Jaxson Turituri (6-1, 213, jr.), running back/linebacker/safety Tristan Wallace (511, 200, jr.), defensive back/receiver Peyton Maurer (6-1, 165, so.), defensive back/running back Kameron Rague (5-10, 170, fr.). 2021 SCHEDULE Sept. 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .at La Pine, 7 p.m. Sept. 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAZAMA, 7 p.m. Sept. 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . at Yreka (CA), 7 p.m. Sept. 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MARIST, 7 p.m. Oct. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .at Siuslaw, 7 p.m. Oct. 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ST. MARY’S, 7 p.m. Oct. 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TBD Oct. 22 . . . . . . . . . . . SOUTH UMPQUA, 7 p.m. Oct. 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SUTHERLIN, 7 p.m.
“We’re a little backwards than what we’ve been in the past. Before, we’ve been strong with our wide receivers and we kind of worked outside in. This year, we’re strong with our linemen.” Cascade Christian head coach Jon Gettman
New approach beckons for Challengers Revamped roster, skilled trench players provide a different look for Cascade By Tim Trower for the Mail Tribune
What a difference a few months make. In April, Cascade Christian sent an undefeated, veteran football team into the five-game season finale and defeated fellow Class 3A powerhouse Santiam Christian, 13-10. The Challengers used their senior savvy and trademark perimeter game to cap a campaign as memorable for its uniqueness — a spring season half as long as is normal in the fall — as for its success. Four months later and owing to the tumulNering tuous scheduling of the COVID-19 era, a vastly different Cascade Christian was back on the practice field in mid-August. It began preparations to keep a championship legacy Benade alive, albeit with a starkly different approach. “Our team’s going to be quite a bit different than last year,” said 12th-year head coach Jon Gettman. “We graduated 12 seniors; all of them were starting and many of them both ways. There Cannon are a lot of spots where we’re going to have new faces this year.” Four starters return on offense, and three of those players are the lone returning defensive starters. The spring season provided a bit of a springboard into this fall, regardless of the experience level. “A lot of kids weren’t necessarily starting,” said Gettman, “but they got a lot of work. When we came back together, this group of guys was really starting over with what we were doing. It wasn’t like there was a ton of carryover.” The makeover for 2021 doesn’t stop there. Cascade Christian has long counted on speedy, shifty skill players to make its offense go and to create havoc in the defensive secondary. This version, with its returning starters all manning offensive line positions, could well morph into a power team. “We’re a little backwards than what we’ve been in the past,” said Gettman, who has a career record of 105-24. “Before, we’ve been strong with our wide receivers and we kind of worked outside
ANDY ATKINSON / MAIL TRIBUNE
Cascade Christian quarterback Keith Reed will take over as the Challengers’ starter under center after backing up all-league selection Sam Martin in the spring.
in. This year, we’re strong with our linemen. We have a group of kids that we feel really strong about up front.” That group will be integral as the Challengers try to maintain their dominance in the Far West League and continue to be a force on the state landscape. Cascade Christian has gone 38-1 in league and 22-8 in the playoffs under Gettman. Included was a 30-game league winning streak snapped by Hidden Valley in 2019 — the last time a full season was contested. Hidden Valley, which has returned to the 4A ranks this year, also bumped the Challengers from the playoffs in the quarterfinals two years ago. Cascade Christian has claimed two state championships under Gettman, most recently in 2017. It’s twice been
runner-up and two other times made the semifinals. Another deep run might require seasoning on the fly. If there was one benefit to last school year’s quirky setup, it was that younger players, particularly freshmen, had more time to mature physically and to interact with coaches before taking the field in the spring. That could buoy those evolving into starting roles and others providing depth as backups. The Challengers’ strength begins with the returners up front, including spring all-league selections in seniors Bryson Cannon (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) and tight end Austin Waits (6-2, 240). SEE CASCADE, 22
