Early in the Class 6A open state championship game at Hillsboro Stadium, the second-seeded West Linn Lions dominated Lake Oswego and won their second title in three years, 44-30, earning the ultimate retribution for a regular-season setback to the Lakers.
Lions coach Jon Eagle, who also led West Linn to the 2022 championship, said, “It’s a special day for our kids, the way they worked for it.” This is the outcome of our perseverance and hard work.
In the first-ever meeting of two Three Rivers League teams in a state championship game, West Linn (11-1) scored the first 24 points. On October 18, Lake Oswego (11-1) overcame a 10-point deficit to defeat the Lions 21-17; but, they were too far behind on Friday to pose a real danger to a comeback.
However, the Lakers persisted, sparring with the Lions for the last three quarters. With seven minutes and 39 seconds remaining, Lake Oswego was behind 44-30, but they were stopped on downs, and the Lions knew they were going to win the championship.
Coach Steve Coury of Lake Oswego, who won 6A titles with the Lakers in 2011 and 2018, said, “They jumped on us, and then we started to get back in it and couldn’t make that one play to get us a little closer.”
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Eagle stated that the Lions had something to rally around after the injury to top linebacker and short-yardage running back Will Ingle during the semifinal victory over Sheldon.
Eagle stated, “We needed everyone to jump an inch higher and run a half-second faster to fill the void left by the loss of a really good player.”
West Linn’s sly Viggo Anderson defeated Lake Oswego’s strong LaMarcus Bell in a game between two outstanding junior running backs. Anderson carried 28 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
Bell was never able to get loose, as his longest run was only 11 yards. He had 20 tries for 87 yards and two scores on the ground. With a total of 43 yards, Anderson recorded six rushes that were at least 13 yards long.
“I gave it my all, and it paid off,” Anderson said. I had no choice but to do what I do.
According to Lions quarterback Baird Gilroy, who completed 12 of 22 throws for 181 yards and three touchdowns, Viggo is an extremely talented back. He is entertaining to watch, and he will undoubtedly be exceptional once more the next year.
At Hillsboro Stadium on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, Lake Oswego’s LaMarcus Bell (2) tries to get away from West Linn opponents while running with the ball during the OSAA Class 6A open championship game.The Oregonian/OregonLive’s Howard Lao
As a backup on West Linn’s 2022 championship squad as a sophomore, Gilroy claimed that this victory seems more personal because he had a significant impact on the result.
West Linn defeated the Irish in the title game in 2022 after losing to Sheldon in the regular season. On Friday, history was replayed as the Lions exacted revenge for their lone 2024 defeat.
Gilroy stated, “I believe that defeat (to Lake Oswego) inspired a different team.” After that defeat, every day felt different, and I believe it contributed to our victory.
Expansion For West Linn, Danny Wideman caught four passes for 46 yards, three of them were for touchdowns.
According to Wideman, we were fortunate to get another chance at Lake Oswego. We had a fantastic game plan and knew we couldn’t take any plays off.
Eagle, who has now won two state titles at West Linn after winning two at Camas across the Columbia River, gave previous Lions coaches Chris Miller and Ron Chappell credit for creating a winning program. The only championship West Linn had won before Eagle arrived was in 2016.
Eagle stated, “We’re standing on those guys’ shoulders.” For us, they laid the groundwork. Additionally, this community is fantastic. This is the outcome of the children who begin their youth programs together.
In the championship game, the Lions were prepared right away. The afternoon’s first play, a 37-yard run up the sideline by Gilroy, set the tone for a strong first quarter. West Linn was ahead 7-0 after Hudson Hardy completed a six-play, 80-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run.
Bell was stuffed on fourth-and-one from the Lake Oswego 39 on the Lakers’ first possession, returning the ball to West Linn in Laker territory. Gilroy’s 10-yard scoring pass to Wideman was promptly seized by the Lions, and less than six minutes into the game, the score was 14-0. The Lions capitalized on another short field following a Lake Oswego punt, and Zander Morris’ 32-yard field goal put them ahead 17-0.
West Linn’s run was not over, though, as the Lions scored three plays later on a 14-yard Anderson run and owned a 24-0 lead just 57 seconds into the second quarter. The Lakers were forced to punt again from inside their own 10-yard line.
After Hudson Kurland and Baron Kurland connected on a 44-yard pass that resulted in a 3-yard touchdown run by Bell to bring Lake Oswego within 24-7, the team finally found some offensive footing.
The Lakers moved 73 yards on their next possession and scored on Bell’s 1-yard burst on 4th-and-goal on the last play of the half to make it 31-14. Anderson’s 13-yard touchdown run with 3:24 remaining in the half gave West Linn a 24-point advantage again.
The Lakers took the first possession of the third quarter, but Cole Dickson of West Linn, who recorded 11 tackles and one of the Lions’ three sacks, was intercepted by Hudson Kurland.
Wideman’s 26-yard goal from Gilroy gave the Lions a significant lead again, 38–14. The Lakers persisted in their struggle, and Liam Davis took a pitch from Kurland and threw it back to the quarterback for a touchdown on a 34-yard trick play.
The victory was secured by West Linn’s subsequent drive. Gilroy had a 36-yard pass with Baron Naone on first-and-26, and Anderson had a 43-yard rush. After three quarters, Wideman scored again on a 6-yard catch, and the Lions led 44–22.
Bell completed the scoring with a 2-point conversion and a 7-yard touchdown reception from Kurland.
With three catches and 71 receiving yards, Naone led West Linn. The Lions outscored Lake Oswego by 438 offensive yards to 300.
Kurland, a junior, gained 160 yards on 13 of 29 passes. Baron Kurland led the Lakers through the air after catching four balls for 90 yards.
Although it hurts a lot, Hudson Kurland remarked, “I’m thinking about the juniors and that we’re going to be back here next year.” For us, it’s not over.
According to Coury, his team’s realization that they had done a great deal to advance Lake Oswego to the championship game for the first time in five years was crucial.
During the season, we defeated the state’s top squad and won the best league, according to Coury. I’m incredibly proud of our kids because there are many teams who would take that.
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