What: Class 5A football state quarterfinals Who: Mountain View vs. West Albany When: Today, 7 p.m. Where: Memorial Stadium, Albany Cost: $6 for adults and $4 for students
One week after overwhelming Madison of Portland 39-14, Mountain View will play Oregon Class 5A’s most dominant football program over the past four seasons.
The Cougars (9-1 overall), who shared the Intermountain Conference title this season with Bend, play two-time defending state champion West Albany tonight at 7 o’clock at Albany’s Memorial Stadium.
“You can’t ask for anything better,” Mountain View defensive back Austin Sears said this week about playing the reigning state champion. “It’s exciting to play against those guys.”
The Bulldogs (10-1) have won 10 consecutive games this year after opening the season with a 22-20 nonconference defeat at Sherwood. West Albany has gone 50-2 over the last four seasons, winning 5A state titles in 2007 and 2008 after losing 17-14 to Corvallis in triple overtime in the 2006 championship game.
Mountain View and West Albany last met in 2007, when the Bulldogs rolled past the Cougars 46-0 in the state playoff semifinal round en route to their first state title.
Led by senior running back Anthony LaCoste — a first-team all-state selection each of the last two seasons — West Albany has averaged 254.4 yards rushing per game in 2009.
LaCoste has recorded 1,451 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns this season.
Quarterback Nick Orsborn has completed 75 of 150 passes for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns against seven interceptions this year.
West Albany, which won its fourth consecutive Mid-Willamette Conference title this season, crushed Ashland last week in the second round of the playoffs, 75-0. LaCoste had 197 yards rushing and five touchdowns on nine carries in the home romp.
Mountain View, which has advanced to the 5A quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive year, has not lost since falling to rival Bend High 28-21 on Oct. 2. Senior tailback Solomon Helms leads the Cougar offense with 1,183 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Jacob Hollister, who took over under center after senior Zach Johnson went down with a broken collarbone in the Bend game, has completed 35 or 65 passes for 547 yards and six touchdowns against one interception.
Senior defensive end Tye Abbey has paced the Mountain View defense with 40 solo tackles and a team-high 21 tackles for a loss. As a team, the Cougars have allowed just 126 points this season, fewest in all of 5A.
If Mountain View wins, the Cougars would face the winner between another of tonight’s other quarterfinal games, Hillsboro (10-1) vs. Thurston (9-1).
Beau Eastes can be reached at 541-383-0305 or at beastes@bendbulletin.com.
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