As of early October, the Three Rivers League (TRL) has dominated the realms of OSAA 6A football. With four of the top seven ranked teams in the state, the TRL is the most competitive district in the state.
The top teams in both the state and TRL are Lake Oswego (#1), West Linn (#5), Tualatin (#6) and Lakeridge (#7). So far, both Lake Oswego and West Linn have had big wins, with Lake Oswego beating both Central Catholic (21-0) and Tualatin (49-24). West Linn has slipped past Washington powerhouse Sumner (31-24) and Hawaii powerhouse Kamehameha (48-21). Lake Oswego has remained the team to beat, and they have demonstrated their true dominance.
The Wolf sat down with senior football fanatic Gavin Smith to discuss his thoughts on Tualatin’s matchups with these teams.
“I think we have a good shot to show our colors against West Linn,” Smith said. “The Lake Oswego game was a lot closer than what the score showed. We definitely have a great team and a good chance to compete against West Linn.”
Junior Santi Zavala Ruiz agreed that TuHS has a promising team.
“After watching the game last Friday, I think we can do more than what we showed. I think if we make some changes, we have a solid season currently, but we need to keep the momentum going.
Some other top teams in 6A include Willamette (#2), Nelson (#3) and Central Catholic (#4). A key factor in Lake Oswego’s success this season is the 2024 Oregonlive Player of the Year in senior running back Lamarcus Bell. Bell was a key part of the Lakers’ state championship in 2024 with 1600 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.
West Linn has the #1 ranked junior in the state, according to 247sports, with Josiah Molden. It is not a surprise that Molden has these skills, as his father was a first round pick in the 1996 NFL draft, along with his older brother being a third round pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
In late October, the Timberwolves take on the West Linn Lions in what will be a fierce matchup. The game of the year is taking place a week earlier on Oct. 17, as the West Linn Lions play the Lake Oswego Lakers in what should be a close and exhilarating game.
