Oregon high school football playoffs: Which teams have clinched berths from each league?

A league-by-league look at which teams have clinched playoff spots as well as the most significant matchups on the Week 8 schedule

By René Ferrán | Photo by Leon Neuschwander  

Here is a league-by-league look at which teams have clinched playoff spots and the most significant Week 8 matchups in 6A, 5A, 4A and 3A Oregon high school football.

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6A

PIL

Who’s clinched an automatic berth (4 teams automatically qualify from PIL): Grant (5-2, 5-0)

Game of the week: Roosevelt (4-3, 4-1) at Franklin (4-2, 3-2), 7 p.m. Friday

The Lightning have lost two in a row and now find themselves in danger of missing the playoffs. The Roughriders clinch a playoff spot with a victory one week ahead of their showdown with Grant that could allow them to share the league title.

Metro

Who’s clinched (3): Mountainside (7-0, 3-0), Jesuit (6-1, 3-0)

Game of the week: Mountainside at Jesuit, 7 p.m. Friday

The league title comes down to this game. The fifth-ranked Mavericks must find a way to slow down the No. 4 Crusaders and senior running back Payton Roth, who has gone over 100 yards in six of seven games and has rushed for 1,435 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Pacific

Who’s clinched (3): Sherwood (5-2, 3-0)

Game of the week: McMinnville (4-3, 2-1) at Liberty (4-3, 2-1), 7 p.m. Thursday

The winner clinches a playoff spot, and the Falcons still have hopes of claiming the conference’s No. 1 seed and a berth in the OSAA championship bracket if they beat the Grizzlies and Sherwood next week.

Mt. Hood

Who’s clinched (4): Central Catholic (6-1, 5-0), Nelson (5-1, 4-1)

Game of the week: Nelson at Sandy (4-3, 4-1), 7 p.m. Thursday

Second place in the conference comes down to this showdown in east Multnomah County. A win also would go a long way to locking up a spot in the OSAA championship bracket for the Hawks, who sit No. 12 in the 6A rankings entering Week 8.

Three Rivers

Who’s clinched (3): West Linn (6-1, 3-0)

Game of the week: Lake Oswego (5-2, 2-1) at Tigard (6-1, 2-1), 7 p.m. Friday

Both are safely in the OSAA championship bracket based on their OSAA ranking, but a win would help their chances of playing host to a first-round game. How do the No. 7 Tigers respond to their first loss — a 63-14 defeat at West Linn?

Central/Southwest Valley

Who’s clinched (5): Sheldon (7-0, 5-0)

Game of the week: Sprague (4-3, 3-2) at South Salem (6-1, 4-1), 7:15 p.m. Friday

More than bragging rights for south Salem are on the line. The ninth-ranked Saxons likely would clinch a berth in the OSAA championship bracket by ending their two-game losing streak to the Olympians, who need a win to bolster their OSAA ranking.

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5A

NWOC

Who’s clinched (4): None

Game of the week: Canby (5-2, 2-0) at Putnam (7-0, 2-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Are the Kingsmen for real? They can dispel any lingering doubts about whether they are a top-10 team with a victory over the Cougars, who got star junior running back Tyler Konold back in last week’s victory against Hood River Valley. The winner plays the Wilsonville-Forest Grove winner for the NWOC championship next week.

Midwestern

Who’s clinched (4): Thurston (5-2, 5-0)

Game of the week: Crater (2-5, 1-4) at Churchill (2-5, 2-3), 7 p.m. Friday

The Comets cling to their hopes of returning to the 5A playoffs but must win their last two games and get some help to snag the MWL’s final automatic berth. The Lancers finish with the Colts (who’ve already clinched the No. 1 seed), so their playoff hopes also hinge on ending a two-game losing streak in the series.

Mid-Willamette

Who’s clinched (4): Silverton (6-1, 6-0)

Game of the week: Dallas (4-2, 4-2) at Central (5-2, 5-2)

A Panthers win would be their first over the Dragons since 2018 and would cement their spot in the 5A playoff field. A Dallas win likely does the same for the Dragons. Whichever team loses the Polk County rivalry game could have to sweat out the final OSAA rankings depending on the result of another annual MWC grudge match — Silverton and West Albany.

Intermountain

Who’s clinched (3): Summit (6-1, 3-0), Mountain View (5-2, 3-0)

Game of the week: Summit at Mountain View, 7 p.m. Friday

The first of two games that likely will determine the IMC champion. The winner would simply need to follow with a Week 9 victory to claim the title outright. A Cougars win, followed by a loss to Bend in Week 9 (assuming the Lava Bears beat 1-6 Ridgeview), would result in a three-way tie atop the conference.

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4A

Cowapa

Who’s clinched (3): Scappoose (6-1, 3-0)

Game of the week: Scappoose at Tillamook (5-2, 3-0), 7 p.m. Friday

The Cheesemakers finally play at home after seven road games (necessitated by the refurbishment of their stadium) in time for a de facto Cowapa League title game against Scappoose, looking to reclaim the crown it held in 2017 before leaving the league when it moved up to 5A in the most recent four-year classification cycle.

Tri-Valley

Who’s clinched (3): Estacada (6-1, 3-0)

Game of the week: Woodburn (6-1, 3-0) at La Salle Prep (2-5, 2-1), 7 p.m. Friday

Three weeks ago, the Falcons were 0-4 and looking down and out. Now, they are thinking about the playoffs if they can win their last two games. First up are the Bulldogs, looking to return to the postseason for the first time since 2018 and needing a victory to secure their spot.

Sky Em

Who’s clinched (3): None

Game of the week: Marist Catholic (6-1, 4-0) at Cascade (4-3, 3-1), 7 p.m. Friday

So many permutations remain in play in the Sky Em League. The Spartans could finish anywhere from solo first place to fourth place and relying on the OSAA rankings for the lone at-large spot in the 4A bracket. Same with the defending league champion Cougars, who are looking to bounce back after seeing their 15-game Sky Em win streak snapped by Junction City last week.

Big Sky

Who’s clinched (3): Mazama (7-0, 4-0)

Game of the week: Mazama at Henley (7-0, 4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

The battle for Klamath Falls bragging rights has major Big Sky Conference and playoff implications. The winner secures a share of the title. For the Vikings, that would be conference championship No. 9 in a row. If the Hornets win, they will also wrap up the conference’s No. 1 seed in the state playoffs.

Greater Oregon

Who’s clinched (3): La Grande (5-2, 3-0)

Game of the week: La Grande at Pendleton (6-1, 3-0), 7 p.m. Friday

The revival of a Northeast Oregon rivalry promises a share of the Greater Oregon League title to the winner. It’s been 23 years since the schools have been in the same league, but they’ve met off and on in nonleague play until finally reuniting in the GOL this season.

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3A

Coastal Range

Who’s clinched (3): Banks (7-0, 4-0), Yamhill-Carlton (6-2, 5-1)

Game of the week: North Marion (3-4, 2-2) at Warrenton (5-2, 3-2), 7 p.m. Friday

For the Warriors, it’s quite simple — win, and you’re in the playoffs. Lose, and the Huskies could grab the final spot by knocking off Banks in Week 9.

PacWest

Who’s clinched (3): Kennedy (8-0, 6-0), Santiam Christian (7-0, 5-0)

Game of the week: Scio (4-3, 2-3) at Santiam Christian, 7 p.m. Friday

The Eagles can’t afford to get caught looking ahead to next week’s conference title showdown with the Trojans, who get the week off after Newport forfeited their game.

Far West

Who’s clinched (4): Cascade Christian (7-0), South Umpqua (7-0), St. Mary’s (Medford) (6-1)

Game of the week: Douglas (3-4) at Coquille (4-3), 7 p.m. Friday

While Cascade Christian and St. Mary’s duke it out at the top of the standings, the Red Devils play for their playoff lives along the southwest coast. Last year’s 2A state champions must win out to clinch a berth; otherwise, they risk missing the postseason, as they would lose a tiebreaker to Lakeview.

Mountain Valley

Who’s clinched (3): La Pine (6-1, 5-0)

Game of the week: Sisters (5-2, 3-1) at Siuslaw (5-2, 3-1), 7 p.m. Friday

It’s homecoming week for the 2021 state champion Vikings, who would secure their chance to defend their title with a victory. The Outlaws can also clinch a playoff spot.

Eastern Oregon

Who’s clinched (2): None

Game of the week: Nyssa (3-3, 1-1) at Vale (4-2, 2-0), 6 p.m. PT Friday 

Southeast Oregon’s version of the Black and Blue Bowl has significant playoff implications. The Vikings control their destiny — win out, and they earn the league title and the league’s No. 1 playoff seed. A Bulldogs win, and the EOL comes down to two winner-take-all Week 9 finales (Vale-Burns and Ontario-Nyssa). 

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Our complete high school football preview:

Breaking down every 6A, 5A, 4A team in the state

Complete Week 7 recap:

Top stars, best games, biggest wins

Our Week 8 predictions: 

Who will win this week?