A Look at Oregon’s Top Returning QBs Including One Rising Star Who Could Change Everything

It’s never too early to start thinking about the next high school football season.

High School On SI Oregon is highlighting the top 25 returning passers around the state based on their yardage totals from last season.

Stats for Class 6A-3A players courtesy of OreHSSports.com

AJ Altishin, jr., Philomath

Altishin took over for Caleb Russell last season and threw for 1,760 yards on 123-of-222 passing, tossing 16 touchdowns with nine interceptions to earn second-team all-Oregon West Conference honors as the Warriors missed the playoffs due to having to forfeit their finale.

Sloan Baker, jr., West Linn

What a debut season for the Lions starter, a first-team 6A all-state player who completed over two-thirds of his passes (165-of-240) for 2,808 yards and 37 touchdowns with just two interceptions for the state semifinalists. He’ll be a key player for new coach Anthony Newman.

Bodhi Barnes, jr., Reynolds

The Lancers face an uphill climb in the Mt. Hood Conference if they hope to make the postseason, and they’ll look to their honorable mention all-conference signal-caller to lead the way after he threw for 1,795 yards and 17 touchdowns last year. He’ll look to cut down on the interceptions (14) and improve his completion percentage (45.2%, 95-of-210).

Kellen Bowman, jr., South Salem

In his second season in charge of the “Air Saxon” offense, Bowman broke the school record throwing for 3,214 yards while completing 267 of 435 passes, but a 13-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio and an 0-9 record tempered those gaudy numbers as the Saxons look to return to the postseason next fall.

Emmit Distefano, jr., Thurston

The Colts regained the Midwestern League title this fall thanks in part to their 5A honorable mention all-state quarterback, who threw for 1,966 yards (136-of-208) with 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions while developing chemistry with a pair of young receivers.

Adler Case, jr., Forest Grove

Case earned second-team all-Northwest Oregon Conference honors, completing over 59% of his passes (102-of-172) for 1,412 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions.

JT Girod, jr., Central

Girod’s college future could be as a pitcher or behind center, but the three-year starter on the gridiron made the all-Mid-Willamette Conference honorable mention list, throwing for 1,570 yards (121-of-202) with 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

Trevor Glos, jr., Wilsonville

The 5A all-state third-team selection capably stepped into the shoes of departed offensive player of the year Mark Wiepert, throwing for 2,750 yards while completing nearly 71% of his passes (203-of-287) with 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for the quarterfinalists.

Andrew Guthrie, jr., Summit

Guthrie showed great improvement in his second season as the starter, earning first-team all-state honors for the 5A runner-up Storm as he was 141-of-219 passing for 2,062 yards and 23 touchdowns with just four interceptions.

Colton Hernandez, soph., Ashland

Can the Grizzlies get back to the playoffs after back-to-back two-win seasons? If so, they’ll rely heavily on their honorable mention all-Big Sky Conference signal-caller, who threw for 2,074 yards (114-of-203) with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Thurston's Emmit Distefano | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Noah Hockett, jr., St. Paul

Hockett led the Buckaroos back to the 2A semifinals as a first-year starter, earning all-state honorable mention while completing over 63% of his passes (106-of-168) for 1,549 yards and 24 touchdowns with three interceptions.

Kevin Hurliman, jr., Tillamook

Hurliman shared all-Cowapa League first-team honors following his second season as the Cheesemakers starter, when he completed 173 of 252 passes for 2,112 yards and 22 touchdowns with eight interceptions.

Cal Johnson, soph., Vale

The Vikings turned the keys to their offense over to their dual-threat signal-caller last season and loved the results — he threw for 22 touchdowns and ran for 14 while completing almost 65% of his passes (101 of 156) for 1,404 yards to earn 3A all-state honorable mention. He also ran for 762 yards on 82 carries.

Reese Johnson, jr., Klamath Union

Johnson improved most of his numbers in his second season as the Pelicans starter, throwing for 2,062 yards and 22 touchdowns with nine interceptions, but he’ll look to improve upon a 48.9% completion rate next fall as they look to end an eight-year postseason drought.

Brody Joyce, soph., Canby

Joyce made five starts as a freshman in place of an injured Kellen Oliver, and that experience showed during his first full-year as the starter, when he threw for 1,744 yards (97-of-144) with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions to earn third-team all-NWOC honors.

Will Kessi, jr., Scappoose

The third-team all-state selection got the Indians back to the 4A semifinals for the second year in a row, throwing for 2,647 yards on 182-of-272 passing with 30 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Jason Kwasnik, jr., Aloha

Kwasnik has gone under the radar the past couple of seasons with the Warriors, making the all-NWOC honorable mention list last year in his second full year as the starter after throwing for 1,728 yards (107-of-200) and 14 touchdowns with six interceptions.

Quenton Lake, soph., North Salem

The Vikings have shown in the past they’re willing to give young quarterbacks a chance to start right away, as they did again with Lake, who earned second-team all-South Central Football Conference honors after completing 58% of his passes (145-of-250) for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions.

Jayden Locke, soph., Milwaukie

The buzz around the Mustangs program was palpable this fall, and Locke’s performance behind center as the league’s co-offensive player of the year, throwing for 2,263 yards (139-of-194) and 31 touchdowns with eight interceptions to lead them to a share of their first title since 1985.

Nate Lyda, jr., Banks

Lyda bided his team as a sophomore behind Lane Gilbert, but this year, coach Cole Linehan moved Gilbert to receiver to make room for Lyda, and all he did was make the 3A all-state third team, throwing for 2,021 yards and 22 touchdowns on 125-of-205 passing with just two interceptions while rushing for nine touchdowns for the semifinalists.

Dawson Miller, soph., Union

The Bobcats reached the 1A eight-man semifinals — the first time they advanced that far in the postseason since 1986 — with Miller taking over behind center for his dad, first-year coach Travis Miller, garnering all-state honorable mention while throwing for 1,792 yards and 23 touchdowns with six interceptions.

Jordan Rossetta, jr., Grants Pass

Rossetta led the Cavemen to their first 6A quarterfinal appearance since 2014, sharing first-team all-SCFC honors as he posted a second consecutive 2,000-yard season, throwing for 2,358 yards on 175-of-289 passing (60.6%) with 25 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Zeke Thomas, soph., Willamette

Thomas has been one of the state’s most promising young quarterbacks the past two seasons — first at Crescent Valley, when he set the freshman state record with 2,508 yards, then last year in leading the Wolverines to the SCFC title and a berth in the 6A quarterfinals, completing 166 of 252 passes for 2,652 yards and 32 touchdowns with eight interceptions.

Micaiah Turin, jr., Sandy

The Pioneers reached the first final of an OSAA football tournament in program history when they played for the Columbia Cup title this fall as Turin threw for 1,496 yards while completing 113 of 205 passes with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Will Van Voorst, soph., Clatskanie

Van Voorst took over the starting job for the Tigers in Week 8 as a freshman, then this year led them to their first 10-0 start in school history and a spot in the 2A quarterfinals, completing 63.7% of his passes (100-of-157) for 1,465 yards and 16 touchdowns with five interceptions while running for 580 yards and 13 scores.