FISHERMEN WELCOME STATE CHAMPS FRIDAY
Coming off their first ever undisputed Cowapa League football championship, the retooled Astoria Fishermen football team will get tested right away, with a pre-Labor Day matchup against the defending 4A state champion Siuslaw Vikings this Friday.
"We are very excited about it," said head coach Howard Rub of Friday's season-opening tilt. "It's my understanding from local historians that this will be the 80th year of football played downtown."
"A lot of things make this real exciting for us. The defending state champs, 80th year of football here, John Warren's daughter being here to be recognized. We'll have school officials, city officials, the mayor will be here to help recognize her."
The OSAA Endowment matchup between coastal 4A football powers is bound to attract a sizable crowd to John Warren Field, which bears the name of the man whose family made significant donations toward building the football stadium at historic Gyro Field thirty years ago. Friday night will hopefully mark the beginning of a major renovation at the historic site, with a raffle for a new car scheduled to help raise funds for a project that will eventually install all-weather turf and convert the football-only field to a multipurpose athletic facility.
With plenty of festivities planned at the field before the football game, a full day of high-caliber athletic competition actually begins at the Brick House gymnasium at noon as the Astoria volleyball team, fresh off a school-best 6th place finish at the state tournament, opens its season against perennial power and state runner-up Estacada in the first game of a mini-tournament. Estacada will play Siuslaw at 2:00 p.m. with Astoria facing Siuslaw at 4:00 p.m. Like the football contest, gate receipts will go to the OSAA Endowment Fund.
After Friday, the volleyball team jumps into Cowapa League play. The football game is the first of five tough nonleague matchups for Astoria, which has loaded up its preseason schedule in anticipation of challenging for a second straight Cowapa title and a return trip to the OSAA state playoffs.
Siuslaw capped a perfect 13-0 season with an overtime victory over Sisters in the 4A championship game at Autzen Stadium. The Vikings featured a host of top-notch athletes and a dominating defense, which allowed less than a touchdown per game during the season. The 21-14 final score in the championship was the only time a team came within three touchdowns of the Vikings, who are pursuing their fifth consecutive trip to the playoffs under 12th-year head coach Tim Dodson.
"What a great challenge in the defending state champions," said Rub. "Similar to us, they lost a lot, but they have a lot coming back and they have some real good, young talent coming up. It shapes up to be a real good matchup."
Astoria, coming off some lean years this decade, has reached the postseason two of the last three seasons, but finished last season with a disappointing 20-16 loss to La Salle in the playoffs. The Fishermen and Falcons will meet in a heavily anticipated rematch at P.G.E. Park a week from Friday. Following that, Astoria travels to Gladstone to play on another turfed field, hosts Philomath, then caps off the non-league portion of its season with a matchup against a tough Central squad at Western Oregon University's MacArthur Field.
"The competition is going to be fierce," said Rub. "We look forward to the challenge. I think that's what you need to do when you think you have a team that's going to contend for your league title. You better schedule some tough nonleague games and get them ready for that. That's what we've done."
"As much as we want to win these nonleague games, the ultimate goal is to get ready for league because that is the ultimate prize."
While Astoria returns one of the state's most exciting players in junior quarterback Jordan Poyer, the surrounding cast will feature many new faces with heavy graduation losses affecting the offensive line and receiving corp. A handful of sophomores will make major contributions and standout junior Trevor Puckett returns after a broken ankle cost him most of his sophomore year.
Two new coaches join the staff, with Hall of Fame baseball coach Dave Gasser returning to the gridiron to direct the Astoria defense and Astoria Ford sales manager Scott Summers adding his expertise. Gasser spent more than 20 years coaching football at Madison and Lakeridge High Schools while racking up three baseball championships. Summers is a former Division I football player at San Diego State, who was escorted by future Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk on a recruiting trip.
With Astoria's football history being honored on Friday night, it's our pleasure to announce that Astoria football returns to its historic radio home on 1370-AM KAST this season, with all of the games broadcast live with Matt Richert on play-by-play and Chris Hunt providing color commentary.
KKEE, 1230-AM is home to Ilwaco football this season with Dave Henderson joining the New Northwest Broadcasters on-air staff to handle play-by-play duties and Tim Wirkkala returning to handle color. Ilwaco opens its regular season this Friday with a trip to Cathlamet to take on the perennial B power Mules. Ilwaco welcomes the return of Kevin McNulty, who had a successful run with the Fishermen in the early '90's and takes over head coaching duties from Ned Bittner, who will remain the girls basketball coach.
"We are very excited about it," said head coach Howard Rub of Friday's season-opening tilt. "It's my understanding from local historians that this will be the 80th year of football played downtown."
"A lot of things make this real exciting for us. The defending state champs, 80th year of football here, John Warren's daughter being here to be recognized. We'll have school officials, city officials, the mayor will be here to help recognize her."
The OSAA Endowment matchup between coastal 4A football powers is bound to attract a sizable crowd to John Warren Field, which bears the name of the man whose family made significant donations toward building the football stadium at historic Gyro Field thirty years ago. Friday night will hopefully mark the beginning of a major renovation at the historic site, with a raffle for a new car scheduled to help raise funds for a project that will eventually install all-weather turf and convert the football-only field to a multipurpose athletic facility.
With plenty of festivities planned at the field before the football game, a full day of high-caliber athletic competition actually begins at the Brick House gymnasium at noon as the Astoria volleyball team, fresh off a school-best 6th place finish at the state tournament, opens its season against perennial power and state runner-up Estacada in the first game of a mini-tournament. Estacada will play Siuslaw at 2:00 p.m. with Astoria facing Siuslaw at 4:00 p.m. Like the football contest, gate receipts will go to the OSAA Endowment Fund.
After Friday, the volleyball team jumps into Cowapa League play. The football game is the first of five tough nonleague matchups for Astoria, which has loaded up its preseason schedule in anticipation of challenging for a second straight Cowapa title and a return trip to the OSAA state playoffs.
Siuslaw capped a perfect 13-0 season with an overtime victory over Sisters in the 4A championship game at Autzen Stadium. The Vikings featured a host of top-notch athletes and a dominating defense, which allowed less than a touchdown per game during the season. The 21-14 final score in the championship was the only time a team came within three touchdowns of the Vikings, who are pursuing their fifth consecutive trip to the playoffs under 12th-year head coach Tim Dodson.
"What a great challenge in the defending state champions," said Rub. "Similar to us, they lost a lot, but they have a lot coming back and they have some real good, young talent coming up. It shapes up to be a real good matchup."
Astoria, coming off some lean years this decade, has reached the postseason two of the last three seasons, but finished last season with a disappointing 20-16 loss to La Salle in the playoffs. The Fishermen and Falcons will meet in a heavily anticipated rematch at P.G.E. Park a week from Friday. Following that, Astoria travels to Gladstone to play on another turfed field, hosts Philomath, then caps off the non-league portion of its season with a matchup against a tough Central squad at Western Oregon University's MacArthur Field.
"The competition is going to be fierce," said Rub. "We look forward to the challenge. I think that's what you need to do when you think you have a team that's going to contend for your league title. You better schedule some tough nonleague games and get them ready for that. That's what we've done."
"As much as we want to win these nonleague games, the ultimate goal is to get ready for league because that is the ultimate prize."
While Astoria returns one of the state's most exciting players in junior quarterback Jordan Poyer, the surrounding cast will feature many new faces with heavy graduation losses affecting the offensive line and receiving corp. A handful of sophomores will make major contributions and standout junior Trevor Puckett returns after a broken ankle cost him most of his sophomore year.
Two new coaches join the staff, with Hall of Fame baseball coach Dave Gasser returning to the gridiron to direct the Astoria defense and Astoria Ford sales manager Scott Summers adding his expertise. Gasser spent more than 20 years coaching football at Madison and Lakeridge High Schools while racking up three baseball championships. Summers is a former Division I football player at San Diego State, who was escorted by future Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk on a recruiting trip.
With Astoria's football history being honored on Friday night, it's our pleasure to announce that Astoria football returns to its historic radio home on 1370-AM KAST this season, with all of the games broadcast live with Matt Richert on play-by-play and Chris Hunt providing color commentary.
KKEE, 1230-AM is home to Ilwaco football this season with Dave Henderson joining the New Northwest Broadcasters on-air staff to handle play-by-play duties and Tim Wirkkala returning to handle color. Ilwaco opens its regular season this Friday with a trip to Cathlamet to take on the perennial B power Mules. Ilwaco welcomes the return of Kevin McNulty, who had a successful run with the Fishermen in the early '90's and takes over head coaching duties from Ned Bittner, who will remain the girls basketball coach.
posted by Matt Richert at 11:04 PM
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