WE ARE FINALLY HERE!! The 2022 Sweet 16 matchups has been announced!
Before we dive into the matchups, l wanted to highlight some things that stood out.
Lewis Clark League has 5 teams in the sweet 16 (CG, DLS, OES, WC and PAA). LCL was a tough league this year and all teams are battle tested and ready to compete at State.
Mountain Valley League has 3 teams in the Sweet 16 (Pleasant Hill, Santiam Christian and Harrisburg). I was really impressed with these three teams and they will be a tough out for there opponents.
After a tough loss in the District Title game, Westside Christian is still the top team in the state tourney. Head Coach Dave Henry will have his squad undivided attention as they prepare to make a deep state tourney run. Jaymeson Ye, Kamir Hodge and Jake Hergert are some of the top seniors in the state.
Super Sophomore Austin Maurer out of Cascade Christian is one of the top recruits in all of Oregon and will make his debut in the State Tournament. Head Coach Brian Morse and senior captain Cody Reece has unfinished business in Coos Bay and they are ready to do whatever it takes to have another chance at the title.
A Bubble Team that didn’t get in was Douglas HS out of the Far West League. Head Coach Bid Van Loon ended the season on a three game winning streak with one beating Cascade Christian. Prior to the winning streak, they only loss to Brookings Harbor (state tourney team) by 4 points. Great season to you and your team coach!
THE HIGHER SEEDED TEAM ARE THE HOME TEAMS!
#1 Westside Christian vs #16 Harrisburg
Harrisburg will see the best version of Westside Christian after there district title loss. Can Burg “weather the storm” and keep it close to give themselves a chance in the fourth to pull off the upset?
#8 Willamina vs #9 Pleasant Hill
This has the making of being the best game of the sweet 16. Coastal League champs Willamina are on a 9 game winning streak and will look to keep the momentum going against a tough and gritty Pleasant Hill team.
#12 Umatila vs #5 Santiam Christian
For Umatila to pull off the upset, they will need travel 255 miles to defeat Mountain Valley Champs Santiam Christian. Luckily for Umatila, EOL teams are use to traveling far away for league games so SC better be ready to compete at tip off. SC has been a top 5 team in the state for majority of the year and are eager to get back to Coos Bay.
#13 Portland Adventist vs #4 Cascade Christian
PAA is a battled tested team out of LCL and will be ready to compete. They will have to travel 267 miles to face a team that has finished runner up state champs 2 years in a row in Cascade Christian. Should be a fun game to watch.
Legendary Head Coach Ron Hopp will host another Sweet 16 Matchup against a solid Catlin Gabel team. Can CG utilize their size against Dayton and pull off the upset ? or Will Dayton defensive attack overwhelm CG and force their way back to Coos Bay?
The last time Vale won a EOL Title and hosted a Sweet 16 game was in 2005. This year, Vale went undefeated in league and only loss two game at home all season. Can Vale protect home court one more time to earn a spot at the Elite 8? If Amity wants to pull off the upset then they will need to travel 392 miles to do it. Its takes 80% mental and 20% physical to win on the road. Amity will need all of it to advance. This game is a must watch or follow because it can go down to the buzzer or need overtime to get a winner.
#10 Brookings Harbor vs #7 OES
OES is back in the state tournament. The last time OES made it to State they won it. Brookings Harbor finish second in the Far West League behind CC and are ready to compete. The scrappy team will have to travel 338 miles to defeat a well coach OES team to make it to Coos Bay. This will be another exciting game to watch or follow. Anything can happen this game so good luck to both teams.
#2 De La Salle vs # 15 Warrenton
Head Coach Nate McBride is no stranger to De La Salle after competing against them for several years in the LCL. If Warrenton don’t panic against De La Salle pressure then they will give themselves a chance to keep it close. If De La Salle pressure overwhelm Warrenton then this game can be over early.