Prep football previews: Eagles, Cougars, Outlaws all face tests

Published 4:45 pm Wednesday, September 27, 2023

All three Wallowa County football teams are in action this week, with a Thursday-night game at Joseph kicking things off. Here are previews of all three games.

Oregon School Activities Association ratings for each team are listed in the parentheses.

(27) Jordan Valley at (6) Joseph

When: Thursday, Sept. 28, 7 p.m.

Records: Jordan Valley 0-3 overall, 0-2 1A 6-Man Special District 1; Joseph 3-1 overall, 2-0 1A 6-Man Special District 1

This season marks Jordan Valley’s return to a Mustang-only team for the first time since 2017. A young and inexperienced group is taking the field with only seven players and a first-year coach. Jordan Valley has yet to find the end zone in its first three games.

Joseph comes off a big victory over county rival Wallowa and is finally on the home field after three successive road games. The Eagles need to keep winning as four teams in the district are currently still undefeated in league including Harper, Prairie City/Burnt River, South Wasco County and the Eagles.

(22) Wallowa at (26) Huntington

When: Friday, Sept. 29, 1 p.m.

Records: Wallowa 1-3 overall, 1-2 1A 6-Man Special District 1; Huntington 0-4 overall, 0-3 1A 6-Man Special District 1.

Wallowa hits the road to visit the Locomotives after being held scoreless at home by county rival Joseph. The loss marked the second time this season the Cougars have failed to score and also the second time the defense has given up 44 points.

Wallowa is one of three teams with 1-2 records, the others being Dayville/Monument/Long Creek and defending state champion Spray/Mitchell/Wheeler.

Huntington scored a season-high 20 points in its last loss. As in years past, Huntington fields a team made up largely of exchange students with little gridiron experience.

(10) Enterprise at (8) St. Paul

When: Friday, Sept. 29, 7 p.m.

Records: Enterprise, 2-1 overall, 2-0 1A 8-Man Special District 3; St. Paul, 3-1 overall, 1-0 1A 8-Man Special District 3.

The Outlaws have won their last two games handily and currently are second in the league standings behind only Perrydale.

St. Paul was only this year placed in Special District 3 and has won their its last three games, each time shutting out their opponents. Their offense is also effective, putting up a total of 202 points in four games.