Prep football previews: Eagles face big test; Outlaws, Cougars also play Friday

Published 2:12 pm Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Every Wallowa County prep football team is in action on Friday, as Enterprise continues its chase for a playoff berth, Wallowa seeks its third win — and second-place Joseph travels to league leader Harper Charter in a huge matchup.

Here are previews of all three games. (Oregon School Activities Association rankings are in parentheses.)

(19) Sherman/Condon at (13) Enterprise

When: Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m.

Records: Sherman/Condon 1-4 overall, 1-2 1A 8-Man Special District 3; Enterprise, 2-2 overall, 2-2 1A 8-Man Special District 3

Enterprise returns home this week after falling to St. Paul last Friday, a game which the Outlaws failed to place a point on the board in a shutout loss. Looking at the weather forecast, the Outlaws should find field conditions better on the home field after traveling to a “muddy mess” last week per coach Josh Harman’s words.

Like Enterprise, Sherman/Condon also comes into Friday’s game after a league loss as Lyle/Wishram/Klickitat downed the Huskies 42-28 last Friday. Sherman/Condon’s lone victory this season came against Dufur, a team Enterprise also downed this year.

(6) Joseph at (3) Harper Charter

When: Friday, Oct. 6, 1 p.m. Mountain, noon Pacific

Records: Joseph 4-1 overall, 3-0 1A 6-Man Special District 1; Harper Charter 5-0 overall, 3-0 1A 6-Man Special District 1

This is the game everyone has been waiting for as the Eagles travel to meet the surprise of the season, the Hornets. Both teams step onto the field with perfect district records (both 3-0) with third-place South Wasco County watching for the outcome of this game closely as the Redsides also have not dropped a district game.

Joseph held its last two opponents scoreless on defense and on offense, put up 103 points. Harper Charter has held two opponents scoreless this season and put up 53 points in their last outing versus Pine Eagle.

On paper, these two teams mirror each other with Harper Charter scoring 210 points this season versus 203 points for the Eagles. Defensively, Joseph allowed only 59 points while the Hornets’ defense allowed 53 points. The winner of this game will have the home field advantage as the district begins crossover tournament play Oct. 20.

(20) Wallowa at (23) Pine Eagle

When: Friday, Oct. 6, 2 p.m.

Records: Wallowa 2-3 overall, 2-1 1A 6-Man Special District 1; Pine Eagle 1-3 overall, 1-2 1A 6-Man Special District 1

For the second successive week, Wallowa goes on the road, this time to take on a district opponent, Pine Eagle. The Cougars are coming off a win over Huntington last week, a game in which Wallowa put up its highest point total of the season.

Pine Eagle also downed Huntington earlier in the year, the Spartans’ lone victory of the season. Last week, the Spartans failed to find the offense, dropping a 7-53 game versus Harper Charter.