FB: Northwest Conference

[bluenote]

I'll pull the fire alarm at 3 am. Plus TUX has the eggs ready.

[D O.C.]

No eggs. Remember the amendment after the Rowan game? "Evacuation and loss of sleep are sufficient."

[Bearcat Press]

Pat ,the way i remember it was no one picked PLU at the start of the playoffs..  "Plu who", "what is a Lute"...

Nobody picked PLU because they didn't even win the NWC that year.

A couple of random thoughts after I finally shook off the lethargy from last Saturday ...

Disappointing end to a disappointing season for Willamette fans.  A lot like 2007, the whole never seemed to equal the sum of the parts, especially on offense.  The most damning stat: if the Bearcats had scored just 14 points in every game they lost, they go 8-2 (7-1 against D-III opponents), and we'd be arguing with Pat about our playoff snub.

The offense desperately needs a playmaker: somebody who can turn those 15 yard runs into 30 yard runs.  Whether that person is on the team now or whether we need to find a dynamic guy from elsewhere who can come in and play right away (see Woo, Merben) remains to be seen.  But I trust Speck and Fowles to come up with a solution.

OTOH, this year's defense was phenomenal.  Losing so many bodies on the defensive line is going to hurt, and somebody has to replace Harmon Bruno at outside linebacker, but there are some talented young inside linebackers coming back and the secondary has the potential to be pretty deep.

Special teams will have to replace Mitch Rowan, and considering how well he played this year (first team All-NWC, IMO) that's not going to be easy.

Finally, what a tough draw for Linfield in the playoffs.  I'm definitely intrigued by the potential matchup with Wesley, though.  It's not often that a West Coast team gets to go back east and show off the brand of football we play out here.  Good luck to the Wildcats.

[d-train]

http://www.nwcsports.com/sports/fball/2011-12/releases/allnwc

Offensive Player of the Year: Keith Welch, Lewis & Clark
Defensive Player of the Year: Drew Fisher, Linfield
Special Teams Player of the Year: Mitch Rowan, Willamette
Coach of the Year: Joseph Smith, Linfield

First Team Offense –
QB: Keith Welch, Lewis & Clark (6-0, 190, So., Fairfield, Calif. / Fairfield)
QB: Mickey Inns, Linfield (6-2, 205, Jr./Jr., Gresham, Ore. / Gresham)
RB: Josh Hill, Linfield (5-10, 202, Jr./Jr., Portland, Ore. / Air Force Academy)
RB: Ronnie Thomas, Whitworth (5-9, 197, Jr./Jr., Granite Bay, Calif. / American River JC)
RB: Jamiere Abney, Willamette (5-7, 212, Sr., Bremerton, Wash. / Bremerton)
WR: Buddy Saxon, Linfield (6-6, 221, Sr./Sr., Grants Pass, Ore.  / Grants Pass)
WR: Jordan Fukumoto, Pacific (Ore.) (5-10, 170, So./So., Mililani, Hawaii / St. Louis)
WR: Adam Kniffin, Puget Sound (6-3, 205, Sr./Jr., Salem, Ore. / Sprague)
WR: Jake Knecht, Willamette (6-0, 197, Jr., Issaquah, Wash. / Illinois State Univ.)
TE: Shawn Evans, Lewis & Clark (6-3, 235, Sr., Boring, Ore. / Portland Christian)
OL: Jordan Barnes, Linfield (6-1, 285, Sr./Sr., Portland, Ore. / Lake Oswego)
OL: Hayden Mace, Linfield (6-2, 270, Sr./Sr., Bend, Ore. / Mountain View)
OL: Rob Marlow, PLU (6-2, 270, Sr./Sr., Renton, Wash. / Liberty)
OL: Taylor Reeder, Willamette (6-5, 276, Jr., Salinas, Calif. / Palma)
OL: Kenny Miller, Willamette (5-11, 279, Sr., Woodland, Wash. / Woodland)

First Team Defense –
DL: Tyler Steele, Linfield (6-1, 265, Jr./Jr., Salem, Ore. / West Salem)
DL: Erik Magnussen, PLU (6-3, 240, Sr./Sr., East Wenatchee, Wash. / Eastmont)
DL: Ryan Bourke, Willamette (6-5, 232, Sr., Bothell, Wash. / Archbishop Murphy)
LB: Louis Baltazar, Lewis & Clark (6-1, 245, Sr., Concord, Calif. / Archbishop Riordan)
LB: Kole Krieger, Linfield (6-2, 200, Sr./Sr., Sherwood, Ore. / Sherwood)
LB: Dominique Forrest, Linfield (5-11, 210, So./So., Portland, Ore. / Liberty)
LB: Tyler Vlasak, Puget Sound (6-0, 245, Sr./Sr., Sumner, Wash. / Sumner)
LB: Harmon Bruno, Willamette (6-0, 217, Sr., Danville, Calif. / San Ramon Valley)
DB: Drew Fisher, Linfield (6-2, 190, Sr./Sr., Gresham, Ore. / Centennial)
DB: Taylor Skore, Linfield (5-11, 190, Sr./Sr., Enumclaw, Wash. / Enumclaw)
DB: Nate Dixon, Linfield (5-9, 180, Sr./Sr., Kapolei, Hawaii / Kapolei)
DB:  Justin Whitman, PLU (6-0, 185, Sr./Sr., Issaquah, Wash. / Liberty)
DB: Cody Pastorino, Willamette (5-9, 161, Jr., Glenn, Calif. / Willows)
PK: Josh Kay, Linfield (6-0, 175, Jr./Jr., Salem, Ore. / Whitworth Univ.)
PK/P: Mitchell Rowan, Willamette (6-0, 190, Sr., Cotati, Calif. / Rancho Cotate)
P: Austin Ehlo, Whitworth (6-2, 193, So./Fr., Spokane, Wash. / Washington State)

[D O.C.]

Thanks d-t, good to see you up on here again.
I FORGOT! We (NWC) cannot have a Player of the Year! Everyone who participates gets a trophy!

[d-train]

Thanks d-t, good to see you up on here again.
I FORGOT! We (NWC) cannot have a Player of the Year! Everyone who participates gets a trophy!

Actually, the coaches are getting much, much better at this.  I remember 2 and 3 players of the year on both sides of the ball.  Still a few too many 1st team selections, but far better than previous years.

[desertcat1]

Thanks d-t, good to see you up on here again.
I FORGOT! We (NWC) cannot have a Player of the Year! Everyone who participates gets a trophy!

Same as " no child left behind" 

Go Cats
Go Big D

[D O.C.]

Not that anyone ever counts their chickens before they hatch....

www.doverdowns.com/#5

[desertcat1]

7 come 11    count me in buddy..

GO, CATS
GO BIG D

[D O.C.]

Football human interest story....this team coach was on the LINFIELD 1982 National Championship team. Not much of a surprise he got his team in the Cali Southern Section playoffs again.

http://longbeachpolyfootball.com/

[repete]

Not that anyone ever counts their chickens before they hatch....

www.doverdowns.com/#5

At this time of the year, they'll be bringing in the busloads of old ladies with buckets of nickels. .... Might be your kind of cougar hunting, DOC.

[BearcatFan]

Congratulations to Jamiere Abney, Mitch Rowan, Jake Knecht, Kenny Miller and Taylor Reeder.

And to  Ryan Bourke, Harmon Bruno and Cody Pastorino.

[RedandPurple]

I know it's early, but Happy Thanksgiving to all the posters here on the NWC board. And a Happy Thanksgiving to all the crew at D3 Football for keeping this site up and running for us all to enjoy. 

[river]

Congratulations to Jamiere Abney, Mitch Rowan, Jake Knecht, Kenny Miller and Taylor Reeder.

And to  Ryan Bourke, Harmon Bruno and Cody Pastorino.

Pat ,the way i remember it was no one picked PLU at the start of the playoffs..  "Plu who", "what is a Lute"...

Nobody picked PLU because they didn't even win the NWC that year.

A couple of random thoughts after I finally shook off the lethargy from last Saturday ...

Disappointing end to a disappointing season for Willamette fans.  A lot like 2007, the whole never seemed to equal the sum of the parts, especially on offense.  The most damning stat: if the Bearcats had scored just 14 points in every game they lost, they go 8-2 (7-1 against D-III opponents), and we'd be arguing with Pat about our playoff snub.

The offense desperately needs a playmaker: somebody who can turn those 15 yard runs into 30 yard runs.  Whether that person is on the team now or whether we need to find a dynamic guy from elsewhere who can come in and play right away (see Woo, Merben) remains to be seen.  But I trust Speck and Fowles to come up with a solution.

OTOH, this year's defense was phenomenal.  Losing so many bodies on the defensive line is going to hurt, and somebody has to replace Harmon Bruno at outside linebacker, but there are some talented young inside linebackers coming back and the secondary has the potential to be pretty deep.

Special teams will have to replace Mitch Rowan, and considering how well he played this year (first team All-NWC, IMO) that's not going to be easy.

Finally, what a tough draw for Linfield in the playoffs.  I'm definitely intrigued by the potential matchup with Wesley, though.  It's not often that a West Coast team gets to go back east and show off the brand of football we play out here.  Good luck to the Wildcats.

Props to the Bearcats named to the NWC offensive and defensive all-conference teams. 
And good luck to the Wildcats also.  Represent.

[bluenote]

No eggs.

...how about pumpkins?