Jon Gettman, Cascade Christian football

Winning state championships and wrapping up undefeated seasons may be the pinnacle of any season but, to a true coach, there’s also something special about building a football team up from an unknown commodity to a competitive force.

“It’s always fun to build,” said Cascade Christian head coach Jon Gettman. “It’s fun to take those kids that have been in the background and now they get to move to the forefront.”

Gettman certainly knows both ways to a Class 3A state title.

His 2022 squad was so loaded with talent, it was almost a foregone conclusion from Day 1 that the Challengers would sweep the state and win a title.

Last year’s team certainly had some key holdovers but it was a different look in terms of leading figures, and yet Cascade Christian wound up with an identical 13-0 record and more blue hardware for the trophy case.

The Challengers take those two straight titles and a 26-game winning streak into a 2024 campaign that begins in earnest Saturday in a marquee matchup against Vale in Bend, but the player turnover may be more than in any recent outing.

Cascade Christian returns four returning starters on offense as well as on defense — spread through six players overall.

Still, the Challengers have been tagged as the preseason state title favorites again, followed by Banks and Vale, in the 3A coaches poll.

Gettman said his team won’t shy away from expectations but taking too much to heart in August can leave you chasing fool’s gold.

“Expectations are great but it’s more about the process to get to a state championship,” said the 15th-year Challengers coach. “You know the path that it takes, it’s not easy and it takes a lot of time and sacrifice. The thought of winning a state championship in August isn’t worth your time because you’re not going to win it in August. There’s so much you have to do to even start thinking about that. You’ve got to get through a tough preseason, and then it’s the regular season and then try to get through the playoffs from there.”

“We talk to kids and we’re open and honest about it,” Gettman added of yearly title hopes. “You know what kids are thinking so there’s no reason not to try to speak to those things and to speak honestly about them.”

Speaking honestly, the Challengers boast a few veteran playmakers and a host of players that will need to slip into the shoes of the leaders that came before them very quickly if the team is to be competitive early on.

Besides a rematch of last year’s state quarterfinals, which Cascade won in dramatic overtime fashion over Vale, the Challengers’ opening stretch includes nonconference road dates at No. 8 Siuslaw/Mapleton and reigning 4A champion Henley.

“Talk about jumping right into the fire,” Gettman said of Saturday’s opener against Vale. “It’s going to be a tough game for us.”

“It will expose a lot more and that will be good for us,” he added. “We’ll be able to see a lot of areas to grow and then it will be kind of interesting taking a week off then before you play your Week 2 game. We haven’t done that ever, but it will be good for us to get game film and then be able to improve. Our kids are going to be tested early and we’ll find out a lot about our team.”

Deryk Farmer was one of Cascade’s most prolific receiving options (24 catches, 414 yards, three touchdowns) and the team’s second-leading tackler (62) a year ago. He’ll be tasked with taking over quarterback duties following a yeoman-like effort by Ashton Moody in 2023.

“Deryk is a great athlete, he’s probably one of the most athletic kids that I’ve coached,” said Gettman. “He’s going to grow this year. The mental part of the game and being on the field and in those situations is going to be big. I look forward to him being in those situations because he’s so eager to listen and so eager to learn.”

Backfield mate and fellow junior Caleb Scaglione returns to give Farmer some immediate playmaking help. Scaglione carried the ball 112 times for 694 yards and 10 TDs last year while also averaging 10.7 yards per reception to post four more scores.

“Caleb’s the one guy that we’ve kind of put a lot on him,” said Gettman. “He’s been working at quarterback this summer, he’s going to be running, he’s going to be wideout, we’re going to move him all over the field. And then he’s also playing defense.”

Shifty sophomore Bryson Walker has also thrust himself into a key role in his second season with the team as a receiver and defensive back — likely going wherever Scaglione is not.

“His acceleration is phenomenal but his work ethic is second to none,” Gettman said of Walker. “His work ethic reminds me a lot of what Dante Olson did and just that nobody outworks him. Those two things are going to allow him to be pretty successful.”

Seniors Sam Seus and Zack Cook return to stabilize an offensive line that also saw Scott Van Dyck see some action during last year’s run.

“There’s a little inexperience there so we’ll see a lot of what we have to work on after this Game 1,” said Gettman, “but I’m excited for what they’re going to do. I love the way that they get off the ball well, and they’re communicating well together as a unit. That’s the biggest thing. As long as they’re moving in the same direction and understanding what each other is doing, you have a chance to be successful up front.”

Senior Cole Breitler and junior tight end/defensive lineman Alex Fiannaca also give the Challengers solid experience as a returner near the line-of-scrimmage, while senior Ezra Padilla and junior Caleb Parker will look to guide a relatively inexperienced linebacker corps.

“We’ve got things to work out on defense but there’s a couple kids that you can lean on,” said Gettman.

The secondary stands to be the team’s backbone on defense, with Farmer, Scaglione and Walker headlining the bunch.

CHALLENGERS

HEAD COACH

Jon Gettman (15th year, 136-28)

GENERAL INFORMATION

ASSISTANTS: Mike Schaan (defensive coordinator), Darren Turituri (linemen), Andy Scaglione (JV head coach/receivers/defensive backs), Jeff Olson (defense), Steve Furst (offense), Matt Hagert (defensive backs), Tim Seeley (JV defensive coordinator/linemen), Haiden Schaan (quarterbacks), Sam Carpenter (defensive backs), Tony McDougall (linebackers).

2023 LEAGUE RECORD: 9-0 (1st, FWL)

2023 OVERALL RECORD: 13-0.

2023 RESULTS

CASCADE CHRISTIAN OPPONENTS

29 North Valley 6

49 Sutherlin 6

63 Brookings-Harbor 0

56 Coquille 14

48 Douglas 0

49 Phoenix 0

35 Lakeview 7

60 St. Mary’s 0

41 South Umpqua 12

State Playoffs

40 Warrenton 0

27 Vale 26, OT

42 Dayton 30

34 Banks 24

RETURNING STARTERS

OFFENSE (4): Lineman Sam Seus (6-1, 195, sr.), lineman Zack Cook (5-8, 195, sr.), running back Caleb Scaglione (5-8, 150, jr.), quarterback Deryk Farmer (6-1, 175, jr.).

DEFENSE (4): Lineman Cole Breitler (6-2, 200, sr.), lineman Alex Fiannaca (6-1, 185, jr.), lineman Sam Seus, defensive back Deryk Farmer.

OTHER NOTABLES

Lineman Scott Van Dyck (6-1, 240, sr.), running back/linebacker Ezra Padilla (5-7, 155, sr.), receiver/defensive back Bryley Richardson (5-11, 145, sr.), lineman Grant Keller (5-10, 155, sr.), receiver/defensive back Taylor Snowden (5-10, 155, sr.), lineman Evan Stonehill (5-11, 215, sr.), receiver/defensive back Carson Willard (5-10, 145, sr.), receiver/defensive back Eli Young (5-10, 135, sr.), receiver/defensive back Caleb Parker (5-10, 165, jr.), running back/defensive back Bryson Walker (5-6, 135, so.),quarterback/defensive back Grady Sickler (6-0, 165, so.), running back/linebacker Austin Cook (5-10, 150, so.), lineman/linebacker Wyatt Hurley (5-11, 205, so.), lineman Joey Minard (6-0, 195, so.).

2024 SCHEDULE

Aug. 31 VALE (BEND), 2 p.m.

Sept. 13 HIDDEN VALLEY, 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 at Siuslaw/Mapleton, 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 at Henley, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4 KLAMATH UNION, 7 p.m.

Oct. 11 at Phoenix, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 ST. MARY’S, 7 p.m.

Oct. 25 at North Valley, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1 at Lakeview, 7 p.m.