SEPTEMBER 6, 2019, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, PAGE B13
Rodriguez is also expected
to get signifi cant touches in
the Saxons backfi eld.
South Salem graduated two
of their top pass-catchers in
receiver Treyden Harris and
tight end Diego Fuimaono
— both of whom received all-
league recognition last season.
However, Dufault has a
crew of fi ve to six receivers,
led by returners Gabe Johnson
and Zach Webster,
that he expects to
step up on the
outside.
“These kids
have been battle
tested and they
are
coming
ALL GAMES START AT 7 P.M.
back a lot more
Sept. 6 at Newberg
confi dent. We’re
in a much better
Sept. 13 vs. Sunset*
place than we
Sept. 20 at McMinnville
were last year at
this time,” Dufault
Sept. 27 at Sprague*
said. “We’re doing
Oct. 4 at Bend
pretty well from
an
experience
Oct. 10 vs. West Salem*
standpoint on the
offensive side of
Oct. 18 vs. Oregon City*
the ball.”
Oct. 25 at Summit
But
where
South Salem lacks
Nov. 1 vs. McNary
experience is at
*game will start at 7:15 p.m.
the quarterback
position.
With
the
graduation
SCHEDULE
of last year’s signal-caller
Elijah Enomoto-Haole —
who received an honorable
mention nod in 2018 — the
Saxons will be calling on 15-
year old sophomore Griffi n
Gardner to take control of
the South Salem offense this
season.
Gardner was the freshman
team quarterback last season
and has shown over the
summer that he has what it
takes to play at the varsity level.
“(Gardner) has been a good
leader. Our kids voted him
captain as a 15-year old. We
feel pretty good about him,”
Dufault said.
South Salem will also have
some question marks on the
defensive side of the ball.
While the Letisi brothers,
along with Montiel-Gomez,
will also see action on the
defensive line, Dufault is
hoping he can fi nd more
depth at that position.
“We can’t play them 90
snaps a game. We’re going
to have to fi nd some guys to
play there. We’re still trying to
identify those guys because
the more guys we can play up
front on defense, the better,”
Dufault said.
The Saxons will also have
the diffi cult task of replacing
Josh Raynak at linebacker —
Raynak was the only fi rst-
team all-leaguer on the South
Salem defense last year.
Rickman, along
with
Parker Johnson and Dustin
Kunze will be heading up
the linebacking core for the
Saxons this season.
Dufault
feels
pretty
comfortable
with
Gabe
Johnson and Zach Case, who
is the backup quarterback, at
the two safety spots. However,
the Saxons are still deciding
what their cornerback rotation
will be heading into the fi rst
week of the season.
“We’re young on the back-
end, which is a tough place to
be young. But if they develop,
I think we will be okay,” Du-
fault said.
South Salem comes into
2019 with an outside chance
at a playoff opportunity,
especially since their four
toughest games — Oregon
City, Sunset, West Salem and
McNary — are all at home.
But Dufault knows that some
of his younger kids will have
to step up in order to make
that happen.
“I feel pretty good coming
into this season. I don’t know
what we’re looking at as far as
wins and losses, but it would be
great to compete for a league
title and make the playoffs, and
I think we have the capability
to do that, but we have some
people that need to develop
fi rst,” Dufault said.
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