Previewing the 2019 Silverton Foxes of the Class 5A Special District 3 (Mid-Willamette Conference)
Text by Bob Lundeberg; photos by Chase Allgood
Coach
Josh Craig
Third season at Silverton
16-6 record
2018 at a glance
Overall record: 9-2
League record: 8-1, tied for first in Mid-Willamette Conference
Playoffs: Defeated Parkrose 50-26 in first round; lost 20-16 to West Albany in quarterfinals
All-league players departed
Levi Nielsen, QB, first team
Ben Willis, OL/DL/K, first team
Hunter Runion, DB/KR, first team defense, honorable mention special teams
Jacob Adrian, DL, second team
Riley Kramer, DB, second team
Isaac Magana, WR/DB, honorable mention
Riley Kramer, WR, honorable mention
Logan Fergus, LB, honorable mention
2019 schedule
Sept. 6: at Central
Sept. 13: South Albany
Sept. 20: at Lebanon
Sept. 27: North Salem
Oct. 4: at Corvallis
Oct. 10: Dallas
Oct. 18: Crescent Valley
Oct. 25: at McKay
Nov. 1: West Albany
Players to watch
Grant Buchheit, sr., WR/DB
Buchheit was Silverton’s top deep threat and leading receiver last season, earning second-team all-MWC honors as the Foxes shared the league title with West Albany. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound speedster also has great hands and will be a primary target for new quarterback Aaron Rieskamp. “He’s very smart, tough, and makes big plays when we need them,” Craig said.
Nathan Kuenzi, sr., RB/LB
The 5-11, 170-pound Kuenzi led the Foxes in rushing last season and is one of the most physical runners in Class 5A. “He loves to compete and can handle a lot of carries,” Craig said of Kuenzi, who received all-MWC honorable mention on offense. “He's a very tough kid.”
Hayden Roth, sr., RB/DL
Another physical runner in Silverton’s traditionally balanced offense, Roth was a second-team all-MWC running back last season. Standing 6-1 at 205 pounds, Roth is a load to bring down and a standout defensive end. “He is a big, physical player that can really get it rolling when carrying the ball,” Craig said. “An injury kept him sidelined last year for a few games, but he should really make an impact on both sides of the ball for us this year.”
Spencer Von Flue, sr., OL/DL
A varsity offensive lineman since his sophomore season, the 6-1, 255-pound Von Flue is the anchor of Silverton’s offense at center. He was a second-team all-MWC pick last year. “He’s probably our smartest player and is the leader of our offensive line,” Craig said.
Tashaun Treat, sr., OL/DL
Treat was a starting guard last year and made second-team all-MWC on offense and received honorable mention on the defensive line. Craig said the 6-foot, 270-pound Treat had a great summer. “He’s a very strong and physical player that can get into guys quickly on the snap of the ball,” Craig added.
Zach MacBean, sr., TE/DL
Another two-way standout for the Foxes, the 6-1, 210-pound MacBean received second-team all-MWC honors at tight end last season. “He is a scrappy and smart player that makes key blocks and has demonstrated his toughness by fighting through several injuries and sicknesses last year,” Craig said. “He comes up big when we need him.”
Owen Magill, jr., LB
Magill started at middle linebacker as a sophomore and made first-team all-league for a defense that allowed just 19.5 points per game. “He is arguably our toughest kid,” Craig said. “He has the respect of the entire team and anchored our defense as a sophomore last year. Super competitive and very instinctual when reading the offense.”
Best-case scenario
On paper, no MWC team returns more talent than Silverton.
The Foxes dropped one conference game last year and won at West Albany to close the regular season, securing a share of the title. Two weeks later, the Bulldogs got revenge in Silverton in another tight, defensive contest.
With a strong set of linemen and Buchheit, Kuenzi, Roth and others leading the way offensively, the Foxes could roll right to the state championship game.
“I feel very good about the guys entering the season,” Craig said.
Most realistic scenario
Silverton has returners everywhere but must find a replacement for quarterback Levi Nielsen, a four-year starter who is now at Western Oregon.
Rieskamp, a junior, started four games last season when Nielsen went down with a knee injury. Sophomore Jordan McCarty is a talented athlete who could push for playing time at multiple positions, including quarterback.
If the Foxes are unable to find a reliable signal-caller, it’s unlikely they’ll repeat as MWC champions.
“It’s always nice having returning guys at important spots,” Craig said. “We’ll be young in some important areas, but we’re also bringing some solid experience back.”
Coach said
“I think every team enters the season wanting to contend for the league title. We’re proud of winning the conference last year and hope to continue that success this season. Our conference is very tough and any team can beat another team top to bottom. It’ll be a ‘one opponent at a time’ mentality all season for us. If we can compete and scrap at all times, I’ll be proud of our guys no matter what.”
-- Josh Craig
More photos & previews
For more photos from Silverton training camp, visit the following link:
Silverton Foxes prepare for 2019 high school football season: Photos
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For previews of other teams, see here:
The Oregonian/OregonLive’s 2019 high school football tour: photos, previews, more
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