THE DALLES — The Dalles High Riverhawks had a great start to their 2024 Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) Class 4A football season, winning their first two games, but a 1-7 finish led to a fourth place showing in the five-team league standings.
The Riverhawks, guided by second-year Coach Nate Timmons and assistants Gabe Scherrer and Kyle Lee, are hoping for a similar start this season along with a better finish — with the goal of making the state playoffs for the first time since 2019.
“I’m feeling pretty good about our team this year,” said Timmons. “Our goal last year was to make the playoffs, and we only missed out on that by a game or two. … Our goal is the same that we had last year and that is to make the playoffs.”
The Riverhawks lost five seniors from last year’s squad, which was 1-3 in Special District 2 and 3-6 overall. The majority of their team – led by 12 seniors — returns. The Riverhawks will be led by a solid group of players who earned 2024 Special District 2 all-conference awards, including senior defensive back Reese Kenslow and senior punter London Leitz, who was honorable mention all-state.
Timmons said: “I’m feeling much more comfortable this year in my second season and I’m really excited for this group of kids. It was really nice having the combination of an entire offseason of planning and being able to have kids coming back already knowing the system that we’re utilizing. … I feel like our team is off to a great start this year.”
Other key players, each who earned all-conference awards last year and are expected to help lead the Riverhawks this season, include seniors Logan Mitchell (honorable mention), Bryce Lindsey (honorable mention), Josh Brackenbury (second team defense), Hunter Bustos (second team defense) and Everest Lenardson (second team offense).
Mitchell (quarterback), junior Shea Anderson (quarterback) and sophomore Bryson Cates (running back) are also expected to be offensive leaders for the Riverhawks.
The Riverhawks begin a nine-game schedule with a 7 p.m. season opening home game Aug. 29 versus the Class 3A Umatilla High Vikings (1-7 in 2024) on the Wahtonka Campus at Sid White Field. The game will be broadcast by announcer Al Wynn on KODL radio station AM 1440 and FM 100.7 beginning with a 6:45 p.m. pregame show.
The Riverhawks moved into a different league this football season. They’ll be in the five-team Special District 5 with the Pendleton High Buckaroos (7-4 in 2024), Ontario High Tigers (3-6 in 2024), La Grande High Tigers (5-5 in 2024) and the Baker High Bulldogs (1-8 in 2024). League games begin October 10 with The Dalles playing at Ontario. Three of The Dalles’ four league games are away.
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