Sprague could be a sleeper in Oregon high school football with several key returning players, led by dominant line

The Olympians impressed at the recent Metro Area Lineman Challenge and hope to lead a resurgence for Sprague football in 2024

The Metro Area Lineman Challenge.

It says it all right there. And it’s accurate — well, mostly accurate.

The event featured some of the top high school football linemen from teams in the metro area, with one exception — one team from outside the metro Portland area. That would be Sprague, and the Olympians showed up with plenty of motivation and with something to prove.

“We want to show what we’re about,” Sprague senior-to-be Aedan Saele said during the 2024 Metro Area Lineman Challenge, which was held last month at Hare Field in Hillsboro. “We’re up here to compete with all of these top schools from up here in the Portland area. We want to say, ‘Hey, we’re from Salem, but we can still win. We can compete.’”

“Yeah, that’s motivation,” Sprague senior-to-be Trae Mackaravitz said. “We want to show what we’re about.”

It became obvious right from the start that the Olympians were all about giving it their all at the competition, which featured such events as the 40-yard dash, shuttle run, vertical jump, standing broad jump, bench press, farmer’s carry, tractor tire flip, two-man sled relay and team tug-of-war.

“I think this means a lot to us as a team, especially out here with the linemen,” said Saele, who will play tight end and linebacker for the Olympians this fall. “You don’t get a lot of recognition. Your job is to be a hand-in-the-dirt guy and to play smash-mouth football.”

“It’s going pretty good,” said Mackaravitz, who will battle for the Olympians on the offensive and defensive lines this season. “I think I could do a little better in some events, but our team is looking great. I’m really proud of everyone.”

Sprague stepped up to finish in fourth place (out of 17) in the final team standings with 49 points. The Olympians trailed champion Sherwood, which scored 78 points, Sunset, which scored 64, and Lake Oswego, which totaled 55. Sprague finished ahead of defending champion Tualatin, which finished fifth with 39.

Sprague finished fourth at last month's Metro Area Lineman Challenge in Hillsboro. / Photo by Dan Brood

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Saele, coming off a junior season in which he earned all-South Central Football Conference honorable mention accolades at linebacker, shined for the Olympians, finishing fourth among all competitors in the lightweight division. He was fifth overall.

“I think I’m having a pretty good day. I’m having a lot of fun out here with my teammates, competing with them,” he said. “I try to focus on myself, water my own garden, and not worry about other people.”

Saele had a standing broad jump of 100.5 inches, which tied for fifth among all competitors. His vertical jump of 30 inches tied for fourth, and his shuttle run time of 4.46 seconds was second. Saele had 18 reps of 185 pounds in the bench press, a 40-yard dash time of 5.12 and 10 flips in the tractor tire flip.

“It’s nice to get a chance to show what you can do,” Saele said. “There’s not many opportunities like this around Oregon, so to be at one is great. I’m glad this is here.”

The 6-3, 250-pound Mackaravitz, who was an honorable mention all-conference pick at tackle as a junior, also stepped up, finishing fifth in the heavyweight division individual standings.

“My best event has to be the bench press — I did 20,” Mackaravitz said. “I could have done more, but my arms were pumping.”

His 20 lifts in the bench press topped the Olympians and tied for seventh among all competitors. Mackaravitz had a mark of 80 yards in the farmer’s carry, which tied for the team lead and tied for seventh overall.

Sprague junior-to-be Carter Wilson also had a mark of 80 yards in the farmer’s carry. Senior-to-be Cameron Larson had an impressive performance with 16 lifts in the bench press, a standing broad jump of 91.5 inches, a vertical leap of 26 inches, 60 yards in the farmer’s carry and 11 flips in the tractor tire flip, which put him in a tie with Mackaravitz, junior-to-be Bohdi Jones and sophomore-to-be Emmett Hunsaker for the team’s best mark in that event. Senior-to-be Ty Moseby had 17 lifts in the bench press, and junior-to-be Jacob Makarenko had 11 lifts in the bench press, 10 tractor tire flips and 62 yards in the farmer’s carry.

After going 2-7 last year, the Olympians are eyeing a big bounceback season in 2024. / Photo by Dan Brood

The Metro Area Lineman Challenge has been part of a big and busy summer for the Olympians. Saele, Mackaravitz, senior-to-be Trayton Futi and senior-to-be Kenya Johnson played in the Les Schwab Bowl, with Johnson having an interception-return touchdown for the victorious Team Columbia squad.

Sprague appears to have a strong group of returning players this season. Johnson was a second-team all-conference pick at running back last year. Futi was a second-team selection at defensive back, and senior-to-be quarterback Dukatti Witherspoon was an honorable mention pick, as was senior-to-be receiver Aidan Andresen.

All of this has the Olympians, who went 2-7 last year, excited for the upcoming high school football campaign.

“It’s looking great,” Saele said. “There were four of us down at the Les Schwab Bowl. We’ve been grinding all June, all of July, and we’ve got all August ahead of us. Our skill guys are doing great, and our linemen are working (hard) every single day. We went to the Linfield camp, which was a four-day grind.”

Sprague opens its season Aug. 30, when it will play host to Newberg in a nonleague contest.

“I’m really excited,” Mackaravitz said. “Our whole team is full of stars and people I’ve been on a team with for a good portion of my life.”

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