The Wildcats had a lot of people to prove wrong going into the 2017 season. Critics claimed their defense would be good, but they lost too many stars on offense to make a playoff push. They said that they lost too many seniors, they were too young, they did not have enough firepower. Everyone thought that the Cats would not succeed this year; everyone except the Cats. Going into this summer Guenther and the coaching staff knew what they had lost in the D1 quarterback Connor Neville, and star receivers Harrison Steiger  and Johnny Neville. They also knew that they had an abundance of talent coming in the form of a large 2019 class. They had confidence that they would be a talented team, but how far they went would be up to the work ethic and determination of the players.

Starting out the season against South Medford’s 6A powerhouse was a major test for the Wildcats that proved to be for the best. 7-35 was the final outcome, starting the  Wildcats 0-1. It was only up from there. The Cats breezed through their next 4 games. Taking down Franklin 52-0, demolishing Hillsboro 52-14, Handling St. Helens 57-7, and winning 41-14 against Putnam. The Wildcats had proved the critics wrong and put together a convincing 4-1 record as they prepared to face what was supposed to be their biggest league challenge of the season, Sandy.

Sandy had given Wilsonville their only regular season loss during the 2016 season so the Wildcats knew what  they were up against. Sandy had lost a powerhouse of a running back but also had a large part of their team return. Wilsonville, along with the rest of the state, anticipated a hard fought battle between the teams. This is why it came as such a surprise when the Wildcats beat them 48-14 in one of the most convincing wins of the season. This win gave the team the confidence and mentality that they could win it all and finish what they had failed to accomplish the previous season. They needed to continue to focus on each opponent week by week and continue to shock the state.

The Cats made a push going into the playoffs, including 3 solid wins against Parkrose, Milwaukie, and La Salle. The Wildcats defense was officially one of the best in the state, and the offense had proved to be a balanced threat both on the ground, as well as in the air. They had been matched up against Bend going into the first round of the playoffs. Bend was a very good team that, through some unfortunate calls by the officials and questionable plays, had a mediocre record. The Cats knew not to take them lightly and to prepare like it was the most important game of the year, which it was. The hard work in practice paid off as the Wildcats waltzed their way to a 41-21 win against the Lava Bears. The second round would be an important game for the Cats. They were going to face Lebanon. The team that had beat them in the state championship the year before. The returning juniors and seniors of Wilsonville had unfinished business with this team  and worked hard in  practice to give themselves the best odds at victory. Lebanon went down 31-7 as the Wildcats moved on to the State semifinals against Hermiston.

The biggest challenge the Wildcats would face against this Hermiston team would be stopping their big 3. Their quarterback, running back, and star receiver all played both ways and all had over 1000 yards on the season. Starting off the game the Cats struggled. They found themselves down 22-0 early and had an uphill battle to fight. They scored a touchdown before the end of the first half making it 7-22. The Wildcats fought hard the rest of the game. They brought it within one touchdown but failed to convert the onside kick which would have given them a chance. They ended up losing 35-27 against the Bulldogs. Hermiston went on to win the state championship the following week.

The Cats, although they didn’t win the title, definitely had a season to remember. They  ignored the hate and critics that said they wouldn’t be anything this year. They defied the odds and made  it to Hillsboro stadium which not many teams can say they did.This community is proud of the Wildcats and all they achieved this year. Thank you to the seniors who fought their hardest every game. We look forward to seeing how the Cats bounce back next year.