Kenen Elder, Jayden Fortier, AJ Noland — what to call Tualatin trio? For starters, maybe the best receiver group in Oregon high school football
They seem to have it all.
Talent? Check.
Size? Check.
Experience? Check.
Hands? Check.
Speed? Check.
Route-running finesse? Check.
Motivation? Double check.
But Kenen Elder, Jayden Fortier and AJ Noland, the hard-working, gifted trio of senior-to-be receivers on the Tualatin football team, is missing one thing — a nickname.
“We don’t have a nickname, but we’ve got to think of one,” Fortier, the Timberwolves’ standout receiver/tight end, said with a laugh during a team workout last month. “This will be our second year being together, so we need one. I think we’ll come up with something cool by the start of the season. Probably during Media Day, that’s when we’ll drop it.”
While the “Three Amigos” has already been taken by the Denver Broncos receivers in the late 1980s, you can likely count on Elder, Fortier and Noland, or maybe their Tualatin teammates, to come up with something unique and fitting. Opposing defenses, on the other hand, will most likely just call them “scary.”
Who could blame them?
After all, Elder, Fortier and Noland each is an imposing handful to try to cover. Put them all together on the field, and you just might be looking at a nightmare of a task.
“I don’t think so,” Fortier said when asked if all three Tualatin receivers could be shut down at the same time. “Because if I’m on, they’ve got to double me. That leaves (Elder) open on the slot. If Kenen is on, they’re doubling him, and that leaves AJ open. And if they’re doubling AJ over the top, then that leaves the middle wide open. So, I don’t think there are too many teams who can run with us.”
“I feel we’re the top receiver group in the state,” the ultra-quick Elder said.
Yes, the Tualatin receivers have the confidence to go with their talent. They also have focus — with their main focus being on helping lead the Timberwolves to success in the 2023 season.
“As a team, we want to win state,” Elder said. “I feel like we owe that to the city, we owe it to the seniors from the last two years. We have a lot of pressure on us, but we can handle it.”
“Obviously, the first goal is to win (the Three Rivers League title), and then to go on and win the whole thing,” Fortier said. “That state championship loss two years ago hurt, and last year, the semifinal bounce hurt. We have all the pieces to reload and come back even better. We’re going to be firing on all cylinders.”
Fortier and Noland know something about winning state championships, as they’ve been part of the Tualatin boys basketball program that has won the past two Class 6A state crowns. The 6-foot-5 Fortier had a huge performance for the Timberwolves in their 60-47 win over West Linn in the 2023 title game, scoring nine points and pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds.
“As a team, the goal is definitely the state championship, bringing home that trophy,” Noland said of the upcoming football season. “Me and Jayden, we’ve both been there with the basketball team two years in a row, so we know what has to go into it. There’s going to be highs and lows. It’s just a matter of staying connected as a team. It’s going to be a tough road. There’s a lot of really good teams in the state, but as long as we keep our heads on straight and keep our eyes forward, I feel like we have a really good shot at putting it all together.”
Growing up together
The Tualatin receivers certainly seem to have strong chemistry and teamwork on the field.
That didn’t happen overnight.
No, this isn’t a case of transfers joining up on a team trying to form a cohesive group. This pack of Timberwolves has been together — as friends and teammates — for many years.
“First off, the friendship that we’ve built, along with some other teammates, we have such a strong connection and we’re so close — we’re almost like brothers,” Elder said. “We do everything together. We’ve grown up together. We know each other really well, and that helps on the field. It’s a really good friendship.”
“We’re all friends, for one. We’ve all known each other for so long,” Noland said. “I played baseball with Jayden — that was the first sport we played together, since fifth grade. Me and Kenen, we’ve known each other since kindergarten. We all hang out together. But once it gets to the court or to the field, we’re all competitive.”
Fortier was the last one to join the group.
“It’s been great. I came in here late. I moved in fifth grade — that was my first year here,” he said. “But as soon as I got here, these dudes treated me like family. I consider them to be family. I love them to death, and I’d do anything for them. I think the biggest thing is just how tight-knit we are. It all means a lot to us, and it helps us on Fridays. We trust each other like brothers. We might fight, we might argue, but at the end of the day, it’s all love.”
Like family, like brothers, things might get a little tense at times — especially since Elder and Noland also are standout defensive backs.
“These dudes push me every day,” Fortier said. “Kenen, in my opinion, is a Power Five (college football conference) corner. AJ is a Power Five safety. I can go against these dudes every day in practice. I’m not getting any breaks, and they’re not getting any breaks. But at the end of the day, it’s all love. I know they’re going to push me to be great, and I want to do the same for them. There’s a little scuffle here or there, but it’s all love in the end.”
“I feel like we all compete against each other,” Elder said. “But I think the thing that stands out most is that we’re versatile players. AJ has offers for both sides of the ball. I have offers for both sides of the ball. Jayden could very well have offers for both sides of the ball. That makes us compete even more. It’s not just wide receiver, tight end, DB — it’s he can go to wide receiver and I can go to corner, and we can compete that way.”
Catching on
While Elder, Fortier and Noland all could be classified as receivers, they are certainly different types of receivers, with each bringing different strengths to the field.
The 6-5, 220-pound Fortier possesses size, speed and strength.
“I’m going to be a hybrid tight end. I’ll still split out and be that XZ receiver, but I’ll get tight end reps as well, just because of the mismatches and all,” Fortier said. “I’m a pretty big dude, and I think I move pretty well for my size. I think the biggest thing for me is my hands. If you just throw it up there, it’s a 50-50 ball, but it’s really 80-20.”
He adds that he needs to improve his routes — and he knows where to turn for that.
“The biggest thing I need to work on is making sure my routes are smooth and fluid. I actually learn from Kenen a lot,” Fortier said. “We work out a lot, working on routes, because he’s the smoothest route-runner in the state, in my opinion. He’s taught me a lot.”
They’ve been working together for a while now.
“We started training as receivers together back in ninth grade,” Elder said. “His brother (Devon Fortier) would take us to the field during COVID, and we’d compete against each other.”
That’s helped Elder’s play at receiver as well.
“I’d say I’m a pure wide receiver, a route-runner with speed,” said the 6-0, 174-pound Elder. “I’m really technical with my routes and all of that. I can catch, I can do anything. My route-running is definitely the strongest part of my game. The biggest thing I need to work on is yards after catch, for sure. I can improve on everything.”
The 6-1, 180-pound Noland brings a different quality to the gridiron.
“I’d say I’m more of an athlete playing wide receiver,” he said. “Everything I’ve learned about wide receiver came from these dudes. I played quarterback all through youth football. I’d say I’m more of a yards-after-catch guy, getting the ball in the open field and stretching the field on a long ball. Any time you can get me the ball quickly, so I can run at people, that’s when I feel I’m most dangerous.”
So, how do these three different styles of receiver mesh on the field?
“Jayden is 6-5, and he’s one of the fastest guys on the field, if not the fastest,” Noland said. “And no one is going to be able to guard Kenen one-on-one, if it’s a true one-on-one. And with me, get me the ball quickly and I can go. So, it’s me over the top, the middle game with Kenen, and just being bigger and stronger than everyone with Jayden.”
Add to that, there’s no jealousy.
“Just because, with all the talent around the perimeter, with all the bonding and team chemistry we have, we don’t care who gets the ball,” Fortier said. “Like, against Tigard, AJ put up 150 (yards; 155, to be exact), and me and Kenen were like, ‘If he’s eating, let him eat!’ There’s no jealousy with any of it. If one person is doing good, give him the rock. And when we’re all firing, it’s scary.”
That leads to the next question: Does Tualatin have the best group of receivers in the state?
“Oh, 100 percent,” Elder said with a smile. “I feel like Tualatin has had really good receivers the past few years. But I feel that us three, we’re on a high level. We’ve got speed, we’ve got length, route-running — everything you need to have a really solid receiving corps. And I feel with the experience we got last year, and with another really solid QB (Nolan Keeney) this year, things are going to work out perfectly fine.”
“This is the best group,” Fortier said. “Over the past years, we’ve had great receivers. We’ve had Cole Prusia, we’ve had Pete (Burke), all of those dudes. But now that we’re all seniors, I feel like we’re at our peak in high school. I just feel that we’re a complete group that can do it all.”
“Of course, I have to say yes,” Noland said. “These are my guys, going up against them every day, defense, offense — most of the time I’m guarding these dudes. They’re pushing me, I’m pushing them. Best on best is when you get the most out of yourselves. Any time I’m guarding Jayden or Kenen, I know I’m guarding the best in the state.”
Noland also was quick to point out that there’s more than just the three standouts that opposing teams will have to worry about this season.
“Us three, we’ll do our thing. We’ve also got two new kids from Canada, Thomas and Matthew, and they both can ball,” he said. “They just showed up this summer, and they can really move. We’ve also got Tyson Hunt returning from last year. He plays tight end, and he’s a big boy, too. He can catch the ball and he can run. It’s not just us three that people have to worry about. If we’re off the field, someone else can come in just at the same high level. They can never take a play off against us.”
Learning last year
It might be an understatement to say that Tualatin has established a strong football tradition.
In 2021, the Timberwolves made it all the way to Class 6A state championship contest before falling to Central Catholic.
Last year, in its first season under head coach Dominic Ferraro, Tualatin advanced to the semifinals of the state playoffs before falling 28-14 to Sheldon at McNary High School in Keizer. That left the Timberwolves with a final record of 9-3.
“It was a good season overall. We had a good run in the playoffs — just a tough last game,” said Noland, who missed the semifinal contest because of injury. “Overall, it was a good year. We got a lot of experience, and we’re going to bring that back to this season.”
“Last year was definitely frustrating,” Fortier said. “But for me personally, coming back from an injury my sophomore year and getting to play a full season with my brothers out here meant a lot to me.”
“Last year was frustrating. I felt like we had a chance to win it all,” Elder said. “If we would have gotten another shot at (Class 6A state champion) West Linn, I thought we could have competed the best against them. Not having AJ in that Sheldon game definitely hurt us. But all of that gave us motivation for this year. We’re taking that and running with it.”
Noland led the receiving corps last year with a team-best 36 catches for 609 yards and nine touchdowns, including a spectacular 99-yard touchdown reception in a 31-21 win over rival Tigard. He rushed for 180 yards and another score. Noland was a first team all-Three Rivers League selection at receiver and safety. He was a Class 6A all-state honorable mention pick at receiver and earned first-team accolades at safety.
Elder had 22 receptions for 450 yards (a 20.5 yards-per-catch average) and two scores. He was an honorable mention all-league pick at receiver and cornerback. He’s looking for bigger and better things this year — mainly because of motivation and hard work.
“Individually, I want to do the most I can for the team,” Elder said. “I’d like to be first-team all-league. Personally, I felt like I was disrespected last year when it came to that. It’s 100 percent more motivation for this year. I feel like my improvement this offseason has been as good as anyone in the state. It’s from hard work and the mentality I had to run with in the offseason. I feel a lot faster, stronger, and I move a lot better. I feel like my skills are way more defined as well.”
Fortier had 35 catches for 439 yards and four touchdowns a year ago, when he was a second-team all-league pick at receiver.
“Individually, I got second-team all-league last year, so there’s kind of a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “Now that I’m committed, it all comes down to just having a big senior season, having fun with it, and making sure we come out on top when it’s over.”
All the statistics and honors aside, the Tualatin crew says it learned a lot from last season — not only from the experience, but also from the graduated seniors who played ahead of them.
“We learned from those guys just to never give up. They had the hardest road, with COVID. They just never gave up. They were one of the hardest-working classes we’ve ever had, and we learned a lot of lessons from them,” Fortier said. “I’ve known these dudes since I was 10 or 11 years old. So, just bonding with them over the years has been really special. Obviously, we’re going to miss Jack (Wagner) and Richie (Anderson). But Nolan is a great QB.”
Keeney, a junior-to-be, is a transfer from Westview, where he helped lead the Wildcats to last year’s Columbia Cup crown in postseason play. The Timberwolves have a motivated group of linemen, who showed their potential by winning the team title at the Metro Area Lineman Challenge last month at Hare Field in Hillsboro. Tualatin also likely will run a more up-tempo offense in its second season under Ferraro.
“This is a winning program,” Elder said. “We have a history of it. Coach Ferraro is a great coach. We have some new defensive coaches, and they’re doing a great job. I think we’re putting it all together. I feel like this is the year we’re going to do it.”
“We learned to persevere last year,” Noland said. “We had a really tough stretch where we lost to LO (Lake Oswego) and West Linn back-to-back. Those were two games that we could have won, should have won. We came back strong and finished strong. The goal this year is to get back to that point and win that (semifinal) game and finish up in the last game, with that state championship.”
College choices
Elder, Fortier and Noland plan on playing football in college. The question is: Where?
For Fortier, who is widely regarded as one of the top senior prospects in the state, that answer appears to be Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz.
“I love Tempe. The first time I touched down, when I went there in November, I just knew it was home,” said Fortier, who has orally committed to playing for the Sun Devils. “I just love the area. I love the old coaching staff, I love the new coaching staff, the players. I love the team bonding they all have. They’re about to flip the program around with Coach Kenny Dillingham. I know when he was at Oregon, he was a super cool dude. He gets his tight ends involved a lot. So, it was a no-brainer to go there.”
Fortier added that he’s glad to have the decision made before starting his senior season at Tualatin.
“It definitely took off a lot of pressure,” he said. “Going out here every Friday night, wondering who was going to offer me next, that would freak me out. It would put a lot of stress on me that I don’t need, but now I can come out here and enjoy my guys.”
Elder has drawn plenty of interest from colleges such as Yale, Navy, Air Force, Nevada and Portland State.
“For my recruitment, I’m really happy and grateful for the position I’m in,” Elder said. “I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove my senior season. I’m going to wait a little bit and see what comes, because I feel I can go somewhere a little bigger. I feel like I’m a Power Five talent. I love every single school that is in contact with me. I feel like if I had to pick right now, I don’t know where I’d go. I’m just waiting, seeing my options and how they play out.” (Since this story was written, Elder announced his commitment to Portland State.)
Noland recently went on an East-Coast tour of Ivy League schools.
“I went to see five of the Ivy League schools a couple of weeks ago. It’s really different over there. Even just the architecture over there — it was super impressive. They’ve got a lot to offer outside of football,” Noland said. “I feel like with my recruitment, it’s just determining if I want to go all-in on football. Because if I go outside the Ivy League, I’m going for football. Of course, building friendships and coaching staffs have a lot to do with things. Just determining what I want will have a lot to do with determining my future.”
While the prospect of playing college football is exciting, Elder, Fortier and Noland have something else on their mind first — the 2023 high school season.
“I feel like this season is special to us,” said Elder, who added that he’s looking forward to being a team leader, along with his fellow seniors. “I feel like the seniors last year, and seniors the past few years, took us three in and showed us how to be a leader. So, we owe it to the younger guys to be leaders for them and to show them what to do in practice, what to do off the field, and help make them be the best possible player they can be.”
“I want this season to be special, and I want it to go down in history,” Fortier said.
“It’s all gone by kind of fast. We’re seniors now, and it’s so real now,” Noland said. “Last year, I didn’t get to play in the semifinal game, so I feel like I owe it to these dudes and owe it to the team to give it everything I’ve got this year. Falling short would be tough. I’ve been both sides of this — won in the state championship, lost in the state championship. I know the difference between the two. There are days out here where you don’t want to practice, you don’t want to come out, it’s rainy, it’s Oregon, but that feeling of holding up a trophy at the end of the day is like no other.”
