How can Emmitt Fee top his junior year at Wilsonville? Les Schwab Bowl is a good start
When he looks back on his junior year at Wilsonville, Emmitt Fee gets a smile.
That makes perfect sense.
For one thing, he helped the Wildcats boys basketball team reach the championship game at the Class 5A state tournament.
When it comes to last year’s football campaign, Fee’s smile gets even bigger.
With Fee playing multiple roles for Wilsonville throughout the season, the Wildcats won it all, topping Mountain View 29-23 in the Class 5A state championship game.
“It was a great time,” Fee said of his junior year. “All of the great dudes I got to play with — it was so much fun. It was great that we got to go all the way.”
It might be hard for him to top all those accomplishments in the upcoming year, but he’s getting a jump on what could be a huge senior campaign as he’ll be playing for Team Willamette in Friday’s Les Schwab Bowl, a high school football all-star game featuring many of the top players from around the state, which will be played at Lewis & Clark College in Portland.
“It’s an honor,” the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Fee said of getting chosen to play in the all-star contest. “A lot of great players have played here, a lot of NFL guys. And it’s fun to make good friends and make good memories here.”
During his junior football season at Wilsonville, Fee stepped up in so many ways for the Wildcats. Playing tight end, he had a 3-yard touchdown catch in a 34-2 semifinal win over Summit — coming in a rematch of the 2022 state title tilt. In the championship game victory, shining at defensive end, he had 10 total tackles, including a sack and two tackles for loss.
He even kicked extra points during the season when needed.
“I just wanted to help my team the best I could, any way I could,” Fee said modestly. “If it was me or the dude next to me, it didn’t really matter, as long as we got the win.”
He’s taking that same attitude to Friday’s Les Schwab Bowl, where he’ll be a big target at tight end for Team Willamette in the battle with Team Columbia.
“I’m looking to dominate, do my job and play for the guy next to me. And I want to have some fun,” Fee said. “If everyone does their job and plays hard, the score will take care of itself.”
As for the start of his senior season, even though Wilsonville graduated standout quarterback Kallen Gutridge, the Class 5A offensive player of the year, Fee sees the Wildcats ready to step up again.
“We’ve got some gaps to fill, but we’ll be strong, like we are most years,” he said.
Four other key returning players for Wilsonville — Nick Crowley, Roman Kealoha, Carter Christiansen and Lincoln Mason — are joining Fee on Team Willamette, which is led by Wilsonville head coach Adam Guenther.
“It’s been so much fun, making memories with all of these dudes,” Fee said.
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Proceeds from this year’s Les Schwab Bowl, presented by Express Employment Professionals, will benefit the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association general scholarship fund, the Brayden Bafaro Scholarship Fund and various youth charities.
This is the 76th game in the series, but just the third that won’t be North vs. South. Instead, players were drafted by the Team Columbia coaching staff, with head coach Steve Pyne, who led Central Catholic to the 2023 Class 6A state title, and by the Team Willamette coaching staff, with head coach Adam Guenther, who guided Wilsonville to the Class 5A state crown.
In last year’s game, the second under this format, Team Columbia posted a 42-13 win over Team Willamette, giving Team Columbia a 2-0 lead in the brief series under the current format.
Gates will open at 4 p.m. Saturday, with food carts and a beer/wine garden on site. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
Tickets for the game, starting at $15, can be purchased online at lesschwabbowl.com/tickets.
DAN BROOD