Les Schwab Bowl gives Ridge Huot one last game to ‘rep the green and gold’ of West Linn
Green.
Gold.
West Linn.
Football.
Put it all together, and it means oh-so-much to Ridge Huot.
Huot, a 2024 West Linn graduate, gets a smile when he talks about his time playing football for the Lions.
“It meant so much to me, just being able to rep the green and gold every year, and playing with my brothers since I was young,” he said.
The 6-foot-2, 275-pound Huot found plenty of success on the gridiron at West Linn, shining especially while playing center.
In his junior year, when he helped anchor a powerful Lions offensive line, he helped West Linn win the 2022 Class 6A state championship, with the Lions topping Sheldon 23-14 in the title tilt.
Last fall, when he was a first-team Class 6A all-state pick at center, he helped lead the Lions to an 11-1 record, with their only defeat being a 12-7 loss to eventual champion Central Catholic in a semifinal showdown.
“We were such a tight-knit group, and playing with the same guys every year meant a lot to us and led to our success,” Huot said.
Although he graduated from West Linn, Huot gets to represent the Lions one last time, as he’ll be playing for Team Columbia 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.
“For sure, that makes it mean more,” Huot said. “That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to play in this game — to get to rep the green and gold one more time and represent West Linn.”
On Team Columbia, Huot, like at West Linn, finds himself teamed with a strong group of linemen, including Central Catholic senior-to-be Zac Stascausky and Springfield graduate Sam Keen, just to name a couple.
“We’re really looking solid. We’re starting to jell together. We’ll be looking good,” Huot said of the group of linemen. “We have some big personalities, and everyone is able to get along with each other and come together well.”
As for Friday’s game, where Team Columbia will face off with Team Willamette, Huot is looking for one last victory wearing his West Linn helmet.
“I don’t like to lose, so winning is very important. But at the end of the day, it’s fun to go out, play one more game and represent our town,” he said.
“This week has been so fun. I’ve had a blast, we’re nonstop doing stuff, and getting back in the football mindset has been super fun.”
Huot likely will stay in his football mindset, as he’s going to play at the collegiate level.
“I’m going to Linfield University to play O-line,” he said. “I’m excited about that.”
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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