Max Nowlin hopes Les Schwab Bowl is precursor to championship football season for Scappoose
Max Nowlin knows what it’s like to win a championship — twice.
The Scappoose senior-to-be also knows what it’s like to fall just short of a championship — twice.
Nowlin has been a key player for the Scappoose baseball team, which has claimed back-to-back Class 4A state championships.
He also has been the starting quarterback for the school’s football squad, which has reached the semifinal round of the Class 4A state playoffs each of the past two seasons, only to see its title hopes dashed.
Needless to say, championships are better. And in his upcoming senior season, Nowlin wants a football crown to go with his baseball titles.
“It’s definitely motivation for this year,” Nowlin said. “We’ve come up short two years in a row now — my sophomore and junior years. It’s something to put on the bulletin board. This season, we’re going to come out firing.”
Nowlin is getting a bit of a head start on his senior season this week, as he’ll be a quarterback on Team Willamette in the Les Schwab Bowl, a high school football all-star game featuring many of the top players from around the state, which will be played Friday at Lewis & Clark College in Portland.
“It’s amazing to get to be around these group of guys, best in the state of Oregon,” the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Nowlin said of the opportunity to play in the all-star contest. “It definitely elevates my game. It’s fun to be out here with them. They’re not only great players, but great guys.”
Nowlin, a first-team all-Cowapa League selection and an honorable mention Class 4A all-state pick at quarterback as a junior, is looking to benefit from his week preparing for the Les Schwab Bowl as he’s aiming for a big senior season at Scappoose.
“I’m just picking the brains of all these coaches,” he said. “It’s not just the best players in the state, but also the best coaches who are here. I’m just trying to learn everything that I can.”
He’s also going to turn to his championship experience with the Scappoose baseball team.
“Back-to-back is huge. It’s just a testament to our team,” said Nowlin, who went 3 for 4 for Scappoose in a 5-4 win over Marist Catholic in this spring’s Class 4A state title game. “Some say it’s harder to repeat than to win the first time. I think that’s true. It’s hard to keep that winning mindset, but we had a great group of guys who are a group of winners.”
Nowlin added that the baseball team’s championship success very well could carry over to football season.
“It’s just guys who are used to playing in big games, regardless of the sport, so that definitely helps in pressure moments,” he said. “And it’s also guys who know how to win.”
Speaking of winning, Nowlin is hoping to help lead Team Willamette to a victory over Team Columbia in Friday’s Les Schwab Bowl.
“Winning is important,” he said. “This is a competitive group of guys. I’m competitive, Jackson (Bell from Sherwood, Team Willamette’s other quarterback) is competitive. We want to win. That’s always the goal.”
But no matter the outcome of Friday’s game, Nowlin is enjoying his week with his Les Schwab Bowl teammates.
“It’s been great,” he said. “We really stress that the priority is to have fun, and that’s really true. It’s a lot of fun out here.”
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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