Oregon all-star football game features one player representing Washington — new Camas star Luke Webb
The Les Schwab Bowl.
It’s a high school football all-star game featuring many of the top players from around the state of Oregon.
That’s definitely true, but it’s not quite 100-percent accurate. It’s actually an all-star football game featuring many of the top players from around the state of Oregon and one player from Washington.
Even that is a tiny bit off. It’s an all-star football game featuring many of the top players from Oregon and one player from Washington — by way of California.
That one player is Luke Webb — and he’s more than happy to be included.
“It means a great deal to me. I really appreciate it, being the new kid on the block,” said Webb, who will play on the defensive line for Team Columbia in the all-star tilt Friday at Lewis & Clark College in Portland. “For me to get noticed so quickly, it’s a good welcoming gift for me, coming to this state. I’m super excited to play in the game and to meet new people and make new relationships.”
The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Webb will be representing Camas (Wash.) High School in Friday’s game, although he has yet to play in a game for the Papermakers. Last fall, Webb was a standout edge rusher for JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Last winter, he transferred to Camas and made an immediate impact on the wrestling mats for the Papermakers, placing fifth in the 285-pound weight class at the 2024 WIAA Washington Wrestling Mat Classic state event at the Tacoma Dome.
Now, the player from Washington by way of California is looking to make some noise in Oregon.
“I’m super thankful to be invited to an Oregon all-star game, especially coming from Washington,” Webb said. “I’m from just across the river, but it was a special deal to me.”
So, how did it all come about?
“I was sent an invitation on Instagram,” Webb said. “I didn’t know if I could do it, but the coaches said that they’d help make it happen, and I’m super stoked to be here with my friends and to play ball.”
Even though he is from across the river, Webb is seeing plenty of familiar faces around him during Les Schwab Bowl week.
“I know Zac (Stascausky) and most of the Central Catholic dudes,” he said.
Is he worried the style of play in Oregon is different from what he’s used to?
“I would say no,” Webb said. “Football is football.”
As for his future in football, that appears to be set, as Webb has committed to play for Washington State University.
“Coach (Jake) Dickert and Coach (Frank) Maile, they believed in me from Day 1,” Webb said. “They’re really good dudes. They believe in me, and they have a plan for me. They’ve been watching me ever since my freshman year, when I lived in California. They’ve been waiting to talk with me, and as soon as they offered me, I was super excited. I was actually wrestling at the time.”
Webb did not accept the offer immediately.
“They offered me, and I was kind of sitting on it,” he said. “I went on an unofficial visit, and it just felt like it was right. I committed, and I went on my official visit, and that reassured everything that I thought it was. It’s a great place. Go Cougs!”
But first, Webb is looking forward to his senior season at Camas, where he’ll join a Papermakers team that went 9-2 last year.
“It’s looking good. We’re supposedly going to have the best defense the team has ever had,” Webb said. “We want to be the best defense of all time for that school. We have a mantra — we want to win a ring this year. That’s what we’re going for.”
Before that is Friday’s Les Schwab Bowl, where, again, Webb has victory on his mind.
“Winning is very important to me,” he said. “I’m a very competitive person, and so are my teammates. I just want to win, and I want to whoop butt and dominate.”
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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