2A Greater St. Helens League preview: New-look league could feature exciting finish

For months, the 2A Greater St. Helens League had a planned merger with the 2A Evergreen Conference to form a 12-team league. Then, just days before the start of football practice on Aug. 19, District 4 pulled the plug on the plan. The leagues remained separate after all. For the teams in the 2A GSHL, the late reversal means a new-look league with North and South geographical divisions. Division games counting toward league standings and playoff positioning. The North division is Mark Morris, R.A. Long, Ridgefield and Woodland. The South division is Columbia River, Hudson’s Bay, Hockinson and Washougal. The path to get there was anything but smooth. Now that the dust has settled, coaches see plenty to like about the final product. “It makes the year fun for the next few years,” Columbia River coach Dewayne Patterson said. Mark Morris coach Mike Peck also called it a win-win for both leagues. “I think it protects our league and we get the playoff berths that we were supposed to get,” he said. “And we’re able to help the 2A Evergreen (Conference) out with filling their schedule and things like that.” The 2A GSHL’s division games will come late in the season, starting with Week 7 in mid-October. For Woodland coach Glen Flanagan, a three-game division race could make the final stretch particularly interesting. “Everybody in the league has a shot,” Flanagan said. “No matter who you are in week seven, eight, nine, you have a chance to do something.” That opportunity could be particularly appealing for Woodland, which enters the season with the belief it has the pieces to contend. Flanagan pointed to 6-foot-4 senior quarterback and linebacker Michael Belvin as one of the league’s best two-way players returning. He’s one of several key pieces for the Beavers, who also feature a talented group of skill-position players, led by sophomore Dayton Morris. First-team all-league safety Adam Ortiz leads the secondary. The Beavers’ confidence isn’t limited to the new league format. Flanagan believes the team has the talent to compete for a championship no matter what the league structure looks like. Mark Morris enters the season with a similar sense of optimism. Peck has spent the past two seasons building the Monarchs, and the coach believes he now has a group of players with significant experience in his system. The Monarchs are looking to play fast and spread the field — a similar offensive look to when Peck led 3A Prairie to a league title and state playoff berth in 2019 — with a deep receiving corps led by all-leaguer Daniel Kobayashi. Peck said he feels comfortable with virtually every position group and called it the most complete team he’s had at Mark Morris. Four-year starter Dalton Stevens at left tackle anchors the offensive line. “I feel comfortable about every position group,” he said. As for the rest of league: Columbia River The six-win season in 2025 by Columbia River was the most wins in the 2A era for the Rapids. This year’s team is young, including a whopping 38-player freshmen class, and will rely on two-time all-league tight end Greg Blau and all-league returner Zach Sims to set the tone. Washougal Washougal is the reigning league champion after going 9-2 in 2025. The Panthers have reached the state playoffs three of the past four seasons and have gone 32-11 in that span. Despite just five returning starters, coach Dave Hajek believes his Panthers can compete for the South division crown behind a nucleus of talent at various position groups. Senior two-way starter Owen MacDonald had 142 tackles at linebacker last season. Ridgefield Ridgefield has qualified for the postseason in each of coach Scott Rice’s seven seasons. The Spudders have a small senior class and will play perhaps the toughest non-league slate of any Southwest Washington team: 4As Battle Ground and Skyview and three-time 2A state runner-up Tumwater. Hockinson Expect to see a new-look offense at Hockinson. After going run-heavy behind a veteran offensive line in 2025, former Prairie standout and ex-St. Helens (Ore.) coach Nic Shuler joins the staff as offensive coordinator. The Hawks return eight starters on defense alone and have plenty of speed on the outside and in the secondary, with Mark Hogan, Jack Robinson and Rowen Matson. Hudson’s Bay Hudson’s Bay looks to build off its 2-7 season behind all-league safety and quarterback Xavier Lions. For the first time since 2019, the Eagles and Fort Vancouver will play in their rivalry game formerly known as the Peace Pipe Game. R.A. Long R.A. Long welcomes former Battle Ground and Castle Rock head coach Eric Boswell and returns six starters off its winless 2025 campaign.

Related Stories