You may want to get there early to grab a good seat for what looks like a battle for the Intermountain Conference, when the only two unbeaten IMC teams face off on Friday night at Summit High School at 7pm.

Summit, which started the season with a 42-14 loss at Class 6A Clackamas, has won four in a row and is 3-0 in IMC play. Bend is one of just four undefeated teams in all of Class 5A with a 5-0 record and is also 3-0 in the IMC.

The Storm have won the past three games, including a wild 17-14 game in 2013 that came down to the final play and ended in controversy. The last two games have not been close, with Summit pulling away. Bend had won the previous eight meetings before this streak and come in as one of the hottest teams in the state.

Some of the facts:
• Combined, they have beaten all the other IMC teams.
• Bend (211 points) is the second highest scoring Class 5A team behind Eagle Point (221).
• Summit is the 4th stingiest defense in 5A giving up 21.6 points per game.

Past Bend vs Summit Games
2015 – Summit 49, Bend 7
2014 – Summit 40, Bend 13
2013 – Summit 17, Bend 14
2012 – Bend 51, Summit 14
2011 – Bend 38, Summit 0
2010 – Bend 42, Summit 14
2009 – Bend 42, Summit 7
2008 – Bend 30, Summit 6
2007 – Bend 44, Summit 7
2006 – Bend 51, Summit 10
2005 – Bend 32, Summit 0
2004 – Summit 52, Bend 28

Summit’s Dawson Ruhl has emerged as candidate for state player of the year as a do it all running back who has even filled in at quarterback when the reigning Class 5A offensive player of the year John Bledsoe went down with an injury earlier this year. Bledsoe is back looks to cap off an impressive prep career before heading off to play football at Northern Arizona.

Bend is led offensively by one of the top running backs in 5A in Daniel Bazan. Quarterback Chase Lettenmaier and receiver Ryan Stanley have connected for over 300 yards and four of Lettenmaier’s nine touchdown passes.

Summit, which is ranked No. 1 in the latest OregonLive media poll in 2nd in the OSAA power rankings, just behind Wilsonville (5-0). Bend sits in 6th in the current power rankings.

Here are the all league players for INTERMOUNTAIN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL

Co-offensive players of the year: John Bledsoe, Summit, and Derek Brown, Redmond

Defensive player of the year: Jacob Thompson, Summit

Coach of the year: Joe Padilla, Summit

FIRST TEAM

Offense

C – Jake Brauchler, Redmond, senior

G – Colin Leutschaft, Redmond, senior

G – Noah Yunker, Summit, senior

T – Jakob Larsen, Bend, senior

T – Chris Steffey, Ridgeview, senior

T – Callan Connors, Summit, junior

TE – Austin Adye, Bend, senior

WR – Colton Love, Mountain View, senior

WR – Sean Kent, Summit, senior

RB – Cole Rixe, Bend, senior

RB – Derek Brown, Redmond, senior

RB – Brent Yeakey, Ridgeview, junior

QB – John Bledsoe, Summit, junior

K – Zach Emerson, Mountain View, senior

Defense

DL – Tyler Lammers, Bend, senior

DL – Logan Blake, Bend, senior

DL – Noah Yunker, Summit, senior

LB – Cameron Himes, Bend, senior

LB – Brent Yeakey, Ridgeview, junior

LB – Jacob Thompson, Summit, senior

LB – Chance Butler, Bend, junior

LB – Nick Aamodt, Redmond, senior

DB – Koltin Ramsay, Mountain View, junior

DB – Austin Cable, Redmond, senior

DB – Sean Kent, Summit, senior

DB – Stuart Bledsoe, Summit, senior

P – Zach Emerson, Mountain View, senior

SECOND TEAM

Offense

C – Cruz Christiansen, Ridgeview, senior

G – Brock Metternich, Bend, junior

G – Spencer Klein, Mountain View, junior

T – Tanner Gilchrist, Redmond, junior

T – JP Krueger, Summit, senior

TE – Tim Meagher, Summit, senior

WR – Alani Troutman, Redmond, senior

WR – Adam Dehm, Mountain View, junior

WR – Nick Rasmussen, Summit, senior

RB – Reed Dixon, Mountain View, junior

RB – Josh McElroy, Redmond, senior

RB – Dawson Ruhl, Summit, junior

QB – Bunker Parrish, Redmond, junior

QB – Chase Lettenmaier, Bend, junior

K – Kaden Wadsworth, Summit, senior

Defense

DL – Mario Nonato, Redmond, senior

DL – Josh Wittwer, Summit, senior

DL – Noah Nagle, Summit, senior

LB – Spencer Klein, Mountain View, junior

LB – Gabe Brauchler, Redmond, senior

LB – Jack Hamilton, Ridgeview, senior

LB – Brian Rill, Summit, senior

LB – Kyler Karpstein, Bend, senior

LB – Sean Hancock, Ridgeview, senior

DB – Adam Dehm, Mountain View, junior

DB – Hunter Smith, Redmond, senior

DB – Remy Barber, Ridgeview, junior

DB – Nick Rasmussen, Summit, senior

P – Kaden Wadsworth, Summit, senior

HONORABLE MENTION

Offense

C – Noah Klein, Mountain View, junior

G – Gregory Conner, Ridgeview, junior

G – Reese Buck, Bend, junior

G – Andrew Davis, Redmond, senior

G – Rylee Ettinger, Mountain View, sophomore

T – Matt Allen, Redmond, junior

T – Cooper Vernon, Ridgeview, senior

TE – Sean Hancock, Ridgeview, senior

TE – Evander Willingham, Redmond, senior

TE – Grant Tobias, Summit, junior

WR – Will Branson, Redmond, senior

RB – Cameron Himes, Bend, senior

RB – Seth Whitley, Ridgeview, senior

RB – Jason Garcia, Summit, senior

QB – Noah Spear, Mountain View, senior

K – Tyler Lindsay, Bend, senior

Defense

DL – Jacob DuPuis, Bend, senior

DL – Chris Steffey, Ridgeview, senior

LB – Kaleb Wyngarden, Bend, junior

LB – Reed Dixon, Mountain View, junior

DB – Ryan Stanley, Bend, junior

DB – Jacob Rey, Mountain View, junior

DB – Hayden Smith, Redmond, senior

DB – Tommy Wright, Ridgeview, junior

DB – Jason Garcia, Summit, senior

P – Austin Adye, Bend, senior

P – Sean Hancock, Ridgeview, senior

Summit, led by John Bledsoe’s four touchdowns, claims first state football title with 45-28 win over Ashland: Recap – The Oregonian

Here’s all the links you need to get ready for the Oregon Class 5A state football championship between Summit and Ashland.

Watch the game Live

COA
John Bledsoe huge game, huge season leads Summit to state championship game

BEND BULLETIN
• The day is here: Summit vs. Ashland for the state football title – A lot has changed since the Storm’s loss to the Grizzlies in September
• Summit football’s all-around player – Sean Kent gets the job done from whatever position he plays
• Offensive line helps Summit football succeed – The Storm have put up big numbers this season
• Injured Summit player still contributes – Cam McCormick continues to add to the football team’s success

OREGONLIVE
• Summit can score, but its sack-happy defense has led Storm to 5A state championship game
• No. 6 Summit, No. 5 Ashland get rematch to decide 5A state title: Preview
• Title game-bound Ashland used to be the Jesuit and Central Catholic of Oregon high school football

OTHER ARTICLES
• Photos – OSAA Playoff Football: Summit vs. Crater
Grants Pass High School 11-23-2015
• Ultimate rematch – Ashland, Summit have each grown greatly since first meeting
• Summit tops Crater, in 5A state finals – KTVZ

John Bledsoe was perfect in Summit’s semifinal win… or at least he was for his first 19 passes. He finished the game 28 of 34 for 238 yards and 4 touchdowns. All 4 of those TD passes came in the first half, as that was more than enough scoring for Summit, which took a 41-7 lead midway through the second quarter and then kept the score that way for their first ever trip to the state football championship.

John, the son of former NFL quarterback and Summit offensive coordinator Drew Bledsoe, is having an incredible season. The junior second-year starter has led Summit to a school-record 11-1 record and a rematch in the state title game with Ashland. The Storm lost to the Grizzlies 15-14 in Ashland back on September 18th for their only blemish on the season. The championship game is slated for Saturday, at Hillsboro Stadium at 4pm.

Some Links:
• Awesome photo recap of the semifinal game. – Mike Albright
• Drew Bledsoe’s son John putting together All-State QB campaign – USA Today
• Championship Game Info

Zach Emerson a Duck – The big boot from Mountain View has committed to kick for Oregon. Emerson, a soccer and football star has the strongest leg I’ve ever seen from a high school player. Could be be the next great kicker to come out of the city of Bend? Bend High grad Ryan Longwell is one of the NFL’s all-time leading scorers.

Tyler Mullen a Beaver – The former Summit star is a walk on at Oregon. He’s a member of the practice squad.

Mountain View 0-2 – The Cougars have been the most consistent football power in Central Oregon over the past decade. Things don’t get much easier as Mountain View’s next three games are Crater (2-0), Springfield (2-0) and Summit (2-0).

No. 8 Bend High 2-0 – The Lava Bears look much improved over their 2014 version when they went 5-4. In 2014 they opened with a 12-point loss at Central. This season they shutout Central 10-0 at home.

No. 4 Summit has lots of weapons – The Storm have touchdowns . Junior quarterback John Bledsoe accounted for five touchdowns in their second game (2 passing & 3 running). Dawson Ruhl also scored three touchdowns in that game. They’ve also got multi touchdown performance this year from Sean Kent… and they’ve got Kyle Cornett who may be the most dangerous offensive player with the ball.

Gilchrist scores a ton of points – The Grizzlies beat McKenzie 92-6 last week. You see a lot of high-scoring games in eight-man football… but 92 points? It’s a touchdown better than Days Creek’s 85 points scored in week one, for the tow highest of the season.

No. 4 Summit and No. 5 Ashland early season showcase – It may be worth a trip down south this Friday. The combo of a great 5A football matchup and the opening of the new In-N-Out in Medford has me tempted! Ashland and Summit are both undefeated and have outscored their opponents by a combined 228-36 – Summit (127-20) and Ashland (101-16).