Skyview has a championship schedule

A year ago, the Skyview Storm played their first two games of the season against Sherwood, Ore., and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

This year, the Storm play the same two teams in the first two weeks of the season. The difference? This year, the Storm are playing state champions in back-to-back weeks.

Sherwood topped the Storm last year in the opener, 42-28. Sherwood would go on to win Oregon’s Class 5A state championship.

In Week 2, the Storm trailed Coeur d’Alene by two touchdowns early, then rallied for a 36-34 victory. It was the first of eight consecutive wins for the Storm. Coeur d’Alene, by the way, did not lose another game, finishing 11-1 to claim Idaho’s title.

“Back-to-back state champs. Can anyone else say that?,” Skyview coach Steve Kizer asked. “I bet no one could say that.”

The Storm feel they are better than last year’s 4A Greater St. Helens League championship team. A year ago, quarterback Kieran McDonagh was not the starter in the opening weeks. Now, he is the clear-cut leader, already with an offer from Portland State.

McDonagh has heard from other colleges, as well, including programs from the Pac-12. The larger schools want to recruit McDonagh as a linebacker, too, but McDonagh said he prefers to be a quarterback. (Don’t get him wrong. He’ll play linebacker if it gets him on the field.)

“I don’t even start at linebacker here,” he said with a smile, knowing that he would be starting on defense if he was not the starting quarterback.

As far as “starting” goes, the Storm have quite the start to the season. A home game for Week 1, an 8 p.m. start at Kiggins against Sherwood, then a road trip to Idaho for Week 2.