CLATSKANIE, Three Columbia County football teams would be in the state playoffs if the season ended today, and two of them would open at home, according to the OSAAtoday projections published Tuesday after Week 7. A fourth is on the outside with one week to change that.
The regular season ends Oct. 30 for 5A and Oct. 31 for 4A and 2A, when the OSAA rankings freeze, per the association’s 2026 football plan book. Brackets follow, and first-round games are Nov. 6 and 7. Quarterfinals are Nov. 13 and 14, semifinals Nov. 20 and 21, and championships Nov. 27 and 28.
Scappoose (4A): In, and Likely Hosting
The Indians are 7-1 and ranked No. 4 in 4A by the OSAA, with the third-best RPI in the classification, per the OSAA rankings. OSAAtoday projects them as the No. 4 seed with a first-round home game against No. 13 North Bend. Scappoose holds one of Special District 1’s three automatic bids alongside Banks and Tillamook. The team is idle this week and closes the regular season at Woodburn at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, per the OSAA schedule.
St. Helens (5A): In as League Leader, Milwaukie Friday Decides the Seed
The Lions are 5-2, ranked No. 16 in 5A, and currently lead Special District 2, which gets one automatic bid. OSAAtoday moved St. Helens from a projected No. 15 seed a week ago up to No. 8 as the league leader, which would mean a first-round home game against No. 9 West Albany. The catch is Friday: St. Helens plays at Milwaukie at 7 p.m. on Milwaukie’s senior night, and OSAAtoday has Milwaukie as the SD2 second-place team that would take the guaranteed at-large spot. A loss would likely flip those positions and send the Lions on the road in the first round.
Clatskanie (2A): In on the League Bid
At 4-3 and ranked No. 19, the Tigers would not make the 16-team 2A field on ranking alone, but OSAAtoday lists them as one of Special District 1’s two automatic qualifiers with Knappa. That puts them in as the projected No. 16 seed, with a first-round trip to No. 1 Heppner. Clatskanie hosts Neah-Kah-Nie at 7 p.m. Friday.
Rainier (2A): Better Record, Outside Looking In
The Columbians are 5-2 and ranked No. 16, three spots above Clatskanie, but OSAAtoday lists them among the next five out. With Knappa and Clatskanie holding SD1’s two automatic bids in the projection, Rainier would need one of the four at-large spots, which currently go to La Pine, Toledo, Myrtle Point and Lost River. A week ago Rainier was projected in as the No. 9 seed. Rainier hosts Gaston at 7 p.m. Friday on senior night; a win and a Clatskanie loss could reshuffle the SD1 order before the Oct. 31 freeze.
Vernonia (1A 8-man)
The Loggers are 2-5 and ranked No. 24 in 1A 8-man and are not in the projected field.
OSAAtoday’s projections are its own reading of the OSAA qualification rules and rankings, not an official bracket. Each special district sets its own method for awarding its automatic bids. The Tribune will update this story after the Oct. 30 and 31 games and again when the OSAA releases the brackets.