North Douglas’ Hunter Vaughn set to compete at Les Schwab Bowl Friday

PORTLAND — Hunter Vaughn, a standout on the football field last fall for the North Douglas Warriors, will play in the Les Schwab Bowl all-star game Friday night at Lewis & Clark College.

The top high school football talent from around the state, regardless of school size or age, has been assembled to square off in the annual contest. Vaughn is one of just a few players to be selected from a Class 1A 8-man football program and the soon-to-be senior said getting picked gives him confidence.

“Obviously, I am a good football player and I think of myself as a good football player. So, getting invited to a big football game like this gives me some reassurance that, just ’cause I played at a small school doesn’t mean that I can’t play actual football,” Vaughn said. “Being here really reassures me that I’m a legit football player.”

Players have been divided into Team Willamette and Team Columbia and practices have been held all week at Griswold Stadium on the campus of Lewis & Clark college. Vaughn will play for Team Columbia and said the roster is coming together with plenty of chances all week to work on team bonding.

“I got here and the first two days all the guys are kind of adjusting to each other and getting to know each other,” Vaughn explained. “Then by about day three we’re all comfortable and getting close and after practice we all hang out, we all go to lunch together, we all hang out all night in our dorms. It really builds, like, a special bond between player-t0-player.”

After days of preparation, game time is finally here and Vaughn said on Thursday that he’s getting excited for kickoff.

“The butterflies are starting to set in. Had our last practice today in helmets. We’ve got a walk-through tomorrow and then it’s game time,” Vaughn said. “Our whole team is pumped. We’ve been working hard in practice all week and we’re just fired up to all be on the same field with such talented players.”

The Les Schwab Bowl football all-star game kicks off at 7 p.m. from Lewis & Clark College. The game will be live streamed and can be viewed on the Prime Time Sports YouTube Channel.