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Northwest Conference: Which program will challenge Linfield's and ...

It wasn't breaking news when the Northwest Conference announced that its 2011 preseason football poll had Linfield edging Willamette for the championship.

It's been a Linfield-Willamette driven conference in recent years. Starting with the 2008 season, Linfield and Willamette are a collective 29-1 against the rest of the NWC. The Wildcats are the league's two-time champions, and Willamette last won the title in 2008.

This era of dominance can't go on forever, can it?

History says no, but the history of Willamette and particularly Linfield football says they're not going to fall off much. Another school is going to have to rise to their level.

Could it be Lewis & Clark? The school is without a winning season record since 1995, and often a Northwest Conference punch line.

Lewis & Clark could one day become the wedge that finally busts up Linfield-Willamette duo, although the Pioneers aren't making predictions. "I don't think anybody is going to put us in that conversation until we prove we belong in that conversation," said Shawn Evans, LC's preseason all-America tight end.

Coach Chris Sulages says his team has closed the spacious gap between Willamette and Linfield, but how much, he couldn't say. "Of course, I think with what we're doing here, we definitely think we have a chance," Sulages said.

The numbers say Lewis & Clark is making progress. The Pioneers were 1-8 in 2008, 2-7 in 2009 and 4-5 last season. The football facilities were recently upgraded. The body count is up. Lewis & Clark had 56 players turn out for football last year, a sizable number for its program in recent years. For preseason camp this August, that number swelled to 74.

While it's not a roster size of a Linfield or Willamette -- schools that have well over 100 out for football -- it's the baby step development the Pioneers need.

"We're able to practice better and have more competition," Sulages said.

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