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Challengers’ Benade setting tone up front By Danny Penza Updated: Nov 10, 2022 06:22 PM A A 4 View all photos Senior lineman leading veteran group as No. 2-seeded Cascade Christian head into 3A quarterfinals It was a 40-yard dash every lineman would have loved to run. For Cascade Christian senior Liam Benade, his pick-6 against South Umpqua two weeks ago that put the cherry on the top of the Challengers’ Far West League-clinching win boiled down to just executing what he was coached up to do. “We practiced it and (defensive coordinator Mike Schaan) works with us where it’s going to be thrown,” recalled Benade, “so I got my reads and they threw it right to me.” Oh, but he enjoyed tucking the ball under his right arm and sprinting in for a touchdown, too. “As I’m going to the end zone, I’m like, ‘No way,’” continued Benade with a grin, “and celebrated with my team on the sidelines.” The celebration was about as big as any — whether it was Benade or his teammates rushing to him — of Cascade Chriatian’s five touchdowns that night in its victorious regular-season finale against previously unbeaten South Umpqua. For Benade and the rest of the Challengers, it’s been a 2022 season that has seen plenty of big moments entering Friday night’s Class 3A state quarterfinal matchup against No. 7-seeded La Pine (9-1) at Spiegelberg Stadium. With an unblemished record through their first 10 games, the end goal still remains to be achieved but the process of getting there for second-seeded Cascade Christian (10-0) has been one that he can most definitely enjoy. “This season has been a lot of fun,” said Benade, who has also scored a rushing TD in Cascade’s Sept. 16 win over Brookings-Harbor. “We’ve been practicing for a while now and practices have been good lately. There’s a lot of energy, a lot of tempo going into it.” Cascade Christian has been one of Class 3A’s top offenses ever since its 53-6 season-opening win over Douglas. Benade and the rest of the Challengers’ line has paved the way for their teammates to run for over 2,000 yards this season. On defense, he has recorded 26 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack. And don’t forget about that interception, too. “It’s awesome because those are guys in the trenches and no one really gets to see them and they don’t really show up on the highlights,” said Cascade Christian head coach Jon Gettman. “He was in the right position at the right time. That’s what’s so awesome about it — because of his discipline, because of his willingness to listen to the coaches, he was able to make a big play.” Count Gettman as one who credits Benade and the rest of the Challengers’ line play on both sides of the ball as a huge factor in his team’s success this season. “When it comes down to it, when you can control the line of scrimmage you’re going to be successful,” said Gettman, who is in his 13th season. “That’s what they’ve done.” Benade is part of a Challengers O-line that has essentially grown up together at the high school level. Benade was one of 13 freshmen on the Challengers’ roster in 2019, a season in which Cascade went 9-2 and made it to the 3A quarterfinals. So was fellow lineman Daniel Nering. So was Jaxon Turituri. So was Matthew Moses. Together, they’ve set the tone up front and opened up holes for running backs Kameron Rague and Triston Wallace and kept quarterback Keith Reed clean more often than not. “Me, Daniel and Turi have been together since seventh grade, so we’ve been playing together for a while,” said Benade. “We know each other, we know when to take over or anything like that. We communicate well up front and I think that’s a huge part of our success.” “I know I can trust my friends because of that experience we’ve had together,” continued Benade. “I know that Daniel, if he tells me to go somewhere, then I’m going to trust him. If Turi tells me to get here, then that’s it. It’s all about trust.” Benade, now a three-year starter, has a whole lot of trust in the guys he lines up in the trenches with. It’s been that way for years now. And, as a result, he’s been able to get plenty of experience under his belt — and he’s not the only Cascade Christian lineman that can lean on that as they lean on an opposing defender. “The No. 1 thing is that the experience you bring is something you can’t replace on the football field,” said Gettman. “Having that experience, understanding the different fronts and battles and things that you see, that’s the No. 1 thing. And he’s a physical kid. When you’re able to get movement up front, it just changes the dynamics of the game.” A difference for Benade this season compared to when he first became a starter has involved a physical transformation that is paying positive dividends. As Gettman puts it, Benade “came in as just a big, strong kid” and had the look of somebody who could play right away. It made sense — at 6-foot-1, 240 pounds, Benade was one of the Challengers’ biggest linemen three years ago despite being one of their youngest. As a sophomore and junior, Benade weighed in anywhere from 255 to 260 pounds. But coming into his senior season, he knew he wanted to cut a little weight and also add some muscle to his frame. He did just that, dropping 15 pounds to get back down to 240, something that has allowed him to be a much more mobile player on both sides of the ball. “My technique wasn’t the best when I was a younger player,” said Benade. “I was a lot heavier when I was a sophomore and junior, but I’ve lost a good amount of weight so I’m able to move a little better this year. My technique got a lot better, my communication got a lot better. Just simple stuff.” For a player who was a first-team all-Far West League selection on both sides of the ball last year, the hunger for more and the desire to be better has only remained strong. “It’s just the knowledge of the game and his technique has gotten so much better, especially this last year,” said Gettman. “You can see all of the extra time he’s spent with (line coach Darren Turituri). He went from just a big strong kid and he looks good in a football uniform to a kid that understands the game, understands what he needs to do and really executes at his position at a really high level.” The product is out there for everybody to see now. And it’s a reward, Gettman said, for somebody who has definitely put in the work and earned what he has achieved. “It’s a great blessing as a coach,” said Gettman of getting to coach Benade. “He’s just a great kid. He’s got a great attitude, he’s excited to come to practice, he smiles during practice and in the hallways when you get to see him at school. As a coach, when you get to coach kids like that, it makes the season a complete blessing. The season doesn’t wear on and it’s a joy to come to work with these guys. “That’s what we have out here — we have a great community of kids, starting with our offensive line, that buys into the team, the team aspect and sacrifices for one another.” It will be no different for Cascade Christian when it faces La Pine on Friday night. The Hawks, who won the Mountain Valley Conference with a perfect 6-0 record, have won eight straight and are coming off a 38-19 win over Warrenton in the opening round of the state playoffs. “They’re going to be fast and they’re physical,” said Gettman of La Pine. “They’re coached really well, so it’s going to come down to we need to control the line of scrimmage. That’s going to be the focus in trying to execute on each and every play and not to get ahead of ourselves. It’s going to be a battle for us.” A battle is something that Benade and the Challengers’ tone-setters up front won’t shy away from. “It’s fun if you’re absolutely dominating a team,” said Benade, “but it’s also fun having a battle up front because you know that you’re going to war with four of your other friends.” Reach reporter Danny Penza at 541-776-4469 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @penzatopaper. Cascade Christian's Liam Benade at practice Thursday. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] Cascade Christian's Liam Benade at practice Thursday. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] Cascade Christian's Liam Benade at practice Thursday. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune] Cascade Christian's Liam Benade jumps to the loose ball against Ontario last Friday night. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune]