High School Football: State Championship 101 (UPDATED)

History Lessons – Remembering every BZM area team to play for an official State title

Dec 04, 2025

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Kelso Hilander Ed Martin does to an apple what Kelso did to its opposition in the 1983 playoffs — gobbling it up as he sits in the Kingdome locker room. Martin and the Hilanders won the state AA football championship by defeating previously unbeaten Sedro-Wooley, 28-7. / Photo courtesy of Kelso Football

Josh Kirshenbaum special to Blast Zone Media / blastzonenews@gmail.com

Prep Football / History

The area has seen 11 state champions in football since the WIAA introduced state tournaments in 1973. (Oregon introduced state tournaments in 1940, but neither area Oregon school made a title game until Rainier in 1983.) Here’s how each Blast Zone area team won its crown:

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