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Kevin Cassidy of Mountainside follows in footsteps of his father (who is finally his coach!) with Les Schwab Bowl invitation

“My dad talked to me, telling me how much he remembered it. ... He still has best friends who played with him in this game.”
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By Dan Brood 

Kevin Cassidy didn’t have to look far to find out what it would be like to play in the Les Schwab Bowl.

Cassidy, a Mountainside High School senior-to-be, just had to ask his dad. 

Brian Cassidy, a 1989 Beaverton High School graduate and first-team all-state selection on the offensive line, played in the 1989 version of the summer high school all-star football game before playing at Stanford University under coach Bill Walsh.

Now, Kevin Cassidy is more than happy to follow in his father’s footsteps, as he’ll be suiting up for Team Willamette in the 2022 Les Schwab Bowl, which will be held Saturday at Linfield University in McMinnville.

“It’s awesome,” Cassidy said during the team’s early practice Tuesday. “My dad talked to me, telling me how much he remembered it. He played in this game; he was a captain. He still has best friends who played with him in this game, so I’m really looking forward to that.”

The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Cassidy will play on the offensive line for the Willamette squad.

“I’m already good friends with half the offensive line,” he said. “I love it here. I’m having a great time.”

Kevin Cassidy Mountainside Les Schwab Bowl 2022 Dan Brood 2

While Kevin Cassidy is happy following dad’s footsteps, being a lineman and playing in the Les Schwab Bowl, it didn’t always look like he would be big enough to fill those footsteps.

“I was a receiver,” Cassidy said with a laugh. “I played every position, except kicker, throughout my career. Then I gained 100 pounds the last two years, so now I’m a lineman — which my dad is happy about, because now he’s my coach.”

It hasn’t been that way in the past.

“He’s coached a bunch of my friends for years, but not me, because I wasn’t a lineman,” Kevin Cassidy said. “But senior year is going to be amazing, because he’s going to be my line coach.”

Last fall, making the transition to the offensive line, Cassidy earned third-team all-Metro League honors while helping lead the Mavericks to a 6-5 record and a berth in the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs.

He’s looking for bigger and better things as a senior — especially with his dad on the Mountainside coaching staff.

“He’s fun,” Kevin Cassidy said. “He’s strict, but also super fun, so it’s going to be a great year.” 

In the future, Cassidy is looking to keep on following in his father’s footsteps — playing college football at a high level.

“It’s been Oregon State, mostly. I went to a Stanford camp, and that was cool. There’s also Cal, Arizona State, Washington State,” Kevin Cassidy said of his possible college destination. “I’ve always looked up to Stanford. My dad still knows Coach (David) Shaw. He played with him. I’m open to other things, but playing there has always been my dream.”

Before his senior year at Mountainside and college football, there’s Saturday’s Les Schwab Bowl contest between Team Columbia and Team Willamette.

“I’m really looking forward to competing,” Kevin Cassidy said.

This year’s Les Schwab Bowl, presented by Express Employment Professionals, and serving as a fundraiser for various youth charities, includes many of the top players from around the state, including underclassmen, as well as a player from southwest Washington. This is the 74th game in the series, but the first that won’t be North vs. South. Instead, players were drafted by Team Columbia head coach Steve Pyne, who led Central Catholic to the 2021 Class 6A state championship, and Team Willamette head coach Dan Lever, who guided Tualatin to the Class 6A title tilt.

Saturday’s event begins with tailgating at 2 p.m., featuring Golden Valley Brewing, Stoller Family Wine and more. Gates open at 4 p.m., with kickoff slated for 6 p.m.

Tickets for the game can be purchased online, at lesschwabbowl.com/tickets. The game also can be streamed online, at a cost of $10, at lesschwabbowl.com.

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