Lake Oswego's linemen scored 70 points to win the team title at the 2026 Metro Area Lineman Challenge on July 24, at Hare Field in Hillsboro, beating 18 other schools in a preseason showcase for fall football programs across the region.

The defending 6A state champions finished 20 points clear of second-place Willamette (50 points) and third-place Sprague (47).

The 19-school, 27-team field competed in events including the 40-yard dash, shuttle run, vertical jump, bench press, farmer's carry, tractor tire flip, and team tug-of-war.

Rising senior Josh Christensen, the 2025 Three Rivers League defensive lineman of the year, won both the heavyweight division and the overall individual title.

His marks: a 4.95-second 40-yard dash, a 33.5-inch vertical jump, a 109-inch standing broad jump, 14 tractor tire flips, 26 bench press reps, and 105 yards in the farmer's carry.

Lake Oswego went unbeaten in the tug-of-war, dispatching Sprague in the semifinals and Sherwood in the final.

"We're here to stay," rising senior Ethan Dromgoole said after the event. "Last year, we had a bunch of guys graduate, but that doesn't mean we're done. We're ready to play, for sure."

The Lakers lost four offensive line starters from their 2025 state championship squad, including 6A all-state first-team honorees Jackson Graetz and Adam Williams.

Rising senior Dylan Marquez, the lone returning starter from that title game, placed sixth in the heavyweight division and eighth overall.

At 285 pounds, Marquez posted 22 bench press reps, 104 yards in the farmer's carry, and a 5.26-second 40.

Marquez said the team wanted to prove it could reload after heavy graduation losses. Lake Oswego finished fourth at the 2025 Lineman Challenge and lost in the tug-of-war that year.

Miles Rowan, competing on the Lake Oswego 2 team, clocked the fastest 40-yard dash of any competitor at 4.90 seconds. Rising junior Max Matijacic, an all-TRL honorable mention defensive lineman in 2025, added 18 bench press reps and nine tire flips.

Lake Oswego opens the 2026 season August 28 at Willamette in a nonleague game.