RAINIER — They traveled similar paths to the Oregon Class 3A state football semifinals. Bumpy ones, at that. Vale began the season 1-3. Rainier got off to a 1-2 start.

Since then, the Vikings — beasts from the Eastern Oregon League — have won seven straight. The Columbians, meanwhile, have won nine in a row after sweeping through the Lewis and Clark League like a Kansas twister.

Both teams make their living on offense with a stout ground game. Both play superb defense.

Vale outscored its league opponents 196-25. Rainier’s combined score against league foes? Try 174-0.

Let the 100-yard chess match begin.

“We’re going to be moving some guys around to take advantage of some possible mismatches with personnel,” said Rainier coach Thor Ware, whose Columbians (10-2) will be the home team against Vale (8-3) when they tangle at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Summit High School in Bend.

“We’ll have some different looks to get better matchups,” he added. “I anticipate him (Vale coach Jeff Jacobs) doing the same thing.”

The winner of Saturday’s game advances to the state championship on Dec. 5 at Hillsboro Stadium against Amity or Cascade Christian (both 11-0).

The Vikings are coming off back-to-back home playoff wins against Jefferson (56-14) and Gold Beach (30-0). Jefferson — the No. 4 team from the PacWest League — entered the postseason with a 3-7 record. Gold Beach, which beat Rainier in the 2007 semifinals on its way to the state crown, was admittedly in a rebuilding year despite finishing 8-3.

This will be the first “road” game in the playoffs for Vale, although it’s odd that the Oregon School Activities Association didn’t make the Vikings travel nearly as far as its first two postseason opponents.

“We don’t really care where the game is played,” Ware said. “We know we’re facing a good team and they will test us with their run. If we do what we normally do, we’ll be OK.”

Vale runs out of an offset I-formation, with plenty of sweeps tossed in to stretch defenses. Jeff Williams, a 200-pound senior, is the team’s primary threat. Sophomore Drew Torrey, at 150 pounds, is quick, elusive and a nice complement to Williams.

“Their big running back (Williams) is a good athlete and they have a pretty big line,” Ware said. “We can’t let them break any big plays on us.”

Offensively, the Columbians will march straight at the Vikings with fullback Curtis Kauffman (1,789 yards, 20 touchdowns), and the speed of Matthew Cathcart, Carson Skeans, Ethan McGlone and Marshall Dean on the outside.

They’ll line up behind an offensive line that is undoubtedly the largest Vale has seen all season, with junior center Nick Huelter (6-3, 287 pounds) leading the charge.

“I think we’re a little bigger than they are,” Ware said. “It’ll be a real war up front. It should be fun to watch.”

Vale opened the season with an 18-6 win over Class 4A La Grande, then lost three straight to Homedale, Idaho (34-27), Ontario (41-13) and Baker (35-34). Ontario and Baker are still alive in the 4A state playoffs, and take on Sutherlin and Astoria, respectively, in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Rainier won its season opener against Carson-Graham of British Columbia, then dropped back-to-back home games against Santiam Christian (3-0) and Woodland (28-22 in overtime).

The Columbians paid back Santiam in last week’s quarterfinals, winning 20-0 at Corvallis High School.

“My team is real loose. They like to have fun. But they’re kind of like one of (John) Madden’s old teams. When it gets close to game time, when it’s time to roll, they get serious,” Ware said. “They get real focused about an hour before the game. And they stay focused.”

On the Radio

Catch the Rainier/Vale semifinal game on KPPK-98.3 FM. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday.