Bear Insider Video: Lake Oswego RB/WR Casey Filkins

Bear Insider was on hand for Lake Oswego's 42-20 victory over Clackamas Friday night and the Lakers' star RB/WR Casey Filkins didn't disappoint, leading Lake Owego to their big victory with three touchdowns in the rout that wasn’t as close as the final score, with a last minute Clackamas td.

Filkins scored his three td’s on an impressive 144 yard, 17-carry night, also contributing 30 yards on two receptions along with an interception and fumble recovery on defense.

After scoring on 30 and 34 yard touchdown runs in the first quarter, the versatile Filkins lined up at QB and turned a designed passing play into yet another td run -this time for 41 yards- to give Lake Oswego an insurmountable lead.

“I was all over the place tonight,” said Filkins, with a smile. “It was one of the first times I played defense. I kind of just made the most of the opportunity and did what I could for the team.”

Since committing to Cal in the spring, the relationship between Filkins and the Bears’ staff has only grown stronger.

“I’ve been communicating weekly with Coach Toler and Coach Wilcox,” said Filkins. “They make sure to check in on me and wish me luck. They’ll be in Eugene tomorrow night but I won’t be able to make it there because of homecoming. 

“The communication’s been really stable with them. They make sure to check in on me and wish me good luck. It’s been great just continuing to build that connection.

“I’ve been watching them and following them. The Ole Miss game was crazy. The Washington game was crazy. It’s so much fun to watch. They’re so gritty. The defense is awesome. Weaver’s all over the place. He’s an animal. So it’s been really cool. Garbers, obviously he’s out but he was balling out.”

The charismatic Filkins is emblamatic of the high-character, talented and hard-working composition of the Bears’ 2020 class and the class so far has bonded nicely with their shared traits and dreams of their futures in blue and gold.

“We’re starting to shape up really well,” said Filkins. “We’ve got a group chat that we’re all in, just talking and getting to know each other. We’re all super-great guys and I think we’re all cut from the same cloth a little bit personality-wise.

“I’m super-excited. We’re all 3 stars so we’ve got a chip on our shoulders. That stuff doesn’t really matter to us but we do kind of take it personally and it’s kind of formed a fire beneath us and we’ve got a lot to prove, for sure.”

Even though Filkins and most of his class may be 3 star recruits, the talented RB/WR caught the eye of the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, where he’ll be representing the Bears in January. For over a decade, the game was sponsored by the U.S. Army but they went independent last year, with smaller sponsors, though the game has lost none of the talent and prestige.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Filkins. “That’s going to be a great game.”

Longtime Lake Oswego head coach Steve Coury had nothing but glowing remarks for his versatile star player.

“He’s a phenominal player,” said Coury. “I’ve been here 28 yearsand I’ve had a lot of really great players. I’ve had guys who have gone on and played. 

“It’s always hard to say this but I would think in my opinion, he’s the best guy we’ve had. He’s that good. He’s dynamic, he’s a hard worker, he’s a great student, he’s a great person. Everything’s quality, quality, quality about him. And on top of it, he’s really a super-good player. He does what you guys saw today all the time. He does it in all the games. He did it last year, too. He’s just a phenominal player. 

“He’s powerful, moreso than he was before. He’s got great vision and great feet. He sees where he wants to go and he can get there. He’s so shifty. If they (Cal) end up playing him at receiver, he’s going to be a bear out in the open range, so to speak, for guys to tackle him.

“He just does everything. You think he’s caught or he’s in the backfield and they thing they’ve got him, they just don’t have a chance.

“What he’s done in the offseason, he’s probably 195 pounds now where he was probably 175 last year. And he’s fast and explosive. He’s got that next gear. When he gets into the whole, he’s got that gear that gets him past. And it’s not just a high school thing. It’s what the great ones have. 

“He’s got great vision, great feet and that explosiveness into the next gear.”

Friday’s blowout win amply illustrated Filkins’ versatility with the wide variety of ways he greatly impacted his team’s fortunes in the victory.

“He could be the starting quarterback here. He really could,” said Coury. “You saw the one where he scrambled around (the 41-yard td run). We were saying on the phones we’ve just got to get him in open space. Maybe we need to do more of this.

“He can do anything. We just put him on defense this week because one of the kids broke his thumb. So we put him on defense and he makes a pick and tackles. He just does everything. He’s phenominal.

“We’re excited for him going to go to Cal and Coach Wilcox and that group.”