HRV qualifies for Class 5A state football playoffs

The Eagles (4-5), the 16th seed in the playoffs, travel to No. 1-ranked Summit (8-1) of Bend for a first-round contest beginning at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4.

Friday’s game was the second last week for HRV, which defeated Centennial, 48-19 on Oct. 24 - in a contest delayed four days because of poor air quality in the Portland-metro area. Hood River won an earlier meeting vs. Forest Grove, 21-8, when the two teams played a regular-season contest at HRV on Sept. 23.

The rematch was an offensive showdown with more than 1,000 yards of total offense. Hood River had tied the game 40-40 with 4:18 remaining on a 90-yard swing pass and run from Davis Parr to Shaw Burns. Jerry Serrano’s point-after kick provided the winning margin.

On its ensuing possession, Forest Grove moved the ball to the HRV 19. On a second-and-six play, Kaden Hale scrambled, ran right, was slowed by an Eagle defender while Ethan Rivera stripped the Viking quarterback of the ball and also recovered the fumble.

Hood River went into victory formation, albeit, perhaps, a tad bit early. Forest Grove used its two remaining timeouts, and a Hood River delay of game penalty stopped the clock with nine seconds showing and the Eagles lining up to punt at their 8. Punter Rivera was surrounded by the oncoming Forest Grove rush but managed somehow to get off a short kick. The ball was returned to the Eagle 19 and the clock stopped with one second remaining.

With time for one more play, Hale rolled out of the pocket to buy some time and eventually found a wide-open Viking receiver in the end zone, but the pass was dropped.

Parr passed for a career-high 344 yards and four touchdowns – two to Burns and two to Markeith Harris. He was 13-for-25 passing and connected on four straight passes late in the third period and early in the fourth. Burns finished with 20 carries for 110 yards and also caught five passes for 141 yards.

Forest Grove had taken a 40-34 lead and seemingly had the game in hand late in the fourth quarter, when the Vikings’ ensuing kickoff pinned Hood River back to its 10. Parr threw a simple swing pass to Burns who broke numerous tackles enroute to the end zone.  

Forest Grove scored first, moving 63 yards on nine plays on its second possession. Hood River answered back when quarterback Parr and receiver Harris connected from 30 yards out. Back and forth the game went, Forest Grove scoring on an 80-yard drive, and HRV responding on another Parr-to-Harris TD pass – this one from 28 yards away.

Forest Grove took advantage of a failed HRV onside kick on the ensuing kickoff and needed only 18 seconds and two plays to take a 20-14 lead late in the first half. Hood River responded after Forest Grove’s onside kick was recovered by the Eagles at their 47. HRV took 10 plays to take the lead, 21-20, on a Burns 5-yard run and Serrano point-after kick.

The second half was more of the same, with Hood River holding its largest lead 34-26 early in the fourth quarter. Forest Grove scored the next two times it had the ball to build a 40-34 advantage.