Staff report
Columbia Gorge News
THE GORGE — Forty-nine points is an impressive offensive output, but it was a defensive, goal-line stand that set the tone for Columbia High School’s WIAA Class 1A football win Oct. 23 in White Salmon.
The Bruins and East Jefferson were tied 7-7 midway through the first quarter when the visitors had a first-and-goal at the Columbia 3-yard line. The Bruin defense, led by its interior line, stuffed four running plays and gained possession of the football. East Jefferson (1-7) took a brief lead later in the period, but Columbia (4-3) would outscore the Rivals 36 to 13 in the second half and pull away to a 49-27 win.
Senior Brody Landgren scored five touchdowns. His first, from 20 yards out, was sprung by key downfield blocks from Samuel Knott, Leland Beyer and Caleb Reynolds (who crossed the field from his outside receiver spot to seal a defensive back on the opposite side). Landgren capped the game’s scoring in the closing minutes with a 96-yard TD scamper around the left end, after Beyer’s block had taken care of the would-be containment.
Columbia hosts Stevenson (2-6) at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 in the season finale for both schools.
Ontario tops Riverhawks
After five consecutive road games, The Dalles High Riverhawks returned to The Dalles for a Homecoming game against Special District 5 foe Ontario. The Riverhawks (0-3 SD5, 3-5 overall) were seeking to notch their first league win versus the Tigers (1-2 SD1, 3-5 overall), but the visitors spoiled those plans with a 36-20 win.
The Riverhawks never led in the contest, but it was knotted 6-6 after the first quarter. Junior Lucky Enesi scored on a 78-yard kickoff return to put the Riverhawks on the scoreboard. After the Tigers went up 14-6 in the second quarter, the Riverhawks responded with a scoring drive, capped by Rylan Deleon’s four-yard touchdown run.
Senior wide receiver Austin Cummins (three catches, 39 yards receiving) scored on a 19-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Ben Graham (11-for-25, 135 yards passing) in the third quarter. Graham (nine carries, 30 yards), senior Creighton Clack (nine carries, 28 yards), Cummins (five carries, 26 yards) and Deleon (six carries, 19 yards) led the Riverhawk ground game.
The Riverhawks play their final game this season Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. versus Pendleton (1-2 SD5, 1-7 overall) on senior night at Sid White Field on the Wahtonka campus. Nine Riverhawks seniors will be honored for their contributions to The Dalles High football program in a special pre-game ceremony.Â
Sherman falls to Joseph, 56-46
Sherman County saw its fourth-quarter lead slip away Oct. 23, when visiting Joseph came from behind for a 56-46 eight-man football win in Moro. The loss dropped Sherman (4-4 overall, 2-3 Special District 3) into a tie with Joseph for fourth place in district play. Sherman will travel to Echo in the regular season finale for both teams Oct. 30. The winner of that 7 p.m. game will likely be the district’s No. 3 seeded team entering the Class 1A state playoffs.
Sherman and Joseph battled back and forth the entire game. Gage Simpson scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns for the Huskies, giving them a 46-40 lead on the second TD. But Joseph took the lead for good on Waylon Witherrite’s 48-yard swing pass touchdown to Kooper Grover. The Eagles recovered an onside kick once play resumed and Grover’s 33-yard touchdown run sealed the win with 51 seconds remaining.
Dufur stays at No. 1
Top-ranked Dufur won at Elgin, 72-42, to clinch District 3’s top seed into the state playoffs. The Rangers are 7-1 overall and 5-0 in district play. Dufur closes its regular season Oct. 30 against Joseph.
Dufur scored 15 unanswered points in the second quarter to build a three-touchdown lead. The first quarter featured back-to-back 83-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns — the first from Elgin’s Britton Parks followed by one from Bryson Cates of Dufur.
Redsides fall in wild one
South Wasco County (0-7 overall) lost 83-20 in a Special District 1 six-man game at Dayville. The Redsides finish their season Oct. 31 in a 1pm game against Ione/Arlington.
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