Sherman had a two-game stint in the postseason, but had four players make a lasting impression to opposing coaches and administrators for their representation of Husky football.
Maverick Winslow was a first-team all-state selection at running back and a second-team pick at linebacker, Jacob Justesen tallied first-team votes at end/receiver and he was an honorable mention honoree at defensive back.
In his final season in the trenches, Ryan Asher garnered honorable mention for offensive guard, and Max Martin, a senior, made enough plays to earn a spot on the honorable mention list for his output at defensive end.
While he probably would have selected more Sherman players to secure all-state bids, Sherman coach Bill Blevins is happy this group had their names called to represent the best the 1A class has to offer.
“We had a group of student athletes who came together as a single unit and won the league, worked their tails off, and never gave up,” Blevins said.
Winslow, who was the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team winner on both sides of the ball, rushed 85 times for 1,186 yards for 13.95 yards a carry, and added a team-leading 23 touchdowns. Through the air, the senior had six catches for 78 yards and three scores.
He also returned a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown during the season.
On Sept. 10 against Triad, Winslow made his presence felt on the ground with 10 rushes for 198 yards and three touchdowns, as he hit the end zone in every game played this season.
In league action, Winslow rushed 43 times for 735 yards and 16 touchdowns, with four games surpassing the century mark in yards.
In a 30-24 win over Dufur, that all but sealed a league crown, Winslow rushed 17 times for 149 yards and a pair of scores, including the eventual game-winner, a 70-yard touchdown run with 21 seconds left in regulation.
In his final high school game against North Douglas in the playoffs, a 50-42 loss, Winslow rushed 14 times for 11 yards and two scores, and added a 15-yard touchdown reception.
“Maverick was really the heart and soul of this team,” Blevins said. “He led us in rushing yards and total tackles to earn Defensive Player of the Year in the conference.”
Aside from one forfeited game, the Huskies averaged 53.8 points a game through their 11 games, and notched 49 points a contest in five non-league matchups.
On the ground, the Huskies racked up 2,907 yards and 51 touchdowns, and tallied 1,766 yards passing with 23 more trips to the end zone.
In his five non-league games, Justesen scored five rushing touchdowns and had four through the air, for a total of 68 carries for 758 yards and 12 touchdowns, and 22 receptions for 475 yards and six more touchdowns.
Justesen, a junior, had his two best games against Arlington and South Wasco County.
Against South Wasco County, Justesen rushed five times for 100 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 69 yards on three receptions with a score.
On Oct. 13 in Arlington, Justesen had touchdowns receiving, rushing and two punt returns for scores in a 69-6 romp.
He had a 38-yard touchdown grab, he had seven rushing attempts for 115 yards and a score, and he totaled 85 yards on his two punt returns.
Justesen had six catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns in Sherman’s opening game loss to Crane on Sept. 2, and in the Huskies’ playoff opener against Triad, a 66-34 win, he racked up 158 yards rushing and two scores on 12 rushing attempts.
“Jacob had more than 21 yards per catch and 11 yards per carry on his way to getting first team,” Blevins said. “He also led the team with 10 interceptions in as many games.”
The Husky offense finish fourth in the state with 592 points scored, and the defense gave up 194 points, good for fourth in the state and an average of 17.6 points a game.
Entering the regular season, the biggest question mark for the Huskies was the offensive line and how they would fare.
Asher, a senior, came through with one of his best efforts from the guard position to help bring a physical dynamic at the point of attack.
“Ryan provided a very steady anchor for our offensive line and was responsible for many of the holes that our running backs took advantage of,” Blevins added. “He will be a big loss for us moving on and trying to replace him.”
The Husky defense allowed 58 points in six league games, for a 9.67 average, with two shutouts, and Winslow, Justesen and Martin were a major part of those solid numbers.
Martin made a difference for the Huskies at defensive end to pick up a first-team all-league selection and an honorable mention all-state pick.
“Max played great leverage football from the defensive end position,” Blevins said. “He did such a great job of holding the edge of the line of scrimmage.”
The Huskies won nine games, clinched a Big Sky title, finished sixth in the 1A state rankings and just missed out on a state semifinal berth after a close playoff loss to North Douglas.
Sherman is scheduled to lose five seniors to graduation, so eight juniors are going to headline the Huskies next season, as they search for another league crown and a deeper playoff run.
After back-to-back years of coming close, Blevins knows he has a motivated team ready to impose their will on the rest of the state.
“The end of the season was indeed disappointing, but that’s usually the case for all but one team in each classification,” Blevins said. “We felt we had a group that could compete for a state championship, but came upon a very good North Douglas team in the second round.”
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