Scappoose smacks Siuslaw, 42-6
Tribe football team takes 28-0 lead by halftime and rolls over Vikings
THROUGH THE MIDDLE—Scappoose’s Trever Gwin (22) plunges the ball over the goal line from a yard out for a score during Friday’s 4A playoff game with Siuslaw. The Indians scored 28 points in the first half and went on to a 42-6 victory. They play Central on Friday.
John Brewington / The South County Spotlight
Siuslaw couldn’t stop Scappoose’s offense on Friday night, nor find a way to penetrate the Tribe’s stingy defense in a 42-6 playoff game that wasn’t even that close.
Tribe quarterback Nick Paxton scored twice in the first half, Trever Gwin once, and Jason Sawyer caught a 52-yard pass for another score as Scappoose easily took a 28-0 halftime lead in the contest. The game was all but over when Gwin returned the second-half kick off 63 yards to the five, and scored on the first play of the half.
“Defensively we played pretty well, our offense was explosive, and we had good special teams play,” Scappoose Coach Sean McNabb said.
“The kids were pretty excited to play,” he added. “In ’06 and ’07 we exited the playoffs in the first round and last year we didn’t make it. We were 6-0 at home this year and wanted to have a good first round. I’m very pleased with the kids’ efforts and happy for them.”
In their last four wins, the Indians have now crushed their opponents 203-28, and lately seem to be enjoying themselves.
“It’s meant to be fun,” McNabb said. “They spent a week preparing and that’s tough. They should go out and have some fun.”
The coach noted, “We’re playing a lot better offensively and defensively. Our offensive line is doing a good job and our defense is very physical. Jesse Oblack was all over the field making big hits. We had a lot of guys making defensive plays–Nick Paxton, Trever Gwin, Chad Hollingsworth, Adam We’ve been putting points on the board on offense. Nick had an outstanding game, he was great on defense and distributed the ball on offense. He played really well. Trever and Jesse were always around the ball on defense.”
The Indians were loose enough to start the game. With a television taping just before the start, Paxton and Gwin sprinted to the head of the line to bracket Adonis Siscoe for the national anthem. The Indians then went out and did a number on Siuslaw.
Siuslaw made a first down on their first series, but then the Tribe clamped down. Scappoose started moving, but a fumble gave the ball back to the Vikings. The Tribe then forced Siuslaw to a three and out, and took over at their own 48. Paxton found Max Updike on two pass plays and then scampered in from the 25 for the first score. Erik Calhoon kicked the first of six extra points on the night.
Siscoe set up the next Scappoose drive, intercepting Siuslaw and returning it to the Viking 43. Next it was Siscoe on a double reverse for 20, Jesse Oblack for five, and Sawyer catching a pass for eight. Gwin would end the drive with a one-yard plunge.
Siuslaw got a bit of a drive going late in the first and early in the second quarters, but failed on their second fourth-down conversion. Scappoose quickly moved the ball again.
Paxton found Updike open for 20, and then connected with Sawyer on a 52-yard score.
A 47-yard punt return by Updike set the Indians up at the five. Paxton took it over from the two.
After Gwin’s return and score to start the second half, Siuslaw got a short drive going before Updike picked off a pass. The Indians bogged down and had to punt. That set up a huge hit by Sawyer on the punt returner, and a fumble recovery by Brandon Bernardi at the Siuslaw 30. Siscoe took the ball and sped into the end zone. He’d made a similar run earlier in the game, but a penalty brought it back. Scappoose led 42-0.
The Indians reined in their offense and gave many reserves a chance to play. Siuslaw would finally punch a ball across from 6-inches out late in the fourth.
The win set up a second meeting between Scappoose and Central. They’ll play at 7 p.m. Friday at Willamette University in Salem.