Varsity 541

Ashland's Haggard runs Bend ragged

Text Size: A | A | A

 Print this Article
 Email this Article
 Respond to this Article

Senior quarterback Talon Haggard dashed and darted for nearly 500 yards Friday. It turned out the Ashland High football team needed every last one of them.

With his team clinging to a narrow lead late in the fourth quarter, Haggard sprinted 83 yards down the sideline for his sixth touchdown of the game to seal Ashland's 42-35 nonconference victory over Bend at Walter A. Phillips Field.

"We give people their money's worth," said Ashland coach Charlie Hall, whose team nearly blew a 35-14 lead before holding off the resilient Lava Bears.

Haggard ran for 291 yards and four scores and threw for 178 more and two touchdowns as the Grizzlies won their second straight and completed a roller-coaster ride through the nonconference portion of their schedule at 4-2. The team opens Southern Sky Conference play against Crater next week.

"That was the biggest game of the season," said Haggard, who now has 24 touchdowns (13 rushing, 11 passing) in six games this season. "We've got a two-game winning streak and we're building momentum."

Playing behind a patchwork offensive line that included three sophomore Kevin Schilling, Sam Cowan and Shea Henthorn, Haggard had the bulk of Ashland's 316 rushing yards. He had scoring runs of 15, 18, 82 and 83 yards.

"On a lot of them, the pocket collapses or there's a blitz or penetration, he just finds his hole," added senior receiver Charlie Sebrell, whose second-quarter touchdown catch gave Ashland the lead for good. "When he runs, I just try to block people."

"When you're in the shotgun he really is a running back," Hall said. "He's an X-factor in terms of what he can do when the play breaks down."

Or when the play is called specifically for him.

Leading 21-14 at halftime, Hall called Haggard's number on the opening play of the second half. Haggard followed running back Issa Shahin through the center of the Lava Bears' line and appeared to be going down after a 15-yard gain. But his knee didn't touch the ground and he broke the high tackle of the Bend defensive back and raced 82 yards up the center of the field for his second rushing TD of the night and a 28-14 lead.

He showed his improvisational skills on the next score.

After breaking off a 57-yard scamper that moved the ball deep into Bend territory, the left-handed Haggard rolled right but found no receiver available. So he cruised back all the way across the field, found daylight and raced 15 yards to pay dirt, giving the Grizzlies a 35-14 lead on the final play of the third quarter.

When he wasn't running, Haggard enjoyed extra time in the pass pocket and completed 12 of 17 throws, including an 8-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Tygerson and a 1-yarder to Sebrell, both on fade patterns.

KLAMATH UNION 28, MAZAMA 7 — At Klamath Falls, Luke Porter scored two touchdowns as Klamath Union opened the SSC campaign.

Dylan Carlson ran for 62 yards to lead the Pelicans' 219-yard ground attack.

Jon Amos completed 11 of 18 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns in the win.

Mazama 0 7 0 0 — 7

Klamath Union 14 7 0 7 — 28

KU — Chadderdon 70 pass from Amos (Chadderdon kick)

KU — Porter 13 pass from Amos (Chadderdon kick)

M — Saltenberger 6 run (Larman kick)

KU — Fonseca-Fisher 6 pass from Amos (Chadderdon kick)

KU — Porter 3 run (Chadderdon kick)

Southwest Conference

SHELDON 42, ROSEBURG 14 — At Eugene, Sheldon's Jordan Johnson led the Irish to their 57th conference win in a row in the SWC contest.

Johnson was 24-for-30 passing for 311 yards and three touchdowns — all to fellow junior John Campbell in the second quarter. Campbell had 11 receptions for 126 yards for the No. 6 Irish.

Cameron Abeene rushed for a game-high 93 yards and two touchdowns for Sheldon.

Josh Davis accounted for both of Roseburg's touchdowns. He rushed for an 11-yard score to tie the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter and caught a 33-yard touchdown with 2:28 remaining in the first half to cut the deficit to 21-14.

Roseburg 7 7 0 0 — 14

Sheldon 7 21 7 7 —42

S — Abeene 5 run (Campbell kick).

R — J. Davis 11 run (Walker kick).

S — Campbell 18 pass from Johnson (Campbell kick).

S — Campbell 3 pass from Johnson (Campbell kick).

R — J. Davis 33 pass from T. Davis (Walker kick).

S — Campbell 41 pass from Johnson (Campbell kick).

S — Abeene 3 run (Campbell kick).

S — Juilfs 8 run (Mancuso kick).