Challenger ground game crushes Glide

October 04, 2008
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CENTRAL POINT — Ryan Pech and Dustin Huntley provided the steam for the Cascade Christian locomotive Friday night.

The two senior tackles did the job in the trenches on both sides of the line of scrimmage as the Challengers rolled to a 54-6 Sunset Conference football victory over Glide at Dutch Meyer Field.

Pech and Huntley opened the holes for a Challenger ground game that amassed 429 yards. Cascade added 35 more through the air.

"We double-team at the point of attack and (Glide) can't hold up all game long," Cascade Christian coach Andy Maurer said. "As long as the tackles are knocking people down, the backs are running."

Senior halfback Connor Kirkpatrick scored two touchdowns and led the rushing attack with 100 yards. Austin Wipf added 81 yards on the ground and Josh Kirkland and Brandon Grissom gained 63 and 61 yards, respectively.

On the Challengers' first possession, Kirkland finished a 55-yard drive with a 15-yard TD run.

Then Cascade put together an 80-yard, 19-play march the next time it got the ball.

The Challengers (3-2, 3-0 Sunset) exploded for 27 points in the second quarter to go into halftime with a comfortable 40-0 lead.

A blocked punt by Huntley, recovered by Matt Bohn, set up the third TD of the period. On the first play, the Challengers surprised the Wildcats with a rare pass play when quarterback Colton Cochran connected with Ben Joffer for a 13-yard scoring strike.

Cascade tacked on one final score before halftime when Kirkpatrick broke off a 25-yard TD run to complete a three-play, 30-yard drive with 1:53 to go.

"We put in a couple of pass plays to keep the defense honest," said Maurer. "We challenged our quarterbacks Colton Cochran and Jake Gettman to upgrade the position. They were more efficient."

The Challenger defense — spearheaded by Grissom and Tyler Stickler at outside linebackers, Joffer at safety and Huntley and Pech up front — held Glide (3-2, 1-2 Sunset) scoreless through three quarters.

"The whole thing is it's just one week at a time, one play at a time, one block at a time," said Maurer. "We're improving from week to week. We take every step and get better. We're pushing to be as good as we can for the playoffs."

Glide 0 0 0 6 —6

Cascade Christian 13 27 7 7 —54

CC — Kirkland 15 run (kick failed)

CC — Tooker 1 run (Davis kick)

CC — Kirkpatrick 45 run (Davis kick)

CC — Grissom 11 run (Davis kick)

CC — Joffer 13 pass from Cochran (Davis kick)

CC — Kirkpatrick 25 run (kick failed)

CC — Banks 14 run (Beard kick)

CC — Beard 6 run (Beard kick)

G — Belloir 16 pass from Hissong (kick failed)

BANDON 12, ROGUE RIVER 0 — At Rogue River, the Rogue River offense was able to move the ball at will, but couldn't produce points as Bandon picked up the Sunset League win.

The Tigers got on the board in the third quarter with a 90-yard punt return from Jimmy Mack, who reversed the field from left to right down the sideline. In the fourth quarter, Rogue River's fumble on a punt set up Bandon at the Chieftains' goal line, and the Tigers punched it in two plays later.

Rogue Burman led the Chieftains (0-5, 0-3 Sunset) with 107 yards on 10 carries and Christian Reyes carried seven times for 56. Reyes also had an interception at strong safety.

Chieftains' linebacker Derek Knutsen made nine solo tackles and recovered a pair of fumbles and Chris Lopez had five tackles and forced a fumble. Peter Hagopian was a force at defensive tackle as well.

Bandon 0 0 6 6 — 12

Rogue River 0 0 0 0 — 0

B — Mack 90 punt return (run failed)

B — Carney 2 run (run failed)

Skyline Conference

HIDDEN VALLEY 27, PHOENIX 6 — At Phoenix, Todd Woodrum ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns as Hidden Valley won the Skyline opener for both teams.

The Mustangs scored in each quarter in improving to 4-1 overall. Phoenix is 2-4.

Woodrum scored on runs of 46, 17 and 2 yards. The Mustangs' other TD was a 53-yard pass from Spencer Apland to Clint Sager.

Apland was 2 of 6 for 91 yards. Sager caught both.

Armando Ledesma carried 23 times for 85 yards to lead the Phoenix offense. He scored on a 12-yard run.

Quarterback Chris Kammel was 9 of 26 for 142 yards. He was intercepted three times.

The Pirates were hurt by 11 penalties for 62 yards.

Hidden Valley 7 6 8 6 — 27

Phoenix 0 0 0 6 — 6

HV — Woodrum 46 run (Albertson kick)

HV — Woodrum 17 run (run failed)

HV — Woodrum 2 run (Sager pass from Apland)

P — Ledesma 12 run (run failed)

HV — Sager 53 pass from Apland (run failed)

NORTH VALLEY 42, ILLINOIS VALLEY 0 — At Merlin, North Valley quarterback Ryan Anderson threw three touchdown passes and Cody Austin ran for two more as the Knights rumbled to the Skyline victory.

Anderson's first TD toss was a 62-yarder to his brother, Dane. Anderson's other two touchdowns were to Garrett Schwietert, who caught a 43-yarder to give the Knights (5-1, 1-1 Skyline) a 21-0 lead in opening quarter.

Ryan Anderson was 12-for-20 for 197 yards and Dane Anderson had three receptions for 81 yards.


The Knights' Tony Norman led the ground attack with 83 yards on 11 carries, while Austin and Anthony Monize each had 43 yards rushing.

Illinois Valley 0 0 0 0 — 0

North Valley 21 7 0 14 — 42

NV — D. Anderson 62 pass from R. Anderson (Woodruff kick)

NV — Austin 6 run (Woodruff kick)

NV — Schwietert 43 pass from R. Anderson (Woodruff kick)

NV — Austin 18 run (Woodruff kick)

NV — Schwietert 7 pass from R. Anderson (Woodruff kick)

NV — Woodruff 60 pass from Baker (Woodruff kick)

District 2

POWERS 54, PROSPECT 12 — At Prospect, Powers used a strong running game to dismantle Prospect in the District 2 contest.

Powers had more than 300 yards in the first quarter, when it rolled to a 26-0 lead.

Both of the touchdowns for the Cougars (0-5) came on passes from Hunter Gallagher to David Demello. The two freshmen hooked up on 60- and 15-yard scoring plays.

Powers 26 8 8 12 — 54

Prospect 0 0 12 0 — 12