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CVC 2 for 3 in 6A playoffs Drama marked Central Valley Conference victories in the first round of the OSAA 6A football playoffs, while the lone loss was a blow out by one of the state's top ranked teams. Sprague 27, Centennial 24 The Sprague Olympians have had their share of come-from-behind efforts this football season.
The game started with promise for Sprague, after Centennial fumbled the opening kickoff and it was recovered by Therin Dahline. But the Olympian offense turned the ball over on downs at the Eagle 18 yard line, and things turned ugly for the visitors. Centennial fullback Austin Brand burst through the middle on the very next play and ran 73 yards before being dragged down from behind. Then Eagle tailback Ben Eiden scampered eight yards for a touchdown, and the Mount Hood Conference runners up led 7-0. Just minutes later, Centennial stretched the margin to 14-0 when defensive back Drew Fisher intercepted a Sprague pass and returned it 25 yards for touchdown. Sprague got on the board on the next posssession. Gabe Synegal got it started with a 48 yard kickoff return to the Centennial 44 yard line. Olympian quarterback Adam Kniffin carried the ball three of four times on the resulting drive, including the payoff play of nine yards for a touchdown to cut the margin to 14-7. The short drive was the bulk of the offense Sprague would be able to generate for the remainder of the half, the Eagles limited the Olys for just 77 total yards in the first two quarters. Centennial didn't fare much better, adding a 30 yard field goal to give them a 17-7 lead heading to the locker room. The situation appeared bleak for Sprague early in the third quarter when Centennial built their advantage to 24-7 on a 5 play, 54 yard drive with nine minutes left in the third quarter. Then coach Robin Hill made a key offensive adjustment that would turn the tide in his team's favor, bringing sophomore Jeff Kidd in at quarterback and moving Kniffin to wide receiver. "It gave us enough of a spark to get us going," said Hill after the game. It was more like a flame, as Kidd caught the Eagles defense off-guard with deft passing, including three strikes to Kniffin for 81 yards. The first Kniffin catch, covering 39 yards, was the highlight of a 7 play, 80 yard drive capped by a four yard Jordan Dohman run to slice the Centennial lead to 24-14 with three minutes left in the third quarter. But the Olys still appeared to be staggering until linebacker Tony Wilson jumped on an Eagle fumble at the Centennial 46 yard line with ten minutes left in the game. Four plays later, Kidd found Kniffin with a 29 yard TD pass with 8:32 left in the game. Colin Casad missed the extra point after a Sprague penalty, and Eagle lead was reduced to 24-20. On the very next drive, Wilson came up with yet another fumble recovery, as Brand coughed up the football just outside his own 30 yard line. Kidd got the Olympians their first lead of the game four plays later, hitting Dohman in stride on a 24 yard TD pass to make it 27-24 Sprague with 6:42 left. Centennial mounted one last drive. Helped by a pair of questionable pass interference calls, the Eagles moed the ball to midfield with 2:06 left. But quarterback Kyle Warner, who was harrased all evening by the Olympian defense, fumbled the ball and Sprague recovered to apparently put the game out of reach with 1:59 left. But the Olympians were forced to punt after a controversial illegal procedure call and Centennial got one more opportunity, starting at their own nine yard line. After a scramble and a short pass for a first down, Warner fumbled again--the fifth lost ball for the Eagles on the night, and Cascad recovered to seal the win. Kidd threw for 117 yards and two touchdowns in short duty for the Olympians, while Kniffin had 135 yards in offense running, passing and receiving. Eiden had 56 yards on 12 carries for Centennial, while Brand added 99 yards rushing on 5 carries. Sprague (6-5) will play in Eugene next week against third-ranked Sheldon, the champions of the Southwest Confernce. Sheldon got a first round bye. Centennial ended their season with an 8-3 record. Redmond 28, Oregon City 25 The Redmond Panthers jumped out to a big lead at home, then withstood a furious rally by Oregon City to beat the Pioneers and advance to the second round of the 6A playoffs.
But the Panther offense was shutdown in the second quarter by the Pioneers, who added picked up a touchdown of their own own a 60 yard pass from Justin Gates to Ryan Versoza to make it 14-6 Redmond at half time. The Panthers extended their lead with a pair of touchdowns in the first 16 minutes of the second half. TDs by York and Ty Nordstrom gave Redmond a 28-12 advantage with 8 1/2 minutes left. But Oregon City, the fourth place team out of the Three Rivers League, wasn't ready to concede the game. On the next Redmond drive, the Pioneers forced a fumble by York at the OC 35 yard line and started a 65 yard drive that ended with Versoza throwing an 8 yard TD to Gates to cut the lead to 28-18 after a missed two point conversion. Oregon City then executed a perfect onside kick, but it was called back due to an offsides penalty. The Pioneers tried it again and recovered for a second time--this one counted--giving them the ball at the Redmond 26 yard line. Oregon City worked quickly, as Andrew Papworth pounded into the end zone from one yard out to slice the Redmond lead to 28-25 with three minutes left. The Panther offense could do nothing on the next drive and were forced to punt, but the Redmond defense did its job, forcing OC to turn the ball over on downs with just under a minute to play.
Westview 51, South Salem 0
South (4-6) turned the ball over five times against the powerful Wildcat defense, two of the miscues converted for Westview touchdowns. The Saxons looked good early, trailing just 3-0 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter. Then the problems began. Westview corner Spencer Arns intercepted a Jonathan Sigado pass just three plays and 79 seconds later and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead. After South punted on the next drive, QB Josh Hill threw a 50 yard strike to Arns for the second touchdown of the quarter, and the Wildcats led 17-0. The rout was on from there. Westview added three more touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 44 yard fumble return by linebacker Eric Perry, giving Westview a 38-0 lead at the half. Hill finished with 144 yards passing for Westview on 7 of 10 attempts--including two TDs to Arns.
Westview advances to face Clackamas in the second round. The Cavaliers defeated Wilson 20-13 Friday night. CVC Note West Salem now has an opponent for their opening game at home next Friday in the 6A playoffs. The Central Valley Conference champions will face West Linn, the second seed out of the Three Rivers League. The Lions shutdown Beaverton 17-3 in their first round game on Friday night. West Linn beat McKay two weeks ago 34-19.
GAME PHOTOS BY: JAYNE ONCEA (Oregon City-Redmond)
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But the traveling Olys saved their most exciting rally for the playoffs, as they came back from a 17 point deficit to stun Centennial 27-24 on the Eagles' home field in Gresham.
Redmond scored two touchdowns in the first quarter to jump out to a 14-0 lead, and appeared to be in control of the game. Taylor York had an eight yard TD run and first team all-conference quarterback Cody Johnson threw an 89 yard TD pass to first team wide receiver Bo Guthrie to get things started. 
Johnson, who was hobbled by a twisted ankle late in the first half, ended the game with 124 yards through the air on just four of twelve passes. York topped the Redmond rushing attack with 129 yards and two touchdowns. Redmond (8-3) travels to PIL champion Grant next weekend. Oregon City ended their year with a record of 5-6.
South Salem knew the odds were against them in their opening round playoff game against second-ranked Westview. But a flurry of mistakes in the first half made it nearly impossible for the young Saxons as they fell hard on the road in their first post season appearance in three years.
South Salem's junior quarterback Jonathan Sigado was 10-24 passing for 112 yards and an interception. Running back Corey Bickler was the lone offensive bright spot for the Saxons, rushing for 103 yards on 18 carries.