FLAG DAY AT SEASIDE AS INDIANS STOP GULLS
This was the second "Big Game" of the Cowapa League season following the Astoria-Seaside clash on opening week. By the end of Scappoose's 27-10 win over Seaside at Broadway Field, you would have thought it was an Independence Day Parade and not a football game for all of the flag-waving going on.
Scappoose and Seaside combined for 25 penalties, nine on a single 4th quarter possession, but it was two on-the-spot big plays for the Indians and the precise 2nd-half passing of senior Justin Engstrom that allowed Scappoose to prevail over the Gulls Friday night. With the victory, Scappoose maintains the 3-way tie atop the Cowapa League with Astoria and Yamhill-Carlton heading into next week's third "Big Game" when a banged-up Astoria visits Scappoose.
"We tell the kids every week," said Scappoose head coach Sean McNabb. "You know these kids haven't beaten you in a long, long time. Everyone wants to beat Scappoose and they would like nothing better than to knock you off. You know, regardless of who's out and who's in, we've got to come out and play better than we did tonight."
While Seaside fans would leave the field shell-shocked after a referee's version of piling on in the fourth quarter, it was Scappoose that was being buried under the weight of yellow laundry throughout most of the game.
The Indians began the game in the manner of which their fans have become accustomed this year...slowly and sloppily. Engstrom connected on just one of his first five passes before foreshadowing an impressive second-half performance by completing his last three balls, closing out a 15-play second quarter drive with a 5-yard touchdown toss to senior tight end R.J. Logue that put the Indians on top 7-3.
"I thought Justin played real well," said Scappoose head coach Sean McNabb of Engstrom, who completed 18-of-26 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. "It was frustrating for him, I know. We had a couple of drops and a couple turnovers and some penalties. You know, other than that I thought we played real well. He's a great leader. Great kid with great character and he's a kid that's going to come out and compete every week."
The Gulls responded with a long march of their own, helped by a Scappoose offsides penalty on 3rd and 5 and a face mask penalty on the Indians three plays later to help move the sticks. A five-yard run by Will Beatty gave the Gulls a first down at the Scappoose 34-yard line. But after two short runs, Beatty was stuffed by Indians linebacker Jacob Francaeur for a 1-yard loss, making it 4th and seven. The Gulls called time out to discuss their next move, but poor time management cost them when they were unable to get the play call in afterwards and were called for delay of game. On 4th and 12, Francaeur stepped in front of an Ed Kauffunger pass and returned it 68 yards for a touchdown, a deflating turn of events with a little over a minute remaining in the half. Instead of possibly taking a lead into the halftime locker room, the Gulls were down 13-3 at the break after Brian Maloney missed the PAT.
However, Seagulls head coach Dave Foust pulled out the perfect momentum remedy: an onside kick to open the second half. Junior utilityman Dominick Walker hustled to Kauffunger's squib kick as a Scappoose up-man was sizing it up, recovering at the Indians' 35-yard line. Unfortunately, the Seagulls were unable to capitalize. A Kauffunger punt pinned the Indians at their own 3-yard line, setting up a most unusual drive.
While Engstrom and his receivers had clearly sorted out their issues, the Indians were still shooting themselves in the foot with penalties. As Engstrom, buoyed by the second half entrance of top receiver Weston Powers--out for the first half for disciplinary reasons---began to slice up the Seaside secondary, for every couple of steps forward, the Indians took a step back with a penalty. Engstrom, swimming against the tide, completed 9-of-11 passes on a 15-play drive, finding six different receivers and passing for over the length of the football field. But a Joey DeNotta sack, two holding penalties and an illegal procedure call meant that Engstrom and his Tribe were still seven yards short of the Seaside end zone when Powers, the slot receiver, was tackled at the five yard line by Dominick Walker on an inside trap handoff, ending the drive. Engstrom threw for 117 yards on the drive--123 yards if you count a play wiped out by a hold--yet the Indians did not score.
Seaside, held without a big play since a 20-yard Kauffunger pass to Walker on the first snap of the game, quickly emerged from the shadow of its end zone. After a 4-yard run by Dennis Olstedt, Kauffunger called his own number, perfectly executing a play fake to his senior wingback and rolling free around right end. Fifty yards later, the Gulls were in Indians territory. Kauffunger found Olstedt on a 27-yard pass just outside the Scappoose 11-yard line and three plays later, called his own number again on a two yard touchdown sneak. Justin Krieger's PAT made it 13-10 Indians with 15 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Plenty of time for the Indians to score again as it turns out.
After a 31-yard kick return by Sean Wasson to the Seagull 49, T.J. Crane took a handoff from Engstrom on what should have been the final play of the quarter. Crane coughed up the ball, fumbling forward, where Powers picked up the loose rock and rambled 39-yards untouched to the end zone. The Seagull coaches protested to no avail and the Indians had once again popped the Seaside balloon, taking a 20-10 lead in the final period.
"We have athletes that can make big plays," said McNabb. "We have big play potential and when we get guys out in open space or on an interception they can make big things happen."
A holding penalty on the Gulls forced a punt, but Seaside got the ball back after Olstedt forced a fumble, drilling Logue after a short catch and falling on the loose ball at the Seagulls' 37-yard line. With 8:15 to go in the game down ten, the Gulls still had time to get a score and hope for a stop.
Olstedt, held to 1 yard rushing in the first half, moved the chains with consecutive runs of 8 and 11 yards to get the Seagulls into Scappoose territory. On 3rd and 2, Joey DeNotta picked up six tough yards up the middle. On 1st and 10 at the Indians 28, a Seaside lineman flinched, costing the Gulls five yards. Olstedt was stopppd after a short gain, Walker dropped a Kauffunger pass and Olstedt was tackled after a six yard throw, bringing up a critical 4th down and seven. Kauffunger's pass intended for Olstedt was overthrown, giving the Indians the ball with 4:17 remaining.
This is when things turned ugly. O.K...uglier.
Scappoose overcame, you guessed it, a holding penalty, to secure a first down when Crane busted loose on a 17-yard run. On the next play from scrimmage, Bjorn McCord sacked Engstrom on a rollout, forcing a fumble. For the second time of the night, the Indians moved the ball forward instead of a turning it over when Crane scooped up the ball and ran for four yards.
After Crane picked up three yards on a second down carry, the Gulls tried to call time out. When the line judge didn't hear the first, oh, five or six attempts from the sideline to call time, something was said that definitely got his attention and prompted the 18th penalty flag of the night. His flag nearly hit Seaside assitant coach Bill Westerholm, who picked it up and tried to display proper flag-throwing technique.
Maybe he should have put it in his pocket to send a different message. His demonstration cost him an early trip to the showers and a suspension from Seaside's next game. But this embarassing interlude was far from over. Gulls assistant Chad Madsen walked out onto the field, thinking time out had, after much effort and delay, finally been called. Apparently not. He was rudely directed back to the sideline by the referee after trying to get to the huddle. More words were said, more penalties assessed and, by the time the dust settled, the Gulls had been charged with three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, giving Scappoose 45-yards and a first down at the Seaside 13-yard line essentially ending the game.
If only we were so lucky.
Before Scappoose pounded in the final nail in the coffin on a 14-yard Engstrom pass to Powers: Seagull senior lineman Loren Waters was called for a personal foul and ejected from the game for a forearm to the head of a Scappoose player, Scappoose was called for holding, nullifying a touchdown pass to Powers and the Indians were charged with illegal procedure. Eight penalties in all on the scoring drive and another one thrown on the kickoff against the Indians, again for illegal procedure. During the mess, the Indians were never given a first down for the personal foul on Waters, but it did not cost them.
With 1:58 to go in the game and Scapppose leading 27-10, whatever excitement and energy there was at this important contest--and there wasn't nearly as much as one might have thought, probably due in part to the horrible state of Seaside's football facility which has completely inadequate seating--had completely dissipated in a sorry display of overofficious behavior. The cloddish quartet shall remain nameless. Not because we are protecting them, but none of the veteran coaches or game administrators I spoke to recognized a single one of them! That ought to tell one something about the state of the local association, which appears to be on its last legs.
Seaside's football season is on its last legs unless the Seagulls can win three straight games, starting at Yamhill-Carlton next Friday. They may have to do it without senior RB/LB Will Beatty, who injured his shoulder near the end of the game after rushing for 33 yards on 13 carries. The Gulls hope to have TE/DE Kai Watts back in time for next Friday's game, however senior OL/DL Ross Knutsen is out for the year after tearing ligaments in his elbow in practice prior to the Astoria game.
Unfortunately overshadowed by the non-patriotic flag-waving display was a fine performance by Engstrom, who completed 13-of-16 passes in the second half for 158 of his 220 yards. Powers made up for lost time by grabbing six balls for 98 yards, but he was one of seven different players on the receiving end of Engstrom's throws. Ryan Goodnight, back after a 2-game injury absence, picked up the pace in the first half with four of his five catches, finishing with 69 yards receiving. T.J. Crane rushed for 124 yards as he continues to chase Western Oregon star Eliot Vinzant's school single-season rushing record. The Indians ploughed through the penalties to rack up 424 yards to Seaside's 276 in the win.
After a near-silent first half that featured a couple of dropped passes, Seaside's Olstedt finished with 104 all-purpose yards. Joe DeNotta, a workhorse against Astoria, carried just five times for 44 yards for Seaside, which dropped to 0-2 in the Cowapa League and 4-3 with the loss, while Scappoose improved to 2-0 and 6-1.
SCAPPOOSE 0-13-7-7-27
SEASIDE 3-0-7-0-10
1stQ-SEA: Krieger 25 FG
2ndQ-SCA: Logue 5 pass from Engstrom (Maloney kick)
2ndQ-SCA: Francaeur 68 interception return (kick failed)
3rdQ-SEA: Kauffunger 2 run (Krieger kick)
3rdQ-SCA: Powers 39 run after Crane 10 run and fumble (Maloney kick)
4thQ-SCA: Powers 14 pass from Engstrom (Maloney kick)
RUSHING-SCA: 31-204 (Crane 21-124), SEA: 41-196 (Kauffunger 4-58-td)
PASSING-SCA: Engstrom 18-26-0-220-2td, SEA: 7-22-2-80 (Kauffunger 7-21-2-80)
RECEIVING-SCA: Powers 6-98-td, SEA: Olstedt 3-48, Walker 4-32
TURNOVERS-SCA: 2, SEA: 2
PENALTIES-SCA: 14-115, SEA: 11-89
Scappoose and Seaside combined for 25 penalties, nine on a single 4th quarter possession, but it was two on-the-spot big plays for the Indians and the precise 2nd-half passing of senior Justin Engstrom that allowed Scappoose to prevail over the Gulls Friday night. With the victory, Scappoose maintains the 3-way tie atop the Cowapa League with Astoria and Yamhill-Carlton heading into next week's third "Big Game" when a banged-up Astoria visits Scappoose.
"We tell the kids every week," said Scappoose head coach Sean McNabb. "You know these kids haven't beaten you in a long, long time. Everyone wants to beat Scappoose and they would like nothing better than to knock you off. You know, regardless of who's out and who's in, we've got to come out and play better than we did tonight."
While Seaside fans would leave the field shell-shocked after a referee's version of piling on in the fourth quarter, it was Scappoose that was being buried under the weight of yellow laundry throughout most of the game.
The Indians began the game in the manner of which their fans have become accustomed this year...slowly and sloppily. Engstrom connected on just one of his first five passes before foreshadowing an impressive second-half performance by completing his last three balls, closing out a 15-play second quarter drive with a 5-yard touchdown toss to senior tight end R.J. Logue that put the Indians on top 7-3.
"I thought Justin played real well," said Scappoose head coach Sean McNabb of Engstrom, who completed 18-of-26 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. "It was frustrating for him, I know. We had a couple of drops and a couple turnovers and some penalties. You know, other than that I thought we played real well. He's a great leader. Great kid with great character and he's a kid that's going to come out and compete every week."
The Gulls responded with a long march of their own, helped by a Scappoose offsides penalty on 3rd and 5 and a face mask penalty on the Indians three plays later to help move the sticks. A five-yard run by Will Beatty gave the Gulls a first down at the Scappoose 34-yard line. But after two short runs, Beatty was stuffed by Indians linebacker Jacob Francaeur for a 1-yard loss, making it 4th and seven. The Gulls called time out to discuss their next move, but poor time management cost them when they were unable to get the play call in afterwards and were called for delay of game. On 4th and 12, Francaeur stepped in front of an Ed Kauffunger pass and returned it 68 yards for a touchdown, a deflating turn of events with a little over a minute remaining in the half. Instead of possibly taking a lead into the halftime locker room, the Gulls were down 13-3 at the break after Brian Maloney missed the PAT.
However, Seagulls head coach Dave Foust pulled out the perfect momentum remedy: an onside kick to open the second half. Junior utilityman Dominick Walker hustled to Kauffunger's squib kick as a Scappoose up-man was sizing it up, recovering at the Indians' 35-yard line. Unfortunately, the Seagulls were unable to capitalize. A Kauffunger punt pinned the Indians at their own 3-yard line, setting up a most unusual drive.
While Engstrom and his receivers had clearly sorted out their issues, the Indians were still shooting themselves in the foot with penalties. As Engstrom, buoyed by the second half entrance of top receiver Weston Powers--out for the first half for disciplinary reasons---began to slice up the Seaside secondary, for every couple of steps forward, the Indians took a step back with a penalty. Engstrom, swimming against the tide, completed 9-of-11 passes on a 15-play drive, finding six different receivers and passing for over the length of the football field. But a Joey DeNotta sack, two holding penalties and an illegal procedure call meant that Engstrom and his Tribe were still seven yards short of the Seaside end zone when Powers, the slot receiver, was tackled at the five yard line by Dominick Walker on an inside trap handoff, ending the drive. Engstrom threw for 117 yards on the drive--123 yards if you count a play wiped out by a hold--yet the Indians did not score.
Seaside, held without a big play since a 20-yard Kauffunger pass to Walker on the first snap of the game, quickly emerged from the shadow of its end zone. After a 4-yard run by Dennis Olstedt, Kauffunger called his own number, perfectly executing a play fake to his senior wingback and rolling free around right end. Fifty yards later, the Gulls were in Indians territory. Kauffunger found Olstedt on a 27-yard pass just outside the Scappoose 11-yard line and three plays later, called his own number again on a two yard touchdown sneak. Justin Krieger's PAT made it 13-10 Indians with 15 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Plenty of time for the Indians to score again as it turns out.
After a 31-yard kick return by Sean Wasson to the Seagull 49, T.J. Crane took a handoff from Engstrom on what should have been the final play of the quarter. Crane coughed up the ball, fumbling forward, where Powers picked up the loose rock and rambled 39-yards untouched to the end zone. The Seagull coaches protested to no avail and the Indians had once again popped the Seaside balloon, taking a 20-10 lead in the final period.
"We have athletes that can make big plays," said McNabb. "We have big play potential and when we get guys out in open space or on an interception they can make big things happen."
A holding penalty on the Gulls forced a punt, but Seaside got the ball back after Olstedt forced a fumble, drilling Logue after a short catch and falling on the loose ball at the Seagulls' 37-yard line. With 8:15 to go in the game down ten, the Gulls still had time to get a score and hope for a stop.
Olstedt, held to 1 yard rushing in the first half, moved the chains with consecutive runs of 8 and 11 yards to get the Seagulls into Scappoose territory. On 3rd and 2, Joey DeNotta picked up six tough yards up the middle. On 1st and 10 at the Indians 28, a Seaside lineman flinched, costing the Gulls five yards. Olstedt was stopppd after a short gain, Walker dropped a Kauffunger pass and Olstedt was tackled after a six yard throw, bringing up a critical 4th down and seven. Kauffunger's pass intended for Olstedt was overthrown, giving the Indians the ball with 4:17 remaining.
This is when things turned ugly. O.K...uglier.
Scappoose overcame, you guessed it, a holding penalty, to secure a first down when Crane busted loose on a 17-yard run. On the next play from scrimmage, Bjorn McCord sacked Engstrom on a rollout, forcing a fumble. For the second time of the night, the Indians moved the ball forward instead of a turning it over when Crane scooped up the ball and ran for four yards.
After Crane picked up three yards on a second down carry, the Gulls tried to call time out. When the line judge didn't hear the first, oh, five or six attempts from the sideline to call time, something was said that definitely got his attention and prompted the 18th penalty flag of the night. His flag nearly hit Seaside assitant coach Bill Westerholm, who picked it up and tried to display proper flag-throwing technique.
Maybe he should have put it in his pocket to send a different message. His demonstration cost him an early trip to the showers and a suspension from Seaside's next game. But this embarassing interlude was far from over. Gulls assistant Chad Madsen walked out onto the field, thinking time out had, after much effort and delay, finally been called. Apparently not. He was rudely directed back to the sideline by the referee after trying to get to the huddle. More words were said, more penalties assessed and, by the time the dust settled, the Gulls had been charged with three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, giving Scappoose 45-yards and a first down at the Seaside 13-yard line essentially ending the game.
If only we were so lucky.
Before Scappoose pounded in the final nail in the coffin on a 14-yard Engstrom pass to Powers: Seagull senior lineman Loren Waters was called for a personal foul and ejected from the game for a forearm to the head of a Scappoose player, Scappoose was called for holding, nullifying a touchdown pass to Powers and the Indians were charged with illegal procedure. Eight penalties in all on the scoring drive and another one thrown on the kickoff against the Indians, again for illegal procedure. During the mess, the Indians were never given a first down for the personal foul on Waters, but it did not cost them.
With 1:58 to go in the game and Scapppose leading 27-10, whatever excitement and energy there was at this important contest--and there wasn't nearly as much as one might have thought, probably due in part to the horrible state of Seaside's football facility which has completely inadequate seating--had completely dissipated in a sorry display of overofficious behavior. The cloddish quartet shall remain nameless. Not because we are protecting them, but none of the veteran coaches or game administrators I spoke to recognized a single one of them! That ought to tell one something about the state of the local association, which appears to be on its last legs.
Seaside's football season is on its last legs unless the Seagulls can win three straight games, starting at Yamhill-Carlton next Friday. They may have to do it without senior RB/LB Will Beatty, who injured his shoulder near the end of the game after rushing for 33 yards on 13 carries. The Gulls hope to have TE/DE Kai Watts back in time for next Friday's game, however senior OL/DL Ross Knutsen is out for the year after tearing ligaments in his elbow in practice prior to the Astoria game.
Unfortunately overshadowed by the non-patriotic flag-waving display was a fine performance by Engstrom, who completed 13-of-16 passes in the second half for 158 of his 220 yards. Powers made up for lost time by grabbing six balls for 98 yards, but he was one of seven different players on the receiving end of Engstrom's throws. Ryan Goodnight, back after a 2-game injury absence, picked up the pace in the first half with four of his five catches, finishing with 69 yards receiving. T.J. Crane rushed for 124 yards as he continues to chase Western Oregon star Eliot Vinzant's school single-season rushing record. The Indians ploughed through the penalties to rack up 424 yards to Seaside's 276 in the win.
After a near-silent first half that featured a couple of dropped passes, Seaside's Olstedt finished with 104 all-purpose yards. Joe DeNotta, a workhorse against Astoria, carried just five times for 44 yards for Seaside, which dropped to 0-2 in the Cowapa League and 4-3 with the loss, while Scappoose improved to 2-0 and 6-1.
SCAPPOOSE 0-13-7-7-27
SEASIDE 3-0-7-0-10
1stQ-SEA: Krieger 25 FG
2ndQ-SCA: Logue 5 pass from Engstrom (Maloney kick)
2ndQ-SCA: Francaeur 68 interception return (kick failed)
3rdQ-SEA: Kauffunger 2 run (Krieger kick)
3rdQ-SCA: Powers 39 run after Crane 10 run and fumble (Maloney kick)
4thQ-SCA: Powers 14 pass from Engstrom (Maloney kick)
RUSHING-SCA: 31-204 (Crane 21-124), SEA: 41-196 (Kauffunger 4-58-td)
PASSING-SCA: Engstrom 18-26-0-220-2td, SEA: 7-22-2-80 (Kauffunger 7-21-2-80)
RECEIVING-SCA: Powers 6-98-td, SEA: Olstedt 3-48, Walker 4-32
TURNOVERS-SCA: 2, SEA: 2
PENALTIES-SCA: 14-115, SEA: 11-89
posted by Matt Richert at 9:42 PM
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