SUTHERLIN – If the start to the game was any indication how this game would play out, it followed suit as the North Douglas Warriors football team defeated the Sherman Huskies 50-44 Saturday. On the first play of the game North Douglas recovered a bouncing onside kick to start and struck quickly on offense with a Cal Parks 12 yard rushing touchdown to take an early 8-0 lead. From the beginning the Warriors took the momentum and ran with it.
North Douglas recovered a second consecutive onside kick on the ensuing kickoff that led to a 63 yard touchdown reception to 6-4 Senior Sean Keenan putting the Warriors up 16-0. On the next Cascade possession Treve Martin caught a 34 yard touchdown reception to slow some of the initial momentum bringing the score to 16-6. North Douglas threw an interception after driving deep into Huskie territory by Own Christiansen. Then Sherman fumbled on their ensuing possession to give it right back to the Warriors. That led to a Cal Parks 14 yard rushing touchdown to put North Douglas up 22-6. Isaiah Coles came back for the Huskies with a 19 yard rushing touchdown, pulling the Huskies within a score 22-14.
To start the second quarter Dominic Aguilar added a touchdown run adding to the Warrior lead 30-14. Sherman had a turnover on downs that Cal Parks once again took advantage of with a four yard touchdown run, his third of the game to parlay North Douglas to a 38-14 lead. Turnovers once again hurt the Huskies as the coughed up a fumble who Marcus Aguilar recovered. That led to Sean Keenan’s second receiving touchdown of the game on 34 yard reception, bringing the game to 44-14 at halftime.
Head Coach JJ Mast said “The kids played great and were real aggressive and executed what we’re trying to do. Probably the best half of football they’ve played all year and we’ve had some good half’s.”
In the second half North Douglas began to play more conservative with a big lead and time on their side. Sherman struck first with a quick touchdown to Treve Martin but Cal Parks struck right back on a 36 yard touchdown reception bringing the score to 50-22. Cal Parks ended with four total touchdowns on the game for North Douglas. That would be the last score for the Warriors as Sherman would look to Senior Maverick Winslow to lead them back into the game as he had a 15 yard td reception, eight yard touchdown run, and added another touchdown run late in the fourth with 2:44 remaining. Winslow scored on three consecutive Huskies drives bringing them within one score at 50-42. North Douglas needed to run the clock out to win and the game came down to a fourth and three with about a minute left. The Huskies were too anxious as they were penalized for off sides giving the Warriors a first down and all but ending the game.
“We told them, the second half is going to be different.” Mast added “Sherman is a good football team, they got a lot of pride, a lot of weapons. And we know they were going to come out and throw everything at us. They hit us in the chin over and over and our guys were exhausted but they found enough at the end.”
North Douglas now faces 2nd ranked Crane next week in the 1A state semifinal.
“It’s going to be a good one from here on out. We got to put our best foot forward. Play clean and get our legs back under us is #1.” Mast said in regards to the next round.
