ROSEBURG – In a battle of top defenses, it was Falls City’s unit that had a banner day and held Camas Valley to just one touchdown in a 30-10 victory for the Mountaineers in the quarterfinals of the 1A state playoffs on Saturday at Roseburg High School.
The Hornets took a 2-0 lead on the opening drive of the game for their only advantage of the contest. Falls City was punting from near its own end zone and the snap went over the head of Jeremy Labrado, who collected the ball in the end zone and was tackled for a safety.
Camas Valley’s defense looked to have stopped Falls City on its second drive, but a roughing the punter penalty on 4th and 33 kept the ball in the hands of the Mountaineers. They made the Hornets pay for the mistake by driving down the field to score a touchdown on a 16-yard pass from Jesse Sickles to Austin Burgess.
Falls City took an 8-2 lead into the second quarter and on the first play off the quarter Sickles found Burgess again for another score that gave the Mountaineers a 16-2 lead.
Camas Valley finally found some offensive momentum on its final drive of the first half. The Hornets 50 yards on eight plays and scored on a 4-yard pass from senior Ryland Brown to Jack House.
Brown was one of three players for Camas Valley dealing with a significant injury. The quarterback missed the Hornets’ first round game with a shoulder injury along with running back Ryan Weickum, who also made his return against Falls City. House played Saturday’s game with a torn rotator cuff suffered in week one of the season. It was obvious throughout the contest as House could be seen with one arm hanging limp as he ran around.
Camas Valley trailed 16-10 at the break, but received the ball to start the second half. The Hornets had a chance to tie the game on their opening drive of the third quarter. Facing 4th down and goal from inside the one-yard line, Camas Valley ran Brown on a quarterback sneak, but the Mountaineers’ defense held and forced a turnover on downs.
That would be Camas Valley’s best shot at scoring in the second half. Falls City’s defense forced the Hornets to turn the ball over on downs twice, punt once, and commit two turnovers.
Meanwhile, the Mountaineers found just enough offense. After stopping Camas Valley on the one-yard line, Falls City drove 99 yards and scored on a 51-yard touchdown run by Burgess to make the score 24-10.
Falls City iced the game with a 21-yard touchdown run by Labrado with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter.
Burgess led Falls City with 125 yards from the line of scrimmage and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-3 junior had 71 yards receiving and 54 yards rushing. Labrado carried the ball 22 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. Falls City quarterback Jesse Sickles finished the day 5-of-8 through the air for 86 yards and two scores.
In his return to the field, Ryland Brown threw for 211 yards with one score and one interception. He also fumbled the ball in the first quarter. Jack House finished with 89 yards receiving and the one touchdown. Ryan Weickum was Camas Valley’s leading rusher with 23 yards on 10 carries.
Falls City advances to play Dufur in the semifinals next week. It is the first time that the Mountaineers have reached the semifinals in school history. Camas Valley finishes the season 9-2 and will graduate six seniors.
SCORES BY QUARTER
FALLS CITY 8; 8; 8; 6 – 30
CAMAS VALLEY 2; 8; 0; 0 – 10
SCORING PLAYS
1st Quarter:
CV – Safety
FC – Burgess 16 pass from J. Sickles (Labrado run)
2nd Quarter:
FC – Burgess 40 pass from J. Sickles (Labrado run)
CV – House 4 pass from R. Brown (House pass from R. Brown)
3rd Quarter:
FC – Burgess 51 run (Labrado run)
4th Quarter:
FC – Labrado 21 run (Try fail)
