Outlaws send two champions to state

The Outlaws football team claimed its first ever Capital Conference title with a 26-6 victory over Woodburn Friday night, October 31.

The win means that both the Outlaws boys and girls put championship teams in state competition. The Lady Outlaws volleyball squad also notched a conference title.

The Outlaws gridiron squad finished the league season at 6-1 and are the number one seed from the Capital Conference. The top seeding gives the Outlaws a bye in the first round of the state playoffs.

Sisters will play the winner of the North Valley-Taft game in the second round of the playoffs at home on November 14 or 15.

The Outlaws expected the field conditions to be swampy at Woodburn after the deluge the Willamette Valley received earlier in the week. Head coach Bob Macauley's game plan was to play very straightforward, basic football.

"It turned out the field wasn't so bad, but we stuck with the plan and were able to control the game," Macauley said.

Neither team put any points on board in the opening period, but Dusty Macauley found his receivers in the second quarter as the Outlaws completed a 99-yard drive for the first touchdown of the evening, capped by Lee Friend's three-yard reception in the end zone.

A 14-yard touchdown pass to Shane Crowder later in the period put the Outlaws up 12-0 at halftime. The defense came up with big plays on the night, including an interception by Jon Justin that ended Woodburn's first drive of the second half.

Later in the period, Eli Pyke picked off another Bulldog pass and returned it 48 yards to the four-yard line.

Lee Friend picked up his second touchdown of the night moments later on a pass from Macauley. Macauley then found Jon Justin in the end zone to complete the two-point conversion, making it 20-0.

"When we got up by 20, the kids started to realize that the title was ours, so when we scored again in the fourth quarter to go up 26-0 they were downright giddy," Macauley said.

The final score for the Outlaws came on a three-yard run by Scott Nelson.

Macauley was happy with the balanced offensive effort as well as the solid play of his defense.

Dusty Macauley racked up 138 yards in completing nine of 17 passes.

Jon Justin accounted for 102 of those yards, while Scott Nelson racked up 103 yards on the ground on 14 carries.

Central and Sweet Home will join Sisters as the other two Capital Conference representatives at state.