Outlaws football team wins second game on the road

The Sisters High School football team won its second straight game of the season with a 27-21 victory over Burns on Friday, September 9.

The Outlaws were first on the scoreboard. Sam Pyke blocked a punt just three minutes into the game and Dominic Nieri picked it up and dove into the end zone to score.

Sisters scored again with six minutes left in the first quarter when Cory McCaffrey ran 38 yards for a touchdown behind great blocking from Nick Pepperling and Trevor Summers. Andy Burke threw the ball to Jeff Sampson for a two-point conversion and the Outlaws took a 14-0 lead.

At the end of the first quarter Burns scored a touchdown and made a two-point conversion to cut the Outlaw lead to 14-8.

The highlight for Sisters in the second quarter came when the Outlaws took possession on their own 37 yard line and ran 12 plays in a six minute and 20 second drive. Burke capped off the drive with a four-yard run to push the Outlaws to a 20-8 advantage.

The Outlaw defense held Burns off the remainder of the quarter and Sisters led 20-8 at the half.

Nieri sparked the Outlaws in the third when he recovered his second fumble of the night to give the Outlaws back the ball on their own 35 yard line with 9:45 left in the quarter. Burke completed a 29-yard pass to Nate Jackson and then Jeff Sampson ran in from the six yard line. Matt Ruettgers’ kick for the extra point was good and Sisters went up 27-8.

Burns scored again in the beginning of the fourth quarter and their kick for the extra point was good to narrow Sister’s lead to 27-15.

With one minute and 46 seconds left in the game Burns mounted another drive and scored a touchdown to close the gap to 27-21.

Burns attempted an onside kick but Nate Jackson recovered the ball and the Outlaws offense ran down the clock to secure the victory.

Quarterback Andy Burke was six-for-13 for 89 yards. Nate Jackson had two receptions for 34 yards and Cory McCaffrey ran 20 times for 151 yards.

Dominic Nieri had 13 tackles and two fumble recoveries for the Outlaws and Sam Pyke had 14 tackles and a blocked punt.

Coach Bob Macauley sited the outstanding defensive play of Trevor Summers, Todd Bell and Jeff Fitter.

Macauley told The Nugget he feels good about his young team winning back-to-back games on the road.

“It was a good week,” said Macauley. “Hopefully, we’ll get even better this week and keep climbing the ladder.”

Sisters will host La Pine on Friday, September 16.