Outlaws head to big game

It took a grueling, tension-filled three hours last Saturday for Jarred Hasskamp and Tanner Hodges to lead the Outlaws football team to a thrilling 50-49 semi-final victory over Ontario.

Hasskamp completed 19 of 35 passes for 421 yards and four touchdowns, and Hodges caught seven of those passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns.

The Outlaws needed every single point they could put on the board to hold down a fired-up Ontario squad.

Sisters, on their second possession, got down to the two-yard line and failed to convert on a fourth and two when Hasskamp's pass was dropped in the end zone. The Tigers started their drive from their own two-yard line, and on their second play Ian Stark barreled through to tackle Ontario's quarterback Bryson Sap for a safety. Both teams exchanged possessions and surprisingly enough at the end of the first quarter the score was 2-0.

The fireworks started in the second quarter. Sisters scored first on a four-play drive that was capped with a six-yard strike from Hasskamp to Nate Jackson. Hodges kicked the PAT (point after touchdown) and Sisters went up 9-0.

Sisters stopped the Tigers again, and the Outlaws took over on their own 15-yard line. Sisters wasted little time and went 85 yards in four plays with Hasskamp finding Carroll Gryder, who went 70 yards for the TD. Hodges kicked the PAT, and the Outlaws extended their lead to 16-0.

The lead was short-lived as Loren Stewart returned the kickoff for 78 yards for the TD to narrow the Outlaw lead to 16-7. Less than two minutes later Stewart raced 34 yards for another Tiger score to close Sisters lead to 16-13.

The Outlaws went three and out and were forced to punt. Ontario responded quickly. Sap raced five yards for the TD to cap the Tiger drive. Ontario's two point conversion attempt was good, and the Tigers took the lead 21-16.

Sisters took possession on their own 20-yard line and went on an eight-play drive. The key play was a 40-yard burst up the middle by Cory McCaffrey, who went on to cap the drive with a three-yard TD run. The two-point conversion failed, and Sisters went into the half with a one point lead at 22-21.

The third quarter started with the Tigers and Outlaws trading punts. The Tigers then mounted another scoring drive with Sap scrambling 38 yards for the TD. The two-point conversion was good, and Ontario took the lead at 29-22.

The Outlaws took the ball on their own 20-yard line and went on a 19-play drive that culminated with a McCaffrey four-yard run for the touchdown. The extra point was no good due to a bad snap, but the Outlaws closed the Ontario lead to one point at 29-28.

Ontario took possession, and on the first play Stewart raced 73 yards down the sidelines to score. The extra point was good, and the Tigers extended their lead to 36-28 to close the third quarter.

McCaffrey followed the blocking of Tyson Edmunson and raced 29 yards to cap the 84-yard, three-play drive at the start of the fourth quarter for the TD. Sisters decided to go for two. Hasskamp completed a pass to McCaffrey to tie the game 36-36.

The Outlaws defense held the Tigers and forced the punt, and the Outlaws were back in business on their own 18-yard line. Hasskamp, on the first play from the line of scrimmage, connected with Hodges for an 82-yard scoring strike. Hodges extra point put the Outlaws up 43-36 with eight minutes left in the game.

The Tigers came right back and marched down the field, completed a 10-yard pass for the TD, kicked the extra point and tied the game once again at 43-43 with 5:30 left on the clock.

After the ensuing kickoff the Outlaws took the ball on their own 27-yard line and marched to midfield. On third-and-two Taylor Davenport bowled his way through for a key first down to keep the drive alive. The Outlaws found themselves on Ontario's 24-yard line facing third and six. Hasskamp drilled a pass between three defenders to Hodges who raced to the sidelines for the TD and then added the extra point. Sisters took a 50-43 advantage with 3:18 left in the game.

Ontario took the ball and on third and 16 threw a Hail Mary pass, which was answered to keep their drive alive putting them on the Outlaw 30-yard line. Four plays later quarterback Sap raced in from the 14-yard line to make the score 50-49 with 1:36 left.

The Tiger coach called a time out and asked his team whether they wanted to go for the tie or the win. It was a unanimous decision to go for the win. Ontario lined up for the two point conversion, handed the ball to Stewart who went around the right end. Marcus Gaboni was there for the hit, but Stewart bounced off and kept running. Jackson got in a hit, and Stewart bounced sideways and kept on running. Those two hits allowed the rest of the Outlaw defense to get there.

Dominic Nieri, Tyler Miller and Hodges secured the tackle on the one-yard line leaving the Outlaws with a one-point lead with 1:36 left in the game.

Ontario lined up for the onside kick. Levi Goins dove and caught the ball as he was hit by three Ontario defenders. Sisters ran down the clock to 5.8 seconds and on fourth down handed the ball to McCaffrey.

Coach Bob Macauley said: "Cory raced left, stopped, reversed his field, ran out the clock and took a knee."

What seemed like the entire community of Sisters swarmed the field, and the celebration began.

The Outlaws piled up 421 yards passing and also rushed for 266 yards for a total of 687 yards and seven touchdowns.

McCaffrey - recently named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Oregon - turned in another outstanding performance with 26 carries for 227 yards. Jackson had five catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. Emery Meyer had four catches for 72 yards, and Gryder had two catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.

"The guys were very resilient and played very good, but I think we can fix a couple of things we're doing wrong - and we're going to have to for next week's game," said Macauley.

Sisters plays Marist in the championship game on Saturday, December 8. Kickoff will be at 11 a.m., at Reser Stadium, at Oregon State University.