Outlaws battle to first league win on gridiron

It was a big night for the Sisters varsity football team on Friday, October 14. The homecoming celebration was highlighted by the Outlaws' 21-14 win over Cottage Grove, which marked Sisters' first league win of the season.

At the close of the first quarter Sisters scored their first touchdown of the evening. Shane Groth completed a 24-yard pass to Cole Moore for the score. Moore kicked the point after touchdown and Sisters took a 7-0 lead.

Cottage Grove scored in the second quarter on a 35-yard interception return. The kick was good and the Lions evened the score at 7-7. Later in the quarter, Ethan Luloff took a handoff from Groth and ran 72 yards for the TD. Luloff had good blocking from Lane Adams and Dexter Muller at the start of the play and further down the field Andrew Snyder, Cole Moore and Connor Morgan were there to block.

Sisters headed to the locker room with a 14-7 lead at the half.

Snyder made a great catch on a 26-yard pass from Groth in the third quarter. Andrew caught the ball in traffic, avoided a tackle and ran it into the end zone.

Late in the quarter Sisters drove the ball clear down to the five-yard line, but then gave up an interception and the Lions ran it back 95 yards for the touchdown. At the end of the third Sisters held a 21-14 advantage.

Outlaws defense came up with several key stops on the Lions' last two possessions and held the Lion's defense to 59 total yards of offense. Both teams were scoreless in the final quarter and Sisters walked away with the win.

Connor Morgan had three interceptions in the game and a couple of key receptions, which helped keep an Outlaws scoring drive alive.

Morgan and Groth led the team on defense in tackles. Morgan recorded 10 tackles in the game and Groth finished with eight. Groth was also 7/17 with 153 yards passing.

Ethan Luloff rushed for 146 yards. The Outlaws finished the night with 290 total yards of offense while CG ended with 257 yards.

"This was our best performance of the year without question," said Coach Clyde Powell. "Our offense and defense both played great and the defense had two goal-line stands in the ball game. We played a lot of younger kids due to our continued injuries, and they stepped up and did a good job."

Powell told The Nugget that the win gave the team the boost they needed.

"When you're 0-6 and you win, it helps take the monkey off your back," added Powell. "It made homecoming fun, and now we're in a position to step forward. It doesn't matter where you start, but where you finish. We played pretty good the last six quarters of football and hopefully it will continue."

The Outlaws will play at La Pine on Friday, October 21, at 7 p.m.