Outlaws football suffers first league loss

The Outlaws suffered a disappointing 28-19 loss at Cottage Grove (CG) on Thursday, October 3.

The contest started off great with Dawson Roberson getting an interception in the end zone which ended CG’s opening drive. Sisters took possession on the Lions’ 20-yard line. Hunter Bronson hit Hudson Beckwith on a nice pass for a 79-yard touchdown (TD) run. Reid Woodson’s point-after-touchdown (PAT) was good and the Outlaws went up 7-0, and held that score to end the first quarter.

Sisters forced the Lions to punt just one minute into the second quarter and took over at their own 13-yard line. On second and 16, Kolbi Cotner had a 73-yard run that took the Outlaws down to the nine-yard line. Kayl Mock ran it into the end zone for the score and Sisters went up 13-0 (PAT failed).

It was chaotic from there. Trent Gordon recovered a fumble for the Outlaws, but on the next play the Lions intercepted the ball. CG took over on their own 40-yard line and scored a TD with 14 seconds left in the half, and followed with a two-point conversion to close the gap to 13-8 as teams entered the half.

Sisters took the second half kickoff and went on a great drive to the five-yard line. Unfortunately, the Outlaws fumbled, CG went on a long 86-yard drive and scored on a short run. Their PAT was good and the Outlaws went down by two, 13-15.

On Sisters’ next possession on the Lions’ 30-yard line, the Outlaws’ ball carrier was stripped of the ball and CG ran it down to the Outlaws’ 20. A few plays later they scored on another short run, hit the PAT and took an eight-point lead, 13-21, to close out the third quarter.

The Outlaws answered right back at the start of the final period. Ethan Eby started the drive with a 47-yard run, followed with short runs from Beckwith, Cotner, and Kayl Mock. Bronson threw a 32-yard pass to Landon Scott, and then Bronson hit Beckwith on a three-yard pass in the end zone for the score. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Outlaws closed the gap to 19-21 with just over eight minutes left in the game.

CG put together another long drive that ate time up on the clock, hit the PAT, and sealed the win.

On defense, Eby, who was back after his injury three weeks ago, played well and led the Outlaws with nine tackles, and Cotner followed with seven.

Coach Gary Thorson told The Nugget that Jozua Miller had a good night from his defensive tackle position and Gordon had his best night as a defensive end.

The Outlaws finished the night with 440 yards of total offense. In rushing, Kayl Mock had 14 carries for 119 yards, and Cotner had six carries for 118 yards. Davis had six carries for 75 yards. (Davis suffered an injury just before the half and was unable to return.)

Bronson went four-for-eight for 108 yards with two TD passes and one interception.

Offensive linemen Tabor Garcia, Weston Davidson, and Miller all had solid games for the Outlaws up front.

Of the loss Thorson said, “We blew a big opportunity for an important game in regards to league. Despite moving the ball up and down the field we had too many costly mistakes on offense and were poor against the run and that cost us. We had some personnel issues this week and during the game, but we need to be able to make adjustments better, and I need to get us better prepared for when that happens. This loss hurt, but I know this is a resilient group that will go back to work on Monday. This team will get better.”

The Outlaws will host Creswell at Reed Stadium on Friday, October 11.