Newberg Graphic Online

Tigers beat Vikings; South Salem Saxons up next

Class 6A football — NHS beats North Salem Friday, preps for home game vs. South Salem

• Published: 9/15/2009 2:57:42 PM

By Frank Graham, sports editor

   Newberg High School head coach Eric Carlson said his team would refocus their efforts in practice this week in preparation for the home opener Friday against the South Salem Saxons.
   The Tigers, 2-0 this season in non-league play, face a solid Salem team (1-1) at Loran Douglas field at 7 p.m.
   Memories of the Tiger’s 42-7 defeat at the hands of South Salem last year are fresh in Carlson’s mind.
“They have a good quarterback and are a good team,” Carlson said.
   A slow, unfocused start during the Tigers’ outing against North Salem Sept. 11 left Carlson scratching his head. The Tigers fell behind in the first quarter after muffing a punt. They also didn’t help themselves with a series of penalties, including a call for unsportsmanlike conduct.
   Carlson said North Salem was “fired up for their home opener” and “jumped on us quick.” He added that he saw his team “come alive” in the second quarter and was proud that they overcame the adversity of the bad start.
   The penalty moved the ball to the Tigers 13-yard line and the Vikings’ Jonny Garza scored on a nine-yard, off-tackle run.
   Wyatt Mahoney scored on a 13-yard run at the beginning of the second quarter and, with the Scott Goodman kick, tied the game 7-7.
   On the pursuing kickoff, the Vikings jumped ahead again after a 90-yard kickoff return by Sam Lyon.
   Thanks to the hard running of senior Joey Chandler, the Tigers began to move the ball in the second quarter. Mahoney scored on a 12-yard run halfway through the quarter then quarterback Matt Dufour scored on a 1-yard run. The Tigers outscored the Vikings 27-7 in the quarter.
   The Tigers’ air attack included Cody Hunter-Brown and Aaron Boggs combining to move the ball 50 yards on three catches. That drive, the Tiger’s fifth possession of the half, ended with a 17-yard pass from Dufour to Connor Hazenberg. The extra point was no good with 25 seconds remaining in the half.
   The second half was dominated by the Tigers’ aggressive defense, which swarmed to the ball, stopping drive after drive for the Vikings.
   When the Tigers weren’t tackling they were stealing the ball from the Vikings’ offense. The second half featured a forced fumble recovery in the third quarter and three interceptions by the Tiger defense in the fourth quarter; Hunter-Brown pulled down two interceptions and Mahoney snagged another.
   The Vikings were shut out in the second half. The Tigers scored again in the fourth on a five-yard left sweep by Mahoney.
   Tigers head coach Eric Carlson said the team appeared unfocused during the first quarter of the game and the prior week of practices.
   “We could have had better practices,” Carlson said. “I think they thought it would be easy.”
   Carlson said the Vikings resorted to passing in the third quarter, trying to catch up, and that was “not really what they do. It’s not their strong suit.”
   The Tigers had a total of 470 yards of total offense to the Vikings’ 190. Dufour went 11-23 passing for 177 yards and gained 293 on the ground, compared to 132 for North Salem.
   Chandler led the rushing attack with an average 11.8 yards a carry. He had 17 rushing attempts and gained 200 yards. Mahoney rushed for 74 yards on 13 attempts.

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