5 takeaways from the OSAA football's 2nd round of state playoffs
The OSAA football state playoffs continue.
Here are five takeaways from the second week of high school football postseason in the Salem area.
1. Silverton loses in 5A quarterfinals
The playoff journey for the No. 7 Silverton football team came to an end on Friday night after the Foxes dropped a 39-26 loss in the quarterfinals to No. 2 Wilsonville.
Running back Jackson Pfeifer capped his senior season with four touchdowns, including a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“This team has meant everything,” Pfeifer said. “It was a brotherhood the whole season, super fun, but just sad to see it end this way.”
Silverton ran into trouble in the first quarter after a blocked punt put Wilsonville at the 20-yard line and eventually resulted in a touchdown pass to Ryder McElroy.
Pfeifer got things going for the Foxes in the second quarter when he broke through several defensive players for a 30-yard touchdown.
The Foxes trailed 14-7 at halftime after the Wildcats’ defense had sacked the quarterback twice.
The Wildcats and Foxes played touchdown tug-of-war all throughout the third quarter, while Wilsonville’s quarterback Kallen Gutridge contributed two touchdowns, including the final 18-yard touchdown with minutes remaining in the game.
Silverton, the defending 5A state champions, ends its season with a 7-4 overall record.
“The (12) seniors have carried the torch for future generations of Fox football,” Silverton head coach Dan Lever said. “I’m proud of them. Transitions are always a learning curve, but they accepted me and my staff with an open heart and an open mind.”
2. North Salem advances in Columbia Cup; Sprague falls
North Salem advanced to the OSAA Class 6A Columbia Cup semifinals Friday with a 42-8 win at Jefferson.
The Vikings next face Liberty, and with a victory would reach the inaugural Columbia Cup title game.
North Salem has won two in a row since dropping the regular-season finale to South Salem.
The Vikings (7-4 overall) are the only Salem-Keizer football team left in the postseason.
“It feels great to come out of this with a win. We’re finally performing as a team together and putting full games together, which we struggled with throughout the season,” said North Salem senior Josiah Davis, who scored four touchdowns Friday. “Our mindset is to keep going, celebrate the win, have our fun and onto the next. The motto around the team right now and since playoffs have started is ‘one more week.’ We’re ready to make history again just like we did tonight one week at a time.”
In the other local Columbia Cup game Friday, Sprague’s season came to an end with a 41-0 loss to Westview.
The Olympians end the season with a 6-5 overall record.
3. Dallas falls in 5A quarterfinals
The No. 12 Dragons’ season came to an end Friday with a 27-14 OSAA Class 5A state semifinal loss to No. 4 Thurston.
Dallas ends the season with a 6-4 overall record.
In the loss, Dallas’ Emilio Miranda rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown.
The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Dragons.
Thurston moves on to face Summit in the 5A state semifinals.
4. Central’s season ends in 5A quarterfinals
The No. 8 Panthers’ season came to an end Friday night with a 35-7 OSAA Class 5A state quarterfinal loss to No. 1 Summit.
The loss snapped a six-game winning streak by Central.
The Panthers finish the season with a 7-3 overall record.
Summit moves on to face Thurston in the 5A state semifinals.
5. St. Paul advances to 1A semifinals
The No. 1 Buckaroos cruised to the OSAA Class 1A state semifinals with a 62-6 quarterfinal win Friday against No. 8 Perrydale.
St. Paul (9-0) next will face No. 5 Myrtle Point (7-3) in the semifinals.
Perrydale finished the season with a 7-3 overall record.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: See OSAA football's 2nd round state playoffs takeaways
