By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
DUFUR, Ore.– The Perrydale Football team really set the tone in their 50-14 victory over Echo on Saturday afternoon at the Dufur Classic.
The run game established itself, Broden Ferguson got the Pirates on the board with a 43-yard outburst as the senior rushed for over 100 yards on the day. Braydon Leslie and Landon Eichler followed suit with multi-score games on the ground to pace Perrydale to a 44-8 lead early in the third quarter.
“Great team effort and people willing to go make blocks, even when they’re not carrying the ball, that’s what makes it happen,” said Ferguson.
“I want to give credit to the offensive line for sure. They were giving us holes to run through. It’s really helpful,” adds Eichler.
The defense overcame a few hiccups and kept Echo in check.
The Cougars pulled even with Perrydale after their first possession of the game, tying the game up at eight after a 77-yard completion between Elson Miller and Kouper Fisher with 4:29 left in the quarter. But following the score, outside of a few hiccups here and there, the Pirates really buckled down and made sure that they were leaving the Mid-Columbia Gorge area with a victory.
It was a good learning experience for the Pirates as they enter their first home game of the season this next Friday against Chiloquin.
“Just getting off blocks for sure. Not getting off your blocks and getting on the ball and rallying to the ball for sure on defense,” said Eichler.
Echo scored on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 44-14, but Perrydale answered soon after to close out their game at the Dufur Classic. The Pirates outscored the Cougars 42-6 after Echo tied the game up at eight all the way back in the first quarter.
“After that shock, it sparked something in you and everyone is scrambling to make sure it doesn’t happen again and we made sure we didn’t,” Ferguson said of the first Echo touchdown.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
