By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
MILL CITY, Ore.– The Santiam Defense came in clutch during the fourth quarter of Friday’s 2A Special District 2 game at Santiam High School.
With 10:04 left in the game, the Wolverines led Colton 30-28, Santiam just taking the lead after a 54-yard run by Carson Childress, in what was beginning to look like a shootout between the two squads.
Both teams finding the end zone within the first 14 minutes of the second half, Santiam holding onto a narrow 30-28 lead with 10:04 remaining after Carson Childress broke free for a 54-yard touchdown run. After 28 points were scored in the second quarter, neither side showed any signs of slowing down, leaving both teams with a challenge as the game headed toward its conclusion:
Make a stop.
That’s where the Wolverines defense came in.
They got a stop on their next possession. Justice Faville scored to rebuild a 10-point lead up 38-28, Santiam led 16-6 at one point in the first half. Santiam got an interception following Faville’s score, which set up another Faville score.
The once 30-28 Santiam lead was now a 44-28 lead with 1:15 left in the game. The stops that they needed, they came. In a game between two teams tied for second in the conference standings, Santiam’s defensive stops and timely offensive answers helped the Wolverines separate themselves from the Vikings, both on the scoreboard and in the league standings.
“At halftime, we talked to the boys and made those small, minute adjustments and it’s what really put us over the top. There’s no quit in these boys at all and that showed tonight, that’s for sure,” said Santiam Head Coach Tyson Childress. “They have just wanted this all year. They were not going to let today slip out of their fingertips. They’re ready to prove to a bunch of people that we’re here and we’re for real.”
Santiam closed out the game soon after Faville’s third touchdown of the game. Ace Areni and Carson Chilldress each scored twice in their win, their seventh on the year and fourth in league.
After losing to St. Paul on September 25, Santiam has wheeled off four-straight wins, and are looking to close out the regular season strongly next Friday when they travel to Stayton to play Regis.
“(St. Paul) gave a lot of fire to us. But going into next week, we got to calm down again, rethink it and watch film again. Repeat the process, nothing changed 0-0 every week,” said Faville.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
