Canby Herald Online

Cougars open with big win

'Sharp' performance beats Oregon City 42-14 Friday

• By: John Baker  
• Published: 9/11/2009 10:22:35 PM
• Last Updated: 9/22/2009 3:02:09 PM

Photo By: Ray HugheyBringing them down
The Canby defense was tough all night long in the season-opening win over Oregon City.

Canby head football coach Mike Doty summed up Friday’s 42-14 season-opening win over Oregon City pretty succinctly.
“It was everything I could have hoped for in the opener,” he said moments after his team rumbled past the Pioneers.

Doty told his team that it delivered a sharp performance in the opener and said his squad played with very good execution and poise most of the night.

“We did what we hoped we’d do,” he said.

He also gave credit to the horses up front, which carved running lanes and protected quarterback Josh Yoder well enough for the Cougars (1-0) to build a 35-7 halftime lead behind more than 150 yards passing and receiving each.

“Our offensive line did a great job – our number ones were impressive,” said Doty. “They created holes and gave our quarterback time to survey the field.”

Mike Raub, Nate Kimmel, Alex Summers, Rustin Nelson, Hayden Sanders and tight end Aaron Rouza were dominant at the point of attack most of the night and that made things click from the opening drive – a four play, 65-yard beauty that culminated in a 53-yard scamper by halfback Adam Bell.

In fact, the Cougars would score on all five of their first half possessions. Gavin Osterberg plunged in from two yards out at the 4:19 mark of the first quarter and then Brandon Harms banged in from a yard out just minutes into the second quarter to help build a 21-0 lead.

Quarterback Josh Yoder then hit Masson Messerve on a 57-yard pitch and catch to make it 28-0 and the rout was one.
Oregon City showed some fight with five minutes left in the half, marching 74 yards in five plays to make is 28-7 on a Landon Martinez to Austin Smith strike.

Canby came right back, though, going 62 yards and scoring on a Yoder to Cody Smith bomb from 50 yards out. After Kyle Devos added another extra point, the Cougars had built a 35-7 halftime lead.

By the half, Yoder had passed for 151 yards and two scores, while the ground game had rattled off 154 yards.
Yoder would add a 15-yard pass to Bell on the team’s first drive of the second half to seal the deal.
Canby gave up 78 yards rushing and 59 passing in the first half, but 50 of those passing yards came on the one big play.
Doty was pleased with the defensive effort.

“We played solid run and pass defense,” said the coach. “Truthfully, I have no problem with any of our units. We were comfortable playing at home and we didn’t really have any turnovers (that mattered).”

Now the Cougars turn their attention to Southridge, the defending state champs and a team the Cougars gave plenty of trouble to last year in a preseason tilt. Southridge comes into the game at 2-0 after a hard-fought 25-20 win over Tualatin Friday night. Game time is 7 p.m.
 

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