Canby High School senior quarterback Kellen Oliver exploded for 265 yards of total offense and three touchdowns to lead the Cougars over the Tigers 42-22 at Newberg High School on Friday, Sept. 6.
"It's really a testament to him and his work ethic throughout his entire career here," Canby head coach Jimmy Joyce said. "The thing that's really impressive about him is the way that he competes out here. He's a competitor; he wants to win. He wants to score on every snap. Even last week against West Albany, we're down 20 late in the game and he's (trying to figure out) how do we get back in this game. Tonight, just foot on the gas the whole time."
Canby moves to 1-1 on the season with the win, while Newberg falls to 0-2. Junior quarterback Parker Sellner led the Tigers with 179 passing yards, throwing 15-for-30 while rushing for a game-high 96 yards.
"We've got to handle momentum better as a team," Newberg head coach Jeremy Johnson said. "We got to eliminate big plays and we got to be able to score in the red zone. We missed scoring in the red zone a few times, and that that's on us as coaches. Our kids are giving their best effort. We got to find a way to make sure we're better prepared. We got to make sure that we are able to (execute better) when our big moment comes."
Newberg's red zone troubles occurred almost immediately, failing to convert on a 4th down situation inside the Cougars' 15-yard line on the Tigers first drive of the game. The first score of the night came with around four minutes left in the first quarter, as Oliver was forced out of the pocket, scrambling right and finding sophomore Jack Brauckmiller for the leaping 24-yard catch and score.
The Tigers answered nicely, with senior Cole Thomas returning the ensuing kickoff down to Canby's 46-yard line. Unfortunately, they couldn't muster much more, punting after just three plays. Entering the second period with the ball, it didn't take long for the Cougars to build their lead, courtesy of a 23-yard touchdown reception from BYU-commit Jackson Doman.
This time Newberg responded in full. Sellner showcased his dual-threat ability in spades, bolstering the drive with a 10-yard rush and completions of 20 and 14 yards to Thomas. Chace Macken ultimately scored Newberg's first points of the game, trotting in from 24 yards out, cutting the deficit to 14-7 with a little under 10 minutes left in the first half.
The momentum didn't last long, with Canby senior Jackson Heath returning the ensuing kickoff at least 80 yards for the score, sending the Cougar faithful into a frenzy. Newberg soon found itself again inside the red zone, and once again struggled to execute, settling for a field goal after an incomplete pass on a 3rd and 9.
Trailing 21-10 and needing someone to make a play, Newberg's Austin Phillips delivered, sacking Oliver on a 4th and 6, forcing a turnover on downs. Sellner capitalized on the favorable field position quickly, rushing for 24 yards on the Tigers' first play of the drive. Like clockwork, the Tigers found themselves in the red zone in the final two minutes of the half.
And they couldn't quite snap the cold streak. Sellner was stopped short of the score, leading to missed field goal attempt. Newberg's misfortune carried over defensively — after a decent gain on his feet, Oliver headed toward the sideline and was hit as he made his way out of bounds. An unnecessary roughness penalty pushed Canby to Newberg's 47-yard line, setting the stage for a 46-yard pass from Oliver to Zavery Norman.
Norman made it all the way down to Newberg's 1-yard line. A play later, Heath scored his second touchdown of the night, catching a dime from Oliver, as the Cougars led 28-10 at halftime.
Receiving the ball to start the second half, Canby all but solidified its win, eating up nearly six minutes on a drive that culminated in a 20-yard touchdown completion from Oliver to Heath.
Heath finished with 21 yards receiving and three touchdowns, while Owen Hodson added 84-rushing yards on 10 carries. Doman was Oliver's biggest target all night, racking up 88 yards receiving on six catches. Zavery Norman followed with 79 yards receiving on three receptions, while Jack Brauckmiller rounded out the team at 49 yards receiving on four receptions.
"We went on a tough road trip down to West Albany last week, and I think it showed in the result (a 46-29 loss) that we weren't really ready for game speed yet," Joyce said. "That taught us a great lesson that brought into practice this week a different energy. We saw that on Monday right away with the kids coming out on a Labor Day practice … they were hungry, and they kept that hunger all through the week."
Thomas finished with a game-high 105 yards receiving to lead Newberg. Deaken Santrizos finished with 93-yards rushing. Macken added 38-yards rushing. Luke Greller, meanwhile, recorded the game's only interception.
Canby will hit the road and face Bend (2-0) on Thursday, Sept. 12, while Newberg looks to bounce back on the road against Nelson on Friday, Sept. 13.
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