Stayton’s Win and Tie Breakers Send Cascade to Playoffs

Turner – Cascade quarterback Nick Lamonica found Tyrell Williams for a pair of touchdown catches, and Robbie Federico added a pair of rushing touchdowns, and carried for a game high 134 yards, as the Cougars defeated the visiting Illinois Valley Cougars 28-6.

Thomas Parker's 82 yard touchdown run out of a spread formation highlighted Illinois Valley's game.

Stayton’s 13-0 win over North Marion earned the Eagles (8-2, 5-1) the final Capitol Conference championship, and also resulted in a three way tie for the other two playoff berths. Cascade’s non-conference record earned the Cougars (7-3, 4-2) the second seed, their first playoff trip in 10 years. North Marion (7-3, 4-2) picked up the third seed, while Estacada (5-4, 4-2) was eliminated, despite their 32-7 win over La Salle (2-7, 1-5).

“I’m pretty excited, the kids are excited, and the community is excited,” Cascade Coach Karl Elliott said of the victory. “The kids worked hard, they earned it.”

“Our goal from the start of the season, after going 2-8 last season, was to make the playoffs,” Federico added.

1^st. qtr.

Cascade took the opening kickoff, and marched 55 yards in 7 plays, to take a lead they never relinquished. Lamonica’s 16 yard keeper set up a 13 yard pass to Williams on the left side for the touchdown, and Dyllan Mongenel’s PAT kick put Cascade up 7-0 three minutes into the game.

The next three possessions ended in punts, before Cascade put together their second scoring drive. Dillon Davidson’s 13 yard run keyed the 6 play, 51 yard drive, and Federico capped it with a 16 yard sprint around the right side.

Mongenel dropped the kickoff in on the one yard line, forcing Mitchell Van Tassel to handle the ball, which pinned IV inside their five yard line as the quarter ended.

2^nd. qtr.

Illinois Valley quarterback Rodger Hults’ quick kick on third down was partially blocked, and Cascade took over on the Illinois Valley 10 yard line.

IV’s defense made a stand, forcing fourth down, but Lamonica found Williams on a slant route for a 6 yard score, and a 21-0 lead.

After an exchange of punts, Illinois Valley surprised Cascade with an unusual formation, one that placed the guards and tackles wide with the receivers near the sidelines. Parker sprang the games’ biggest play, picking up the wide blockers, and rambling 82 yards for a touchdown.

Cascade answered quickly. Shawn Towrey’s 19 yard kickoff return and Davidson’s 10 yard run quickly moved Cascade out to their 47 yard line, and Federico took a sweep around the right end, and cut back at the sideline, for a 53 yard touchdown, and a 28-0 halftime lead.

“I saw they were going low, trying to tackle at the ankles. I made a tiny cut, just enough to change direction, and we had great downfield blocking,” Federico explained.

“That run turned the game,” Elliott noted. “Robbie makes things happen.”

3^rd. qtr.

Mongenel got another kickoff to stop at the one yard line, pinning Illinois Valley at their four yard line to open the second half. It took over half the quarter for IV to drive as far as midfield, before having to punt.

Cascade couldn’t move the ball, and punted back to Illinois Valley, but IV couldn’t gain traction on the mushy field either. On fourth down, a direct snap to Tyler Robbins while IV was in punt formation didn’t fool Cascade, and Robbins’ pass fell incomplete, turning the ball back over to Cascade.

4^th. qtr.

Cascade drove to the Illinois Valley 11, but Jon Anderson intercepted Lamonica’s pass, and was off to the races down the sideline. But Williams, the top sprinter in the Capital Conference, ran Anderson down from behind at the Cascade 14.

“I don’t know where I came from on that,” Williams said. “I just ran as fast as I could.”

It turned out to be a touchdown saving sprint, as the Cascade defense held, and a fake field goal failed when a high snap destroyed the timing on the play.

After an exchange of punts, Cascade’s ground game ground up the rest of the clock, and set the stage for the celebration of Cascade’s return to the post season.

“We were in all in the first or second grade the last time Cascade was in the playoffs,” Federico noted. “Most of us played flag football, and then moved on to tackle football, and all the while, we came to the high school games, and talked about how we would get to the playoffs someday. I’m proud of how these guys all worked to get this turned around.”

Cascade rolled up 323 total yards on a sloppy field, while allowing Illinois Valley only 88 total net yards.

Cascade will face top ranked Marist (10-0, 6-0) in two weeks, at Willamette High School. The Spartans are the SkyEm champions, and defeated Elmira 55-8 tonight.

Stayton will host the Baker Bulldogs (8-1, 2-1), the Greater Oregon League second seed, in the second round of the playoffs, while North Marion will visit the Banks Braves (8-1, 4-1), the second seed from the Cowapa League, next week in the first round of the playoffs.

“We are going to have to dig deep in the play book, and will have to play a very good game,” Elliott said of the prospect of facing the season long top ranked Spartans. “Marist is a very fine team. We are the underdogs, and they are Goliath.”

“We have two weeks to focus in practice,” Federico noted. “We have never been there (the playoffs), but (with our coaches) we will be well prepared.”

Illinois Valley 0   6   0   0  -   6

Cascade                     14  14  0   0  -  28

1^st. qtr.

Cascade – Tyrell Williams 13 yard pass from Nick Lamonica (Dyllan Mongenel kick) 8:59

Cascade – Robbie Federico 16 yard run (Mongenel kick) :56.9

2^nd. qtr.

Cascade – Williams 6 yard pass from Lamonica (Mongenel kick) 10:08

Illinois Valley – Thomas Parker 82 yard run (kick short) 3:05

Cascade – Federico 53 yard run (Mongenel kick) 1:33

Passing

Illinois Valley – Roger Hults – 5-13, 0 TDs, 0 Int., 21 yards; Tyler Robbins 0-1, 0 TDs, 0 Int., 0 yards.

Cascade – Lamonica 3-11, 2 TDs, 1 Int., 29 yards; Bo Pinkerton 1-1, 0 TDs, 0 Int., -1 yards.

Rushing

Illinois Valley - 25-67, 1 TD; Parker 13-88, 1 TD; R. Hults 5-(-9); Jon Anderson 2-(-6); Anthony Becker 2-(-5); Mitchell Van Tassell 3-(-1).

Cascade – 44-294, 2 TDs; Federico 13-134, 2 TDs; Dillon Davidson 13-69; Shawn Towrey 4-14; Williams 1-15; Brandon Gonzalez 7-38; Lamonica 4-23; Dakota Kittleson 1-3; Pinkerton 1-(-2).

Receiving

Illinois Valley – Fred Hults 3-16; Parker 1-3; Anderson 1-2.

Cascade – Williams 2-19, 2 TDs; Towrey 2-9.

Returns

Illinois Valley – Van Tassel 3-21, Anderson 2-88 (1-80 Interception return); Parker 1-4.

Cascade – Williams 2-27; Lamonica 1-13; Towrey 1-19.

Punts

Illinois Valley – Ben Kendall 5-135 yards; R. Hults 2-33 yards.

Cascade – Zach Rouse 4-139 yards.

First downs

Illinois Valley – 5.

Cascade – 15.

Fumbles-Lost

Illinois Valley – 1-0.

Cascade – 0-0.

Penalties

Illinois Valley – 6-43 yards.

Cascade – 10-88 yards.

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