HALSEY - Central Linn foreign exchange student and place-kicker Torsten Motzus earned a place in the school's athletic lore by making a 29-yard field goal with 12 seconds left that not only won the game for the Cobras, 17-14, but the Mountain View Conference championship as well.

Central Linn will host the No. 3 team from the Northwest Conference next Friday in the 2A state playoffs.

The game didn't start well for Central Linn's defense as Monroe capped a long scoring drive on its first possession with a short touchdown run.

The Cobras (6-4, 6-1) responded with a 65-yard touchdown run by Scott

LaCoste on its opening play from scrimmage.

"The line blocked well and gave me a huge hole and I just hit it," said LaCoste.

Defense dominated the majority of the half, but ninth-ranked Monroe (6-3, 5-2) hit a 38-yard pass play to Sean Arbogast-Bodi that set the Dragons up with a first-and-goal at the 5.

Dylan Caley punched it in two plays later to give Monroe a 14-7 lead at the break.

Central Linn got the ball to start the second half and marched down the field on a 16-play, 63-yard scoring drive culminating in a Blake Nightingale 2-yard touchdown run that tied the contest.

After alternating possessions, Central Linn's Dalton Murry intercepted a pass and returned it to the Monroe 29.

Central Linn quickly drove to the 3, but Monroe flexed its defensive muscle and stuffed four consecutive rushing attempts.

"I should have kicked the field goal. We had been running the sweep well all game, but they brought pressure on the strong side and stopped it," Hillsman said.

Monroe took over at its own two with 1:45 left, but Central Linn stood strong and forced a punt with 39 seconds to play.

That set up Motzus' opportunity. He lined up and drilled the 29-yarder to win the game.

"I was a little scared before the kick, and then I was speechless," said Motzus, who plays soccer in his home country. "It is one of my biggest successes in sports."

LaCoste had no doubt that Motzus would make the kick.

"He's been a great kicker and we've been saying all year that he's going to win one for us."

CENTRAL LINN 17, MONROE 14

Monroe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 8 0 0 - 14

Central Linn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 0 7 3 - 17

First quarter

M-Salvador Rubio 1 run (kick failed), 5:51

CL-Scott Lacoste 65 run (Torsten Motzus kick), 5:40

Second quarter

M-Dylan Caley 3 run (Cody Stroda run), 1:59

Third quarter

CL-Blake Nightingale 2 run (Motzus kick), 2:47

Fourth quarter

CL-Motzus 29 field goal, :12

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: M, Caley 10-44, Rubio 9-34, Stroda 6-27, Riley Olson 9-15; CL, LaCoste 26-168, Bryce Baldwin 12-51, Nightingale 12-24, Dalton Murry 2-21, Will Marchbanks 1-3, team 1-(-10)

Passing: M, Caley 4-8-1-78; CL, Nightingale 0-3-1-0

Receiving: M, Sean Arbogast-Bodi 1-38, Stroda 1-30, Dylan Crowson 1-12, Olson 1-(-2)