Sweet Home 28, Newport 26

Holding a 21-19 fourth-quarter lead, Sweet Home ran more than nine minutes off the clock on its way to a game-clinching final touchdown and held on for a 28-26 victory over Newport Friday night in ValCo League action.

The 20-play, 55-yard drive that included three fourth-down conversions was culminated by Brock Cota's

2-yard plunge into the end zone.

It was the running back's third score of the contest as the senior ran 16 times for 71 yards.

Sweet Home totaled 105 yards rushing and the Huskies' defense held Newport to just 67 yards on the ground.

That effort is what stood out most to Huskies coach Rob Younger.

"We had a great team scheme. The kids executed very well and took away their run game and they came in averaging 200 a game," said Younger.

"This now puts us in the driver seat and in control of our own destiny. That is where you want to be at the end of the season."

Sweet Home (6-1, 2-0) plays at Taft next Friday in its penultimate ValCo league contest of the regular season.

Sweet Home 28, Newport 26

Newport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 6 6 7 - 26

Sweet Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 15 6 7 - 28

First quarter

N - Chris Barth 9 run (Pete Gonzalez kick)

Second quarter

SH - Whitfield saftey

SH - Brock Cota 12 run (run failed)

SH - Cota 4 run (Alex Santana kick)

N - Kenny Mertens 29 pass from Casey Case (pass failed)

Third quarter

SH - Cota 28 run (kick failed)

N - Christian Metcalf 86 pass from Case (pass failed)

Fourth quarter

SH - Cota 2 run (Santana kick)

N - Metcalf 81 pass from Case (Gonzalez kick)

Individual statistics

RUSHING: Newport 21-67, Barth 3-27; Sweet Home 37-105, Cota 16-71.

PASSING: Newport, Case 14-20-2 294; Sweet Home 18-31-2 225, Tyler Holley 16-27-2 196.

RECEIVING: Newport, Mertens 8-98, Metcalf 4-179; Sweet Home, McDowell 4-83, Cota 5-62, Marchbanks 4-30.

Central Linn 52, Yoncalla 0

The Cobras' defense was sparkling against visiting Yoncalla, allowing no points and scoring three defensive touchdowns in the third quarter.

With the game scoreless through one quarter, Scottie LaCoste broke through with a pair of touchdown runs in the second quarter. Quarterback Dalton Murry also rushed for a touchdown, giving Central Linn a

21-point halftime advantage.

The defense took over in the third quarter, returning two interceptions for touchdowns and recovering a fumble in the end zone.

"Our defense really stepped up, just like they have done all year," said Central Linn coach Richard Hillsman.

Although the Cobras did not attempt a pass, Hillsman said his team has an abundance of playmakers on offense.

"We have a really well-rounded team on both sides of the ball," Hillsman said.

Central Linn (4-3, 3-0 Mountain View Conference) makes the trip to Oakland next Friday.

CENTRAL LINN 52, YONCALLA 0

Yoncalla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 0 0 0 - 0

Central Linn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 21 31 0 - 52

Second quarter

CL - Scottie LaCoste 31 run (Torsten Motzus kick)

CL -Dalton Murry 10 run (run failed)

CL - LaCoste 10 run (LaCoste run)

Third quarter

CL - Bryce Baldwin 30 interception return (Motzus kick)

CL - LaCoste 35 interception return (Motzus kick)

CL - Colby Jeppsen fumble recovery in endzone (Motzus kick)

CL - Blake Nightingale 10 (Motzus kick)

CL - Motzus 38 field goal

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: CL, LaCoste 9-75

Santiam Christian 30, Toledo 14

The Eagles overcame early adversity to take the PacWest Conference win.

The win puts Santiam Christian (6-1, 4-0) in the driver's seat in the conference standings.

It didn't come easy. Several Eagles were missing due to illness and a few others managed to play despite recently being sick.

The Eagles found themselves down a touchdown right off the bat when they fumbled the opening kickoff and the Boomers recovered and eventually scored.

"We got down early and our guys just dug in," SC coach Dave Lange said. "It was a real hardy effort."

SC shut down Toledo from then on and used a balanced offense to pull away.

"We ran the ball very effectively," Lange said.

SC plays at Waldport next week.

No statistics were available.

Scio 14, Kennedy 7

In a key match-up in the Tri-River Conference, Scio prevailed on the road against Kennedy.

Coulter Mastenbroek scored both touchdowns for the Loggers, including a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half.

Scio (7-0, 2-0) has a road game against Culver next Friday.

SCIO 14, KENNEDY 7

Scio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 6 0 - 14

Kennedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 0 7 - 7

Second quarter

S - Mastenbroek 11 run (Daniel Harper run)

Third quarter

S - Coulter Mastenbroek 91 kickoff return (run failed)

Fourth quarter

K - Derek Barth 2 run (Nikitta Sharabarin kick)

Creswell 57, Jefferson 28

The Lions were unable to stop Creswell's power running game and fell at home in PacWest play.

"Creswell wanted it bad and it showed," said Jefferson coach David Bailey.

One bright spot in defeat for the Lions was quarterback Alex Ortiz, who threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns.

Jefferson (2-5, 2-2) will play at Harrisburg on Friday.

No other statistics were available.