Tricks, not Treats for Cougars
From our weekly issue dated November 04, 2009
Quarterback Roger Hults dodges a Hornet defender trying to get off a pass. (Photo by Michelle Binker, I.V. News)
Illinois Valley Homecoming 2009 was a festive occasion, but the football game score was not.
The contest was held Friday, Oct. 30 in Cave Junction vs. the Henley Hornets. The band led by Sean McKee was rocking with a percussion cadence like no other, cheerleaders were pumping up the Cougar faithful, and the homecoming court was announced.
The atmosphere was off the chart with the anticipation of the game. Henley opened with an impressive 10-play drive and with a 4th-and-goal went for it and scored on a 9-yard run to take an early lead at 6-0. The 2-point conversion attempt failed.
On the Cougars’ first possession they were forced to punt, only to have it blocked and Henley recover it on Illinois Valley’s 1-yard line. Two plays later Henley made the score 12-0, as the conversion failed.
On I.V.’s next possession two consecutive passes were completed, but the second was fumbled to Henley. Freddy Hults then came up big with a tackle for a 4-yard loss and knocked down a pass to force 4th down.
Henley went for it again and made the first down, taking the ball to the Cougar 5-yard line. The Hornets scored on the next play; 2-point conversion failed and the score was 18-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Cougars punted and three plays later the Hornets scored again on a 30-yard run and converted the 2-point try. Henley 26 - Illinois Valley 0.
On I.V.’s next possession it went on a seven-play scoring drive, when Roger Hults scrambled and hit his brother F. Hults for 37 yards. The very next play the Cougars hit pay dirt when T.J. Parker scored on a 15-yard pass from R. Hults. The PAT was no good: Score 26-6.
On fourth down of Henley’s next possession it tried a fake punt, only to have the Cougars snuff it out. R. Hults threw an interception, it was right on target, but went in and out of his intended receiver’s hands. The Cougar “Black Shirt” defense stopped the Hornets.
R. Hults had two pass completions, 10-yards to T.J. Parker and 15-yards to Mitch Van Tassel, only to have time run out to end the first half with Henley leading 26-6.
The Cougars punted on their first possession of the second half and Henley scored five plays later. They again failed on the 2-point conversion to take a commanding 32-6 lead. The Cougars R. Hults quick-kicked out of shotgun formation for a 52-yard punt. The Hornets promptly went on a 11-play drive, only to turn it over on downs caused by the stingy Cougar defense.
I.V. punted and Henley scored on the first play of the fourth quarter. The 2-point conversion was good and Henley led 40-6. The Cougars then turned the ball over on downs, and the Hornets scored quickly on a 74-yard pass, with Brandon Foraker blocking the PAT attempt.
Henley now had the lead at 46-6. On the next Cougar possession R. Hults made one of his only bad decisions all year and was intercepted. On the next Hornet play they scored on a 45-yard run. Again the PAT failed, and the score was 52-6, Henley.
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The Cougars, as always, never gave up, and Parker ran for a 23-yard TD. Ben Kendall kicked the extra point to make the final score Henley 52, Illinois Valley 13.
“Roger was scrambling for his life tonight, but as usual, he made things happen”, said coach Ray Yarbrough.
R. Hults broke his own school passing record last week against Hidden Valley and added to his totals with 198 yards passing. Foraker added 16 tackles, and the 20 tackles he had against the Mustangs, brought him to 36 tackles in two games.
F. Hults had 10 tackles, Parker nine tackles and one sack, Andrew “Big Mac” McLaughlin had seven tackles and a sack, and R. Hults, Van Tassel and Greg “Gunner” Crombie-Fujita had seven tackles each.
R. Hults had 33 yards rushing on nine carries, Parker 71 yards on seven carries, and Van Tassel had 7 yards on five carries.
R. Hults was 16-37 for 198 yards, one TD and two interceptions. Parker had 68 yards on five catches, F. Hults 68 yards on four receptions. Foraker had one catch on a backward lateral to the tackle for 4 yards.
The Cougars honored on Senior Night were: Foraker, Van Tassel, Parker, Kendall, Matt Nolan, Justin Bartow, Jon Anderson and Tim Mackey. Senior cheerleaders were Jasmine Prickett, Crystal Gasser and Janis Katanyutaveetip.
The Homecoming Court consisted of freshmen Kayla Young escorted by Scandle Williams, sophomores Stephanie Agee with Andrew McLaughlin, and juniors Kayla Johnson on the arm of R. Hults.
The King and Queen of this year’s court were seniors Callie Harland and T.J. Parker.
The Cougars will travel to Salem on Friday, Nov. 7 to play Cascade in the final game of the season.
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