By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

WEST LINN, Ore.–  West Linn was just the better team Friday night against West Salem Friday night in the second-round of the OSAA 6A Playoffs.

Behind a three-touchdown performance by Tim Tawa, the Lions defeated and ended the Titans season 42-14 despite suffering some injuries during the first half.

“We battled as a team,” said Tawa.  “It’s just a part of football and we’ll keep them in our thoughts,” said Tawa.  “I hope they’re ok, but we’re going to practice and work hard as a team and hopefully they’ll be back because we need them.”

Tawa’s West Linn offense scored on the second play from scrimmage off a wide receiver screen to the left side of the line for 63-yards to Qawi Ntasas.

That was quickly followed by a nine-yard strike from Tawa to Jake Meisen after a three-and-out by West Salem.

Following a defensive pass interference on the Lions that put the Titans into scoring position, the West Salem offense stalled and couldn’t punch it in despite upwards of ten plays in the Lion red zone.

The Titan defense put the West Linn offense in a third and 31 situation after the Lions took over on downs.  But that was before Elijah Molden busted through the line for a 90-yard scamper to put West Linn up 21-0.

“Shoot they’re a really good team, great athletes,” said West Salem Titan Head Coach Shawn Stanley.  “They do a great job coaching.  Their margin of error for us versus them is extremely small and unfortunately we didn’t capitalize on offense and they make you pay.”

Molden would have to be helped off the field on the next possession after helping put his team in position to score, the second injury in the first half for the Lions as Tawa scored off a five-yard on a designed quarterback bootleg to the left side of the field as the Lions entered halftime up 28-0.

Tawa credits the defense, from the defensive backs to the defensive line, who helped set up him and his offense.

“The defense did quite well,” said Tawa.  “I mean all of them battled hard.”

Stanley challenged his team at halftime to finish the game and season strong, and it worked as they came out rejuvated; but couldn’t muster anything against West Linn’s defense offensively.

“I challenged them at halftime, it wasn’t a lack of effort,” said Stanley.  “We played better in the second half and our guys kept battling and gave us a change several times not to win the game but get back into it but we didn’t capitalize on offense credit to (West Linn).”

The Lions tacked on two more scores by the five minute mark of the fourth quarter.

Up 42-0, most teams would pack up and call it a year, but that was until Keonte McMuillin returned the following kickoff after West Linn went up 42-0 to the house to break the shutout.

A defensive stand had set up a Poamo Aliifua eight-yard score as the senior ended the game and his high school career with a score.

The two scores were huge said Stanley.

“Regardless of the score we would’ve scored at the end,” he said “They were fighting and they were going to play until the final whistle,

“No excuses tonight we faced adversity all year that’s what I told them in the huddle over there and what I’ll take away from this season.  I think these kids learn a lot about adversity, that they can battle it and they can come out on the other end with their head held high.”

SCORE          1          2          3          4          —          T

TITANS         0          0          0          14        —          14

LIONS            14        14        7          7          —          42

PHOTO GALLERY BY JEREMY MCDONALD

Jeremy McDonald is a professional sports journalist in the Salem/Portland area and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalist in Oregon with B.S. degrees from Southern Oregon University in Journalism (2011) and Health/PE (2013).  Got a story idea? Email him at jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com or on Twitter at @J_McDonald81!

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