By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

HILLSBORO, Ore.– The journey to the semi-final was not an easy one for Cascade after they went 3-3 in the regular season.

Seeded 15th, most expected a quick out with Mazama.  They stud Mazama.  Then the Road Warriors were more like Crazed Cougars when they stunned yet another heavy favorite in South Umpqua.

They were taking the underdog role just as serious as they did when they went to the State Title game in 2015.

“It’s been fun,” said Senior lineman Peyton Hunt.  “Starting off 3-3 is tough and then fighting back to get here to play at this stadium in the Semi-Finals has been amazing.

But, they finally found their match.  That one team that figured out the madness that made these Cascade Cougars next to unbeatable in the postseason dating back to last year.

That team was Cottage Grove.

And though the scoreboard didn’t turn out the way they wanted, but you saw spunk and heart out of the Cougars as they continued to fight to leave their legacy if you were a senior, and to build momentum for next year as a underclassmen.

There was a sense of proud-ness as the team kept battling.

“I’m extremely proud of my family, we fought hard,”  described senior lineman Dominic Federico. “I’m proud of my team on how we came to live in the playoffs.  We played the way I expected that we can play from the start of the season.  It’s a great ride.”

When the whistle blew to end the game, yeah there were tears, senior or underclassman, but there were more as the seniors walk the long path back to the locker rooms for the very last time.

Federico will remember the good times, especially when they won the Title last year as he fought back tears knowing his prep football days are now over.

“Just playing with these guys,” said Federcio.  “Just winning the State Title last year.  “I mean we’ve been in the playoffs the past four year, it’s been great.  Just playing with these guys, it’s a great experience.”

For Hunt, he knows that the underclassmen will be fine without them senior entering next year with how much time and effort they put in this season.

“I think we’re all just super proud of our underclassman, we know they’re going to go far,” said Hunt.  “And there a huge part of this team.  There scout team in practice and just through the game.  Quinn Legner is our quarterback, he’s a junior and  so he has another year.

“There’s a lot, all of the underclassmen.”

Federcio adds to it that he, Hunt and the other seniors left the message to work hard and give it your all.

“Win or lose, your always a family,” he said.

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Photos By Jeremy McDonald