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E AST O REGONIAN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS | FACEBOOK.COM/EOSPORTS B1 Trick TD sparks Bills in 26-15 Thanksgiving win over Cowboys By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer ARLINGTON, Texas — Cole Beasley savored a little extra time on the fi eld with his former team- mates after what had to be one of the most satisfying days of the Buffalo receiver’s career. And to think he didn’t even have the most noteworthy play for the Bills’ pass-catchers. John Brown became the fi rst Buffalo receiver to throw a touch- down pass, Josh Allen set a fran- chise record by producing at least two touchdowns in an eighth con- secutive game and the surging Bills beat the fading Dallas Cow- boys 26-15 on Thursday. Allen’s TD pass was to Beasley, who had 110 yards receiving in the stadium where he spent his fi rst seven seasons as the Bills (9-3) got their fi rst Thanksgiving win since 1975 in their fi rst appearance on the holiday in 25 years. “It’ll be the most satisfying day when we win a Super Bowl,” said Beasley, who was critical of the Cowboys after leaving, then had six catches and fi nished 2 yards shy of his career high against them. “It’s just another win, another step in the right direction.” The Cowboys (6-6) stumbled after scoring a touchdown on their opening drive, giving Philadel- phia a chance to rejoin them atop the NFC East after their fourth double-digit loss in the past six Thanksgiving games. A lackluster showing for Dal- las’ sixth loss in nine games came four days after owner Jerry Jones blasted the coaching staff follow- ing a loss to New England from a team that entered the season with lofty expectations. Jones remained supportive of embattled coach Jason Garrett, who is in the fi nal year of his con- tract in his ninth full season for a franchise that hasn’t been past the divisional round since the last of its fi ve championships to fi nish the 1995 season. “This is not the time for me,” said Jones, who made an in-season change when Garrett got the job in 2010. “I’m looking ahead at win- ning four or fi ve straight. Every decision that I make over the next month will be with an eye in mind to get us in the Super Bowl now.” Allen was 19 of 24 for 231 yards and a career-best 120.7 passer rat- ing as Bills won their third straight game and solidifi ed their hold on an AFC wild-card spot. The second-year quarterback found the ball at the bottom of a pile after fumbling a snap on See Bills, Page B3 AP Photo/Rick Osentoski Chicago Bears tight end Jesper Horsted (49), defended by Detroit Lions defensive back Will Harris (25), catches an 18-yard pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2019, in Detroit. HEPPNER PRIMED FOR KENNEDY SHOWDOWN Staff photo by Ben Lonergan, File Heppner quarterback Jayden Wilson (13) breaks free of a trio of Warrenton defenders. The Mustangs defeated the Warriors 32-7 in an OSAA Class 2A quarterfi nal game at Les Payne Field in Heppner on Nov. 16, 2019. Undefeated Mustangs looking for fi rst state title since 2015 By ANNIE FOWLER East Oregonian H EPPNER — If your high school football team is practicing on Thanksgiving Day, it can only mean one thing — it’s still alive in the state playoffs. The Heppner Mustangs met Thursday morning for practice before digging into their holiday meals. No time to take a day off when you face top-ranked Kennedy in the 2A state championship game on Saturday. Game time is 2:30 p.m. at Kennison Field in Hermiston. “It’s something you feel privileged to be part of,” Hepper coach Greg Grant said of the title game. “You have accomplished some- thing. It’s a great time.” The 12-0 Mustangs, who are coming off a 55-18 win over Knappa in the state semifi nals, have outscored opponents 523-91, and are one of the stingiest teams in the state regardless of classifi cation. And while the winning is nice, it means a little bit more. “This time of year, winning equals one more week together,” Grant said. “You get to enjoy one another, and you get to cash in on all the time and hard work you have invested. If you have invested, you will get some returns.” Kennedy (10-1) suffered a 22-0 loss to Rainier to open the season, but have been on a tear since. The Trojans advanced to the fi nals with a 15-12 victory over Monroe, and know Saturday’s game will not be an easy task. “They spread it out and run the RPO (run-pass option) well,” Kennedy coach Joe Panuke said. “Coach Greg Grant has been doing this for a long time, and he does a good job at it. We need to take care of the football and not give up the big plays.” The Trojans like to try and keep their offense even between the run and the pass, and will put the Mustangs’ defense to the test. “They are always solid,” Grant said of Kennedy. “They have great tradition, they work hard, they play fundamentally sound, and they have talent. They are one of the pro- grams at the beginning of the season you keep an eye on.” Heppner is led by quarterback Jayden Wil- son, who has thrown for 1,203 yards and 23 touchdowns. He’s also run for 713 yards and 12 touchdowns. Running back Blake Wolters leads the team with 917 rushing yards and 16 touch- downs. The Mustangs have a combined 2,767 yards rushing. Throw in Mason Lehman, who has returned eight punts for touchdowns, a defense that has forced 15 turnovers in three playoff games, and an offensive line that has proven its worth, and Heppner has earned the right to play for the title. The Trojans rely on quarterback Dylan Kleinschmit to run the show on the fi eld. His supporting cast of running back Clay Beyer, and receivers Isaiah Basargin, David Reyes, Bruce Beyer and Brady Traeger, have helped Kennedy ring up 364 points this season. “We like to stay as balanced as we can,” Panuke said. “Our offensive line is smart. Most have been starting together for two or three years. They are physical and under- stand their blocking assignments. We like to run the ball. We believe if you do that, it will open up the pass.” Heppner beat Kennedy 48-0 in the 2015 championship game, but Grant said that has nothing to do with Saturday. None of the players were on either team. “That is history,” he said. “It has not a darn thing to do with this year. That happened before with a different cast of characters.” This is the fi fth time Grant has led the Mustangs to the championship game, win- ning titles in 1992 and 2015. They were sec- ond in 2007 and 2014. “I hope they look back, win or lose, and have no regrets on how hard they worked and prepared,” Grant said. “Those are two things you can control. You have to be process ori- ented, not outcome oriented.” Trubisky leads Bears to 24-20 win over Lions By LARRY LAGE Associated Press DETROIT — Mitchell Tru- bisky started and closed strong to overcome some shaky decisions and plays in between to keep the Chicago Bears in the NFC playoff picture. Trubisky threw a go-ahead, 3-yard touchdown pass to David Montgomery with 2:17 left, lift- ing Chicago to a 24-20 win over the slumping Detroit Lions on Thursday. The Bears took the lead on the nine-play, 90-yard drive in which Trubisky converted a pair of third downs with 35- and 32-yard passes Anthony Miller. “He made special throws at spe- cial times,” coach Matt Nagy said. Chicago sealed the victory on the ensuing possession with Eddie Jackson’s interception. Rookie quarterback David Blough led Detroit’s last drive to the Chicago 26 in the fi nal minute before losing 13 yards on a sack to leave a desperation pass as the only option and Jackson picked off his heave. The Bears (6-6) have won three of four games after losing four in a row, keeping their postseason hopes alive. “We put ourselves in a good posi- tion to have another big game next week,” Trubisky said. The Lions (3-8-1) have lost fi ve straight for the fi rst time under sec- ond-year coach Matt Patricia. See Bears, Page B3 SPORTS SHORTS Clark-Gammell earns Frontier Conference honors at DE By ANNIE FOWLER East Oregonian CALDWELL, Idaho — College of Idaho senior defensive end Landon Clark-Gammell earned Frontier Con- ference second-team honors, joining 15 teammates on the all-conference team. “It really means a lot,” said Clark-Gammell, a 2015 Hermiston High graduate. “It’s a huge deal; there are some ballers in this league. It’s nice to be recognized by the coaches.” Clark-Gammell has 43 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks on the season. Coyotes quarterback Darius-James Peterson was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while College of Ida- ho’s Mike Moroski was named Coach of the Year. C of I had seven players named to the fi rst team, and nine to the second team. Clark-Gammell was disappointed fellow Hermiston grad and Yotes receiver Keegan Crafton did not get recognized. “I was surprised,” he said. “I thought he’d be on there somewhere, for sure.” The Yotes (11-0), who are on a 17-game win streak, will play in the NAIA Football Championship quar- terfi nals Saturday against Grand View (12-0) in Des Moines, Iowa. “Honestly, we are excited to get on a plane and go somewhere,” Clark-Gam- mell said. “We have some long bus trips in our league. It will be a nice change of pace.” Photo courtesy of Inside the Lines Photography College of Idaho defensive end Landon Clark-Gammell (42) closes in on Southern Oregon quarterback Wyatt Hutchin- son during their Sept. 14, 2019, game in Caldwell, Idaho.
