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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
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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.