Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 17, 2021 -- SEVEN
Mustangs vs TigerScots: Round Two
Mustang seniors (visible) Blake Carter (78), Conor Brosnan (56), Brock Hisler (32), Jace Coe
(20) and Cody Fletcher (65) finish their final laps on Les Payne Field. Seniors not visible or not
pictured include Derrick Smith (2), Brian Collins (3), Kason Cimmiyotti (18), Zander Fisher
(35), Blane Mahoney (45), Kegan Steagall (64), Toby Nation (72) and Brian Lindsay (88).
Landon Mitchell (#1) runs the ball in for a score.
Jace Coe (20), Conor Brosnan (56) and Caden George (24) lead the way for Brock Hisler (32).
Blane Mahoney (45) sacks the quarterback.
By Blake Carter
The number one and
two teams out of special
district five extended their
season as they both qual-
ified for the 2021 OSAA
Football State Champion-
ship Tournament. When
the brackets were released,
the two teams were stacked
right on top of each other.
The possibility of a re-
match was speculated, but
the two teams had to earn
a round one victory before
that could happen. As the
first round concluded, both
teams had gained a round
one victory, Weston McE-
wen defeated Toledo 20-14,
and Heppner defeated Re-
gis 39-0. Sitting at 8-1, the
TigerScots had one thing on
their mind, revenge. After
finishing the regular season
at 7-1, with their only defeat
to the Mustangs, the Tiger-
Scots wanted to reverse that
defeat. Heppner, 10-0 enter-
ing Saturday, knew that this
TigerScot team was going
to be completely different
than the game before, and
had prepared rigorously for
their second-round match-
up. However, the Mustangs
were able to advance with a
40-0 victory.
Heppner entered the
game focused and ener-
gized. Weston matched
that intensity, as they had
one side of the Les Payne
field grandstands filled in
red and black. The Tiger-
Scots emerged from the
Spur ‘Em barn with their
American flag, and black
TigerScot flag in hand, and
The Heppner seniors exit Les Payne field for the final time. -Photos by Damon Brosnan.
ran through the sign their
community had brought.
The TigerScot fans roared
with excitement as their
team took the visiting side-
line. As the captains met at
center field, the electricity
could be felt in downtown
Heppner. The coin was
flipped, and Weston McE-
wen won the toss. They
elected to defer their option
to the second half, and
Heppner then elected to
receive the first half kickoff.
Jace Coe stood back at the
Mustang 20, as Blane Peal
struck the center of the
ball and sent it down into
Coe’s hands. Coe returned
the ball 21 yards to set the
opening drive up at their
own 43-yard line. Landon
Mitchell, the sophomore
QB, led the Mustang of-
fense out onto the field.
Heppner, anchored by an
experienced offensive line
including seniors Conor
Brosnan, Kegan Steagall,
and transfer Toby Nation.
The O-Line also bolsters
two well rounded juniors
in Jake Lentz and Tucker
Ashbeck. Brock Hisler,
the veteran running back
highlights the backfield as
seniors Kason Cimmiyo-
tti and Zander Fisher lead
the charge through the air.
Senior leader Jace Coe
highlights the Mustang of-
fense along with sophomore
Caden George.
A steady dosage of runs
would lead the Mustangs
right down the field. In nine
plays the Mustangs used
four minutes to score the
opening touchdown on a
one-yard score from Caden
George, making it 6-0 early.
After gaining an early first
down, the TigerScot offense
began to feel the heat from
the relentless Mustang de-
fense; sophomore Cade
Cunningham sacked Blane
Peal to force a long fourth
and 17. The TigerScot punt
would sail out of bounds,
setting up the Mustang of-
fense on their own 42-yard
line. Another four minutes
would wind off the clock
as Heppner took six plays
to find the endzone. The
drive was highlighted by a
23-yard run from Jace Coe
and ended on a one-yard
run from Landon Mitchell.
Mitchell then threw a pass
to Brock Hisler to score on
the two-point conversion,
leaving the score at 14-0.
The second quarter became
a stalemate as both teams’
defenses weren’t giving
an inch. The TigerScots
punted two more times and
OSAA Semifinal Football
#1 Heppner Mustangs
vs
#4 Coquille Red Devils
Saturday, November 20 - 12:00 pm
McMinnville High School
threw an interception. The
Mustangs would also punt
twice, while also throwing
an interception right at the
half. Both teams would
head to the locker rooms as
the score was 14-0 with the
Mustangs in front.
After deferring in the
first half, the TigerScots
would elect to receive the
ball to start the second half.
After two first downs, Blane
Mahoney would take down
Peal to force yet another
punt. Heppner drove 77
yards in nine plays to add
another score, George took
the ball 11 yards for the
score as Heppner pushed
their lead out to 20-0. After
a 15-yard penalty and a
Blane Mahoney sack, the
TigerScots were pinned
deep on a third and 47 as
the third quarter clock ex-
pired. An incomplete pass
would force the TigerScots
to punt, however Hisler
would blow through the line
and block the punt, as Ty
Boor jumped on the ball and
took it back to the TigerScot
13 yard-line. On the very
next play Hisler would
score on a 13-yard run to
widen the advantage to
26-0. The Mustangs would
allow another first down on
the next Weston McEwen
possession, but they would
force a punt. Taking over
on their own 40-yard line,
Heppner would run two
plays as Coe found green
grass and exploded for a
58-yard score. Hisler would
take a direct snap on the
field goal and run into the
endzone to all but seal the
game as it was 34-0. Peal
would take the ball on the
next drive and throw a pass
completion to the TigerScot
tight end, however senior
Conor Brosnan swooped
in and laid the boom on
the TigerScot tight end,
forcing a fumble which he
would recover, and scamper
25 yards for the finishing
score. As the clock wound
down, Heppner was able to
secure a 40-0 victory.
As a part of Mustang
football tradition, the se-
niors take a lap around Les
Payne field after their final
home game. As the semi-fi-
nals and state championship
game will be held on neu-
tral site fields, this was the
seniors last time playing a
football game in Heppner.
The 13 seniors grabbed a
Heppner Mustang flag, and
took two laps around the
field high fiving and hug-
ging fans, teammates and
family along the way. Each
senior took their chance
with the flag. After their
laps the seniors gathered to
present Coach Grant with
a signed Mustang flag as a
thanks for all the hard work
he puts into each season
of football. Coach Grant’s
coaching is unbelievable,
and all the seniors wanted to
thank him for the commit-
ment he shows every year.
Statistics for the game:
Landon Mitchell threw the
ball 11 times, connecting
on six passes for 45 yards.
Brock Hisler led the Mus-
tangs on the ground with
110 yards and a touchdown,
Jace Coe rushed for 81
yards as well as one touch-
down, Mitchell ran for 40
yards and one score, while
Caden George ran for 34
yards and two touchdowns.
Coe and George led the way
in receptions, hauling in two
passes each, Coe gained 13
yards while George totaled
15. Zander Fisher and Ty
Boor also had a reception
each, Fisher snagged 10
yards while Boor brought
in seven yards. Defensive-
ly Hisler led the way in
tackles with eight, Brosnan
was right behind him with
seven to go along with his
fumble recovery, Mahoney,
Toby Nation and Tucker
Ashbeck all had six tackles.
Boor had five tackles, Coe
and Cade Cunningham both
brought in three tackles,
while Cameron Proudfoot,
Fisher and Steagall had two
tackles. With one tackle
were George, and Jake
Lentz.
Heppner has solidified
their spot in the 2A semi-fi-
nals, and the Mustangs will
battle the Coquille Red
Devils. This game will
be played at McMinnville
High School on November
20. Game time is set for
12 p.m.
Join us in congratulating the
Heppner Mustang Fall teams’ great
post-season success.
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