A8
FRIDAY
November 5, 2021
Fall Sports
SeasideSignal.com
Gulls lose to Estacada
in play-in qualifier
The Astorian
Scott Stoddard/Grants Pass Daily Courier
Seaside’s Anthony Peon, left, and Hidden Valley’s Ronan Hodge battle for the ball in last
Saturday’s play-in game.
After 99 minutes and
23 seconds of soccer
in the rain — plus one
lights-out delay — a win-
ner was finally decided
in a state play-in quali-
fier at Broadway Field,
where Seaside was host-
ing Estacada in 4A girls
soccer action last Thurs-
day night.
Estacada senior Katie
Willis scored with just 37
seconds left in the second
10-minute overtime ses-
sion, sending the Rang-
ers past the Gulls, 1-0.
The contest included
a 20-minute delay in
the second half when
the lights went out at
Broadway.
Even in the light, shots
on goal were hard to
come by for both even-
ly-matched teams. Sea-
side finished 7-7-1 over-
all,
while
Estacada
(7-6-2) moved on to the
round of 16.
Estacada’s first shot
on goal came in the 26th
minute of the first half,
also by Willis. Willis
had a one-on-one in the
30th minute with Sea-
side freshman goalkeeper
Abygale Brien, who
stopped the attempt.
Brien would make sev-
eral more saves, includ-
ing two by Willis in the
second half of regulation
and two in the first 10
minutes of overtime.
The Gulls were equally
unlucky on offense, with a
pair of attempts by Emma
Arden in the second half
stopped by Ranger goal-
keeper Hannah Lake, and
additional shots by Arden
and freshman Kaylee
Snyder in overtime were
saved.
Willis was fouled just
outside the 18-yard box
with a minute remain-
ing in the second half of
overtime, and her free
kick from 19-yards out
was deflected by Brien
off the left post and into
the net with 37 seconds
left.
The Gulls carried nine
seniors on their roster,
along with eight fresh-
men. Seaside was also
the only Cowapa League
team with a junior varsity
squad this season.
After building early lead,
Hidden Valley stifles Seaside
The Astorian
Hidden Valley scored for
an early lead, then tacked on
two second half goals for a
3-0 win last Saturday after-
noon over Seaside in a 4A
boys soccer state qualifier
play-in game.
The Gulls finish 5-7-1
overall, while the No.
8-ranked Mustangs (10-4)
advance to the round of 16,
where they were set to play
at Marshfield.
Hidden Valley had three
goals wiped out by offsides
penalties, but dominated
both time of possession and
shots on goal, as Seaside
finished with just one shot
attempt for the game.
Leading 1-0 at halftime,
the Mustangs increased their
lead to 2-nil in the 12th min-
ute of the second half, as
sophomore Mason Klipfel
scored from close range in
front of the net, off passes
from Roman Hodge and
Theo Bergman.
Seaside goalkeeper Riley
Wunderlich had several big
saves in goal to keep the
Gulls within striking dis-
tance, but Hidden Valley’s
Joaquin Martinez made it
3-0 with just 2:45 left, scor-
ing at the left post off a
crossing pass from Conner
Wright.
Jeff TerHar
The Lady Gulls on the pitch against Astoria on Oct. 19.
Gulls conclude season with tough defensive battle at Astoria
By GARY HENLEY
The Astorian
From Week 1 to Week 9, the 2021 fall sea-
son has been a reversal of fortunes for both
the Astoria and Seaside football programs.
The regular season portion was capped last
Friday night at CMH Field, where the Fish-
ermen scored a 7-0 win over the Gulls, their
second Clatsop Clash victory of the year.
Astoria senior Colton McMaster caught a
23-yard pass from Rocky Rub late in the sec-
ond quarter for the first and only score. The
touchdown held up, and the Fishermen move
on to the post-season, where Astoria will play
at No. 2 seed Cascade on Friday at 6 p.m.
“I’m sure we’ll feel good when we show
up to school on Monday and realize we’re
still playing,” said Astoria coach Howard
Rub, who moved his career Clatsop Clash
record to 14 wins, eight losses.
In an up and down year for both teams,
Seaside began the season with three wins in
its first four games, by scores of 55-0, 48-0
and 69-0.
But injuries gradually kicked in, and the
Gulls finished the year on a three-game los-
ing skid, being outscored 73-3 in losses to
Banks, Tillamook and Astoria.
Meanwhile, the Fishermen started 0-3 in
league play, but eventually got healthy and
posted wins over Valley Catholic and the
Gulls. Astoria needed to defeat Seaside by at
least two points in Friday’s game, in order to
break a three-way tie in the league standings
with Milwaukie and Seaside, all at 2-3.
Friday’s 7-0 final score was also the third
straight shutout in the Clatsop Clash, follow-
ing Seaside’s 8-0 win in 2019 and Astoria’s
8-0 victory last spring.
“I guess you can’t expect a lot of fireworks
when we play each other,” Rub said of the
Clash. “A lot of it has to do with how familiar
we are with each other’s programs.”
And Friday’s game “became a real conser-
vative game with the play-calling.”
Astoria’s Luke Cummings was the lead-
ing rusher (68 yards), but averaged just 3.5
per carry. Late in the game, Rub called Cum-
mings’ number in consecutive direct-snap
plays to the junior running back.
“I thought going with Luke was our best
option, and we were able to control the time,”
he said. “That (Wildcat formation) was really
the best formation we had that gave us a
chance to control the ball, and play three
yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust football. It got
very conservative, but it worked.”
In fact, the Fishermen had just three pos-
sessions the entire second half, to Seaside’s
two.
Astoria had a 13-play drive midway
through the second half that resulted in a
punt.
Doing the punting was McMaster, whose
Senior Night introduction included the
announcement that he would attend Dart-
mouth College in New Hampshire.
McMaster had two 42-yard punts and a
46-yarder, pinning the Gulls at their own 15-
and eight-yard lines.
The other big Astoria plays came on
defense. Cummings intercepted a pass late in
the first half at the Fishermen 5-yard line. In
the second half, Seaside’s best drive started at
its own eight, and ended 11 plays later at the
Astoria 6, an interception by Jase Junes.
Another big defensive play came on a sec-
ond-and-long for Seaside late in the fourth
quarter, when Astoria lineman Will Hofmann
tackled a ball carrier for a seven-yard loss,
essentially ending the drive.
Lawson Talamantez had 56 yards rushing
for the Gulls, but three of their five ball carri-
ers finished with minus-yards rushing.
“The two interceptions were huge plays,”
Rub said. “(The Gulls) felt compelled to
throw the ball at the end of the first half, and
Luke made a great play to keep his feet in
bounds. And Jase’s interception was big,
when Seaside had a first-and-goal inside our
10. We made a big push up front and made
Carson (Kawasoe) threw a ball he might not
normally have thrown. And Jase came off the
receiver real well to make the interception.”
Rub added, “we benefitted from having
Tucker Golightly back in the lineup on both
sides of the ball. Up front, we controlled the
line of scrimmage, and that was big. Both of
our sophomores played well — Matt Evans
and Will Hofmann.”
Because of injuries to the Gulls, “Sea-
side obviously did not have the same offen-
sive line they had back in August,” Rub said.
“They were decimated by some injuries and
down some starters.”
And “the rest of our linemen played well.
Aiden Giles, Sven Johnson (both juniors) and
Wes Ellison all had great games.”
McMaster’s touchdown “was the offen-
sive play of the night,” he said. “And his
punts backing Seaside up in their own end
was big, because we knew that special teams
were going to play a big part.
“It was a great crowd,” Rub said. “It’s
always fun to see the youth football kids play
at halftime. The student section was great
… other than me wearing a mask, it felt like
everything was back to normal.”
BRIEFS
Aquatics coordinator honored for excellence
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation Dis-
trict Aquatics Coordinator Lindsey Wolfe
was recently honored with the Excellence
in Programming Award from the Oregon
Recreation and Park Association.
Wolfe has worked for the park district for
seven years, starting as a lifeguard and swim
Lindsey Wolfe
instructor. She is also a volunteer firefighter
with the Gearhart Fire Department and
spends her summers fighting fires in Oregon and California.
Turkey Trot, Thanksgiving dinner ahead
Seaside Signal
Beaches and Breakers hold pickleball
tournament
The Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District is host-
ing the Beaches and Breakers Pickleball Classic Nov. 12
through Nov. 14 at the Sunset Recreation Center.
This is a skill and age round-robin tournament with a
shootout of the top three or four teams for gold, silver and
bronze medals.
The tournament is managed in partnership with Pickle-
ball is Great, an organization dedicated to the sport.
Participants can register at https://pickleballisgreat.
com/beaches-and-breakers-pickleball-classic/.
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District
Aiden and Elliot Ousley, among
volunteers at last year’s Thanksgiving
dinner.
Join the Sunset Empire Park and
Recreation District for the annual
Turkey Trot, a 5K fun run/walk held
on Thanksgiving morning. The race
starts at 9 a.m. from Quatat Park and
follows a route through Seaside.
Check-in begins at 8 a.m.;
patrons are encouraged to pre-regis-
ter. Admission is $30 and includes a
t-shirt. Call 503-738-3311 to reserve
your spot.
In following guidelines from the
Oregon Health Authority, patrons
are asked to wear masks when social
distancing is not possible, including
before and after the race.
After the Turkey Trot, join the park
district from noon to 2 p.m. for a free
Thanksgiving meal to go at the Bob
Chisholm Community Center. Help-
ing Hands Reentry Outreach Center
R.J. Marx
Seaside’s Alex Van Slyke ran the 2019
Turkey Trot carrying the flag.
is partnering with the district to pro-
vide pre-packaged meals for the com-
munity. Registration is not required
for this first-come, first-served meal.
To serve as a sponsor or volunteer
for these events, email Melissa Ous-
ley at mousley@sunsetempire.com.