Dallas gifts lead to victory for Parkrose

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The football team opens league play this week at Lebanon.

Photo by Sam Scott

Dallas running back Nick Job (32) is off and running for a 92-yard touchdown run Sept. 3 against Parkrose at Gallaspy Field. The Dragons had their chances but fell 39-29.

Sam Scott

DALLAS -- Someone once said it's better to give than to receive. He or she obviously was not a football coach.

Dallas' football team apparently was in a generous mood Sept. 3 at Gallaspy Field against Parkrose of Portland. The Dragons gave and gave and gave some more. By the time it was finished, they had handed out a 39-29 victory to the Broncos.

"That was a stinger for us," Dallas coach Bill Masei said. "I thought the kids were more prepared than ever for a zero week game. Certain points of the game went real well. But overall it was a game we should have won but a game we didn't deserve to win.

"When you turn the ball over four times, the only team you're going to beat is yourself. We beat ourselves. That's pretty much it. You have to give Parkrose some credit. They didn't turn it over."

The Broncos, not known as a football powerhouse, scored on a fumble return and an interception return. Another fumble return for a touchdown was negated by a penalty.

Dallas also failed to cleanly field a kickoff, and that resulted in another turnover.

Even with all of that, Dallas managed to take the lead when Nick Job, who finished with 183 yards on 11 attempts, scored his third touchdown of the night on a 19-yard burst with 23 seconds left in the third period.

Kody Steele passed to Sam Orozco for a two-point conversion, giving the Dragons a 29-26 edge entering the final 12 minutes.

Dallas is a bit short on numbers to begin with and was missing several players who didn't get in the OSAA-mandated nine practices before the opener. Running back-cornerback Trevor Miller also was sidelined with a dislocated elbow but could return next week.

The Dragons wilted some during the final quarter. Parkrose went ahead for good with 5:52 remaining on a 14-yard run by quarterback Zack Abney.

Marquis Hammick, who finished with 117 yards on 15 carries, sealed it by scoring from a yard out with 2:11 remaining.

"I felt like our kids ran out of gas a little bit in the fourth quarter," Masei said. "It was missed tackles and mistakes. The momentum changed in the fourth quarter, and we just couldn't make plays, basically."

Photo by Sam Scott

Sam Orozco (5) of Dallas follows the blocking of Jacob Rorem (70) on a sweep around left end in the Sept. 3 game against Parkrose at Gallaspy Field. Parkrose won 39-29 in the season opener for both teams.

Dallas, which out-gained Parkrose 317-316, stopped Parkrose on a fourth-and-goal at its 1-yard line early in the first period.

The Dragons went ahead at the 7:59 mark when Job got loose in the middle of the line and out-raced a couple of defenders for a 92-yard touchdown run.

The first of three Thomas Guffey extra point kicks made it 7-0.

Dallas' generosity first reared its head later in the quarter when Steele's ill-advised pass into the left flat was intercepted by Daniel Pavlenko. Pavlenko raced 74 yards for a touchdown, making it 7-6 with 1:30 on the clock.

Dallas answered with a seven-play, 70-yard march capped by Orozco's 12-yard TD run.

The Broncos pulled within 14-12 when Pavlenko scored on a 33-yard fumble return with 4:10 left in the half. They took their first lead at the 8:31 mark of the third period when Hammick broke free for a 78-yard score.

Dallas answered immediately when Job scored on a 57-yard sprint. Parkrose, though, went back ahead 26-21 with 2:48 left in the third on a 1-yard run by Abney.

Defensive standouts for Dallas included Kade Fast and Cody Moore. Punter Josh Spencer also had a good game.

The Dragons open Mid-Willamette Conference play Friday, Sept. 10 at Lebanon.

The Warriors finished third in the league last season and beat Dallas 30-7 in a mudbowl at Gallaspy Field. Lebanon opened the 2010 season with a 35-27 defeat of Bend.

"They're coming off a big win against Bend," Masei said. "They run a veer option on offense so we'll have to be disciplined on defense. They're a very good football team. We'll have to bring our 'A' game. We can't afford to make mistakes like we did against Parkrose.

"I think the kids will bounce back. We're excited to play Lebanon. The kids will see on the film we made a lot of plays. The difference was the turnovers."