The East Linn Loggers raised their seaon record to 3-2 with a 21-6 thrashing of the Capitol City Enforcers, a team that had dominated them in the past, at Husky Stadium Saturday, May 13, in National Nine-Man Football League action.
“We were definitely on a level,” said Head Coach Jesse Garcia of the Loggers. “We pretty much absolutely dominated them, both defensively and offensively. We denied them everything offensively.”
Despite some questionable refereeing, the Loggers scored twice in the first half, first on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Derek Robinson to Devin Dvorak with 16:29 left. Robinson also kicked the extra point.
Then, with 32 seconds left in the half, fullback Danny Nunn scored the Loggers’ second touchdown on a 1-yard run. Trace Privratsky, the holder on the extra point attempt, pitched the ball to Robinson, who scooted in for two more points to give the Loggers a 15-0 halftime lead.
In the second half, the Loggers scored again early on a 3-yard run by Privratsky. The two-point attempt failed, but East Linn had a 21-0 lead.
The Enforcers found the end zone with two minutes left in the game, after three straight penalty calls on the Loggers, all within their own 5-yard line.
Capitol City went for two points, but the Loggers forced a fumble that Jesse Garcia Jr. recovered.
“They had taken care of us the last two years,” Garcia Sr. said of the Enforcers. “(Linebacker) Craig Bergevin said we’re not giving them anything.”
The Loggers recorded seven sacks and Bergevin and Evan Holden both recorded 13 tackles to lead the team. Rod Jacques and Stuart Short both recorded two sacks each, one of Short’s for 20 yards. Garcia Jr. had an interception and a fumble recovery.
“Everybody was contributing,” Garcia Sr. said. “There was a lot of gang tackling going on.”
On offense, regular quarterback Duane Stevens, who played the second half, was 5 for 13 for 53 yards, while Robinson completed two of four passes for 37. Privratsky had 60 yards on 13 carries, while Nunn carried seven times for 21 yards. The Enforcers shut down receiver Mike Bell, who had one catch, but Dvorak picked up the slack with five grabs for 76 yards.
The Loggers are currently third in the league, behind the Polk Pioneers (5-0) and Cascade Steel (4-1) and can clinch a playoff spot with one more win.
They will travel to South Eugene High School May 20 for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Springfield Buzzards and, after a bye week, will finish the regular season again at South Eugene against the Power Valley Sharks.