Battle Between the Next Great Zach (Todd), and the Current Best Andre (Brodhaus).

His dad, Coach Marty Johnson, wasn't as at a loss for words. "It's hard to separate being a coach, and being a dad. As a coach, he (Jordan) played very well. As a dad, I'm very proud of him!"

It was the defensive game plan that was the key to the game. Coach Johnson explained "We had a great first half. Grant had a great first half of the third quarter. But we regrouped."

Broadous can't be stopped, but Johnson's game plan was designed to contain him. "That's easier said than don. We have good team speed. But it doesn't take long looking at film to see if you run at him, he will make you miss, and once you run past him, he can't be caught. We wanted him to beat us passing, not running." Which the superior Irish secondary wasn't about to allow.

While some thought Sheldon would be a year away, with underclassmen at QB, RB, WR, the Irish are headed to the title game. "The younger players now have a number of games under their belts. They have watched and looked up to the older players, including a couple (Moos & Pflugrad) to the PAC-10. And learned from them. The older players have helped the younger ones, and now, they are still young, but they don't play like it."  

#5 Grant Generals (10-1) vs. #3 Shedon Irish (11-1) 

With Sheldon’s 28–27 win over Lake Oswego, on a missed conversion in OT, the current great Zach (Taylor) saw his Lake Oswego running back career end, while the new Zach continued his to see his advance. Anthony Yakovich got a piece of the Laker extra point kick in overtime, preserving the lead QB Jordan Johnson threw for after Todd get the first 21 yards.

Grant grabbed a semi-final slot with a 24 point comeback against rival Central Catholic, gaining the 27-24 victory on Gabe Miller’s 30 yard field goal as time expired. Broadous carried for 97 yards on 20 carries, and threw for 186 more on a 19 of 29 night, as the swiss army knife of football players led the gutsy comeback.

Injuries are always an issue in late season football. Whether its a negative or a positive is the story. Sheldon lineman Parker Srotm is on crutches, after a knee injury. But 71 can still be seen up and down the line, on both biceps of other Sheldon linemen. The stat man might need to give him an assist on a couple of tackles.

The OSAA will have the stream and stats for the game; Oregonprepsports will have the why of it all.

Sheldon won the toss, and wants the ball. Or they don't want Broadous to have it. Irish going north to south to start.

1st. qtr.

Grant kicks away from Todd, and Cameron Abeene makes them pay with a 52 yard run back. Be careful about being too smart! Harold Love has the middle sewed up, so Sheldon starts on the edges, then comes back with an inside screen. And a direct snap to Todd, who takes it to the seam, sends Sheldon to a 7-0 lead, as the Irish sliced and diced the Generals. Sheldon has the team speed to attack the Grant defense, and the kick coverage to contain Broadous to a 10 yard return.

Sheldon is setting back, not attacking Broadous, making him come to them. And after a few plays, he does. A left, right, up the right sideline, 47yard run through what should have been at least 2 tackles squares it at 7 @ 6:07.

Johnson's passes to Tyler Martel, and another direct snap to Todd, sets up a 63 yard screen to Todd, and he was GONE by the time he hit the 50, behind beautiful open field blocking. No Grant guys are close to fast enough to close any of the gap. 14-7 Irish @ 2:47, and the shoot out is on!

Tyler Briffett, from the left side, on a 3 man rush, blows up a rush, forces a Grant fumble, which he covers at the 22. Johnson pitches to Abeene, and he throws back to a WIDE OPEN Johnson in the left flat, and in one play, its Sheldon 21-7, with 1:44 in the quarter.

The Irish have had 1 bad play, which cost them a touchdown, but have forced a fumble, and have it again at the Sheldon 38, and 42 seconds before the quarter ends, Grant wants time out RIGHT NOW! Sheldon has a complete handle on how to handle the Grant game plan.

2nd. qtr.

A deep middle ball to Tommy Stewart requires a touchdown saving trip-up. A deep crossing route to Curtis White takes the Irish inside the General 20. Johnson is 11-11 passing. Finally a miss on an overthrow in the left corner of the endzone, but to another open receiver. An inside screen to Martell is short, and a 28 yard field goal attempt is easily long, but apparently hooked wide left.

Broadous beats a blitz for a first down, but bangs up his knee on the tackle. The Sheldon coverage gives Broadous about 10 seconds to throw, and by the time Kenneth Acker gets clear, the linemen are down field. Sheldon is staying with with the deep coverage, allowing only middle stuff. But Broadous is so elusive, a middle draw is as good as a middle pass.

A very late pass interference call, and a near interception, make the Grant drive interesting. And ends on an incompletion on 4th. down from within field goal range, with 4:32 left in the half.

Johnson just underthrows a deep pass on the right sideline, due to pressure. A second more to throw, and it would have been another score. Todd's counter is tackled by slippery turf, and Martell is wide open underneath the safety for a completion into General territory. Time out Sheldon, with 1:24 to go.

Another inside screen to Mike Hanks is good for a 43 yard touchdown the left side, and a 28-7 Sheldon lead with 1:14 left in the half. A good kick runback gets Grant to midfield, but they go no where.

Grant is going to need another great comeback, and Sheldon shows no signs of letting up. Irish Coach Marty Johnson has a game plan that has things going all his way.

3rd. qtr.

Grant gets it first, and they will need it. The Generals will try to go north first this time. Sheldon is showing a 4 man front, instead of 3, and the middle cross is still where the Generals have to look. A bad snap over Broadous' head leads to a throwaway that Kenneth Archer catches, and crosses the field, getting to the 12 on a busted play. Broadous bangs his way in to cut the margin to 28-14 less than 3 minutes into the quarter. A busted play has been the best play the Generals have had.

The next best play is the fumble they cause on the kickoff, and Grant gets the break they need at the Irish 18. But Sheldon holds, and would have forced a 31 yard field goal. But Sheldon jumps offsides, making it 4th. & 1. Broadous had to go out due to an injury, and Grant calls their second timeout, only 4:30 into the second half. Acker picks up the first down, and then Broadous the touchdown. They have only been billed for one of them, and so the game is back on, as Grant has pulled within 28-21, with 7:19 to play in the 3rd. Grant has grabbed 2 touchdowns before the Irish ever get to run a play.

Grant finally gets a pass broken up, and the first punt of the game puts Grant at their 22, with 5:10 left in the quarter. Momemtum hasn't swung, but it has moved.

Yakovich picks off an underthrown Broadous deep ball at the Irish 41. Johnson over the middle on the second play to Curtis White at about the 40, and its an EASY 59 yard touchdown. 35-21 with 3:57 left in the third. The Irish offense has re-awakened!

And the Green defense smashes a screen for a big loss. Another way off pass produces the first Grant punt. An 11 yard one! Irish eyes are smiling from only 34 yards out! And Todd turns out of a tackle for a 24 yard touchdown. Apparently, another kick was wide, but it's still Sheldon 41-21 with under a minute until the fourth quarter.

Broadous goes back to work under the middle, because the bomb isn't available. But Sheldon does have a big soft spot 10-20 yards deep. Austin Embry's sack ends the quarter.

4th. qtr.

Another bad snap, and another sack, starts the fourth, as Grant goes backward to midfield. They go for it, for some reason, and go nowhere. Irish ball, with 11 minutes to milk off the clock.

Todd makes a move that left the Grant containment man without his shoes, shirt, supporter, etc. Sheldon has downfield blocking, and more speed than Grant's defense, which will surprise some. Those that haven't seen Sheldon.

Arthur Pittman picks a scrambling Johnson off, and Grant has 73 yards to go with 7:55 left. BIG Sheldon mistake that keeps the game in question. The Broadous show will have to go big time, but Embry's tackle for a loss forces another 4th. down gamble. Which gives Embry the opportunity to drop Broadous for a 17 yard loss, and Sheldon takes over with 5:37 left.

The Irish have now withstood two Grant rallies, with almost no net damage. A questionable call on Johnson stepping out of bounds forces a punt, so Sheldon pins Grant at the 2 with 4:07 left.

Sheldon is back to a 3 man rush, with 8 deep, and only that middle is open. For the first time, Grant actually runs out of the middle instead of in to it.

A deep left pass is batted up, and intercepted by John Campbell. Sheldon ball at their 45 with about 2:30 left. Todd gets another big gain on the left side, as the clock winds under 2 to go.

Time to go to the sideline to talk to the coach.

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