Speed vs. Power Marks 5A Matchup. Power mattered initially, but Speed wins out in the end.

Glencoe gamely goes after the Bulldogs to the end, but a sack, fittingly, ends it, and the Bulldogs storm the field in victory. 31 unanswered points turned a tight game early into another Bulldog blowout.

With tears in his eyes, and the blue trophy tucked under his arm, Coach Randy Nyquist, a former Bulldog player, said "I couldn't be prouder of these kids. Last year, we didn't finish the job. Our whole goal was to finish that job this year. This is pretty dang special!" (referring to the first ever Bulldog football championship) "I played here (for the Bulldogs), and I'm really going to soak this one in!"

(Updated with photos.)

This marks the third year in a row that Coach Randy Nyquist has West Albany in the playoffs, significant because this is the first time the Bulldogs have ever had a string of multiple playoff appearances. And Bulldog football dates back to before World War I!

For Glencoe, this year marks the first return to the playoffs since 2003, and the first under the leadership of Coach Tim Duvall, a long time Glencoe assistant before taking over as the head coach. Former Coach Craig Ruecker led the Tide to 17 playoff appearances in 22 years from 1982 thru 2003, including 10 straight trips from 1986 thru 1995. The Tide claimed titles in 1986 & 1994.

The officials are from the Lane County Assn.

The Bulldogs bring the top offense, while the Crimson Tide is #2, though over a touchdown per game behind in scoring. That alone would be concerning enough, but despite the spectacular offense that averages over 43 points per game for West Albany, it’s the Bulldog defense, which averages 5 points per game allowed, that really sets West apart. Glencoe averages 36 points per game on offense, and 18 points allowed defensively, normally a healthy margin, but the Tide will have to do considerably better on both sides of the ball to be in the hunt.

West didn't turn back any tickets, filling the area the OSAA allocated them, and more. Glencoe is going for the standing student body approach, as the kids don't know they aren't supposed to win. Their parents don't have the same level of enthusiasm.

1st. qtr.

A 23 yard return from the one shows the Tide is serious about attacking the Bulldogs, as Glencoe heads off in the direction of the Valley Football Center.

But an incompletion when the Tide didn't go to David Puckett gives the Bulldogs their chance.

West Albany’s offensive line protects QB Reece Miller (18).

The first play is a right sideline fly to Will Murphy, then Anthony LaCoste, on a stretch run to the left, has the Bulldogs inside the 10! The drive stalls on a pass out of bounds, but Tyler George's 29 yard field goal puts West up 3-0 with 8:10 left in the quarter. Might be a moral victory stop for Glencoe.

The Puckett show is moving the sticks, though, and shortening the game noticeably.

Glencoe’s David Puckett (5) beats West Albany’s Tyson Seaman (30) & Alex Ness (54) to the corner.

The Tide line isn't huge, but it isn't small either, and it is winning about 3 of 5 battles against West. Not bad against the #1 D. Kyle Hogan makes a diving catch, and that's all the help Puckett needs, capping a 14 play, 78 yard drive, that consumed 6:38, and put the Tide up 7-3 with only 1:26 left in the quarter, before West even gets a second series! Just what the Tide coaching staff was looking for.

Glencoe’s David Puckett (5) scores the game’s first touchdown.

LaCoste does the last thing the Bulldogs need to have happen, coughing up the ball as the quarter ends. Glencoe will open the second qtr. at the Bulldog 42!

Glencoe’s Steven Dewey (81) forces West Albany’s Anthony LaCoste (28) to fumble.

2nd. qtr.

And here comes Puckett again! This time, the drive stalls, but only after over 2 minutes.

Glencoe’s David Puckett (5) looks for yardage against the West Albany defense.

Elliott O'Brien lays a Tide tackler into the parking lot, springing LaCoste for 8.

Another fumble, though covered, is already harkening memories of what happened to Sisters, as the resulting punt hands it back to Glencoe. Taylor-made for the Tide.

Glencoe changes things up with a reverse to Matt Valley, which only makes Puckett more effective. West calls time with 6:21 left to talk things over. Things are not going according to the script.

This isn't spectacular ball, but it sure is effective. Puckett's ability to move in traffic, assuming he doesn't break, as he already has 109 yards on 21 carries, 4 minutes before the half!

Glencoe’s David Puckett (5) follows Landry See (11), Kyle Hogan (24), and Joe Urbanski (51) around the right end.

A fourth down forces a pass, but AJ Burke's completion to Jordan Hoffert comes up a yard short, and the Bulldogs have 2:23 to try to take the lead.

Nate Mosier's sack, and a fumbled snap, sends the Bulldogs to the dog house down 7-3!

Glencoe’s Nate Mosier (44) closes in to sack West Albany QB Reece Miller (18).

# # # # # # # # #

Glencoe has taken all the air out of the ball, and the Bulldogs, similar to what happened to Sisters. West can overcome a 4 point lead in seconds, but not if they don't play more than 3 or plays per half, which is the case today.

Time of possession is 16:16 Glencoe to 7:44 West Albany, on a 33-15 play advantage. The Bulldogs have mustered 68 yards, 38 on their first play. The Tide has rolled to 150 yards, with 27 rushes. Forget balance, ball and clock control is game control.

3rd. qtr.

West gets the first shot at it, from the shadow of the Valley Football Center. And promptly lays a pitch on the rug! But a fly to Elliott O'Brien erases all that the Tide had worked for so far, going up 10-7 with 10:15 to go.

West Albany’s Reece Miller (18) throws deep down the right side…

..for Elliott O’Bryan (13), who has Glencoe’s Jordan Hoeffert (2) beat for the touchdown from over 40 yards out!

Scott Foss (9) & Will Murphy (4) celebrate the Elliott O’Bryan’s (13) 70 yard touchdown for West Albany.

And all of a sudden, the Bulldog defense and crowd are awake for the first time all afternoon. Then a TV timeout, something totally foreign to high school football, sets the stage for the Bulldogs to take the air out of the Tide. And West marches right to the goal line.

Glencoe comes up with two goal line stops, followed by a false start on the Bulldogs, which saves the series, forcing another George FG, from 23 yards, and it's only 13-7 West midway in the quarter. This was a huge save for the Tide defense.

Nate Mosier (44) stops Reece Miller (18) as the Glencoe defense makes a goal line stand.

Glencoe avoids disaster when Drew VanRoekel covers a fumble on the kickoff. The Tide is flirting with trouble, but has shown the courage to not fold, getting out of the shadow of the goal post with a swing pass to Landry See. Burke is demonstrating the most important trait of a quarterback, the ability to keep composed under pressure. It allows room for a punt. The defense must stand up again, though, as the Bulldogs have only 39 yards to go, with 2:27 left in the quarter, after a Tide timeout.

Bomb left to Murphy, who stops and makes the grab, then goes on, and West is on the 1! West Albany's big WRs are a mismatch against Glencoe's DBs. Reece Miller completes the drive with a dive, and West may have put the Tide away, up 20-7.

West Albany’s Reece Miller follows Matt Sorem’s (55) block for the Bulldog touchdown.

Holding hurts the Tide, but not as much as having Puckett out of the game with a cramped left leg might.

The rest of the team actually picks up the pace, and completions to Kyle Hogan and Hoffert have the Tide rolling, as they reach the Bulldog 36 as the quarter ends. A score here keeps things interesting.

Time of possession is still over 2-1 Tide.

4th. qtr.

Jesse Strickland nearly gets the interception that would have been a killer, but the pass was so overthrown it couldn't be caught. Shortly thereafter Miller picks off the next overthrow, off the receiver's hands. Burke had been dead on, but suddenly sailed the last two.

LaCoste is starting to get his way as well.

Anthony LaCoste works for yardage for West Albany against Glencoe’s Keenan Jones (34), Bryan Fine (53), & Joe Pittman (77).

West Albany’s Matt McHenry (24) works the clock behind Aaron Magnuson’s (66) block.

A post pass to Scot Foss puts West up 27-7 with 8:06 left, which sends the writers to the elevator line. When West can play clock ball, as they just did, a clock ball team like Glencoe is swimming up hill, not just upstream. The short passing game is again looking good, raising the question, what if the Tide had diversified earlier, and kept Puckett in one piece for the fourth quarter?

West Albany’s Will Murphy (4) congratulates Scott Foss (9) on his touchdown.

Over 6 minutes left, and the Tide is in Bulldog territory, and Burke's pattern of suddenly sailing a pass has emerged again. And eventually, one sails to Neil Crook, and the Bulldog party starts, with 4:37 left.

West Albany’s Neil Crook (56) returns the interception.

LaCoste takes off for 77 yards over the left side, but holding spoils the Bulldog's fun for a moment. Still, he is finally getting some chunks, and West is winding it out.

Anthony LaCoste (28) scores an apparent touchdown, but it was called back due to a holding penalty.

The passing game made the difference, though LaCoste is at 210 yards on 18 carries when he punches the Tide's lights out, 34-7 with 1:48 left, from 50 yards out.

This time, LaCoste’s touchdown for the Bulldogs counted.

West has their first ever title in the bag, and gets to systematically substitute out starters to strong cheers.

Postgame

Afterwards, Coach Nyquist reflected on matters of heart. "At half time, I challenged the team. I told them it's about West Albany, not Glencoe. We had worked too hard to not finish the jog. And then, we came out and smacked them in the mouth!"

Nyquist went on to detail that "We had some alignment problems in the first half. Coach (Jim) Phillips corrected them. They were little, itty bitty adjustments. It was mainly about heart."

The advantage the taller Bulldog receivers had over the Tide corners was what broke the game open. Even though only 4 passes were completed, 3 were for big gains, and two for scores. Nyquist acknowledged "We like to throw to talent, and use it to our best advantage. The catch Elliott (O'Bryan) made on third down (for a 70 yard touchdown) was huge. We thought we could pass against them, but kept shooting ourselves on the foot in the first half."

Nyquist noted the "6AM weight room sessions 4 days a week all year paid off. We wanted to be physical with (David) Puckett. We have a lot of respect for him. He's a great back."

Puckett ran for 111 yards before being forced from the game, and Kyle Hogan added added another 103 for Glencoe, while AJ Burke threw for 122 yards.

Sophomore RV Anthony LaCoste served notice that the Bulldogs will remain a force, since he and Junior QB Reece Miller will both be back. LaCoste averaged 11.7 yards per rush, thanks to the 50 yard scoring jaunt, and piled up 210 yards on 18 carries.

The win was an emotional one, not just because of the long history of Albany football without a priorchampionship, but because of the situation with Miller, who lost his father. Nyquist explained "I go to the cemetery to see my mom. I felt compelled to tell Reece this is forever. It has been a privilege to be there for him. His dad is smiling down on him right now!"

And that kind of story transcends any talk about first downs and blitzes!

Congratulations Coach Nyquist, Reece Miller, and all the Bulldogs, past and present.

West Albany.........  3  0 17 14  - 34

Glencoe.............    7  0   0   0  -  7

Scoring Summary:

1st. Qtr. 

    08:10 WALB - George, T 29 yd field goal

                                                5 plays, 42 yards, TOP 1:29, WALB 3 - GLEN 0

    01:26 GLEN - Puckett, D 2 yd run (Wagner, M kick)

                                               14 plays, 78 yards, TOP 6:38, WALB 3 - GLEN 7

3rd Qtr.

    10:15 WALB - O'Bryan, E 70 yd pass from Miller, R (George, T kick)

                                               3 plays, 70 yards, TOP 1:41, WALB 10 - GLEN 7

    05:57 WALB - George, T 22 yd field goal

                                               7 plays, 47 yards, TOP 2:13, WALB 13 - GLEN 7

    02:15 WALB - Miller, R 1 yd run (George, T kick)

                                               2 plays, 39 yards, TOP 0:12, WALB 20 - GLEN 7

4th. Qtr.

    08:06 WALB - Foss, S 5 yd pass from Miller, R (George, T kick)

                                               7 plays, 72 yards, TOP 2:39, WALB 27 - GLEN 7

    01:48 WALB - LaCoste, A 50 yd run (George, T kick)

                                               6 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:49, WALB 34 - GLEN 7 

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