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Oaks Edge Out Loggers, 35-28
ATHERTON, Calif. - Down by 11 at halftime, the Puget Sound Loggers put together a comeback but in the end, it was the Menlo Oaks collected a 35-28 victory over the Loggers in a Northwest Conference football game on Saturday afternoon at Conner Field in Atherton, Calif.
Menlo got on the scoreboard first less than five minutes into the game when Shaun Souza broke free for a 17-yard touchdown run to cap a 10-play, 62-yard drive but the Eddie De Leon kick was no good. The Loggers were able to take the brief lead with 3:21 remaining in the first when senior Silas Paul (Portland, Ore./Oregon) pounded the ball in from five yards out and the PAT attempt by Wyatt Evenson (Spokane, Wash./Shadle Park) was good as Puget Sound took the 7-6 lead after one quarter.
In the second quarter, Tony Rehn connected on the first of his three touchdowns passing, finding Dino Arancibia for a 21-yard touchdown and after another failed PAT, a 12-7 Menlo lead. Just before halftime, Menlo and Rehn struck again, this time a 36-yard strike to James Bassett and following yet another missed PAT, the Oaks took an 18-6 halftime lead into the break.
In the third quarter, the Logger comeback began as Paul scored his second of the game, this time from 14 yards out and following the Evenson PAT, the Loggers were back within five. Following a 26-yard field goal by Menlo's Colin Higgins, the Loggers scored again, this time a 14-yard pass from Kavin Williams (Ocean Shores, Wash./North Beach) to Isaac Blum (Rancho Sante Fe, Calif./Torrey Pines) to tie the game up at 21-21.
In the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Menlo defense struck for six as Steven Turner recovered a fumble by Williams and ran it back 40 yards for an Oaks score and the Higgins' kick put Menlo up 28-21. Not ready to give up, the Loggers pulled even with 2:25 remaining in the game when Williams found Darrell Stewart (Long Beach, Calif./Loyola) who took the ball 38 yards for a Logger score and the Evenson PAT tied the game at 28-28. Unfortunately for Puget Sound, it only took the Menlo offense one play to put the winning points on the board as Rehn found Darrell Willis for 72-yards as the Oaks collected the 35-28 win.
The Loggers were led by Williams, who ran for 98 yards on 23 carries and passed for 114 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Paul finished with 95 yards on 21 carries with the two scores while Stewart caught six balls for 82 yards and the late score. Eric Borton (Yakima, Wash./West Valley) led the Logger defense with 13 tackles on the day, including 11 unassisted.
Menlo was led by the passing of Rehn, who connected on 16-of-27 passes for the three touchdowns. Arancibia led the Oak receivers with eight catches for 152 yards. On defense, Jaron Wright collected 8.5 tackles on the game.
The Loggers will look to bounce back next week when they travel to Spokane, Wash. to take on the Whitworth Pirates. Kickoff with the Bucs is set for 1:00 p.m. at the Pine Bowl.
