Molly Smith of the Statesman Journal for the News-Register## McMinnville running back Ray Jacob followed his blockers for a gain during the Grizzlies 39-35 win over McNary Friday.

Grizzlies take sweet revenge over McNary 39-35

SALEM -- For once, McMinnville's Grizzly football team (4-2, 3-2 GVC) had everything go their way against the McNary Celts (4-2, 4-2 GVC) Friday, rallying twice from double digit deficits, to take a 39-35 Greater Valley Conference victory.

After falling behind  by a 35-24 margin at the 4:40 mark of the third quarter, the Grizzlies played inspired football the rest of the game, as the defense pitched a shutout over the last 16 minutes and the offense did just enough to get the win.

McMinnville missed a field goal early in the fourth stanza, but the Grizzly defense, which had been battered and bruised earlier in the game, turned the tide. The Celts had a fourth and one from their 40-yard line. Celt coach Jeff Auvinen tried to draw McMinnville off side. After taking a time out, McNary punted. Odin Thorson took the ball on the run, racing 65-yards into the end zone. 

Grizzly head coach called for a two-point play, and the offense responded as Colton Smith took a reverse for the score. With 7:15 left in the game, McMinnville trailed by a 32-35 margin. But the Grizzlies still had a mountain of work to do to overcome the talented Celts.

The defense stepped up, forcing McNary into what appeared to be uncharacteristic mistakes. On a third and eight from their 27, a botched center snap the Celts were lucky to recover forced them to punt.

The Grizzlies started the final drive the night on their 41-yard line  with 4:03 remaining in the contest. A holding penalty gave them a first 20 on the 50-yard line. Sam DuPuis escaped an energetic pass rush, scamperingd 16 yards. He followed that up with a fake pass and a run up the middle for nine more, and a Grizzly first down at the McNary 30.

DuPuis called on his workhorse running back Ray Jacob next. Jacob, a ruthless runner behind a forceful line all night, did not disappoint. He ground out seven yards up the middle. After a one-yard gain by Noah Spencer, Thorson's number was called on a toss sweep that went for seven yards.

The Grizzlies were in business in business on the McNary 15. Jacobs ripped off eight yards on a punishing run between the tackles. He followed that up with a one yard run, and blasted directly into the face of the McNary defense, coming up six inches short of the first down. No worries, this time it was the Grizzlies who drew the Celts offside for the first down.

On a first and goal from the three, Jacob was so close to scoring, coming up half-a-yard short. Jacob was stonewalled on his next carry, leaving McIrvin with a third and goal call from the two, with 14 seconds left in the game.

DuPuis made a brilliant fake to Jacob, and rolled to his left, with too much speed for McNary to catch him. He dodged one defender, and shucked the last one at the line to score with 14 seconds left in the game. Koby Wright's PAT was good giving the Grizzlies the lead.

But McMinnville was whistled for excessive celebration on the TD, and on the ensuring kickoff, McNary started on the 50. They hit one play for 25 yards who slid down to stop the clock. With four seconds left both teams used timeouts. McNary threw to the end zone and as time ran out Thorson intercepted the pass.

For the third game in a row between these two teams the game came to down to the last play. Two years ago McNary scored a touchdown on the last play for a 27-21 win. Last year in McMinnville, McNary scored with just over a minute left for 30-27 win and intercepted a pass to stop the Grizzlies winning drive. 

It was altogether fitting the Grizzlies take this final contest between the two team in dramatic fashion. McMinnville will move to a different league next year, ending regular play with the Celts.

The Grizzlies led early on a Wright 35-yard field goal, but McNary went on a 14-point, driving 80 yards for a 7-3 lead, and then 95 yards for a 14-3 lead at 9:23 of the second quarter.

McMinnville closed the score to 14-10 at the 6:09 mark on a DuPuis-to-Thorson 11-yard pass. The Grizzlies put together another sustained drive, this one covering 85 yards. Smith earned the score with three seconds left in the half and the Grizzlies led 17-14 at the half.

The win moved McMinnville to a tie for fourth place in the GVC with West Albany, and upped their rank to 26. They will meet league leader West Salem next Friday at Wortman Stadium in a 7 p.m. game