South Salem quarterback Gabe Matthews makes a pass during their game with Sprague on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015.
Everything went right Thursday night.
South Salem High School’s No. 8-ranked football team dominated every aspect of the game in a 56-14 home win against No. 9 Sprague to take sole possession of first place in the Greater Valley Conference.
The Saxons displayed a command of every facet of the game in the win.
Whether it was Gabe Matthews throwing five touchdown passes, the Saxons shutting down Sprague running back Anthony Nunn on defense or Francisco Ramirez Perez lighting up the Olympians’ defense for 174 yards rushing, South Salem did everything right.
“We were really good tonight,” South Salem coach Scott DuFault said. “We punted twice, I think, and once in the first half. I thought Gabe was really good. They didn’t really have an answer for Joseph (Carey) down the field. I thought Francisco ran the ball really well tonight.
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“My guess is we’re pretty balanced offensively and that’s the key. We averaged 200 yards a game rushing and 200 yards a game passing. As a defensive coordinator what do you take away?”
South Salem takes over sole possession of first place in the Greater Valley Conference at 6-0 overall and 6-0 in the conference while dropping Sprague to 5-1 in the GVC.
“It means a lot to be at this stage 6-0, but ultimately it doesn’t matter,” South Salem linebacker Davis Carter said. “It’s the next game we’re thinking of.”
South Salem did what no team has been able to do this season against Sprague in stopping Nunn.
Nunn rushed for 67 yards on 17 carries and fumbled the ball to South Salem defensive lineman Luke Raynak on Sprague’s first drive of the game.
“We have a great front seven, but our outside linebackers are told to squeeze, so they have to bounce it out,” Carter said. “When they have to bounce it out it’s just me and my other linebacker, William Riffe, and we have to clean up.
“We did a great job squeezing tonight and we cleaned up a lot of tackles, and I think that our linemen probably should get all the credit for that win.”
Ramirez Perez rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, changing directions with ease and showing a burst of speed in the open field that Sprague couldn’t match.
South Salem’s Francisco Ramirez Perez runs the ball against Sprague on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015.
“He runs hard and he’s slippery,” Matthews said. “I feel like one guy can’t take him down because he’s so strong. He’s a strong, stacked little dude, and he’s a good player for us.”
Matthews’ third touchdown pass of the game to Carey put the Saxons up 35-0 with 3:55 left in the second quarter.
Sprague recorded its fourth first down of the first half on a 17-yard pass from Justin Culpepper to Austin Kleinman, and three plays later Culpepper hit Alek Altringer down the middle of the field for a 49-yard touchdown as the Olympians showed signs of life.
But South Salem answered before halftime as Matthews hit Gibson Hohberg for a 10-yard touchdown strike for a 42-7 halftime lead.
Ramirez Perez broke the third play of the second half up the middle for a 71-yard touchdown and when Matthews hit Khalid Thomas for a 4-yard touchdown with 5:49 left in the third quarter for a 56-7 lead, it enacted the 45-point rule and the rolling clock for the rest of the game.
“We have good skill guys and our line is great,” said Matthews, who passed for 226 yards and also ran for a touchdown. “It took us a while to click and figure out what our strengths were, and I think we finally got it dialed in last week and this week especially. I think we just got great athletes, great O-linemen, great receivers and it’s clicked for us this week.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, (503) 399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler
Sprague’s Anthony Nunn (28) blocks a tackle from South’s Davis Carter (42) while running the ball during their game on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015.