Perrydale’s Brant Barnes (22) chases down Sherman junior Maverick Winslow (34) during their football game on Friday, Oct. 23, 2015, in Perrydale, Ore.
This season has been about Perrydale High School’s football team proving that it belongs among the elite eight-man football programs in the Oregon again.
When Perrydale dropped back down to Class 1A after a brief one-year stay in Class 2A, the Pirates needed to reestablish themselves in people’s minds: The team wasn’t ranked in the top 10 poll the first three weeks of the season.
At noon Saturday at Hillsboro Stadium No. 5 ranked Perrydale (10-0) will play No. 6 ranked Dufur (9-2) in the OSAA Class 1A state semifinals, Perrydale’s sixth state semifinal appearance, and a sign that the Pirates are back.
“It’s awesome and the community is on board and there’s a lot of excitement within the school,” Perrydale coach Chris Gubrud said. “The kids are motivated and it’s a good deal on all fronts. We kind of feel like we belong here.”
This will be the second time this season Perrydale will play Dufur.
The Pirates defeated the Rangers 36-34 in a 1A Special District 4 game Sept. 25.
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“We’re both really familiar with each other,” Gubrud said. “I guess it probably comes down to who plays more fundamentally. We know each other really well and I don’t think we’re going to get surprised too much.”
In the last meeting, Dufur lost quarterback Bailey Keever to an injury just before halftime.
He has returned as strong as ever.
In a 74-72 win against Yoncalla in the state quarterfinals last week, Keever rushed for 189 yards and six touchdowns and threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns.
The challenge for Perrydale’s defensive front – which includes first-team all-league players in linemen Spencer Bibler, Alex Hawes and C.J. Marsters as well as linebacker Keenan Bailey – is going to be to keep Keever under control.
“Well, you try to get your best athletes to have some responsibility with him and keep him contained with your rush,” Gubrud said. “At the same time you have to get pressure on him in the passing game.”
Perrydale has been strong up front all season.
Behind an offensive line that includes all-league seniors Hunter Sagmoen and Kirk Fairchild and junior Jacob Pope, the Pirates have controlled the line of scrimmage and made plenty of space for Bailey, a first-team all-league running back.
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The X factor in Saturday’s semifinal is Perrydale junior running back Haylen Janesofsky.
A speedy and prolific back, he didn’t play until October and made a big impact since he returned with a six-touchdown performance in a 62-20 win Oct. 8 against Ione.
Throughout Perrydale’s 10-0 season, the Pirates have thrived on being a team that closes out games.
Even in 42-36 win against Wallowa in the state quarterfinals, the Pirates trailed 30-8 in the third quarter and came back to win in the final minutes.
“Well, first of all it showed that if you’re going to beat us, you’re going to have to beat us for all four quarters,” Gubrud said. “Our kids believe they got to play until the final whistle.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com, (503) 399-6701 or Twitter.com/bpoehler
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Football state semifinals
4A: No. 3 Cascade vs. No. 4 Banks, at Hillsboro Stadium, 3:30 p.m.
3A: Vale vs. Scio, at Hermiston High School, 11 a.m.
3A: Blanchet vs. Santiam Christian, at Cottage Grove High School, 11 a.m.
2A: Stanfield vs. Kennedy, at Liberty High School, Hillsboro, 5 p.m.
2A: Regis vs. Heppner, at Liberty High School, Hillsboro, noon
1A: No. 6 Dufur vs. No. 5 Perrydale, at Hillsboro Stadium, noon