Dixon overcomes mistakes to pull away from Oregon

OREGON – Dixon was at a disadvantage at kickoff against a mystery Oregon football team under first-year coach Broc Kundert in their Week 1 game Friday night at Landers-Loomis Field.

After seeing the Hawks put together two impressive drives to start the game under a spread offense, adjustments were made and Dixon was able to shut down a youthful squad on the way to a 34-6 win.

With sophomore quarterback Jack Washburn passing more in one game than what has been seen in decades at Oregon, coach Jared Shaner soon realized what his Dukes team was in for.

It was Aiden Wiseman breaking up what looked like a sure touchdown pass from Washburn to Griffin Marlatt on the opening possession, one where the Hawks earlier went for it on fourth down deep in their own territory. The Dukes got the ball back on a punt.

On the first play from scrimmage, it was Wiseman breaking free for a 60-yard touchdown, with Marlatt having the last crack at him. A stiff-arm later, the 190-pound Wiseman broke free from the 135-pound defender for an early 7-0 lead.

“On the pass break-up, I was reading his hips,” Wiseman said. “On the touchdown, I saw a lane and cut back.”

Oregon closed to within 7-6, with Washburn and fellow sophomore tight end Josh Crandall teaming up for three long receptions, two of which had yards tacked on for late hits on Crandall by the Dukes defense. Junior Austin Egyed closed the 82-yard drive out with a 5-yard touchdown reception.

“We found out early that it is a different Oregon team than what everyone was used to,” Dixon coach Jared Shaner said.

It was his son Tyler leading the Dukes to a 14-6 lead on some nifty ball-faking and recovery from a fumbled snap. Peppered in with a 21-yard Wiseman run, the junior signal-caller completed three straight passes on a scoring drive. He capped it off with a 3-yard touchdown run.

Dixon had a chance to extend that lead after a Hawks punt went out of bounds at Oregon 42-yard line. However, the second of four fumbled snaps by Shaner gave possession back to Oregon, with Crandall grabbing the ball at midfield.

“We were sloppy on offense with fumbles and penalties,” said coach Shaner at halftime.

The Dukes were whistled for 90 yards of penalties in the first half, and had 15 penalties for 170 for the game.

Oregon got as far as the 24-yard line, but the drive stalled on an incomplete pass. By then the Dukes defense was beginning to exert its physicality and quickness to the ball.

“We responded on defense and got to the ball,” Shaner said.

After Wiseman ripped off a 42-yard run, Hawks defensive standout Anthony Bauer had 15-yard sack of Shaner on a fumbled snap. But, it was Shaner scrambling for the yard marker on a fourth-and-10 to keep the drive alive.

Withstanding another 15-yard penalty, Shaner found Ethan Hays for a 16-yard score to make it 21-6 in the second quarter.

“Those were big plays by Tyler,” said the elder Shaner.

On the ensuing kickoff, Oregon found itself with a starting point of the 10-yard line after a penalty. Though Dixon made plenty of errors, the Hawks lost the field-position game big-time throughout the first half.

Special teams were in Dixon’s favor, including four-of-five extra point kicks by freshman Caleb Carlson in the first half.

Taking over at the Hawks 35-yard line after a punt, Shaner found Eli Davison for 20 yards, and two plays later the pair combined for a 12-yard scoring strike. That made it 27-6 in the second quarter.

Washburn, who was 13-for-23 for 106 yards in the first half, connected with Keegan Diehl twice on a drive into Dukes territory. Dixon’s defense stiffened and Oregon could not score as a long first half wound down.

The remainder of the contest lacked the excitement of the first few possessions, with Dixon continuing its streak of never losing to Oregon since entering the league in 2014.

The Shaner-to-Hays combination extended the lead to 34-6 midway through the fourth quarter on a 7-yard score.