John L. Braese
BEND – Return with OES just a few short years. Matt Bruck takes over a Burns football team, guiding the Hilanders to a 2-6 record in 2022. In the final game of the season, Vale downs Burns, 40-7.
The 2023 season improves some as Burns plays to a 4-5 record including a close 6-14 loss to Vale.
Forward to this season and Burns plays to a 7-2 regular season showing including an overtime loss to Vale on the road, 12-18. In the OT loss, Bruck saw Vale’s Kase Schaffeld down his Hilanders with a run around the right side for the victory.
Seeded 11th, Burns hit the road in the playoffs. The Hilanders took care of #6 Cottage Grove, 46-7, #3 Santiam Christian, 25-3 and #2 Banks, 22-15, all after long bus rides. On Saturday, Nov. 30, Bruck guided his Burns team from a 2-6 record just three years ago to a 42-16 3A state title after beating Vale, the number four seed in the playoffs.
The Hilanders’ punch came early as Burns put up 22 early points. The lone first quarter score came from a 2-yard run by junior quarterback Jack Wright. Seconds into the second quarter, Wright connected with Canon Winn for a 72-yard passing score and two minutes later, Wright was again in the end zone after a 2-yard QB run.
The Vikings were on the board midway in the second quarter off a 4-yard run by Schaffeld. Less than a minute later, the Hilanders answered with a 77-yard pass play for the score as Wright found Coltin Miller. Vale closed out the first half with a 5-yard run by Schaffeld for a 28-16 Burns lead at the half.
The second half belonged to the Hilanders as Wright scored two additional touchdowns, both on 1-yard quarterback runs.
After seeing Schaffeld rack up 258 yards in the Oct. 4 Vale victory, the Hilander defense saw the talented Viking senior carry 43 times for 206 yards this time. However, unlike the previous game, the Vale offense sputtered for only 265 total yards and turned the ball over on three interceptions and five fumbles, two of those recovered by Burns.
Wright lit up the Viking secondary, finishing 11-for-21 for 340 yards in the air. Unlike the previous game, the Burns line held the Vale defense at bay, giving the junior quarterback time to find his receivers for two scores and several long yardage plays. Winn finished with five receptions for 159 yards and a score while Coltin Miller had a touchdown and two receptions for 84 yards.
The Burns secondary had a quiet day as Vale completed only a single pass in the game. Joe Weil led the Hilanders’ defense with 13 tackles while Jayce Wright added 10 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
For their efforts, Wright picked up Player of the Game for Burns while Schaffeld won the award for Vale.
So where do the two conference foes go from here?
The reigning champions will start the defense of their state title next season without departing seniors Jayce Wright, Jaxon Hoyt, Winn, Kale Cornell, Easton Kemper, Jacob Zabala, Kaden Peasley and Eyon Mitchell.
In addition to Schaffeld’s departure, Vale will look for replacements for Damick Eddy, Matthew Barton, Brooks Aldred, Skyler Cade, Carson Chamberlain, Landon Haberman, Jake DeVos, Gino Longoni and Mark Saunders.
