HILLSBORO – The Heppner football team entered the 2A semifinal game as the lone unbeaten 2A team in the state. After four quarters of play, the Mustangs remain the lone unbeaten team as Heppner downed Knappa, 55-18 on Saturday in Hillsboro. The win propels the Mustangs to the championship game on Saturday, November 30 in Hermiston as third ranked Heppner will meet first ranked Kennedy.
The Mustangs started the game quickly, putting up 24 points in the first quarter. The scoring started with Blake Wolters pushing the ball over the line at the 5 minute, 57 second mark to put Heppner up 8-0.
Knappa answered with their own score, but failed on the extra point to keep the Mustangs in the lead, 8-6.
Wolters then found the end zone again with a little over 2 minutes left in the quarter and just before the clock hit zero, Jason Rea recovered a fumble to put the third score on the board.
Early in the second quarter, Wolters pounded the ball in on his third score of the day. Knappa put up their second score of the game on a 28-yard pass play, but the Mustangs answered on a 33-yard run by Wolters. The half ended with a 34-yard pass from Jayden Wilson to Mason Lehman to place Heppner up, 44-12.
The Mustangs went up 52-12 in the third quarter with Wolters taking off again, this time for a 45-yard score. Knappa placed the team’s final score on the board with 3:22 left in the quarter.
In the final quarter, Heppner’s Kannon Wilkins finalized the score with a 37-yard field goal.
For his five scores, Wolters was named the player of the game for Heppner.
The Mustangs finished the day with 455 yards of offense including 325 yards on the ground. Wolters led Heppner with 29 carries for 234 yards and the five scores. Wilson, in addition to gaining 36 yards rushing, was 5-for-9 passing with one score. Lehman picked up 50 yards on four carries and added 46 yards on two catches. Jace Coe had three catches for 84 yards.
The Mustang defense held Knappa to 352 yards of offense and picked off starter Eli Takalo once. Heppner was led by Brock Hisler and his ten tackles, six of those solo. Wilson, in addition to his offensive duties, added seven tackles and Gavin Hanna-Robinson and Matt Orem each added five tackles.
Heppner now plays for the 2A state championship starting at 2:30 pm on Saturday in Hermiston.
Kennedy enters the game after a 15-12 squeaker over Monroe in the semifinal game. Kennedy actually trailed in the fourth quarter and won on a 27-yard passing play with 41 seconds left in the game. The game hinged on defense with Kennedy putting up 227 total yards and allowing Monroe to finish with 297 yards of total offense.
Kennedy, coming from the Special District 2, was league perfect at 5-0 and only tasted defeat once in the season, a 22-0 defeat at the hands of 3A Rainier clear back on September 6. Kennedy has allowed only 129 points scored against their defense this season. The Heppner defense rules the 2A standings, allowing only 91 total points over 12 games.
Related: Photo Gallery 1 – Heppner v Knappa
Related: Photo Gallery 2 – Heppner v Knappa
