By Mike Weber

For The Blue Mountain Eagle

DUFUR – The Dayville/Monument Tigers displayed an inspirational effort in their season opening Class 1A eight man football nonleague matchup versus the Alsea Wolverines (0-1). Despite being shorthanded and having just seven players late in the game, the Tigers overcame the adversity and had an exceptional performance in a 42-6 win over the Wolverines Saturday at Dufur High School.

Junior quarterback Hayden Schafer scored four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) and had a two-point conversion pass to help lead Monument Dayville to the victory. The contest was one of eight games in the 14th Annual Eight Man Classic Sept. 3-5 in Dufur.

The Tigers (1-0), guided by fifth-year head coach Nathaniel Ashley, were outnumbered at the beginning of the contest while having just nine players, compared to Alsea’s 13-man roster. The Tigers were unfazed though and outplayed the Wolverines in every aspect of the game while dominating the contest from start-to-finish.

The Tigers defense, led by defensive back Emerson (two interceptions) and junior Jess Hoodenpyl (sack) thwarted the Wolverines from the outset of the game, while limiting them to just four yards on their first series and just 52 total offensive yards in the first half. The Tigers outgained the Wolverines in total offense, 396 yards to 148. For Hoodenpyl, it marked the first football game of his Monument Dayville High School career.

It didn’t take long for the Tigers to get on the scoreboard. Emerson returned his first punt 85-yards for a touchdown, giving the Tigers a 6-0 lead with nine minutes left in the first quarter.

“That early touchdown really helped get everyone pumped up emotionally and ready to go,” said Emerson. “We had lots of fun at practice this week in preparation for our first game.”

The Tigers then scored on a five play, 56-yard scoring drive, highlighted by a 34-yard pass from junior quarterback Hayden Schafer to Emerson at Alsea’s 10-yard line. Three plays later, Schafer connected with senior receiver and co-captain Garrett Warner on a 14-yard touchdown pass, giving the Tigers a 12-0 lead with :07 left in the opening quarter.

“We’ve had to play shorthanded quite often in some games the last few years,” said Schafer, whose TD pass was the first ever of his Monument Dayville High School career. “If we can stay healthy, I think the momentum from this win will continue in our game next week.”

Trailing 12-0 after one quarter, Alsea came back in the second to trim the margin to 12-6 with 9:46 left until halftime.

But the Tigers responded and put the game out of reach.

They did have a scare early in the third when Schafer went down with an injury that seemed to end his playing time in the contest as he was carried off the field with a badly sprained left ankle with 11:35 left on the clock.

Emerson took over at quarterback for Schafer and he calmly directed another Tiger scoring drive. A five-play, 55-yard drive was capped by Emerson’s 31-yard TD scamper. Emerson’s pass to Walczyk for a two-point conversion made it 34-6 with 8:17 left in the third.

After getting some treatment for his sore ankle, a limping and less mobile Schafer returned to the lineup with 1:18 left in the third quarter. That’s because Warner was ejected from the game after getting his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, leaving Dayville/Monument with only eight players.

With the clock winding down late in the game with 2:06 on the clock, a Tiger player was injured and had to sit out the final three plays of the game and Monument Dayville continued playing with only seven players.

“We have a very tough group of kids,” said Ashley. “All the guys on our team work extremely hard in practice, they really play with a lot of heart and the have the necessary willpower needed to win games … We’re hoping that we’ll have a few more players next week and maybe have all 12 of them available to compete.”

The Tigers (2-6 last year) have an opportunity to match their win total from last season and extend their win streak to two games when they meet the Arlington Honkers in their next game Friday at 1 p.m. at Monument High School.

The Tigers beat the Honkers 26-20 last year at Arlington.

Monument Dayville 42, Alsea 6

Monument Dayville 12 14 8 8 – 42

Alsea 0 6 0 0 – 6

First Quarter

MD – Dakota Emerson 85-yard punt return (run failed).

MD – Garrett Warner 14-yard pass from Hayden Schafer (run failed).

Second Quarter

A – Jarred Hendrix 14-yard pass from Noah Frank (pass failed).

MD – Schafer 73-yard run (Tanner Walczyk run).

MD – Schafer 5-yard run (pass failed).

Third Quarter

MD – Emerson 31-yard run (Walczyk pass from Emerson).

Fourth Quarter

MD – Walczyk 8-yard pass from Schafer (Walczyk pass from Schafer).