Sandy football’s linebackers, defense smother Gresham 23-0 in ‘signature moment’

Published 11:00 pm Friday, September 29, 2023

During its first drive of the third quarter, Gresham football found itself in an unenviable position — on the road in the pouring rain facing a 3rd-and-long with its heels in the end zone. Add to that a Sandy defense that was living in the backfield all night, and it spelled disaster for the visitors.

Pioneers senior linebacker Gabe Tammad got there first, thumping Gresham sophomore quarterback Liam Arnold Munoz hard. Tammad began driving him down, quickly joined by a host of teammates to notch the safety.

That was the icing on the cake of what was a celebration for the Pioneers defense — a showcase shutout.

“Our defense needed to see this kind of signature performance,” said Sandy Coach Josh Dill. “We know we are talented on defense — this felt like our moment.”

Leading the way were a trio of senior linebackers — Tammad, Cole Rotzien and Alex Hager, the focal-point of the Pioneers 3-3 broken stack defense.

“I’d put those three guys with anybody in the state,” Dill said. “They are dominant, special.”

Sandy football beat Gresham 23-0 Friday, Sept. 29, in a Mt. Hood Conference bout.

“We just want to play that hard, physical brand of football,” Dill said.

Sandy (2-3, 2-1 League) scored on its opening drive thanks to a big play from senior Mason Culp, who broke through the defense and ran for the 32-yard touchdown. The Pioneers quickly doubled their lead one drive later with a 6-yard run from sophomore Caden McMahon. On the night the offense was powered by a strong showing from the running backs. Five Pioneers got carries, each bringing their own skillset to the game.

“It makes it really fun because we will play with multiple backs,” Dill said. “You can take one of those guys out of the game, but you can’t take us all out. That is what defines this offense.”

The Pioneers left some points on the board, with near misses in the red zone. But there weren’t many possessions to be had with both teams heavily running the ball with rain.

“We were efficient with what we did,” Dill said. “We’ve got to clean up the penalties. We will watch film and really correct some of that stuff.”

One Pioneer drive derailed by those penalties came early in quarter two. Back-to-back flags for holding and block in the back made it 1st-and-30 for Sandy. Though they picked up the first down, thanks to a 10-yard catch from senior receiver Caleb Rinard, the drive later stalled with a missed field goal.

“We have to figure out how to be as physical as we are without that extra hold or block in the back,” Dill said.

In the waning seconds of the first half the Gophers (0-5, 0-3 League) got a chance. Sophomore Avery Lo hauled in an interception with 39 seconds on the clock. A few plays later, with 1 second left, on the Sandy 40-yard-line, Munoz heaved it toward his star senior tight end Gio Romero in the endzone. The ball just went through his hands.

Sandy’s final touchdown came in the third quarter. Snagging an interception, the Pioneers got the ball in great field position. One play later, senior Simon Willis ran for the 17-yard touchdown.

Gresham answered with one big play in the fourth quarter. Senior running back Seth Braaten rumbled 70 yards down the right sideline, just getting shoe-string tackled by the Pioneers before he found paydirt. But Sandy buckled down with the goal line stand. On 4th down Tammad applied the pressure in the backfield and the Pioneers defensive backs broke up the pass to maintain the shutout.

Sandy next hosts Clackamas at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. Gresham will welcome Central Catholic at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6.