Gabe Tammad scores 75-yard pick six as Sandy football runs over Reynolds 47-6

Published 10:51 pm Thursday, October 12, 2023

You can’t fool a player of Gabe Tammad’s caliber twice.

On the road against Reynolds, during a tight first half, Raiders junior quarterback Payton Chhay snuck a pass past the star Pioneers linebacker.

“They ran a trips set with a bubble option to the inside guy,” Tammad explained. “The backside guy came on a slant, which I followed, and they threw right behind me for the completion.”

He was ready the next time.

It was a 3rd-9 on the 25-yard line during a third quarter drive in which Reynolds was threatening to knot it up down only a single score. The same formation, same play, but Tammad made the adjustment. He hauled in his first-ever interception in style — a 75-yard pick-six that had him show off the wheels with a burst of speed to race down the field.

“Have a game, I’m so proud of you,” said Coach Josh Dill as he embraced Tammad on the sidelines.

That highlight-reel score spurred a Sandy 47-6 rout over Reynolds Thursday, Oct. 12, in a Mt. Hood Conference showdown.

“I really respect Reynolds, they made us work for it,” Dill said.

The win makes it four-in-a-row for Sandy (4-3, 4-1 League) as they surge toward the looming postseason.

“We are just starting to get it rolling,” Tammad said with a smile.

The first half felt like everything was shaping up for a classic Sandy vs Reynolds duel. The Raiders were stout against the run, forcing the Pioneers to rely on an aerial attack early to move the ball.

“Reynolds came out with things we hadn’t seen on film, and it took us a little while to adjust to it,” Dill said. “They were really physical and shooting the gaps well. It was a great scheme against our run.”

Sandy scored twice early to take a 15-0 lead — first a 2-yard plunge from senior Cole Rotzien, and then a 7-yard touchdown catch from Tammad courtesy senior quarterback Billy Lucas. But the Raiders (3-4, 2-3 League) answered. After senior Abdikadir Abdalle forced a fumble on a sack, recovered by sophomore Jaybrein Test, Reynolds scored its opener on a 15-yard scramble from quarterback Chhay to make it 15-6 at halftime.

“We made some good adjustments, my offensive line coach was able to get the running game going,” Dill said. “Plus when you end up outscoring their offense with your defense, good things happen.”

In addition to the Tammad pick-six, senior Caleb Rinard had a 29-yard fumble scoop-and-score in the third quarter.

“Makes my job easier, makes it look like I’m calling plays well,” Dill said with a laugh.

Sandy sophomore running back Caden McMahon, who lined up under center down the stretch, had a pair of rushing touchdowns, from 7 yards and 1 yard out; and senior Mason Culp provided a 22-yard nail-in-the-coffin rushing score to seal the win.