Reed leads Dufur to title.

Byline: Shawn Miller The Register-Guard

CLASS 1A FINAL

Dufur quarterback Jason Reed spent most of the postgame hopping around the field, hugging teammates and posing for cameras.

Reed guided the Rangers to their first state championship since 2001, defeating Perrydale 38-20 in the Class 1A state championship Saturday at Autzen Stadium.

"I can't describe it," said Reed, his braces showing through a wide smile.

The senior signal-caller scored two first-half rushing touchdowns, the first - on a one-yard quarterback sneak - opened the scoring for both teams late in the first quarter. He also rushed for the two-point conversion.

Perrydale's Steven Casalegno scored on a 15-yard run on the ensuing possession, but the two-point conversion was stopped when fellow running back Koby Hutchinson's rush failed. That was the first sign of the difficulty that continued for the Pirates.

On a third-and-17 at the 35-yard line, a Perrydale defender drilled Reed as he was stepping up to throw deep. The ball popped loose and a Pirates' player picked it up with a clear road to the end zone, but the play was called an incomplete pass. After a punt, Perrydale started its next drive at its 46-yard line.

Four plays later, Hutchinson fumbled - the first of the Pirates' five total fumbles - and Dufur's Victor Gonzalaz recovered at the Rangers' 36-yard line. Matthew Hammel, who led all rushers with 148 yards and three touchdowns, scored on a 53-yard run three plays later.

"Matt Hammel ran the ball hard. They couldn't stop him," said Reed, who rushed for 115 yards. "Touchdown off of turnovers is the biggest thing. That is the biggest momentum carrier there is. You can't defend that."

Perrydale was forced into a three-and-out on its next possession and Dufur scored four plays later on a 42-yard run by Reed. After another successful two-point conversion, the Rangers led at the half, 24-6.

Casalegno led the Pirates on a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Isaac Prince to Casalegno to open the second half.

"We knew that coming into the second half that it wasn't over," said Casalegno, who rushed for 109 yards.

The Pirates answered on defense as well, stopping the Rangers on a third-and-2 and fourth-and-1 inside the 3-yard line on the following possession. Perrydale was unable to move the ball and Prince was forced to punt from his end zone. The punt took a good bounce, rolling to a stop at the Dufur 28-yard line after it initially bounced near midfield. However, holding was called on the Pirates, who were forced to punt again.

The Rangers, who started at their own 48, scored when Hammel reached the ball across the goal line on a third-and-goal at the 1.

Brett Menick scored on a 59-yard flea flicker, but the touchdown was erased when two officials called Menick for a facemask penalty at the 7-yard line. Prince scored on a six-yard run following a pass interference call against Dufur. Menick ran for the two-point conversion, cutting the deficit to 30-20.

The Pirates recovered the onside kick at the Dufur 46-yard line with just less than six minutes remaining, but Prince was sacked on four out of five plays and Perrydale turned the ball over on its 20-yard line. Hammel scored from seven yards to cap the scoring.

"When we needed to make plays (at the line of scrimmage), our big kids made them," said Dufur coach Jack Henderson.