STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL
Sisters twists on more than his feat
By Steve Mims
The Register-Guard
Published: Saturday, December 9, 2006
Stop Cory McCaffrey and you stop Sisters.
Right? Wrong.
"Anyone that has been in football knows you don't get here on one person, you get here on a group effort," Siuslaw coach Tim Dodson said. "Sisters' offensive line is very talented, they are coached well, they have a good quarterback and receivers. You can go down the list from a defensive line that is awesome to spectacular linebackers. They provide quite the challenge."
McCaffrey, a 5-foot-10 junior running back, has been in the spotlight all season while setting the state single-season rushing record with 3,172 yards.
Yet he has had plenty of help while leading top-ranked Sisters (13-0) into the OSAA Class 4A football final against No. 2 Siuslaw (12-0) today at 11 a.m. at Autzen Stadium.
McCaffrey was one of eight Outlaws who earned first-team all-Sky-Em League honors on offense, along with quarterback Jarred Hasskamp, receivers Nate Jackson and Carroll Gryder, and four offensive linemen. Fullback Jeff Sampson has scored 23 touchdowns and was co-defensive player of the year in the league.
"We've been able to throw the ball all year, we just haven't had to," Sisters coach Bob Macauley said. "Jarred, to me, is an all-state quarterback. He has thrown for 1,700 yards and 18 touchdowns, and we have a 1,000-yard receiver in Jackson. Our fullback rushed for more than 700 yards.
"People that read about us think that Cory is the whole show, but people with film know that there is more."
Defenses have focused on McCaffrey all season, but he has still run for 200 or more yards in 11 of 13 games while scoring 38 touchdowns in an offense that averages 44.2 points per game.
"I've had the question of what will we do if defenses really load up on Cory," Macauley said. "We've had two years of that, we've seen it and expect it. At the same time, defenses have to sacrifice something or make a commitment somewhere else, and we have been able to take advantage when people overcommit to Cory."
McCaffrey ran for two touchdowns last year when Sisters defeated Siuslaw 30-10 in the second round of the playoffs.
"When you look at the tape of that game, you see that seven of 11 kids who play for us on defense started in that game and seven of their 11 were in that game," Dodson said. "Both teams lost a few seniors and they have been replaced after 13 games, so we will be watching two of the same football teams that played last year. We'll go play, and it is very important to have a bit of luck and to be blessed to have the ball bounce our way. If that happens, the outcome may be different than last year."
Macauley said he knows Siuslaw's defense will be better this season.
"Last year is good to talk about, but this year, this week is all that counts," he said. "They have an experienced defense and communication is so much easier when you have played together so long. They have a complete and thorough understanding of what they do. They have 11 guys who run to the ball and that is not a clich<142>. They really have 11 who run to the ball."
Macauley led Sisters to back-to-back state titles in 1998-99, and the first one was won at Autzen Stadium when the Outlaws defeated Central 33-28.
Siuslaw is in it first state title game since 1981 when it shared the title with South Umpqua following a 0-0 tie. Dodson was the senior quarterback and captain on that team.
The Vikings have not had one player put up astronomical statistics like McCaffrey's, but sophomore quarterback Jacob Mitchell has run for 700 yards and thrown for nearly 1,500 to a deep group of receivers that includes Jordan Rainwater, Drew Rainwater, James DiCarlo, Anthoney Robinson and Max Perry. Running backs Kody Thrall and David Mesa each has run for nearly 800 yards.
"Their scheme fits their athletes on both sides of the ball," Macauley said. "It's going to be great competition, and I'm sure they feel the same way."
