Bowmen will have to get by Jefferson to reach title tilt

Football: The teams will clash Saturday at 3 p.m. at Portland’s PGE Park

By Dan Brood

The Times, Dec 3, 2009

DAN BROOD / The Times

REMATCH — Sherwood junior receiver Jake Lawrence (21) looks to get past Jefferson’s Deangelo Bell (right) and Ian Perkins during the teams’ first meeting.

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SHERWOOD — It’s no secret.

The Sherwood High School football team has been aiming all season to get to the Class 5A state championship game.

Now, following Friday’s 51-14 quarterfinal win over Crater, the Bowmen are just one victory away from that championship game goal.

The only team left standing in their way of getting to the title tilt is a team that they already beat by 33 points earlier this season.

But Sherwood insists it’s not taking anything for granted. The Bowman say they will be focused and ready for battle when they face Jefferson in a Class 5A state playoff semifinal game set to start at 3 p.m. Saturday at PGE Park.

“We can’t take them lightly,” Sherwood junior tight end/defensive end Tanner Balderee said of Jefferson. “They’ve improved a great deal since the first time we played them. And it’s always harder to beat a team a second time.”

Sherwood and Jefferson met earlier this season in a non-league game played Sept. 18 at Sherwood High School. The Bowmen came away with a 40-7 win in that contest.

But Sherwood says that earlier outcome doesn’t matter now.

“It’s hard to beat a good team twice,” said Sherwood junior fullback Michael Balfour, who scored four rushing TDs in the Sept. 18 game.

And it sure looks like Jefferson has all the makings of a good team.

The Democrats, who won the Portland Interscholastic League 5A championship, bring an 8-4 record into Saturday’s semifinal contest. Jefferson, which fell to West Albany in last year’s Class 5A semifinal round, also boasts an eight-game winning streak.

“They’re a big, physical team. They’re real big up front,” Sherwood coach Greg Lawrence said. “And if we’re going to get to the place we want to get to, we have to beat these guys. This game is our focus. We’re not taking them lightly at all.”

“They’re a tough team. We know that,” Sherwood senior linebacker Josh Wagg said. “I’m sure they’re playing a lot better now than when we played them the first time. We can’t overlook them. We have to be even more fired up.”

Sherwood, the No. 2 team out of the Northwest Oregon Conference, is 11-1 on the season.

“They’re one of the classiest teams in 5A and have been since 5A was created,” Jefferson coach Anthony Stoudamire said. “Well-coached, well-disciplined. They’re not going to beat themselves.”

The Jefferson offense is led by senior running back Ian Perkins (5-foot-10, 175 pounds), who shared Portland Interscholastic 5A Offensive Player of the Year honors with teammate Tamir Polk.

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