Football

As was to be expected the crowd was jubilant sensing a blowout.

The sky was gray but orange and black filled Highway 101 in Lincoln City today for Taft 7-12 Homecoming Noise parade.

Three out of four Tiger sports came away with home victories Thursday.

Playing without injured two-way starter JJ French, the Taft High football team couldn't get much going on either side of the ball Friday night in a 37-6 league loss at undefeated Yamhill-Carlton.

Junior running back JJ French rushed for over 100 yards and two touchdowns, and senior wide receiver Jordan Hall added another Friday to lead Taft High to a 24-6 nonconference football victory over visiting Knappa.

Shake out the pom poms, strike up the band. The Taft Tigers return home Friday night with hopes of revisiting the winning feeling of a big victory to open the season following a difficult road loss last week.

Trenton Hall, Fco Ramos and JJ French scored touchdowns, but Taft High couldn't stop Sutherlin from gaining a measure of revenge Friday from a...

Sutherlin has a score to settle with visiting Taft on Friday when the teams collide at 7 p.m. in Class 3A nonconference high school football action.

The Taft High defense, one year removed from surrendering 60 points in a 60-29 shootout loss to State-bound Harrisburg, limited the Eagles to just six points Friday to march off with a 14-6 home upset in the Class 3A football opener for both teams.

A brutal schedule is nothing new to the Taft High football team -- but playoff aspirations are -- and confidence abounds as the Tigers prepare to open the season Friday at Voris Field against perennial power Harrisburg.