The Taft High defense, just a year removed from surrendering 60 points in a lopsided shootout loss to State-bound Harrisburg, limited the Eagles to only six points Friday to march off with a 14-6 home upset in the Class 3A football opener for both teams.
Tigers Win Season Opener vs. Harrisburg
The Taft High defense, just a year removed from surrendering 60 points in a shootout loss to State-bound Harrisburg, limited the Eagles to only six points Friday to march off with a 14-6 home upset in the Class 3A football opener for both teams.
Posted by Lincoln City Homepage on Friday, September 6, 2019
Led by two interceptions by junior defensive back Darius Smith, the Tigers took a 14-6 halftime lead on a 12-yard pass from junior quarterback Antonio Saurez to junior JJ French, and a 60-yard catch and run by senior Logan Gilleo.
Junior place-kicker William Calderon added both extra-point conversions.
Senior running back Gabe Knox returned a kickoff for a touchdown with 10:55 left in the first half for the Eagles’ only score that made it 7-6 after French scored the game’s first TD at the 11:12 mark of the second quarter.
Taft Tiger Football Victory Interviews
QB/LB Antonio Suarez, RB/LB JJ French, WR/DB Darius Smith, RB/LB Logan Gilleo and RB/LB Trenton talk about the Taft Tigers big win.
Posted by Lincoln City Homepage on Saturday, September 7, 2019
Gilleo then caught a short swing pass from Saurez and ran the rest of the way to make it 14-6 5:37 before halftime.
The teams then played to a scoreless second half.
Harrisburg, which finished 7-3 and ranked 14th before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by eventual State runner-up Cascade Christian, defeated the Tigers 60-29 to open the season last year.
SD1 West member Taft, coming off a 1-8 season, returns to play at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at Sutherlin, the only team the Tigers defeated last year, 14-13 at home.
