![Game, set, and match. Corbin Atchley, sophomore, high fives Sanam Sidhu, freshman, after a rally with other club members. “I just joined [the club],” Sidhu said. “[I heard about it] on Instagram, they always post about it, I’ve been wanting to come. My parents used to play [net sports] too and they taught us, and then I learned from my brother.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MG_7715-2-1200x800.jpg)
![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
![The teams prepare to start another play with just a few minutes left in the first half. The Lions were in the lead at halftime with a score of 27-0. At half time, the team went back to the locker rooms. “[We ate] orange slices,” Malos said. “[Then] our team came out and got the win.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2385-1200x800.jpg)
It was a classic west coast style shootout and both offenses were in session with West Linn (2-4, 0-2 Three Rivers League) taking on the Clackamas Cavaliers (4-2, 2-0 Three Rivers League). Clackamas scored just enough to win by a score of 56-49.
Clackamas struck first with a one yard touchdown run from Dan Sherrell, senior running back, to make the score 7-0. West Linn quickly scored from a one yard run from Louis Germain, junior. To answer, Clackamas responded with an 11-yard run from Sherrell, but the extra point was missed resulting in a 13-7 first quarter score.
To start the second quarter, Hayden Coppedge, junior, tossed a three yard touchdown pass to Jarrod Howard, senior, to raise the score 13-14. Coppedge and Howard connected yet again for a ten yard touchdown, making the score 21-13. Clackamas retaliated with a touchdown of its own, scoring from five yards by Sherrell. Instead of kicking a point after touchdown, Clackamas went for two and found success with a pass from Doonie Johnson, junior quarterback, to Brody Haehlen, junior wide receiver.
Clackamas’ defense stopped West Linn to regain the ball, and the lead. Johnson hooked up with Haehlen 12 yards out for another touchdown making the score 28-21.
At the end of halftime, the Lions started with a bang, scoring on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Coppedge to Howard. Gavin Andersen, junior, added a score of his own for West Linn by rushing in from just a yard out to put the Lions in the lead.
Clackamas wasn’t phased a bit. Sherrell scored his fourth touchdown of the night on a three-yard run to put the Cavaliers on top.
Coppedge and Howard connected yet again, this time from 53 yards out. Just as Clackamas had done earlier, West Linn went for two and succeeded to put them up 42-35.
Clackamas struck back from their red hot running back Sherrell, on a 26-yard dash to tie the game. Dalon Hudson, junior, ran in from 11 yards out to put Clackamas up seven.
West Linn was firing on all cylinders and quickly knotted the score thanks to Germain, on a one yard run.
Clackamas ended West Linn’s run with a 28-yard scamper from Sherrell to put the game away, and win 56-49.
Coppedge finished the shoot out with four touchdown passes with 102 yards passing. Clackamas quarterback, Johnson, was 13 of 19 with 186 yards passing and one touchdown.
Sherrell had an incredible game with 261 yards and six touchdowns to lead the game in touchdowns and rushing yards. West Linn’s leading receiver, Jarrod Howard, caught 16 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns and led the game in receiving yards. Howard was also named Player of the Week for the state of Oregon.
