Wilsonville’s high-powered offense put an early end the Hermiston Bulldogs football season Friday night at Kennison Field.
In the first round of the state 5A playoffs, the Wildcats built a 35-0 halftime lead and coasted to a 49-14 victory.
Wilsonville quarterback Connor Neville racked up nearly 300 passing yards, including three touchdown passes to lead the 9-1 Wildcats. Neville had a hand in five of the seven Wilsonville scores, including a 1-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. The Wilsonville quarterback then hit his brother, Jonny Neville on a 27-yard touchdown pass to put the Wildcats up 14-0.
Hermiston came into the game on a four-game winning streak, including last week’s 28-12 win over Pendleton for the Columbia River Conference title. That winning streak came after the defending 5A state champs dropped their first five games of the season.
But the momentum from the past month came to a halt Friday night as Hermiston (4-6) was unable to stop Neville and the Wilsonville offense.
Connor Neville opened up the scoring in the second quarter with another 1-yard plunge into the end zone to give Wilsonville a 21-0 lead. The Wildcats’ Dom Schieres then intercepted a Nathan Hunsaker pass and returned it 17 yards for another touchdown.
Wilsonville (9-1) went into halftime with a 35-0 lead after Neville connected with Harrison Steiger on an 8-yard touchdown pass.
After Andrew Merrick’s 52-yard touchdown run put the Wildcats up 42-0, Hermiston’s offense finally got on track when Hunsaker threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Brady Christianson. The Bulldogs scored again in the third quarter when Hunsaker connected with Jerry Ramirez on a 16-yard scoring pass to cut the Wilsonville lead to 42-14.
The Neville brothers combined for another touchdown pass in the fourth quarter – an 85-yard play that wrapped up the night’s scoring.
Bob Coleman led all Hermiston rushers with 66 yards on 18 carries. Hunsaker finished the night with 121 yards on 12-24 passing. Ramirez led all Hermiston receivers with 6 receptions for 64 yards.
