In the seventh game of Tigard’s 2019 football season, any spectator would’ve thought that Tigard would have another blowout game just by looking at Lakeridge’s 3 – 3 win-loss record compared to Tigard’s 6 – 0. A simple victory at worst, but this was all but the case.
Through the rain, the game that took place that night was a battle of small endeavors; holding each other back and gaining any possible distance forward. Quarter 1 ended tied up 0 – 0. This is the first game of the season with Tigard scoring zero points in the first quarter.
Eight seconds into Q2 and Hunter Gilbert (#3) ran 18 yards into the end zone for the first points of the game.
But with Lakeridge now in possession, they planned to tie the score once again. After a 26-yard run preceded by a 40-yard run, they achieved their first touchdown.
The score rested at 7 – 7 for the remainder of the half.
Even with an unexpectedly close match up, Tigard pride radiated from the visitor stands. There was a student section to match Lakeridge’s own even without the familiar home Tigard turf.
A game hadn’t been quite this close since Tigard toppled the previous season champs: Lake Oswego, but the players still managed themselves. “I think the guys just believed in themselves, we didn’t freak out at half-time, we kept our composure and talked about doing the little things correctly. Controlling what we can control,” Tigard Head Coach John Kemper said.
Quickly enough and into the 3rd quarter, Gilbert got his hands on the ball and ran the distance. With a lead of 14 – 7, THS could focus more on their efforts to hold LHS back even bringing them to 4th down and 30 yards to go at one point.
Dawning the 4th quarter, quarterback Drew Carter (#9) threw 26 yards to Max Lenzy (#6) for a touchdown followed by two more touchdowns from the man himself: Hunter Gilbert, who accounted for four of Tigard’s six scoring touchdowns.
With a final score of 41 – 14, the Tigers’ record jumped to 7 – 0 regular season and 4 – 0 in the Three Rivers League with Lakeridge now at 3 – 4 and 2 – 3 respectively.
Tigard may be entering the playoffs undefeated, but they aren’t out of the woods quite yet. They play West Linn on the 25th who took down the only other undefeated team (Tualatin), and Tigard’s rival, Tualatin High School, on Nov. 1.
