The game might have ended 34-6 in favor of the Wilsonville Wildcats but fans stayed to the end of this one. A huge crowd of onlookers watched the #4 Wilsonville Wildcats battle to out with the #9 Mustangs of Milwaukie as they celebrated homecoming. And it was a great night of football for those watching close.
Both teams played hard to a 13-6 half-time score that favored the Cats. And though it was a half marked with some penalties and mistakes a drama played out as the Top Safety/DB in the Region in Tanner Shipley took on rising star Wide Receiver Kendrick Bourne. Down after down the two battled with their 6'2" frames in an aerial ballet for the ages.
Shipley jammed and stymied Bourne as much as he could. Bourne responded using his speed and amazing acrobatic moves to get open. Before the night was over Bourne caught 7 balls and had 142 yards all of which he had to earn making catch after catch; many of which would make season long highlight reels.
And had it not been for Shipley and others who provided pass coverage on Bourne he would have gone for more. Tanner proved he is a big time cover man and why BYU and OSU have offered him. Bourne proved that he can be a PAC 12 Caliber athlete after he and Shipley tangled in a battle that was one of the best we have ever seen.
Shipley proved to be the Mustangs un-doing on the other side of the ball. In the end it was his work out of the backfield and between the tackles that mattered mosr. He ran the ball 29 times for 193 yards and two TD's.
"They can't stop our run game," barked one Wildcats Coach as the second half started.
He was right. In a 7 minute drive the Wildcats ran Shipley and Ryan Walsh straight at the Mustangs in methodical fashion eating up the clock and 80 yards of field on their way to a TD. FB Johnny Ragin blew huge holes for Ryan Walsh (83 yards) and Shipley all night and showed his amazing skill set both sides all night.
Walsh also took advantage of Milwaukie QB DeJuan Galt who looked off Bourne several times (a result of Shipley's coverage) and threw to other targets. Walsh picked two of those balls off and gave Wilsonville terrific field position on both returns.
The Mustangs Richard Ramsey looked too fast for anyone on the field every time he touched the ball having 72 yards. But he did not get into the offense often enough.
"We need to get the ball to our top skill guys more. That we did not do," said Mustangs Head Coach Don Johnson. "They out played us and we need to do a better job getting Richard and Kendrick the ball more. But we will bounce back and I am proud our kids. They never quit."
He is right. The Mustangs overall as a team showed dangerous speed and periods of play where they could not be stopped. But to move into the elite in the Oregon 5A they are going to need to grow up a little more as a team and find a way to get the ball to their stars. With guys like Bourne and Ramsey they have some potent weapons.
Nick Highberger did a superb job of coverage and of his QB duties at Wilsonville. Walsh is probably the most under rated two way players in the State and was a game breaker scoring on offense and defense.
And Mustangs like Jake Leary (6'3"-275 OL/DL) and Joe Alshire (6'3"-220-Soph) as well as 6'4" WR Tyler Spencer (Junior) proved that Milwaukie is not just the Bourne-Ramsey show.
The game was a great experience for us and Coach Adam Guenther at Wilsonville and his staff as well as Johnson and his staff at Milwaukie showed poise and class in a big time battle.
We will continue to cover both teams as the season moves along heading towards the playoffs. Congrats to both teams and all these great players.
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