DUNSMUIR – The Dunsmuir Tigers and the Butte Valley Bulldogs came into Friday night’s contest with identical records. Each squad was 3-1 in the North Division of the California 8-man league, and 8-1 overall. On paper it looked like a contest for the ages—a shoot out for the right to host a first round playoff game. Instead, it was a blowout, with the Tigers racking up 48 first half points to none for the Dogs.

It was Dunsmuir’s night and it was Tiger quarterback Lt Hisey’s night. Hisey ran for three touchdowns and threw for another in just the first half. He would add a second TD pass in the fourth quarter, as well as throw for two 2-point conversions in the game.

Dunsmuir scored on the opening possession of the game, going 64 yards in four plays. A 49-yard run by Nate Gonzales set up a 1-yard TD run by Hisey. The 2-point conversion failed, but The Tigers led 6-0 less than two minutes into the contest.

The Tigers started their second drive at mid field following a fake punt attempt by the Bulldogs that came up short. Dunsmuir moved to the 25-yard-line on a pass from Hisey to Crash Sordahl. Gonzales rushed for 13 yards to the 12.  Two plays later, it appeared that the Bulldogs had Hisey trapped deep in the backfield, but “Houdini Hisey” managed to escape and go 10 yards for his second TD of the night. The 2-point conversion attempt failed again, leaving Dunsmuir with a 12-0 lead halfway through the first quarter.

Dunsmuir attempted an onside kick, but Butte Valley recovered at its own 47-yard-line. The Bulldogs moved to the Dunsmuir 40 on runs by Jeremy Lopez and Austen Struble. A bad snap on first down led to about a nine yard loss for the Bulldogs, but two big plays later, they had moved to the Dunsmuir 22. On third and 18, Caleb Levesque hit Tyler Coltrin for 12 yards. Facing a fourth and six, the Bulldogs called on Lopez, who went 14 yards to pick up the first down. Butte Valley was up against another fourth and six at the Dunsmuir 16-yard-line. This time, it was the Tigers that came up with the big play, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jay Rhoades on the Dunsmuir 22.

The Tigers picked up a first down at the 35, and then handed the ball to Gonzales, who sprinted 65 yards to pay dirt. Hisey hit Zack Shirley for the 2-point conversion, making the score, 20-0, one minute into the second quarter.

Dunsmuir pooched the ensuing kickoff and the Bulldogs started with good field position at their 40-yard-line. After a loss of five yards on first down, Levesque found Arthur Vorobjovs for a 20-yard pass reception. The duo hooked up again on the next play for 30 yards to give the Dogs a first down at the Dunsmuir 15. However, the Tiger defense stiffened, allowing only two more yards on the drive and took over on downs at their 13-yard-line.

The Tigers quickly drove into Bulldog territory, but appeared to be stalled at the 38, where they needed to pick up seven yards on fourth down. Dunsmuir went to Sordahl, who delivered with a 33-yard run to the Bulldog’s 5-yard-line. Hisey hit Jordan Van Wilgen in the end zone on the next play. Shirley added the PAT, upping the Tiger advantage to 27-0, with 5:30 left in the first half.

The Bulldogs attempted a fake punt deep in their own end on their next possession. The fake failed, and Dunsmuir set up shop on the Bulldog 15. Four plays later, Hisey had his third rushing TD of the half, going in from 1-yard out. Hisey hit Van Wilgen for the 2-point conversion extending the lead to 35-0 with just over two minutes left until halftime.

It would take the Tigers just 11 seconds to strike again. Following the Tiger kickoff, Butte Valley started at its 33. On third and six, Matt Norton picked off a Bulldog pass, and returned it 44 yards for a TD. Shirley added the PAT, and it was 42-0, with 1:54 left in the half.

The Tigers weren’t done.

Dunsmuir regained the ball on downs at the Butte Valley 33-yard-line. Three plays later, Justin Declusin went 27 yards for a TD, with 10 ticks on the clock. The PAT failed, but Dunsmuir went into the intermission with a commanding 48-0 lead.

The teams played with a running clock in the second half, but Dunsmuir still managed to score twice more. Norton scored on a 35 yard run, and Hisey hit Gonzales for a 14-yard TD. The Tigers added 2-point conversions after each second half TD—Hisey to Van Wilgen after the first, and Jeff Rhoades ran for the second. The final score was 64-0.

For the Tigers, Gonzales rushed for 200 yards and a TD. He also had a TD reception. Lt Hisey was 6/15 for 76 yards and two TDs. Hisey rushed for 32 yards on seven carries and scored three TDs.

Defensively for Dunsmuir, Jordan Van Wilgen had 11 tackles, Zack Shirley had 10, and Crash Sordahl and Matt Norton each had 9. Nate Gonzales had 3.5 sacks.

Stats for Butte Valley are not available at this time.

The Tigers finished the regular season 9-1 overall and 4-1 in the North Division of the California 8-man league. Dunsmuir is seeded 3^rd in the NSCIF playoffs and will host the sixth-seeded Greenville Indians (2-3, 4-6) on Friday, November 13. The Tigers beat Greenville in Greenville, 60-36, earlier this season. (Or, maybe they’re playing Princeton. Section hasn’t posted final D-VI bracket yet.)

Butte Valley finishes 8-2 overall and 3-2 in league. The fifth-seeded Bulldogs will travel to Loyalton to face the fourth-seeded Grizzlies. Butte Valley defeated Loyalton (3-2, 5-5) 50-38 at home earlier this season.