Correction, September 27, 2025 8:03 am: An earlier version of this story had incorrect information about Philomath High's second touchdown. Bryce Hruska scored on a pick-6.
The Philomath High School football team broke open a close game in the second half to finish the nonconference portion of its schedule on a high note Friday night with a 48-21 victory at The Dalles.
Warriors senior CD Nuño scored on an 85-yard kickoff return, junior defensive back Bryce Hruska had a pick-6 and junior running back Gavin Bennett broke loose for a pair of scores. Plus, junior quarterback AJ Altishin tossed key touchdown passes late in the third and early in the fourth to help PHS pull away from the Riverhawks for good.
Philomath (3-1) scored on its first possession with Bennett sprinting 32 yards to the end zone.
“We ran buck sweep and he just followed his pullers and scored,” Philomath High coach Alex Firth said. “We kind of collapsed that side of the defense.”
Establishing a solid run game was important to the coach.
“We wanted to set the tone a little bit by running the ball,” Firth said. “We had some success early … they were loading the box and then they were playing a soft four behind it but I mean even against a six-man box, we were still having success. So I’m pretty proud of the line.”
The Warrior defense then came up big when Hruska picked off a Riverhawks pass and returned it for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 3:39 left in the first quarter.
But The Dalles came back to tie the score in the second quarter on a 36-yard pass play from senior Logan Mitchell to senior Reese Kenslow with 6:30 left and on a 21-yard run by sophomore Bryson Cates at the 1:59 mark.
After that second touchdown, however, the Warriors regained some momentum going into halftime. On the ensuing kickoff, Nuño returned the ball 85 yards to paydirt.
“He caught it on the fly and then just turned on the jets down the visitor sideline,” Firth said. “I thought it was blocked pretty well but you know, once he breaks initial contact, there’s just not many people that can tackle him in open space.”
The Warriors led 21-14 at halftime. Firth didn’t see any need to make any significant adjustments.
“We just wanted to keep grinding, keep doing our stuff,” he said. “I think we just needed to settle down a little bit. We kind of sleepwalked a little at times (in the first half) … they were on a bus for almost six hours and they had a little brain fog.”
The game started 30 minutes late after Philomath’s bus got caught in heavy traffic on Interstate 5 because of a crash. The trip typically takes around three hours.
Midway through the third quarter, The Dalles tied the score when junior Creighton Clack got through the PHS defense on an 89-yard run.
But it was all Warriors the rest of the way. Senior running back Lake Mulberry scored on a 19-yard run to give Philomath the lead with 5:06 left in the third. And on the ensuing kickoff, junior Kaden Howard recovered a fumble and PHS set up shop at the 15.
Philomath went backwards, however, and ended up in a fourth-and-23 at the 28-yard line. But Altishin found senior Rocco De La Rosa for a touchdown and a 35-21 lead.
“Rocco kind of spun the corner a little bit — he was wide open and we got him the ball,” Firth said. “AJ was really throwing the ball well in the second half. We kind of dinked and dunked a little bit and then just said screw it and started throwing the ball deep. And we had some success.”
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Nuño scored on a 45-yard pass from Altishin. Nuño was wide open on the play with the Riverhawks attempting a safety blitz.
“It was a beautiful pass … he just threw a great ball,” Firth said. “CD said he caught the end of the football just like you’re supposed to.”
Philomath’s receivers typically have a height and speed advantage over defenders and that was the case again in this game.
“There’s not many teams that are as long as we are in the receiving corps,” Firth said.
With 2:38 remaining, Bennett reached the end zone on a 6-yard run to account for the final six points.
Philomath will get into Special District 3 play next week at Crescent Valley, which petitioned down to 4A for this season. The Raiders will come into the game with a 2-2 record.
“Like I’ve said, it’s another league game for me but I think the kids are pretty excited,” Firth said. “They all know each other and so I think the kids will be pretty focused this week getting ready and just going out and continuing to work and getting better.”
Crescent Valley’s two wins this season were against teams with a combined 0-8 record. The Raiders lost by 17 points to North Eugene and 32 points to Corvallis — both quality 5A opponents.
Kickoff at CV is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday.
Philomath 48, The Dalles 21
Friday, Sept. 26 at Sid White Field, The Dalles HS
Team 1 2 3 4 F Philomath (3-1) 14 7 14 13 48 The Dalles (2-2) 0 14 7 0 21
First Quarter
PHS — Bennett 32 run (Grapoli kick), 8:55
PHS — Hruska 30 interception return (Grapoli kick), 3:39
Second Quarter
TD — Kenslow 36 pass from Mitchell (kick good), 6:30
TD — Cates 21 run (kick good), 1:59
PHS — Nuño 85 kickoff return (Grapoli kick), 1:45
Third Quarter
TD — Clack 89 run (kick good), 6:24
PHS — Mulberry 19 run (Grapoli kick), 5:06
PHS — De La Rosa 28 pass from Altishin (Grapoli kick), 3:48
Fourth Quarter
PHS — Nuño 45 pass from Altishin (Grapoli kick), 11:53
PHS — Bennett 6 run (pass failed), 2:38
PHS STATISTICS
RUSHING—Bennett 7-56, Mulberry 7-49, De La Rosa 2-21, Nuño 1-2, Ropp 1-0, Altishin 2-(-17).
PASSING—Altishin 19-31-1-263.
RECEIVING—Nuño 7-80, Howard 4-84, De La Rosa 4-49, Jo. Peters 3-39, Hruska 1-11.