by Scott Sacry
The story of Corvallis’s historic 2023 football season had another exciting chapter on Saturday, Nov. 4th as they won 24-17 in their Class A Quarterfinal game against Laurel. It was only the second time in school history that the Blue Devils have won a state quarterfinal game. With the win, Corvallis advances to the Class A State Semifinal game on Saturday, Nov. 11th, where they will host Columbia Falls. This is the first time in school history Corvallis will host a semifinal game.
The decisive moment in the Laurel game came with 1:36 left in the 4th quarter. Corvallis had a seven point lead, and Laurel had the ball on Corvallis’s 35 yard line with a chance to tie or win the game. Laurel threw a pass over the middle and Corvallis’s Gideon Boswell jumped in front of it and intercepted the ball to stop Laurel’s drive and effectively punched Corvallis’s ticket to the semifinals. Corvallis’s offense then ran down the clock to seal the victory.
Corvallis’s head coach Josh McCrossin was happy with his team’s performance, “Laurel is a good team and had a great season, and there was no pretty way for us to win against them.”
The teams traded field goals in the first quarter. Then in the second quarter, Corvallis’s Levi Reynoso scored on an 11-yard TD run. Laurel returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a TD, then Corvallils answered again, this time QB Aydan Mayn hit Dillen Potter for a 37-yard TD pass and catch. Going into halftime Corvallis led 17-10.
Laurel tied the score 17-17 in the third quarter, then as they did all day, Corvallis responded. This time with a scoring drive, capped off with a bruising 16-yard TD run by RB Logan Avery.
“I’m very proud of our players,” said coach McCrossin, “and I’m excited for another week to play football with our guys.”
Corvallis hosts Columbia Falls on Saturday, Nov. 11th at 1 p.m. in the Class A State Semifinals. Columbia Falls is 8-2 on the season and is coming off a 21-16 upset win over previously undefeated Billings Central.
Dillon hosts Lewistown in the other Semifinal game.