HILLSBORO – As far as tough spots go, it was pretty high on the list.
With his team tied in the third quarter against reigning state champion Clackamas in a 6A football semifinal Friday night at Hillsboro Stadium, Sheldon junior Griffin Line was summoned to replace star quarterback Michael Johnson Jr., who had slowly walked off the field after taking a hit on a running play.
But Line, the son of coach Josh Line, didn't exactly wilt under the pressure. Instead, he came through like a savvy veteran in leading Sheldon to a 35-14 win and its first finals berth since winning the 2012 title.
The third-seeded Irish (11-2) will play top-seeded Lake Oswego (12-1) for the championship next week.
“It might sound crazy, but I’m not surprised,” Josh Line said of Griffin, who had started the Irish’s first two games this season when Johnson was recovering from a shoulder injury. “He’s always ready to go, and he’s kind of a gamer. He rises to the occasion.”
On his fourth snap – facing third-and-13 – Line reared back and threw a strike to senior Jack Folsom for a 39-yard touchdown to put Sheldon ahead to stay 21-14. He led the Irish to two long touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, providing the final touch with a 24-yard touchdown run with 2:16 left.
If anyone thought Sheldon was in trouble when the Penn State-bound Johnson left, they weren't on the Irish sideline.
“He’s phenomenal. We all trust him,” Folsom said of Line, who also plays linebacker. “Mike gets hurt, it doesn’t get us down at all, because we know that we all have faith in Griffin.”
Line completed all four of his passes for 57 yards and ran for 44 yards on six carries.
“It’s funny, nobody trusts him, but everybody on our sideline does,” senior receiver and defensive end Patrick Herbert said. “After what we’ve been through with him, I’d do anything for him.”
Line pointed back to his teammates.
“My team, they’re so loving and they’re such good kids and good people, I’m not nervous when I go in,” Line said. “I know that they’ve got my back and I’ve got theirs.”
Sheldon’s win ended a 26-game winning streak for No. 2 seed Clackamas (12-1). The Cavaliers recovered after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter but ultimately could not overcome the physicality of the Irish, who had advantages in total yards (382-310) and first downs (24-15).
“They are who I thought they’d be,” Cavaliers coach Joe Bushman said. “They’re just really solid physically. Special playmakers on offense and stout on defense. They played a really good football game. They were physical up front. They pounded us at times.”
Johnson led Sheldon on an 80-yard touchdown drive on the game’s opening series, finishing it with a 15-yard pass to sophomore Gunner Robinson.
Clackamas tried a trick play on its first series – a pass from senior receiver Jack Dollens to junior quarterback CJ Jordan -- but it blew up when senior linebacker Dylan Dowling stepped in for an interception at the Cavaliers’ 25-yard line. Johnson scored on a six-yard run, and it was 14-0 with 4:44 left in the first quarter.
Clackamas made it 14-7 on a 12-yard touchdown run by senior Jailen Hammer in the second quarter, and stayed within one score when Sheldon sophomore Jay Kartub missed a 21-yard field goal attempt off the left upright as time expired in the first half.
The Cavaliers pulled even at 14-14 on the second play of the third quarter when junior quarterback Austin Atkeson connected with junior receiver Richard Kennewell for a 60-yard touchdown pass.
But Griffin Line entered the game on the next series and went deep to Folsom, lofting the ball perfectly over a defender’s outstretched hand.
“I have such faith in Jack Folsom and all our wide receivers, if I see them open, if I see a little crease, I’m going to give them that chance,” Griffin Line said. “Because one-on-one, if they’re covered, I’ve still got faith in my guys.”
It was the second playoff game in which Griffin Line replaced Johnson. He also finished off a second-round win over Sherwood when Johnson tweaked a knee in the third quarter.
Johnson said after Friday’s game that he was “shaken up” on a two-yard run, but felt “fine” once he got to the sideline. Could he have re-entered?
“I thought I could,” Johnson said. “I was trying really, really hard. I mean, Griffin put up more points than I did, so. Griffin’s a baller, Griffin’s a gamer. He’s my brother. That guy is just a special kid.”
Line showed off his mastery of the read-option game in the fourth quarter. He had runs of 14 and 11 yards on a 79-yard touchdown drive, which ended on a 12-yard touchdown run by senior Matthew Burgess. And Line cruised for a 24-yard score to make it 35-14.
“He just controls the offense so well,” Folsom said. “Not only that, he’s a leader in the huddle, too. He’s telling everyone like, ‘Look guys, we need this, let’s go.’ And everyone is fighting for him.”
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Herbert, who has committed to Oregon as a tight end, was a menace all game at defensive end. He had three tackles for loss, including two sacks. He also batted down a pass and blocked a punt.
“He’s by far the best overall football player I’ve ever coached,” Josh Line said. “And the best in the state that I know of. People don’t recognize or realize how many plays he makes. He does so much for us.”
Herbert made the defensive play of the game for the Irish when he sacked Atkeson for a 12-yard loss on fourth-and-two from the Sheldon 15-yard line, preserving a 28-14 lead with 4:27 left.
Bushman was impressed with Herbert.
“He was even better live than I thought he was on film,” Bushman said. “He really created a lot of havoc tonight.”
Johnson completed 6 of 9 passes for 96 yards and one touchdown and ran for 76 yards and one score on 18 carries. Burgess rushed for 100 yards on 22 carries for the Irish, who had 229 rushing yards.
Atkeson went 12 of 22 for 148 yards and one touchdown and Jordan was 5 of 12 for 74 yards and one interception. Kennewell had six catches for 129 yards and one touchdown.
Bushman said his team’s inability to execute in the red zone proved costly. The Cavaliers got to the Sheldon 26-, 31-, 21- and 15-yard lines and came up empty.
“We didn’t finish drives,” Bushman said. “Normally, in the last few weeks, we’ve been really good in those packages. And we just didn’t get a whole lot out of it.”
