Carter Morse played his final high school football game Saturday for more than himself.
He honored his mother, Nicole, who died of complications from acute liver failure when Morse was 12. His father, Aaron, was diagnosed in September with throat cancer and is in the hospital, Morse said.
He found his zone, he said, a level he wasn’t sure he had until he kept going.
“It came from my grind,” Morse said. “There was a time in there, I was playing both sides the whole game, and I told myself I can’t give up. I have to do it for my family. That’s what kept my fire going.”
Morse had a final game to remember at the Freedom Bowl Clssic. He scored the game’s only touchdown in the fourth quarter and also forced two fumbles and a sack to end the first half in a 6-0 victory by the West at McKenzie Stadium.
“To be honest, I didn’t think I was conditioned for this,” he said. “But I think it was mental. I was prepared to just get into my zone.”
Morse will play baseball next spring at Mt. Hood Community College, and held the annual Freedom Bowl Classic’s Most Outstanding Player award with high regard.
Saturday’s score was the lowest combined points in the game’s 17-year history of the charity event featuring recent Southwest Washington graduates. The game raises funds for Shriners charities. Players visited Shriners Hospital for Children in Portland earlier this week.
“It’s not just for us,” Union’s Josh Barber said, “it’s for the kids, too, so it’s a great way to not just represent our school, but all of Southwest Washington.
The Classic started off like it could be a classic in a game featuring a much-larger East team up front against a speedier West team. But through three quarters, defense took control and offensive drives weren’t sustained. Neither team reached the red zone in a scoreless first half that featured more turnovers on downs than first downs.
The eventual game-winning drive came with 7 minutes, 5 seconds remaining in the game for a quick six-play, 49-yard drive when Naselle quarterback Cole Dorman found Morse in the back of the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown reception.
Key moments
It was over when … The West tripped up Barber of Union from behind at the 35-yard line as time expired. The East team’s final drive began at its own 41 with 21 seconds remaining trailing 6-0.
First-half zeros — Neither team reached its own red zone the first 24 minutes. The West team, highlighted by Taj Muhammad’s (Seton Catholic) five first-half catches, got the West team down to the 26-yard line with his first-down catch and run. The first play of the third quarter, the East stopped the West team at the 2-yard line for a turnover on downs.
Defensive stop leads to game-winning drive —The game-winning Dorman-to-Morse came after the West team’s Tyrehl Viavao (Columbia River) stopped Evergreen quarterback Ryan Blaize 1 yard short of a first down for a turnover on downs. The West got the ball back at its own 49.
Top performers
TOP PERFORMERS
Cole Dorman, Naselle — Dorman played 8-man football for the Comets, but thrived splitting time under center with Columbia River’s Dawson Lieurance. Dorman went 8 for 14 for 106 yards and the touchdown pass to Morse to earn team offensive MVP honors.
Makani Schultz, Ridgefield — The future Eastern Oregon player made an impact for the West as the team’s defensive MVP honors. He registered six tackles.
Evergreen duo earns MVP honors — Trent Hemann (running back) and Josh Leckie (defensive linemen) were workhorses all game. Hemann had 53 yards rushing and Leckie had one of the East team’s five sacks.
Key numbers
19 — The number of teams represented on both rosters. Twelve different schools — from far away as Toledo and Naselle — were West players.
2 — It’s the first time in Freedom Bowl Classic two state championship teams are represented. Seven players from 4A Union and 2A Hockinson were on the rosters.
1 — An interception made by Mountain View’s Michael Bolds, the school’s single-season leader interceptions. He had nine in 2018.
QUOTABLE
“I’ve been wanting to run the ball all week. … It was fun. It was really good to be back there.” — Union’s Josh Barber, who had six carries for 20 yards. It was the first time Union’s defensive tackle ran the football since freshman year, he said. All of Barber’s yardage came in the second half.
