Powder Valley’s Casey Vaughan (4) reacts after the end of the game against Adrian at Baker High School on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. The final match for the OSAA 1A State Championship was a heartbreaking end to Powder Valley’s stellar season, when the Badgers lost to the Antelopes 46-38.

BAKER CITY — In a game of inches, Powder Valley came up just shy of a state championship.

The Badgers exchanged blows with top-seeded Adrian in the OSAA 1A State Championship, but the Antelopes ultimately came out on top. Despite leading through the first three quarters, the Powder Valley football team was bested 46-38 at Baker Bulldog Memorial Stadium in Baker City on Saturday, Nov. 27.

“The boys played outstanding,” Powder Valley head coach Josh Cobb said. “We just ran out of time.”

Coming into the title matchup, top-seeded Adrian had not trailed to an opponent all season and had outscored its opposing teams 618-54. The Antelopes bested Powder Valley 38-0 on Oct. 1, but the championship game proved to be a much more competitive contest.

The action between the two teams was neck-and-neck for four quarters, with both fanbases packing the stands in Baker City.

The Antelopes started things at their normal pace, taking an early lead. Adrian quarterback Conley Martin, this year’s 1A Special District 2 East player of the year, ran in a 61-yard rushing touchdown on Adrian’s first play of the game to take a quick 6-0 lead. The quarterback finished with 211 rushing yards, 57 passing yards and four total touchdowns.

Powder Valley did not back down, as junior Cole Martin ran the ensuing kickoff for a 94-yard touchdown. The Badgers converted the extra point to take an 8-6 lead, the first deficit of the season for Adrian, and would hold the lead until midway through the fourth quarter.

Within just two minutes, both teams had found the end zone in what looked to be a fast-paced game. While the teams heated up in the second half, the first half was more of a defensive, ground-and-pound matchup.

Late in the first quarter, the Powder Valley defense came up with a huge stop on fourth-and-goal at the team’s own eight-yard line. Just when it looked like the Antelopes were going to retake the lead, the Badgers gathered steam and started the march down the field as the first quarter ended at 8-6.

Early in the second quarter, senior Case Olson broke loose for a 65-yard rushing touchdown that put the Badgers up 16-6 and ignited the Powder Valley sideline.

In the midst of Powder Valley’s momentum, Adrian stayed calm and kept to its game plan — this was the case throughout the entirety of the contest. Conley Martin concluded a productive drive with a two-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 16-14. Despite delving deep into Adrian territory, Powder Valley ran out of time before the half and went into the locker rooms leading by two points.

In the second half, touchdowns came much easier for Adrian’s and Powder Valley’s offensive weapons. Senior Casey Vaughan opened the scoring with an eight-yard receiving touchdown to put the Badgers up 24-14. Once again, Adrian responded quickly and scored on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Conley Martin to Gavin Bayes to cut the lead back to 24-22 just four minutes into the third quarter.

Powder Valley quarterback Reece Dixon was efficient throughout the game, coming up with huge plays in the second half. He scored on a 23-yard touchdown run with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter to give the Badgers a 32-22 lead. Dixon finished the game with 129 passing yards, 49 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. Kaden Krieger, Dixon’s top target, was strong throughout the contest and hauled in 72 receiving yards.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock in the third quarter, Adrian running back Jace Martin scored on a 13-yard rushing touchdown to cut Powder Valley’s lead to 32-30. At the conclusion of two dominant seasons, both teams’ championship hopes came down to the final 12 minutes.

Early in the fourth quarter, Powder was able to drive deep into Adrian territory but suffered a major blow — Dixon left the field due to injury. Just several plays later on fourth-and-goal from the Adrian nine-yard line, Dixon returned to the field and ran in a nine-yard touchdown. He would play sparingly for the rest of the game.

“We stayed focused and never gave up,” Cobb said of battling through adversity.

The Badgers could not convert the extra point, which kept the Antelopes within one score at 38-30 with 9:14 left in the fourth quarter. This proved costly as Adrian gained momentum late in the matchup.

Jace Martin was back at it again for the Antelopes on the ensuing drive, closing out a two-yard touchdown run. Conley Martin converted the two-point conversion to knot the game at 38-38 with just less than five minutes remaining.

“It was a tough game,” Cobb said. “On both sides, the teams played real good football.”

The tension was palpable on both sidelines as the sun began to set on an epic championship matchup.

Dixon came back into the game, but a big hit on third-and-21 led to a fumble that gave Adrian the ball at the Powder Valley six-yard line. Just one play later, Conley Martin ran in from six yards out to give the Antelopes their first lead of the game since the first quarter. Adrian led 46-38 with 2:37 remaining in the game.

Adrian came away with several key stops to force a fourth-and-11 at the Powder Valley 21-yard line with just 1:46 to go. With the season on the line, Dixon was unable to complete a pass to Cole Martin as the Antelopes secured the victory.

“I wish we would have come out on top, but they were better than us today,” Cobb said.

The title is the second consecutive official OSAA state championship for Adrian, which defeated St. Paul in 2019. This year, the Antelopes and Powder Valley were on a collision course all season in a strong year for 1A football on the eastern side of the state.

“It’s outstanding,” Cobb said of the large turnout for the game. “This is small-town football. To play in east Oregon on grass and to have a finish like that — you can’t get any better than that.”

For Powder Valley, the season finishes just one touchdown shy of glory. The Badgers concluded the year as state runners-up after going 11-2 on the year.

“It was a great season,” Cobb said. “They had so much focus all season. Both teams played two seasons in one academic year. That’s a lot of football to stay healthy for.”

Powder Valley’s large group of seniors helped the team get to the championship game for the first time since 2003, which marks just the fourth time that the school has competed in the final.

“It’s been really fun,” Cobb said. “We’ll be back next year.”