SWEET HOME - Entering Friday night's game against La Grande, Sweet Home was a perfect 6-0 at home on the season.

With a balanced offensive attack and a swarming defense, the Huskies again successfully defended their home turf in a 27-7 victory in the opening round of the 4A state playoffs.

La Grande (2-8) opened the game with its power running attack and advanced deep into Husky territory on its first drive. However, fullback Walker Hudkins coughed the ball up and Levi Marchbanks recovered for Sweet Home.

The Huskies (8-3) marched down the field for a 10-play, 86-yard drive ending on a Brent Moyer 3-yard touchdown run.

Sweet Home went on to score on its second possession on a 9-yard Tyler Holly pass to tight end Zach Miller.

LaGrande scored its only points of the game on a 1-yard Walker Hudkins plunge with 1:46 remaining in the second quarter.

Sweet Home started the second half with a productive drive that ended quickly on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Holly to Sean Potter.

The touchdown play was a fly route that is new to Sweet Home's play book.

"We haven't run that route all year," said senior quarterback Tyler Holly. "We give different routes a try and see how they work."

The score remained at 20-7 until Tim McDowell wrapped up the win for Sweet Home on a 33-yard blast up the middle late in the fourth quarter.

"Our line made a really big hole on that play and the fullback, Brent Moyer, made a great block on the linebacker. It was just me against the safety," said McDowell, who had 73 yards of total offense on the night.

Sweet Home's defense held La Grande's running game in check and prevented quarterback Carson Miller from finding a rhythm.

"We have been a bend but don't break defense all year, but we have made plays when we need to. And we did that again tonight," said Sweet Home head coach Rob Younger.

The Huskies will play Douglas next Saturday at Roseburg High School with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals.

SWEET HOME 27, LA GRANDE 7

La Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0  7  0  0  —   7

Sweet Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7  7  6  7  —  27

First quarter

SH—Brent Moyer 3 run (Alex Santana kick), 3:59

Second quarter

SH—Zach Miller 9 pass from Tyler Holly (Santana kick), 9:26

LG—Walker Hudkins 1 run (Matt Nicholson kick), 1:46

Third quarter

SH—Sean Potter 40 pass from Holly (run failed), 7:30

Fourth quarter

SH—Tim McDowell 33 run (Santana kick), 2:58

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing: LG, Hudkins 14-85, Carson Miller 15-73, Andrew Humphreys 3-21, Matt Nicholson 2-10, Erik Jacobs 3-10, Dallin Haynes 1-2, Connor White 1-(-1), team 5-(-26); SH, McDowell 7-61, Moyer 19-48, Holly 2-7, Kyle Sorenson 1-1, team 1-(-6)

Passing: LG, Miller 6-11-0-73; SH, Holly 13-21-1-143

Receiving: LG, Brandon Powell 2-44, Jacobs 2-15, Hudkins 1-12, Humphreys 1-2; SH, Sean Potter, 4-69, Taylor Tagle 2-34, Levi Marchbanks 4-20, Tim McDowell 1-12, Zach Miller 1-9, Moyer 1-(-1)