CRESWELL – The Pleasant Hill Billies extended their winning streak to seven games on the strength of a powerful running game led by Jacob Neely, defeating rival Creswell 42-20 in a Special District 3 game at Markley Field on Friday – crashing Creswell’s homecoming party.
Neely, the all-state senior running back, took advantage of gaping holes created by a dominant offensive line en route to 356 total yards and five touchdowns. With one regular-season game remaining he already has 1,209 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. He has an additional 144 receiving yards and a touchdown.
“Jacob Neely might be the best player in 3A football – straight up,” Billies coach Kenny Koberstein said. “There are very few people that can do all of the different things that he does.”
Creswell coach Chase Beach wouldn’t argue.
“The kids battled, but Neely is just a different type of player,” Beach said. “He really is a difference-maker and you don’t see players like that very often. But I’m proud of how (we) competed.”
The Billies (7-1, 4-0) face Madras (3-5, 3-1) this week and a victory will secure their first league title since 2001. Friday’s victory at Creswell, during homecoming week, was particularly significant, Koberstein said.
“We’re never gonna say it’s ‘just another game,’” said Koberstein, in his first year with Pleasant Hill. “One of our goals on our locker room wall says, ‘beat our rival.’ And we prepared like that this week. Anytime you walk in as someone’s homecoming opponent, it means they chose you – and that gives us a little extra juice.”
The Bulldogs have a strong running game of their own, and led 14-7 in the first half behind standout Hunter Mustin.
“Our offense – we go as Hunter goes this season … all he needs is one block,” Beach said.
Creswell saw an overpowered Billies offensive on Friday featuring Jacob Neely (No. 5); the Bulldogs let Hunter Mustin (No. 1) shine. ALL PHOTOS BY BOB WILLIAMS /THE CHRONICLE
Mustin returned a Billies’ interception 57 yards for a touchdown and then avoided multiple tackles on a 60-yard touchdown run, giving the Bulldogs that 14-7 lead.
Beach said his offense gelled and was able to give Mustin time to shine. He said his team played its best offensive game, even though it struggled to finish drives.
“We’ve been kind of waiting for our line to really just sink their teeth into something and just button down and they did that in this game,” he said. “ And like I said, all Hunter needs is one block.”
Coach Chase Beach acknowleged Mustin’s strength and said that the current star senior leadership on the team will leave a legacy for players years ahead. ALL PHOTOS BY BOB WILLIAMS / THE CHRONICLE
Besides Mustin’s heroics, the Billies made early mistakes as well. Koberstein acknowledged the rough start.
“They were able to come out and get some big plays in the run game on us early because we were misaligned,” Koberstein said. “We weren’t prepared. We didn’t run the race we wanted to run early.”
The Billies evened the score with almost a minute left in the first quarter when Bounds connected with Neely for a 69-yard touchdown.
The Billies then regained command and took the lead after another 15-yard reception from Bounds to Neely.
Neely then ruined Creswell’s next drive when he made a one-handed interception.
Creswell later recovered a fumble at the 14-yard line and scored its final touchdown, but Pleasant Hill was firmly in control. The Billies sealed the victory with two more touchdowns with Neely and Bounds’ air raid.
“We stumbled out of the blocks, but we found our footing,” Koberstein said. “They threw some haymakers at us, and we were able to punch back. … And that’s winning football – being able to run the football and control the line of scrimmage on both sides.”
The Billies celebrate post game; coach Kenny Koberstein expresses his pride, yet stresses the road ahead. ALL PHOTOS BY BOB WILLIAMS / THE CHRONICLE
Though the Billies are undefeated in league, they’ll need to beat Madras on the road this week to secure the title. Koberstein said he’s confident knowing how much the Billies have changed and have demonstrated composure during pressure situations.
Koberstein said he has been focusing on teaching the Billies how to sustain their playing level each week.
“Our word of the week was pace,” he said. “We’re out in front now, and they’ve never done that before. So we used the metaphor of a runner – we’re at that last corner, and we’ve got to kick our way to the end.”
