With kickoff temperatures hovering around the 101 degree mark at 6:00 PM, the visiting Blue Mountain Stars, and defending GNFA Champions watched the opening kickoff sail out of bounds and opted to start on offense at the 35-yard line.  Brandon Tate, the EFL rushing champion was not expected to play in the game due to a broken rib, however, he made a go of it gaining 6 yards on the Stars' first two plays.  QB Jorge Martinez would have to be the man to lead the Stars though, as Tate carried only one more time before leaving the game for good.  Martinez and Monarch QB Russ Schneider would light up the airways combining for 81 pass attempts on the night and 681 yards. 

Photos courtesy of Amanda Schmick.

The second quarter started with the Monarchs on their own 33 as Schneider directed a seven play drive to the Stars 16 where Wood was again called on to try for a field goal.   The kick was good, however the Stars were flagged for roughing the snapper giving the Monarchs a 1st and goal at the 8.  Wood pulled a quad muscle on the kick and would not return.  Schneider took the Star miscue and made them pay hitting his favorite target this season Kyle English for an 8-yard scoring strike and a 9-0 lead.  With Wood injured, English attempted the extra point which was low, leaving the score at 9-0.

A good return set up the Stars at their own 44-yard line, and after four rushing plays took Blue Mountain inside Monarch territory at the 43, Martinez hit Brandon Mitchell across the middle who broke free from pursuit and scored the Stars first touchdown.  Jesus Solis added the extra point and the Stars trailed 9-7 midway through the second period.  A quick 3-and-out by the Monarchs forced a Schneider punt who was in for the injured Wood.  Schneider punted 3 times on the night averaging 41 yards per kick and would add 3 PAT's in place of Wood earning Special Teams Player of the Game.

After gaining 13-yards on their next possession, the Stars found themselves again punting the ball away.  After a false start moved the Monarchs back inside their 18 yard line, Schneider found former Stars receiver J.J. Johnson open at the Monarch 43.  A missed tackle and Johnson broke free racing 71-yards before Tanner Goforth dragged him down at the Stars 11.  Two plays later Schneider found Johnson on a quick slant for 6 points.  The try for two was no good and the Monarchs led 15-7.

A 44-yard kickoff return by Brandon Mitchell set the Stars up at the Monarch 49, however a sack by Steve Fittinger pushed Blue Mountain back to their own 43.  Martinez found tight end Kyle Hart open inside the Monarchs 20, but Hart was stripped and Oregon's Beau Gates recovered at their own 20-yard line.  With time running down in the half, Schneider took a chance to score more points, and moved Oregon to their own 45-yard line before the games Defensive MVP Goforth intercepted a pass at the Stars 23.  The Stars opted to kneel on the ball and go into the locker room down by eight.

Monarchs and Stars offenses combined for over 700 yards through the air.

The third quarter was one of the longest in recent memory lasting nearly an hour as both teams went to the air for a combined 33 pass attempts.   Oregon opened the half at their own 7-yard line following a mishandle of the kickoff and three plays later were forced to punt setting up Blue Mountain with great field position at the Monarch 42.

Martinez commanded a nice drive hitting Mitchell and Goforth for first downs leading the Stars all the way to the Monarch 6.  Martinez ran for a loss of six on third and four which forced the Stars to call on EFL Special Teams Player of the Year Solis to boot a 29-yard field goal, and the Stars were clawing back trailing 15-10.

Schneider again looked for his big play man English picking up 14 yards before tailback John Griffin broke free for a 33-yard gain.  Two plays later the Schneider to English connection was made from 12-yards out and the Monarchs led 21-10.  Schneider's PAT was good for a 22-10 margin with 9:37 to go in the 3rd quarter.

The Stars fired right back with Martinez hooking up with Goforth for 49 yards, before firing a strike to Cody Gilbert in the back of the endzone.  The snap was low and got away from the holder on the PAT, as the Stars had to settle for a score of 22-16.

An illegal block on the kickoff pushed Oregon back to their 12-yard line as momentum seemed ready to shift, however the big play would strike again as Schneider found Johnson for another big gainer, this time a 56-yard catch and run to the Stars 20 yard line. Four plays later on fourth-and-three from the Stars 13, Schneider tossed to Johnson for the score and a 28-16 lead capping a 9-play 88-yard drive.  The try for 2 points was no good.

On their next possession, facing 3rd and 1 from the Stars 18, a Martinez pass sailed high and was picked off at the 37 by Will Reynolds.  A solid defensive effort, led by Goforth stalled the Oregon drive at the 23 where the Stars took over on downs.  However, 2 plays later, Martinez gave the ball right back and then some as Jamin Watson stepped in front of a Star receiver and took the interception 38 yards for a Monarch touchdown.  Schneider added the extra point and Oregon led 35-16.

Still not quitting, Martinez led the Stars on a 7-play drive to end the 3rd period capped by a 37-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Goforth, and after the PAT was missed the Stars trailed 35-22 with 15 minutes remaining in the game. 

On the next possesion, Schneider was picked off by Goforth who returned the ball to the Monarch 32 where the Stars looked poised to make a game of it, however 3 incompletions and a sack gave the ball right back to Oregon on downs, who would punt on 4th and 5 sending the Stars back to their own 16 yard line.  A golden opportunity lost.  The Stars were 3-and-out punting back to Oregon who set up shop at the Blue Mountain 46 yard line.  Griffin broke down the right sideline on the very next play for a 46-yard TD gallop putting Oregon up 41-22. 

The Stars again went 3-and-out punting back to Oregon, where the Monarchs looked to grind down the clock with two running plays before Schneider hit Jason Hoyt for 31 yards to the Stars 34.  Two more rushing plays by Griffin pushed Oregon deeper into Star territory with a 1st and 10 at the 20.  A sweep left on the next play turned into another Griffin gallop as he cut back across the middle of the field to paydirt and the last of his 134 yards rushing on the night.  Schneider's PAT was good and the Monarchs looked to have this one salted away leading 48-22 with time winding down to the 5-minute mark.

Not giving up, Martinez found Mitchell open over the middle who then scooted his way around defenders for a 55-yard gain before being dragged down at the Monarch 4.  Two plays later Martinez hit Mitchell for a 3-yard TD pass and the final points of the game.  The Monarchs would run two rushing plays before kneeling out the final 30 seconds solidifying their amazing run to the GNFA Championship of 2008.