OREGON - In a 42-0 loss to Oregon, Byron gift-wrapped and gave the first half to the Hawks. In the second half, Oregon (5-0) didn't need any generosity.

Capitalizing on four first half turnovers by Byron (1-4), the Hawks took a 21-0 halftime lead and then started the second half with a 16-play, 97-yard drive to show a packed homecoming crowd at Landers-Loomis Field it could also earn points the hard way.

"The turnovers set up scores for us, but having that long drive to start the third quarter broke (Byron),"
Oregon coach John Bothe said.

"We hurt ourselves early with mental mistakes," Byron coach Mike Elsbury said. "I thought we were prepared, but scoring on turnovers killed us."

A one-man wrecking crew from Oregon named Nick Snyder also did major damage to the Tigers. Snyder, rounding back into form after an abdominal injury, had 12 tackles on defense and 178 yards on 16 carries, including a 74-yard touchdown run.

"I think Nick's starting to get healthier," Bothe said.

"He's a train. You need a whole team to bring him down," Oregon's Nick McKeown said.

McKeown and Carson Andrew teamed up to force a fumble on a punt return by Brady Sheffler to set up Oregon first score, a 1-yard run by Andrew.

Earlier, a staunch Byron defense had stopped the Hawks' first two drives.

"There was a momentum shift on that turnover," Oregon lineman Justin Dvorak said.
On Byron's next possession, Ethan Gale had his second takeaway of the game to set up a Snyder 20-yard run off four broken tackles to make it 15-0.

Jon Bredeson thwarted Byron's deepest drive by recovering a fumble at the Hawk's 26-yard line. Ryan McWethy then connected with Drew Smith for a 9-yard touchdown and 21-0 lead with seconds left in the half.

"Our line wore them down," McKeown said.

Oregon had 323 yards rushing and held Byron to 93 yards of total offense.

"You can't ask for more than that," Bothe said. "We prevented big plays and forced them to drive the ball."
Derek Dagon put the running clock in motion with 2:43 left on a 4-yard touchdown run for Oregon.

"What they do, they do very well," Elsbury said.

- Andy Colbert, rrstar.com