The Tillamook Cheesemaker football team matched the best season in program history, going 10-3, winning a Cowapa League title and advancing to the state championship game.
The season was marked by a many-pronged rushing attack, imposing defense and a Mooks’ team that thrived in harsh weather conditions.
Coming into the season, the Cheesemakers faced the prospect of seven road games to start the season as Doc Adams field in Tillamook underwent a $2.3 million renovation.
Entering his eighth season as head coach, Kye Johnson knew that the Cheesemakers were ready to build on a run of recent success after struggling in his first seasons as head coach.
“Eight years ago, when I got to Tillamook the Cheesemakers were down and out,” Johnson said. “It was tough to find .500 seasons, but we just kept getting better and better every year.”
Before this season, the Mooks had made the Oregon School Activities Association Division 4A playoffs in three of the past four years and advanced as far as the quarterfinals in 2019.
But in 2022 Tillamook stumbled coming out of the gate, losing its first two games.
In Marshfield in week one the Cheesemakers lost a nailbiter 15-14 as Zeyon Hurliman hauled in two touchdown receptions.
Week two saw the Mooks suffer another close loss, falling 20-12 against former Cowapa League rival Banks whose defense forced three turnovers in the game.
The Mooks season turned the corner in week three when they visited Woodburn. Quarterback Tanner Hoskins had a huge night rushing for two touchdowns and chipping in another passing to Hurliman, with Gilbert Whitlatch giving the Mooks another on the ground.
The offense really began to hit its stride the next week when a Saturday trip to Tonasket in Washington witnessed a 62-point explosion from the Mooks.
Running backs Judah Werner and Seth Wehinger led the way for the Cheesemakers with three and two touchdowns apiece on the ground. Landon Mitchell and Whitlatch both rushed for touchdowns as well and Hoskins threw one each to Hurliman and Logan Motsinger.
Heading into league play, Tillamook was 2-2 and trending in the right direction with both offense and defense humming.
The Cheesemakers started league play with a trip to Seaside on the Seagulls’ homecoming night.
Once again, Werner led the way, rushing for two touchdowns in a 39-14 win for the Mooks. Whitlatch rushed for a touchdown and Hurliman caught two, while another came on a trick play pass from Tyler Moncrief to Garrison Gunder.
The Mooks defense stifled Seaside on the evening, holding them scoreless in the first half and taking the ball away twice behind a characteristically strong performance from lineman Sam Diaz.
In the next week’s game against St. Helens, the defense once again came to play. This helped the team weather an uneven first half from the offense in which Hoskins threw an interception and lost a fumble on consecutive possessions.
Despite this the Mooks carried a 21-9 lead into the locker room before pulling away for a 49-17 final behind two touchdowns apiece from Hurliman and Whitlatch, and one each from Parker Mckibbin, Moncrief and Wehinger.
Tillamook improved to 3-0 in the Cowapa League and 5-2 the next week with an easy 40-7 win against the Astoria Fighting Fishermen who were mired in a winless season.
This set up a showdown with league powerhouse Scappoose the next week with the Cowapa League title hanging in the balance.
The game marked the Mooks return to Doc Adams field for the first time on the season and took place on a windy night.
Tillamook did not lead the entire game as touchdowns from Werner and Moncrief tied the game at seven in the second quarter and again at 14 late in the fourth, sending the game to overtime.
In the extra period, a huge goal line stand by the Cheesemaker defense gave the offense the chance to win the game with a score.
When the Mooks failed to advance the ball, the game appeared headed to a second overtime, but a gust of wind gave a Hoskins field 45-yard field goal attempt just enough length to clear the crossbar, giving the Mooks the 17-14 win.
“I’m super happy for our community, super happy for our school,” Johnson said after the victory, which secured a share of the Cowapa league title and playoff berth for Tillamook.
The next week the Mooks secured sole possession of the league title with a dismantling of Milwaukie, winning 56-6.
This sent the Cheesemakers into the playoffs with a 7-2 regular season record riding a seven-game win streak.
The playoff run got under way for the Cheesemakers amid an epic rainstorm blowing in off the Pacific for a rematch with the Woodburn Bulldogs.
The torrential downpours and gale-force winds severely limited both offenses, leading to five combined turnovers and only one completed pass for the Mooks.
But Tillamook found a way to advance, holding Woodburn off 12-8 behind rushing touchdowns from Hoskins and Wehinger.
The quarterfinal matchup against Gladstone took place in much fairer conditions and the Cheesemakers won handily, 28-6.
Tillamook’s defense stifled the Gladiators all night and the Mooks’ rushing attack was relentless, piling up four scores, with two from Werner and one each from Hoskins and Moncrief.
The win sent the Cheesemakers to the semifinal of the state tournament and a matchup with the La Grande Tigers at Barlow High School in Gresham.
On a frigid evening, the Tillamook defense had its best performance in a standout season forcing six turnovers.
The Mooks needed every one as La Grande’s high-powered offense still managed to put 21 points on the board.
But four rushing touchdowns from Werner and a game-sealing interception from Moncrief sent the Cheesemakers to the state championship game with a 28-21 victory.
In the final game, the Cheesemakers met their match in the Estacada Rangers. Riding their own 11 game win streak and program-best season, the Rangers overwhelmed the Mooks behind a fearsome running attack.
In front of a 5,000 strong crowd at Hillsboro Stadium the Saturday after Thanksgiving the Cheesemakers fell to the Rangers 32-8.
Even with the defeat in the championship game, the Cheesemakers equaled the best outcome in program history, matching the 1977 team that finished runner up.
Their Cowapa League title was the first league title won by Tillamook since 1999 and 10 players were named to all-league offensive and defensive first teams.
Hurliman was recognized as both the Cowapa League Offensive Player of the Year and Co-Punter of the Year; Hoskins was named Co-Kicker of the Year and Johnson Co-Coach of the Year.
Hoskins and Hurliman were joined on the all-league first teams by Diaz, McKibbin, Moncrief, Werner, Whitlatch, offensive linemen Austin Berry-Killian and Ken Lopez, and defensive back Garrison Gunder. Wehinger and defensive backs Eligio Maciel and Baird Hagerty reeived honorable mention.
“This means everything,” Johnson said reflecting on the season after the championship game. “We were kind of the outsiders this year, we laid low, we were kind of under the radar.”
But he said that this season should serve as notice that the Cheesemakers are here to stay.
Johnson repeatedly praised his coaching staff who has stayed with him throughout his tenure for helping him to build a strong program that can sustain success.
“We’ll be back, I’m sure of that,” Johnson said. “This is just the beginning of some really good post-season runs for the Cheesemakers.”
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