MILTON-FREEWATER — Jayden Perches caught the game-winning touchdown from Xzavier Rodriguez in the third quarter as Umatilla beat McLoughlin 14-6 in a nonleague game Friday, Sept. 19, at Shockman Field.
“It was a good game,” Umatilla coach John Williams said. “We tried to control the clock, they have a good pass game. Linkin (Zamudio) did a good job running the ball.”
Mac-Hi coach Vince Roff said he was pleased with his team’s defense but the Pioneers’ offense needs work.
“It was a close one,” Roff said. “Defensively, we played very well. A few hiccups here and there. If we only give up 14 points, I’m not mad about that. Offensively, we did not play well. We just simply could not move the ball. That was our own mistake. We just couldn’t get it going. Three interceptions. It’s tough. When you can’t do the little things right, it makes it hard to do the big stuff.”
Zamudio opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 6-yard touchdown run. Zamudio finished the night with 204 yards on 40 carries.
“He is something else,” Roff said of Zamudio. “He is hard to bring down. He is a big kid and runs hard. You know he’s getting it, but what can you do? He’s one heck of a running back.”
The Pioneers answered with a 17-yard Randall Montgomery touchdown pass to Masyn Lindsey for a 6-6 score at the half.
Perches finished the scoring, with Zamudio taking the ball in for the 2-point conversion.
“The offensive line is getting better each week, but we still have work to do,” Williams said. “Every week we have been getting more yards and the pass protection is good. We had some big runs called back by penalties. Linkin is missing 25 yards and a touchdown. That is something we need to clean up.”
Defensively, Isaac Cortes and Zamudio each had six tackles for the Vikings (2-2), while Perches had two interceptions and Bryce Morris one.
Dallen Duncan led the Pioneers with 46 yards rushing on four carries, while Montgomery completed 4 of 16 passes for 97 yards. Lindsey was on the receiving end of five catches for 76 yards.
Malachi Huffman led the Mac-Hi defense with 13 tackles, while Nolan Noirot had 10, Kyle Conrad and Lindsey each had eight, and Daxen Hayward had seven tackles and one interception.
Though the teams play in the Eastern Oregon League, the game was a nonleague event. They will play an EOL contest Oct. 9, in Milton-Freewater.
Photos by Kathy Aney.
Umatilla's Linkin Zamudio (24) runs the ball and attempts to evade Mac-Hi defender Masyn Lindsey (88) on Sept. 19, 2025, in Milton-Freewater.
Umatilla's Charlie Amaya (21) runs the ball while playing Mac-Hi on Sept. 19, 2025, in Milton Freewater.