Sad night in Banks

FOOTBALL: North Marion extends the Braves’ losing streak to 15 games, but the death of a Banks High School student overshadows the on-field action

By Zack Palmer

The Forest Grove News-Times, Sep 21, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Tommy Whitcomb / News-Times

Banks sophomore running back Nick Turner makes a cut during Friday night’s home opener against North Marion.

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Banks seemed poised to snap its 14-game losing streak at home against North Marion on Friday, but instead watched a victory slip through its fingers as the Huskies rallied for a 36-33 come-from-behind win.

Banks (0-3) led by 11 going into the fourth quarter only to watch as North Marion (3-0) rattled off four touchdowns in the final 12 minutes to steal the non-league victory. The somber mood in the Banks locker room was made worse by news that a fellow student, 16-year-old Kaylee Tawzer, was seriously injured in a car accident earlier in the day. She died early Saturday morning at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland.

“I don’t know how much that affected the kids,” said Banks head coach Ben Buchanan. “I think some of them knew before the game and the rest found out afterward. It hit some of them pretty hard. There were people out in the parking lot crying after the game.”

On the field, Banks looked sharp offensively but ultimately succumbed to North Marion’s bruising running game. The Huskies ran 52 times for 210 yards, getting 96 yards from senior Marvin Medina and 90 more from sophomore Jordan McCain.

Banks also turned the ball over three times, a fact not lost on Buchanan.

“We’re losing the turnover battle,” he said. “We’re probably minus-10 on the season. It’s hard to win when you’re coughing it up that much.”

North Marion intercepted Banks quarterback Neal Hammond three times, the last of which was returned 58 yards for a touchdown by safety Kelly Maguire. That score gave the Huskies a 36-26 lead late in the fourth quarter.

“Not being able to run the ball with any consistency forces you to throw,” Buchanan said. “I thought Hammond threw the ball really well, but in the fourth quarter we had a couple crucial calls go against us and we had a couple interceptions. The one they returned for a touchdown, that really hurt us.”

Banks rallied to pull within three points with 40 seconds left, getting a 22-yard touchdown pass from Hammond to Alden Bayless. The Braves tried for an onside kick but North Marion recovered and ran out the clock.

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