MENDOTA – Sometimes teams want seasons to last forever and sometimes the season can’t get over fast enough. This year’s Mendota varsity football team is no doubt glad the 2018 campaign has come to an end.

The Trojans struggled mightily from the opening game in August until they put the season to bed in late October. The season finale ended with the same script as the previous eight contests, with Mendota unable to move the ball effectively on offense and the defense giving up big plays to the opposition.

The end result was a 32-0 loss to Oregon in Big Northern Conference action on Oct. 19 at Oregon.

Mendota finished up with a 0-9 record, the first time a Trojan team has gone winless since 1978.

Like in many of this season’s games, it didn’t take long for the opposition to score, as Oregon had 14 points on the board with less than four minutes elapsed from the clock.

The Hawks had excellent field position to start the game when a short Mendota kick gave Oregon the ball at its own 48-yard line. It took the Hawks just three plays to cover the 52 yards as Jake Mennen capped off the drive with a 40-yard run to the end zone. The two-point conversion run was no good.

The Trojans were only able to possess the ball one minute, seven seconds on their initial offensive series and they punted it back to Oregon, which took over at its own 19. The Hawks advanced the ball with a 12-yard run on first down, and then on the second play of the drive, Dalton Hermes broke into the clear for a 78-yard touchdown run. Carter Fruin dove into the end zone on the two-point attempt for a 14-0 Hawk lead with 8:38 left in the opening stanza.

Mendota fumbled the ball away on its ensuing possession, but the Trojan defense forced an Oregon punt, which gave the Trojans the ball back at their own 15. But Mendota’s offense stalled again and booted it back to the Hawks, who gained possession in Mendota territory at the 47.

The Hawks drove inside Mendota’s 5-yard line when the Trojan defense put a strong hit on Fruin as he was headed to the goal line and the ball popped out of his hands high into the air, only to land in the waiting arms of Oregon quarterback Ryker Finch, who was standing in the end zone for a touchdown. Oregon’s two-point run attempt was no good, and Oregon led 20-0 with 11:55 to go before intermission.

The Hawks added one more touchdown before halftime after Mendota’s try for a first down on fourth-and-one was stopped at Oregon’s 47-yard line. Oregon was able to go 53 yards in five plays, culminated by an 11-yard TD run by Mennen. The two-point run failed and the Hawks owned a 26-0 lead at the break.

Mendota had its deepest penetration into Oregon territory to start the second half when it made it to the Hawk 26-yard line, but penalties and negative yardage moved the ball backwards and the Trojans had to punt it away.

The scoring concluded with just 1:07 to go in the game when Mennen picked up a Mendota fumble and ran 22 yards for a touchdown. The PAT kick was wide right.

The Trojans gained 107 total yards in the contest, including 96 passing yards by Gavin Glazebrook. He completed 18 of 27 passes, with Cole Stremlau gathering in eight receptions for 83 yards and Jayger Thorne grabbing four aerials for 20 yards.

Oregon finished with 313 yards, led by Hermes with 155 yards rushing on 15 totes.