Live by the 2-point conversion, die by the 2-point conversion.

The Siuslaw Vikings and McLoughlin Pioneers football teams combined for 14 touchdowns and as many 2-point attempts Saturday before Siuslaw settled for a 48-46 victory at Madras High School.

The Vikings, 3-1, open league play Friday, hosting the Harrisburg Eagles at Hans Petersen Memorial Field. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

McLoughlin, 1-3, a Class 4A school playing as an independent, will host Henley next Friday in the Pioneers' homecoming game.

Saturday's back-and-forth barnburner was close from beginning to end, with the Pioneers never saying die until the final seconds, when they were stopped with 18 seconds to play on a 2-point conversion that would have tied the game at 48.

McLoughlin then recovered the onside kick and got off a couple desperation passes before the clock finally ran down.

Both the Vikings and the Pioneers are coming off 0-8 seasons, and both saw the other as a possible win. Coincidentally, Siuslaw stopped a nine-game losing streak with a victory over Philomath, while McLoughlin ended a 13-game losing streak the previous weekend with a win over Philomath.

Sophomore running back Camp LaCouture ran for four touchdowns, rushing for 218 yards on 23 carries, according to Coast Radio's Bob Sneddon, who was doing the play-by-play, the color commentary and the statistics for the game.

Official statistics will be released Sunday or Monday by coach Sam Johnson, who review game film.

Johnson should see a lot to like with the win. And a lot not to like, such as an interception returned for a touchdown, several lost fumbles and a kickoff return for a TD by McLoughlin to start the second half. That put the Pioneers up 34-26.

Three minutes later, Vikings quarterback Elijah Blankenship ran 14 yards for a touchdown, Siuslaw recovered the onside kick, Lacouture capped a quick 39-yard drive with a 5-yard TD run.

Lacouture's 2-point conversion run made it 40-34 with 7:34 still remaining in the third quarter.

The Pioneers plowed 60 yards in 13 plays to tie it at 40-40 with 10:57 left in the game, failing on a 2-point conversion run.

Lacouture's 10-yard run and a 2-point conversion at the 8:46 mark made it 48-40.

With 7:11 to play, Siuslaw turned the ball over on downs on its own 42, and the Pioneers ate up all but the final 18 seconds on a 12-play drive, senior quarterback Wyatt Gilmore hitting junior running back Kiez White on an 8-yard touchdown pass.

White was then stopped short of the goal-line by the Vikings defense to avoid a game-extending tie.

The Pioneers took advantage of Vikings turnovers to build a 28-26 lead at halftime.

Down 6-0, the Pioneers scored three touchdowns in a row following a fumble, an interception and after taking over on downs on the Siuslaw 36.

Sophomore running back Camp Lacouture kept the Vikings in the game with more than 150 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the first half.

The Vikings also scored on a 70-yard touchdown return by sophomore Rhys Fleming and a 16-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Elijah Blankenship to junior wide receiver Braydon Thornton.

The Vikings offense came out firing, going 65 yards in four plays, capped by a 13-yard Lacouture TD run just four minutes into the game.

McLoughlin went on a 20-point run, with Vikings help. On the third play following a Siuslaw fumble on the McLoughlin 22, Pioneers senior quarterback bolted 68 yards to tie the score at 6-6 at 6:42 in the first quarter.

The Pioneers went ahead 12-6 almost immediately, junior defensive back Devin Humbert returning an interception of a Blankenship pass 28 yards for a score at 5:11 of the first.

McLoughlin upped the lead to 20-6 on the first play of the second quarter on a Gilmore touchdown pass and a two-point conversion.

Fleming returned the subsequent kickoff as the Vikings cut the deficit to 20-12.

McLoughlin took over on the Siuslaw 36 following the kickoff and found the end zone six plays later on a 12-yard run by junior running back Kiez Smith,

McLoughlin was in command, 28-12 with 7:30 to play in the first half.

The Vikings slashed the gap to two points with a pair of TDs, the first on Blankenship's pass to Thornton with 5:02 to play in the half and the second on a 41-yard TD scamper by Lacouture at the 1:25 mark.

NOTES

Siuslaw graduate Don Hunt will be releasing a second edition of his book on the history of Vikings football early next year. "Chapters and photos will be added on Sam Johnson, longtime Siuslaw statisticians Lanny Nivens and Bob Hylton and chapters on the 2018 and 2019 seasons. New school records and other relevant statistics will also be updated," Hunt said. ...

In 22 attempts at a 2-point conversion this season, the Vikings have converted on six — 1 of 4 vs. Elmira, 2 of 4 vs. Philomath, 0 of 7 vs. Newport and 3 of 7 vs. McLoughlin. ...

Statistics from Coast Radio Bob Sneddon's play-by-play

SIUSLAW            6     20   14   8   —   48
McLOUGHLIN    12     16    6   12   —   46
First quarter
Siuslaw — Camp Lacouture 13-yard run (pass failed), 10:55
McLoughlin — Wyatt Gilmore 68-yard run (run failed), 6:42
McLoughlin — Devin Humbert 28-yard interception return (run failed), 5:11
Second quarter
McLoughlin — Mark Quist 12-yard pass from Wyatt Gilmore (Kiez White pass from Wyatt Gilmore), 11:50
Siuslaw — Rhys Fleming 70-yard touchdown return (run failed), 11:38
McLoughlin — Kiez White 12-yard run (Devin Humbert pass from Wyatt Gilmore), 7:30
Siuslaw — Braydon Thornton 16-yard pass from Elijah Blankenship (Camp Lacouture run), 5:02
Siuslaw — Camp Lacouture 41-yard run (run failed), 1:25
Third quarter
McLoughlin — Kiez White 80-yard kickoff return (run failed), 11:50
Siuslaw — Elijah Blankenship 14-yard run (run failed), 9:06
Siuslaw — Camp Lacouture 11-yard run (Camp Lacouture run), 7:34
Fourth quarter
McLoughlin — Kiez White 5-yard run (run failed), 10:57
Siuslaw — Camp Lacouture 10-yard run (2-point try good), 8:46
McLoughlin — Kiez White 8-yard pass from Wyatt Gilmore (run failed), :18

2019 SIUSLAW VIKINGS SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 6 — at Elmira 30, Siuslaw 26
Friday, Sept. 13 — Siuslaw 28, at Philomath 19
Friday, Sept. 20 — at Siuslaw 42, Newport 20
Saturday, Sept. 28 — Siuslaw 48, McLoughlin 46, at Madras High School
Friday, Oct. 4 — Harrisburg, 7 p.m., Hans Petersen Memorial Field
Friday, Oct. 11 — at Santiam Christian, 7 p.m., Adair Village
Friday, Oct. 18 — Pleasant Hill, 7 p.m., Hans Petersen Memorial Field
Friday, Oct. 25 — La Pine, 7 p.m., Hans Petersen Memorial Field
Friday, Nov. 1 — at Sutherlin, 7 p.m.

2019 SIUSLAW VIKINGS ROSTER
Information from school's OSAA web page
  1 TE/LB Rhys Fleming, sophomore, 6-3, 170
  3 QB/S Elijah Blankenship, junior, 5-8, 170
  5 RB/LB Camp Lacouture, sophomore, 6-0, 170
  7 RB/LB Ian Sissel, freshman, 5-10, 160
  8 WR/CB Braydon Thornton, sophomore, 6-2, 170
  9 TE/DE Avery Hart, sophomore, 6-3, 220
10 QB/S Beau Erickson, sophomore, 5-8, 140
11 WR/S Brady Libby, junior, 5-8, 170
12 RB/LB Hector Garcia, junior, 5-10, 175
13 RB/CB Hunter Petterson, freshman, 5-6, 140
14 RB/LB Mason Buss, freshman, 5-6, 130
15 WR/CB Jake Roberts, freshman, 5-8, 140
15 TE/DE Noah Dotson, freshman, 5-10, 160
22 RB/DB Odin Smith, freshman, 5-8, 150
23 WR/CB James Smith, sophomore, 5-11, 160
26 WR/LB Tyrone Krohn, junior, 5-10, 150
33 RB/LB Skyler Loomis, junior, 5-10, 170
41 WR/CB Jason Garcia, sophomore, 5-8, 150
50 OL/LB Victor Ayala, freshman, 5-8, 200
51 OL/DL Henry Rankin, sophomore, 6-0, 220
53 OL/LB Ethan Aaron, sophomore, 5-9, 170
53 OL/DL Ricky Loza, senior, 5-8, 170
54 OL/DL Julian Loftis, freshman, 6-2, 200
56 OL/DL John Corser, sophomore, 5-9, 180
62 OL/DL Joe Slaughter, sophomore, 5-9, 170
64 OL/LB Christian Newlan, junior, 5-11, 200
65 OL/DL Matthew Horillo, senior, 5-10, 240
67 OL/DE Dayson Foglio, senior, 6-5, 240
68 OL/DL David Spencer, senior, 6-2, 330
70 OL/DL Isaiah Jones, senior, 6-0, 180
70 OL/DL Tristan Stewart, freshman, 6-2, 170
76 OL/DL Zach Stinger, senior, 5-10, 220
80 WR/CB Isaac Garza, sophomore, 6-0, 160
87 WR/CB Colin Leland, junior, 6-0, 160
88 TE/DE John Rose, freshman, 6-3, 200
89 WR/DB Izaac Mattson, sophomore, 6-0, 140
Head coach: Sam Johnson (first year)
Assistant coaches: Andy Johnson, Billy Jones, Bob Teter, Dennis Davidson, Gerald Fleming, Jeff Gray, Nick Johnson, Tom Shinn.

OSAA Class 3A Special District 2 North Schedule
Nonleague
Friday, Sept. 27
at Harrisburg 28, Douglas 12
La Pine 34, at Rogue River 0
at Cascade Christian 42, Pleasant Hill 0
at Sutherlin 66, South Umpqua 21
Santiam Christian 51, at Blanchet Catholic 15
Saturday, Sept. 28
Siuslaw 48, McLoughlin 46, at Madras, 4 p.m.
League
Friday, Oct. 4
Harrisburg at Siuslaw, 7 p.m.
Sutherlin at La Pine, 7 p.m.
Pleasant Hill at Santiam Christian, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 11
Siuslaw at Santiam Christian (Adair Village), 7 p.m.
Sutherlin at Harrisburg, 7:30 p.m.
La Pine at Pleasant Hill, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 18
Pleasant Hill at Siuslaw, 7 p.m.
Harrisburg at La Pine, 7 p.m.
Santiam Christian at Sutherlin, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 25
La Pine at Siuslaw, 7 p.m.
Harrisburg at Santiam Christian, 7 p.m.
Sutherlin at Pleasant Hill, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 1
Siuslaw at Sutherlin, 7 p.m.
Pleasant Hill at Harrisburg, 7 p.m.
Santiam Christian at La Pine, 7 p.m.