Cleveland gives coach first win, after Benson gives Warriors a battle

By Steve Brandon

The Portland Tribune, Sep 24, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

Cleveland senior Andy McIntyre deflects the tackles of Benson's Wesley Gray (left) and Ethan Shaddock in a 30-24 Warrior victory on Friday night.

L.E. BASKOW / THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE

The Cleveland Warriors gave their new coach, Gary Sletmoe, his first win on Friday night. They also gave him a few anxious moments.

Benson roared back from a 24-0 halftime and threatened to spoil the Warrior party.

But Cleveland used a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter and a two first downs on the last possession of the game to prevail 30-24 at Cleveland.

“I told our kids at halftime that they (the Techmen) were just a play away from getting back into it; they’re a big-play team,” Sletmoe says. “It was critical for us to put the hammer down, and we didn’t do it.

“But at the end, I was proud at how we made the key plays.”

Fullback Andy McIntyre came off the bench, despite an injury, to carry the ball four times in the final few moments and help Cleveland (1-3) clinch the PIL nonleague victory.

The 6-2, 230-pound senior, who has added 25 pounds since last year, ran for first downs on third-and-3 and then third-and-6 with a little more than a minute remaining. The pick-ups enabled Cleveland to run out the clock and keep Benson from getting a last shot at a tie or win.

McIntyre, who also plays linebacker, had come out of the game with a hurt ankle or

Achilles tendon, he wasn’t sure which.

“I asked him, and he said he wanted the ball,” says Sletmoe, a former Franklin assistant coach and player. “With the game on the line, you go to your best player.”

Partly because of his absence, Cleveland’s offense bogged down.

“We had to do something,” Sletmoe says.

McIntyre’s final run was probably his biggest of the night. Benson’s defense met him at the line of scrimmage, but with second and third efforts he slammed off would-be tacklers and gained 10 yards, four more than he needed for the final first down.

“I had a bad ankle, but they said that it might be my Achilles,” he says. “I can’t put a lot of pressure on it. But (on the last run), I just kept coming. I just had to go for it.”

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