CULVER — The Culver Bulldogs left no doubt Friday night in La Pine, rolling to a dominant 46-0 victory to remain unbeaten at 6-0 on the season and record their fifth shutout in as many convincing performances.
Senior Noah Cory was the story of the night — and increasingly, the story of the entire season. The two-sport standout scored three rushing touchdowns on runs of 15, 27, and 38 yards, then flipped the script on defense by snagging two interceptions from his linebacker position. It's the kind of performance that's becoming routine for Cory, who combines a wrestling champion's toughness with track-speed closing ability.
"We knew that we were the more physical team," Cory said after the game. "And I think we are the best team in the state."
Fellow senior Kapp Novelli matched Cory's offensive output with three touchdowns of his own, giving the Bulldogs a two-headed rushing attack that opposing defenses simply haven't found an answer to.
Defense Tightening the Screws
La Pine came in riding a three-game winning streak, averaging 37.3 points per game in that stretch. The Bulldogs' defense made that stat irrelevant almost immediately.
Culver has now held opposing offenses scoreless in five of six games this season. Opponents are averaging just 2.3 points per game — a remarkable figure in nine-man football, where scoring tends to run high. The only points Culver has surrendered all year came on a kickoff return touchdown and a defensive score against Lost River last week, meaning no opposing offense has found the end zone against the Bulldogs all season.
"Our defense is playing tremendous right now," said head coach Brian Silbernagel. "We are in the right spots at the right times, we've had good weeks of game preparation and we have gone out and executed it. It is that simple."
A Versatile Weapon
Cory's value to the Bulldogs goes beyond any single stat line. Coach Silbernagel regularly deploys him in matchup situations on both sides of the ball, trusting him in one-on-one situations against opposing teams' best athletes.
"A lot of weeks we match him up with our opponent's best players and tell him to go one-on-one," Silbernagel said. "And no one gets the better of him. He's a tremendous football player."
An all-state honoree last season, Cory is making an early case to repeat that recognition in his senior year.
What Comes Next
Culver (6-0, 2-0 in 2A Special District 5) has built itself into one of the most dominant nine-man programs in the state heading into the second half of the regular season. With a perfect record and five shutouts in six games, the Bulldogs are well-positioned for a deep postseason run when the playoffs arrive in November.
La Pine falls to 4-2 overall, 1-1 in district play.
"They are exciting to watch," Silbernagel said of his backfield tandem. "Both those guys are capable of taking the ball to the house on any play. They are tremendous."
Culver's next game is scheduled for Friday. Check the school's athletics page or OSAA.org for updated schedules.