Knowing they were facing a ranked team in their playoff opener seemed to keep the Santiam Christian High football team focused throughout the week.

That and many of the players had gone through tough first-round exits the past two seasons.

Whatever the reason, the Eagles played one of their best games of the season on Friday night and the result was an impressive 40-6 victory over Sheridan in the first round of the OSAA 3A playoffs at Corvallis High.

"Every team we practice super hard for, and we didn't want this to be our last week of practice," senior AJ Mason said. "For us seniors, we wanted to break that streak, to get over the first round and get to the next round."

That the fourth-ranked Eagles won wasn't necessarily a surprise, but the way they did may have opened some eyes.

The Eagles (10-1) put on a solid performance on both sides of the ball to knock off the No. 9 Spartans (6-4).

Quarterback Brian Kessi passed for 296 yards and two touchdowns for the Eagles. He completed passes to six different receivers.

The ground game was also solid as the Eagles combined to rush for 183 yards, led by Matt Scruggs' 71 yards.

"It was a pretty good balance," SC coach Dave Lange said. "If you are going to be a legit playoff team you have to have that balance. We have worked hard as the season has progressed to get to that."

The Eagles scored on their opening possession as Scruggs capped a seven-play drive with a 7-yard run.

SC squandered a scoring chance later in the first quarter, but Jeff Hendrix intercepted a Sheridan pass and returned it 33 yards for a 14-0 lead.

After the SC defense forced a three-and-out, Kessi teamed up with Hendrix, who caught the ball in stride at the 40 and went the distance for a 65-yard touchdown that made it 21-0 just 23 seconds into the second quarter.

A good kickoff return gave Sheridan life at the 43 and quarterback Brock Ingram hit four straight passes, the last going 18 yards to Tre Hale-Edmerson for a score to make it 21-6.

But Scruggs went up the middle, then down the right sideline for a 50-yard score to make it 28-6 with 8:23 left in the half.

The Eagles threw for 160 yards in the first half and rushed for 154 more to outgain the Spartans 314-89.

SC kept the pressure on to start the third quarter and a bad snap on a punt gave the Eagles the ball at the Sheridan 1. Tyler Studer scored and it was 34-6.

The Eagles went 99 yards in four plays on their next drive as Kessi connected with Amos Boshart on a 57-yard completion before the two teamed up again on a 31-yard toss for a score.

"We thought it would be a closer game, you know, but we kept playing hard and executed plays and that's how it went," Mason said.

As impressive as the offense was, it was the defense that shut down a team that entered averaging 31.5 points a game.

Lange credited the front four for pressuring the Spartans all game.

The Eagles had five plays of 30 or more yards while Sheridan managed only one drive of more than 30 yards.

"Those are a real momentum changer and you hope you're on the right end of those," Lange said.

The Eagles will be home again next week when they welcome Rainier, a 62-6 winner over Glide on Friday.

SC won 3-0 at Rainier (9-2) in the second game of the season.

Santiam Christian 40, Sheridan 6

SHERIDAN 0 6 0 0 - 6

SANTIAM CHRISTIAN 14 14 12 0 - 40

First quarter

SC: Scruggs 7 run (Read kick), 8:26

SC: Hendrix 33 interception return (Read kick), 1:09

Second quarter

SC: Hendrix 65 pass from Kessi (Read kick), 11:37

SHS: Hale-Edmerson 18 pass from Ingram (kick failed), 9:42

SC: Scruggs 50 run (Read kick), 8:23

Third quarter

SC; Studer 1 run (kick blocked), 10:31

SC: Boshart 31 pass from Kessi (run failed), 6:22

RUSHING: SHS - Mitchell 5-16, Bradford 3-9, Ingram 10-1, Von Euen 1-1, Whelchel 1-8, Hale-Edmerson 1-(minus-6), Langley 1-(minus-12). SC - Scruggs 6-71, Alire 2-28, Mason 3-45, Hendrix 4-21, Studer 4-17, Kessi 2-0, Pelle 1-6, Read 2-3, Schaffner 3-(minus-7), Hovelsrud 1-3, Team 3-(minus-4)

PASSING: SHS - Ingram 15-29-2 129. SC - Kessi 15-29-1 296

RECEIVING: SHS - Hale-Edmerson 4-42, Bradford 5-33, Mitchell 3-30, Denton 2-8, Ludwig 1-16. SC - Mason 5-40, Hendrix 2-77, Read 3-44, Scruggs 2-29, Boshart 2-88, Pelle 1-18