Shasta High School Football

History is for books.

The 2008 Shasta High School football is bent on writing its own chapter and leaving its own legacy.

The second-seeded Wolves reached their first Northern Section title game in 20 years with a 41-19 win over No. 2 Lassen on Friday at Thompson Field.

"We've all heard the history about Shasta not being able to come up big in the big game," said Richard Stevenson, who had a monster game with a fumble-recovery touchdown. "We know the history. We want to write our future."

The Wolves penned another chapter in the 2008 annals with a 35-point second-half outburst that put away the Grizzlies and earned Shasta a trip to The Ridge at 7 p.m. Wednesday to take on top-seeded Paradise in the Division I section title game.

Shasta's offense sputtered in the first half as four starters sat and starting safety Stephen Somers watched in street clothes.

Somers was injured in an after-practice auto accident that led to stitches in his head and 24 minutes on the sidelines for his cohorts.

"It served as a wake-up call," coach Aaron Gingery said of Somers' injuries and the punishments.

The Wolves gave up a 66-yard touchdown burst to Darren Lee midway through the second quarter that put the Grizzlies up 7-6 at intermission.

But the Wolves, with their cadre of starters back, came out of the locker room and made up for lost time.

"These are an experienced bunch of guys," Gingery said. "I didn't need to yell at them. I drew up a couple of plays, but they did most of the talking."

Shasta held Lassen to a three-and-out before ripping off a three-play, 44-yard touchdown drive.

The Grizzlies would score on their next possession — an 11-play, 70-yard drive that chewed up nearly five minutes — to go up 13-12.

It would be the last time Lassen would see the lead.

The Wolves blitzed the Grizzlies for 21 points in roughly the same time as the final Lassen scoring drive.

Shasta used trickery with a Brooks Beaudette to Matt McCartin to Nick Preston double pass for a 44-yard strike to go up 20-13.

The Wolves then got a huge play from Jordan Tucker, who pounced on an 8-iron lob kickoff at the 20-yard line.

Evan Taylor carried the ball twice, scoring on a 4-yard run to lengthen Shasta's lead to 27-13.

After another Lassen three-and-out, the Wolves got the ball on their 33 and marched 67 yards in seven plays, capped by Taylor's untouched, 48-yard off-tackle scamper.

It gave Shasta a 34-13 lead just into the fourth quarter.

Taylor had 276 yards on 22 carries to move within 30 yards of Jim Tomasin's all-time Shasta rushing mark of 3,115.

With Lassen in a hurry-up offense, the Grizzlies were able to march down the field and looked primed to at least make it a game.

Lassen drove from its 28 to the Shasta 12 in six plays and were about to punch it in when quarterback Quinton Perry fumbled the snap.

Linebacker Richard Stevenson pounced on it for his second fumble recovery of the game and iced the Lassen threat.

Stevenson, a junior who said he wanted step up and take the leadership mantle in Somers' absence, also found the end zone for the Wolves' first touchdown.

"Stephen is our leader," Stevenson said. "Someone had to step into that role.

"I wanted to be that person."

In the first quarter, Taylor ran off-tackle from the 5, but fumbled at the 3.

Stevenson, also an offensive lineman, picked up the ball before twisting and turning into the end zone.

"You can just say 55 was at the right place at the right time," Stevenson said. "I knew once I picked up the ball, I was going to carry two or three people across the line if I had to."

The Wolves now must head to Paradise to exorcise the past — both distant and recent.

This season, Paradise handed Shasta one of its two losses — a 27-19 Oct. 31 loss in Paradise.

The Bobcats haven't lost to Shasta this century.

Compound that with Shasta's title berth drought and the Wolves have a chance to vanquish quite a few ghosts Wednesday.

"I've been here seven years," Gingery said. "We all know the history, but these guys are trying to leave their own mark.

"We expect them to rise to the occasion."