It was the kind of night you can't afford to have in the post-season...which meant the end of the season for the Phoenix High School football team.

After winning four straight games to claim a share of the Skyline Conference title and their Class 4A play-in game, the Pirates (who finished the year 7-3) saw their season come to an abrupt end in a 25-15 loss to visiting La Grande in the first round of the OSAA playoffs on Friday night at Jack Woodward Stadium.

PHS had turned the ball over only five times and averaged 48 points per game in the previous five weeks. Friday night, the Pirates suffered five turnovers in one game, thwarting various drives in the process. La Grande led 14-0 before Phoenix got on the board when Mikey Walker hit paydirt from four yards out in the second quarter. After a scoreless third quarter, Phoenix appeared poised to make a run and advance to the state quarterfinals. Instead, the visiting Tigers (8-2) took advantage of miscues and made the plays it needed to move on and face Marshfield this week.

Javan Gail threw for 280 yards and Chase Courtney hauled in 158 receiving yards in what would be the final football game at PHS for both. Dalton Samis caught a 21-yard scoring pass from Gail in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 25-15 but the Pirates were unable to get any closer.