Silverton (Oregon) star Jackson Pfeifer cherishing every moment of senior year after two years of injury: ‘Nothing for granted’

By Dan Brood 

Every game.

Every practice.

Every play.

Every single moment.

Jackson Pfeifer isn’t about to take any of it for granted. In fact, he’s extremely motivated, and extremely determined, to make the very most of every single second of his senior football season.

That makes sense. After all, the Silverton (Ore.) senior had most of his sophomore and junior football seasons taken away from him.

That said, he’s become nearly an unstoppable force, and quite a touchdown-scoring machine, in his senior campaign — a senior season that is very special to the power runner with a friendly smile.

“It means a lot, because it’s my last year. No regrets,” Pfeifer said following the Foxes’ practice at the school Monday. “I need to make up for the last two years.”

“He’s a kid that is making up for lost time,” first-year Silverton coach Dan Lever said. “He came up as a sophomore and had a bright future, and they were excited about him last year. And he had both seasons cut short early by injury. 

“But, boy, is he sure making up for lost time. He’s done everything for us but kick an extra point.” 

While Lever added that there are no plans to let Pfeifer try a point-after-touchdown kick this season, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Pfeifer sounds like he’s ready to do whatever is asked of him — while reveling in every second of it. 

“Nope, nothing for granted,” Pfeifer, a running back and free safety for the Foxes, said with a smile. “I want to enjoy all of it.”

That’s because Pfeifer found out the hard way — more than once — just how precious every single moment on the football field can be.

Entering his sophomore season, the revised, shortened 2021 spring football season, Pfeifer was excited about possibly being part of the Silverton varsity football squad.

“Before my sophomore year, I worked really hard in the summer, trying to get a starting spot on defense, and I did,” he said. “That first game, going into West Salem (on March 6), I broke it (his left ankle).”

He still didn’t completely give up on that season.

“I tried to come back, but there was just no time with the short season,” he said.

Instead, Pfeifer started getting ready for his junior campaign on the gridiron.

Pfeifer got off to a strong start to the 2021 fall slate. In the Foxes’ second game of the season, when they played at eventual Class 6A state runner-up Tualatin, Pfeifer stepped up in a big way. He ran for 119 yards on 20 carries, scoring on a 39-yard run. He had a 42-yard touchdown on a pass play, helping spark a second-half Silverton rally, which fell just short in a 35-28 loss to the Timberwolves. 

On the other sideline that night was Lever, who then was Tualatin’s head coach.

“Oh yeah, I remember him in that game,” Lever said. “He ripped off a really big run and had a really big catch against us. Both of those stung.”

It sure looked like Pfeifer was on his way to a big junior season. But that would change, starting the following week — thanks, or no thanks, to that darn left ankle.

“That game (at home against South Albany on Sept. 17), I don’t really know what happened. I kind of spun weird and landed on it, and broke my left ankle again,” Pfeifer said. “I got an X-ray, and I didn’t need surgery or anything.”

Pfeifer returned to action five weeks later, when Silverton played host to West Albany in a key Mid-Willamette Conference contest.

“It was good. I played defense only against West here (a 28-21 win Oct. 22),” Pfeifer said. “Then, against Lebanon (on Oct. 29), it was Senior Night for my buddies, I broke it again. A guy landed on my heel, and it just broke again.”

This time, there was no coming back.

“I went and got an MRI, and I needed surgery, and I was out the rest of the season,” Pfeifer said.

While Pfeifer’s junior season had come to an end, there was no stopping the Foxes.

Led by senior quarterback Jordan McCarty and senior receivers Austin Ratliff and Vandon Fessler, among others, Silverton won the Class 5A state championship, topping Thurston 26-20 in the title tilt at Hillsboro Stadium.

“It was really fun, watching that,” Pfeifer said. “Obviously, it was sad not being out there, but we had a great team.”

A great team that Pfeifer, as an observer during the postseason run, learned from.

“It was probably one of the best teams I’ve ever played on. Just good guys, and a great environment,” he said. “Jordan, Austin, Vandon, Orie (Schaffers), Sam (Willis) — all of those guys were just great leaders. That was definitely motivation. Those guys showed me what I needed to step up to. I still talk to those guys.”

While Pfeifer didn’t get to play in the state championship football game, he did have some title-winning success during his junior year, helping the Silverton boys track and field team claim the Class 5A state crown in the spring, running a leg for the Foxes’ 4x100-meter relay team that sprinted to second place at the state meet.

But throughout it all, he was putting in a lot of work and effort, getting ready for his senior football season.

“It was a lot. A lot of PT (physical therapy). I wanted to get back as quick as I could,” Pfeifer said. “When I was back, I was throwing as much as I could with Jordan and Austin before they left for college, trying to get ready for the season.”

Silverton had a lot of questions, besides Pfeifer’s left ankle, entering the 2022 season. The Foxes graduated 25 seniors from the title team, and, of course, they had a new head coach in Lever. But Pfeifer wasn’t worried — in fact, it was just the opposite.

“I knew Coach Lever was going to be a good coach, and I liked the guys he brought on,” Pfeifer said. “As a team, we all just clicked really well.” 

Silverton opened the season Sept. 2 when it traveled to Dallas for a Mid-Willamette Conference game. It would be Pfeifer’s first football game in more than 10 months, and his first on his repaired left ankle.

“I was nervous, but I was also super excited,” Pfeifer said. “It went really well.”

That might be an understatement.

For the game, a 40-29 Silverton victory, Pfeifer carried the ball seven times for 53 yards and two touchdowns, he had two catches for 35 yards and a touchdown, he returned a kickoff 94 yards for a score, he had two interceptions, returning one 40 yards for a touchdown, and he forced a fumble.

“That made me feel really good, knowing that I’m back where I should be, after kind of missing out last year,” Pfeifer said.

He seemingly hasn’t slowed down since.

In a 40-35 conference win at Central on Sept. 16, Pfeifer ran for 260 yards on 34 carries, scoring six rushing touchdowns, and he had an interception on defense.

“That was a tough game, on both sides of the ball,” Pfeifer said. “Every run, it was a grind. It was tough. The offensive line really blocked great that game.”

Pfeifer has helped the team start 6-1, including a 6-0 record in Mid-Willamette play, with the Foxes’ only loss coming in a road game against California power Oak Ridge.

“The coaching has really been pushing us. We know that we’re young, so we have to step up. A lot of our defense and offense is guys stepping up this year, because we had 25 seniors last year,” Pfeifer said.

“It’s been really fun. I like all the guys, not just on the field. We hang out and stuff. That California trip really brought us together.”

Pfeifer certainly has seemed to do his share in the Foxes’ strong start to the season.

In the team’s six victories, Pfeifer has rushed for 655 yards and 15 touchdowns on 94 carries. He has 11 catches for 197 yards and three more touchdowns. He’s thrown a 13-yard scoring pass. He has a kickoff return for a touchdown, a punt return for a touchdown and five interceptions, one of which he returned for a score.

That gives Pfeifer 21 touchdowns scored and one touchdown pass.

“I basically missed two years, so I want to make up for it,” he said. “I want to have my best year.”

“He is a slasher. When he gets to that seam, he’s really got some gears he can grab,” Lever said. “He’s kind of our home run threat, and he’s definitely done that for us time and time again. He’s a physical runner, and he’s a difference maker.”

And to listen to Lever, there’s even more to Pfeifer than the incredible success he’s had on the field his senior season. 

“He’s a great kid, a great teammate,” Lever said. “He’s just somebody you really root for, and you’re happy that he’s having success. He’s a very humble kid. And he’s just a pleasure to coach. It’s easy to coach the Jackson Pfeifers of the world.” 

As for the future, Pfeifer is hoping to get the chance to play college football.

“I want to play somewhere,” he said. “My dad (Bryan Pfeifer) played at (Portland State University). It would be fun to follow in his footsteps. I went on a visit to Central Washington (University, located in Ellensburg, Wash.) this past weekend. I was up there last month, too. It’s beautiful there.”

But before thinking about college football, Pfeifer has his senior season to finish at Silverton. The Foxes will be back in action in the competitive Mid-Willamette Conference on Friday, when they play host to West Albany in a conference game.

“It’s one step at a time. Right now, we’re just looking to beat West. That’s going to be a tough one,” Pfeifer said.

Silverton likely has some high goals for the rest of the season, as the Foxes are in the No. 5 spot in the latest SBLive Oregon Class 5A media poll.

“We want to make a good playoff run, but we’re just taking it one step at a time,” Pfeifer said.

You can’t blame him for not wanting to look too far ahead. After all, Jackson Pfeifer wants to enjoy, and treasure, each and every moment of his senior high school football season.