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March 28, 2024 8:22 am
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Tigers Maul Pirates in Hurricane


MVHS 7
Hurricane 28

By Dave Belcher
Moapa Valley Progress

When you follow a hungry Tiger into its cage, there is a good chance you’ll get mauled.

The Hurricane Tigers are very hungry this year. Hungry for that elusive Utah State Title.

The Tigers have never won a State Football Title and if they are ever going to win it I would have to say it would be this year.

When the 30 MVHS Pirates stepped through the cage gate in Hurricane, Utah on Friday night they looked like a mere morsel to the 86 Tigers standing behind the end zone licking their chops.

This was a matchup between the two 2009 state runner-ups from in Nevada and Utah. It promised good quality football, I hoped.

The Pirates gave everything they had in this young season. Moapa received the opening kick off at the 20 yard line. That’s where they took the ball after every Tiger kick off that night due to the strong leg of Corey Edwards.

The Pirates gave the ball to Hurricane when Brandon Johnson tried to run instead of punting on the first series for the Pirates at their 41 yard line. He was met by three Tigers who dropped him for a four yard loss at the 37.

Jarom Healy the 5’10” 190 lb. running back of Hurricane had three carries to the Moapa 16. After a 14 yard pass completion Robert Reeve, Healey finished from two yards and the score.

But the Pirates didn’t back down as they would run with Solomon for 1 or 2 yards then hit Haden Cooper first for 13 yards then a couple more for 21 yards each. Hurricane helped with an off sides call then a Pass interference call at the 14.

From the seven yard line Kelan Weiss (QB) hit Casen Lewis for the score and the tie (after the P.A.T.) at 7-7.

But it was short lived…very short lived.

Healy took the kickoff and scampered to the endzone for the second Tiger score 14-7.

The Pirates started the second quarter with a false start, Weiss was sacked for a loss of 7 yards. Then a punt which Hurricane fumbled and recovered.

Two plays later Reeve went 41 yards for the score and a 21-7 lead. The Pirates punted again and on the first play of that Tiger series Daniel Nielson the 6’3” 305 pound D-tackle pulled down the line to take on D-end Will Belcher 5’9” 150 lbs. Will’s determination in not getting his clock cleaned forced number 70 to pull Will to the ground and received a yellow hanky for his effort. This kind of effort was given by all the lineman, offence and defense, as the Tigers were much bigger than Moapa.

Lane Stringham then broke loose and sacked QB Adam Long. However, Hurricane scored again when Healey finished the 68 yard 11 play drive with a 10 yard run to the goal.

Moapa’s next possession ended when a pass to Cooper was incomplete and the ball went over on downs.

Hurricanes next possession saw Parker Chappell come up with a sack then Belcher picked up a fumble and was thinking of taking it to the house. But he forgot his foot which was in the paw of a Tiger. His thought collapsed with him at the 47 yard line with 33 seconds left in the half.

Two incomplete passes, a seven yard Weiss keep to the 39 and it was fourth and three. A pass to Dakota Waters was incomplete and the ball went to the Tigers on downs.

Hurricane knelt on the ball as the final seconds ran off the clock and the half ended 28-7 Tigers.

The second half went quick. Healey scored from 16 yards again in the third quarter as well as Trann Smith who caught the final TD from 10 yards.

The running clock rule took effect and ran the rest of the game to bring the final score to 42-7 Hurricane.

When the gate was closed again, the Pirates were on the other side. Battered and bruised, but stronger for the experience. The positive thing was no turnovers by interception or putting the ball on the ground.

Next week the Pirates will travel to Kanab Utah. The Cowboys are 1-2 with losses to Virgin Valley 16-0 and to San Juan 28-0. They beat North Sevier last Friday 41-19 for their first win.

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