| MVHS | 19 |
| Lowry | 6 |
By Dave Belcher
Moapa Valley Progress
Do you think we can win this game against Lowry? How about that Billingsley kid? Can he be stopped?
Those questions were on everyone’s mind in the week leading up to Saturday’s semi-final game. After the close shave with the Bulldogs the week before, there were questions, concerns and a lot of worrying. And as word got out that Moapa starting quarterback Dakota Watters was hurt with a contusion in his leg, and would not play this week, even more apprehensions filled the minds of Pirate fans.
Lowry, on the other hand, was coming into this game as the team with the most powerful offense in the 3A. Jace Billingsley came with 2,251 yards rushing which led the whole state in any league. Billingsley averaged 204 yards a game. Lowry has scored more points than anyone in the 3A with 411 points.
But in this game, Billingsley would be held to 95 yards and the only Lowry touchdown, as the Pirates beat the Bucks 19-6.
Moapa started J.V. quarterback, Lance Hilton for the injured Watters because Lance had some playing time under his belt.
But it was MVHS Jr., Conner Mortensen, who stole the show with his 235 yards and two touchdowns including long runs; one of 57 yards and the other of 65 yards; that broke the back of the Buckaroos.
Lowry opened by driving the ball to the 11 yard line where the Pirate defense took their stand forcing a field goal attempt by Lowry. The 28 yard kick was off the mark and the Pirates took over at their own 20 yard line.
The first play of the game for the Pirates saw Hilton scramble out of the pocket and throw a rushed pass which was picked off. Lowry was given a second chance to score a game-opening touchdown starting from the Moapa 32.
Moapa’s defense held strong keeping the Bucks to 4th and 6 from the 26. This would be the first of many failed fourth down attempts for the Buckaroos.
It was a defensive battle throughout the first quarter which ended 0-0.
Midway in the 2nd quarter the Pirates received a punt at their 45 yard line to start their first scoring drive. A pass to Terrill to the Lowry 44 followed by a 4 yard run by Mortensen made it 2 and 6 from the forty.
Hilton then dropped back and ran to the Pirate side line with Lowry defenders in hot pursuit. He found Jake Rebman at the 15 for another Pirate 1st down.
Hilton ran a keeper to the seven. Then he found Jake Rebman again, this time in the end zone after scrambling for his life, for the first score of the game. Dillon Mortensen’s extra point try was no good and the Pirates had a lead of 6-0 with 3:27 in the first half.
Moapa wasn’t finished on offense, though. On the ensuing kickoff the Pirates caught the Bucks off guard as they kicked an onside kick and recovered at the Lowry 46.
Moapa took it to the 35. Then on 3rd and 4 from the 29 Dakota Gordon caught a pass and plowed his way to the 15.
With 21 seconds left in the half it was 4th and 15 from the 21 when Hilton lofted a pass to Shane Terrill at the back of the end zone for an apparent touchdown. But Terrill had been standing on the out bounds line so it was called incomplete turning a touchdown into Lowry ball and going the other way.
Lowry ran the clock out for Half time. The score was Moapa 6 Lowry 0.
The Pirates took the 2nd half kickoff and Mortensen was stopped at the Pirate 45. Mortensen took a handoff and busted up the middle where 65 yards later he found the end zone and put the Pirates up 12-0.
Dillon Mortensen kicked the extra point and increased the score to 13-0 with 9:48 to play in the 3rd quarter.
Jace Billingsley took the kick and eluded several Pirate tacklers. He seemed to have a head of steam but was brought down at the Pirate 46. Lowry feeling the pressure of being down two possessions was held on 3rd and 5 as a Michael Billingsley pass sailed over the head of his receiver.
Lowry decided to go for it on fourth and five with quarterback Michael Billingsley rolling right with the offensive line. However, a blitzing Kasen Hughes caught Billingsley from behind for a sack turning the ball over on downs back to the Pirates with 8:24 still in the 3rd.
Lowry’s next possession saw Jace Billingsley finally get loose from the Moapa 43 and stopped at the 17. The Pirate defense stepped up and caught Billingsley from behind for a two yard loss.
After a four yard Hernandez run to the 15 Lowry tried not once but twice to throw it. Both times the ball fell incomplete. The Moapa defense held on fourth down for the third straight time the last one they held on fourth and eight from the sixteen.
Moapa took over from the 15 with 3:56 and punted four plays later with 2:00 left in the 3rd on fourth and six from their 19.
Lowry got another chance from the Pirate 44 after the punt. The Buckaroos worked it to the 15 before Hernandez jumped early at the snap sending the ball back to the 20 as time ran out on the 3rd quarter.
When the game resumed Jace Billingsley ran untouched up the middle for Lowry’s first and only touchdown, cutting the Pirate lead to seven points when the point after sailed right of the uprights.
On the next carry Conner Mortensen ran up the middle, breaking through a couple of defenders, and into the end zone; 65 yards down taking the wind out of the Lowry sails. The extra point was no good and Moapa led 19-6 with 11:43 to play in the game.
Lowry mustered one more try from the Moapa 22 the result of Billingsley being tackled on the kick off. Lowry converted two 3rd downs. On the fourth they pitched the ball to Jace Billingsley for their first fourth down conversion of the day.
The second time on the drive Lowry wouldn’t be so successful. On 4th and 5 from the Pirate 23 Jace Billingsley found himself alone in the end zone. But the pass was under-thrown giving Austen Prisbry time to barely tip the ball away. It fell incomplete.
Moapa took over from their own 23 got help from a face mask call and a Mortensen 30 yard run from the Bucks 39 to set up a 1st and goal from the nine.
At 3rd and goal from the 4 a flag was thrown in the Pirate back field for holding, sending the ball back to the 13 yard line.
Mortensen took it to the 5. Then he took it again up the middle and got nowhere turning the ball back to Lowry.
Lowry hadn’t given up yet. On 2nd and 8 from their own 7 yard line Jace Billingsley found a wide open Duncan. He was left uncovered running down the middle of the field as the Pirate defense containing Jace. Thank goodness Duncan was slow, because the Pirates caught him at the 8 yard line after an 85 yard reception and run. The clock read 1:15 left in the game.
The Lowry excitement was short lived though because Michael Billingsley fumbled the ball at the one yard line where several Pirates were there to pounce on it. With 35 seconds left Moapa ran out the clock and won the right play their sixth consecutive state championship game.
The Buckaroos were 3 of 17 for 93 yards in passing. Most of that came on the one pass from Jace Billingsley to Duncan of 85 yards. Lowry had 279 yards of total offence, 186 of that was on the ground.
For the Pirates Conner Mortensen rushed for 235 yards and two touchdowns. As a team the Pirate rushed for 273 total yards.
Lance Hilton was 7 of 10 in passing for 79 yards and an interception.
Receiving Terrill had 3 catches for 20 yards. Jake Rebman had 2 catches for 32 yards and a touchdown. Moapa had 352 total yards offense.
The Pirates will travel to Reno next week for the championship game to play the Wolverines of Truckee for the fourth time in a row. The game is at Damonte Ranch High School and will be the third game of the championship triple header. The game is scheduled to start at 6:00 pm.
