Pirates Football Wins At Boulder City, 30-7

By DAVE BELCHER

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley High School Football team travelled to Boulder City in a game that would decide who would own first place in the 3A Sunrise. Just a year ago, Boulder City team played an independent schedule because of dwindling numbers in their football program. But this year, Boulder City had a new artifical turf field, a new press box, concessions and restrooms on both side sof the field, and a team that is seeing success.

There was a repectable crowd there for the Eagles. Not a full house, but respectable. In the visitor’s bleaches, though, there was not an empty seat and Pirate fans spilled out along the fenceline too.

The Pirates kicked off at 7:00 pm. A few seconds after that Boulder City already trailed Moapa Valley 2-0. The kick off was caught and brought to the center of the field. It was handed off to the pivot man who would run down field flanked by two teammates in an effort to confuse the defense. No one would know who had the ball. But the pivot man dropped the ball as the Pirates got there. Both teams swatted at the ball trying to recover. But the ball kept moving back rolling and bouncing. It was finally pushed out the back of the end zone for a safety. A very unusual start for a game.

The Pirates would end up punting after their first series on offense. The Eagles then took the ball at their own 29. They were moving the ball down the field with Thorston Balmer finding holes punched by an offensive line firing off the ball. The Eagles worked the ball to the Moapa Valley 33 where they changed from running to passing. That killed the drive as the Pirate defense toughened up forcing a turnover on downs.

Moapa Valley was forced to punt after incomplete passes and a 6-yard run by Braeden St John. On the reception of the punt it was fumbled by the Eagles and recovered by the Pirates at the Eagle 33-yard line.
Derek Reese would score the first Pirate touchdown as he caught a Luke Bennett pass, broke a tackle then stepped out of the hands of a would-be tackler and into the endzone 36-yards later. Leo Rios kicked the point after for a 9-0 Pirate lead.

Boulder City would score their only touchdown midway through the second quarter when Deavin Lopez caught a slant route over the middle and out-ran everyone to the end zone. Kyle Whitenburg kicked the extra point to cut the Pirate lead to two. The Pirates led 9-7 at halftime.

The third quarter started with a bang. Bennett found Josh Cox open for a 21-yards touchdown pass reception. Rios’ kick was good for a 16-9 lead with 9:39 in the third quarter.
Next series it was Chase Hoy’s turn. He caught a pass over the middle, dodged a player and pushed the ball over the goal line.

Luke Bennett would score the final touchdown of the game when he ended a fourth quarter drive with a 2-yard keeper and Rios put the 30th point on the board.

Coby Longman had a great game punting as he kept the Eagles with long field in every possession including two punts which were downed inside the five yard line.

The Pirate defense played a great game holding the Eagles to just 107-yards rushing. The ground game is the Eagle’s strong suit. With that bottled up they were forced to the air where they were 14 – 27 for 132-yards.

The Pirate offense was not as efficient as they have been. However, they showed they could be explosive anytime as the third quarter proved.

Moapa Valley finished with just 274-yards of total offense but they scored when they needed.St John finished with 82-yards rushing on just 8 carries. Hayden Redd carried the ball 10 times for 71-yards. Reese had 2 receptions for 32-yards and a touchdown. Hoy had 2 receptions for 25-yards and a touchdown. Cox had 1 reception for 21-yards and a touchdown.

The Pirates will travel to Las Vegas again this week for a non-league game against the Clark Chargers.