By DAVE BELCHER
Moapa Valley Progress
After nine months of anticipation, the Moapa Valley High School Varsity Football team finally got back on the playing field on Friday night. They travelled to Cedar City, Utah where they battled the Falcons of Canyon View coming away with a 41-14 victory.
The two teams played to a packed house, even after the prior week when the Falcons were blown away by Beaver, 60-7, on that very field.
It took just over two minutes for the Pirates to score their first touchdown of the season. Hayden Redd finished a run-powered drive with a 12 yard touchdown. It was a drive that saw Falcons left on the ground grasping hand fulls of grass. Pirate runningbacks powered through, around and over their opponents.
The drive was also helped by a couple of Canyon View penalties including a personal foul.
Canyon View would find the endzone on their first drive of the game as well. The Pirates defense struggled with coverage. With the help of two offsides calls, the Falcons capitalized. Finally, Tyler Maine caught a fade pass from 14 yards away. Following the extra point the game was tied 7-7.
The Moapa team would score its second touchdown with less than a minute left in the second quarter The Pirates drove to the one yardline. There quarterback Cameron Reese kept the ball for the touchdown. After Justin Proffitt’s extra point the Pirates held a 14-7 lead.
The next drive Canyon View would connect on a 32 yard pass. But a Falcon penalty, and then a fumble, gave the Pirates the ball inside Falcon territory. Moapa Valley failed to score on fourth and one turning the ball over on downs.
On their next possession, t he Falcons fumbled again; just a play after an uncovered Falcon receiver was tackled at the Pirate 31 yardline.
The Pirates moved the ball down field. With the help of a hit to the head call, the Pirates’ Russell Bodily scored on a four yard run. WIth the extra point the Pirates held a 21-7 lead headed into halftime.
The Pirates came out of the locker room fired up to start the third quarter. They were hitting and out-playing the Falcons like a titlewave.
A big hit by Steele Skinner to the quarterback causing him to drop the ball. Thomas Bellavance picked up the ball and ran 46 yards for the touchdown and a 28-7 lead.
The Pirate defense pounded the Falcons mercilessly during the third quarter as Will Uri, Steele Skinner and the D-line found themselves at the quarterback pressuring him throughout. Uri’s speed around the end leveled the quarterback on back-to-back plays.
The second hit forced another fumble that Moapa Valley scooped up and returned for another apparent touchdown.
But is was called back by the official saying that the quarterback was throwing the ball. There is one thing that is known when playing in Utah: before you step off the bus you are already down a touchdown. This was the call that reaffirmed that belief.
The Pirates scored again this time when Reese hit Dalley for a 54 yard touchdown with 7:42 to play in the third quarter. Moapa Valley led 35-7.
The next series saw the Falcons get two chances at third down as the Officials forgot what down they were on. This gave the Falcons an extra chance to convert.
The Falcons scored one more time when Quinn Johnson ran three yards for a touchdown with 3:24 to play in the game.
Moapa Valley would get their final score with 42 seconds remaining in the game. Redd scored his second touchdown of the game, also from three yards away.
Bodily finished with 109 yards rushing, scoring one touchdown. Redd finished with 82 yards and two touchdowns.
Canyon View finished with five fumbles forced by a hard hitting Pirate defense.
“The offensive line dominated up front which opened the holes allowing us to move the ball,” said MVHS Head Coach Brent Lewis.
“But what a third quarter by the defense!” Lewis said with a smile. “This was a great win to start the season”
This week the Pirates will host their first home game as they play the Coronado Cougars. Thursday are the Freshman and JV games starting at 4 and 6:30 pm. The Varsity game will be at 7 pm on Friday night.
