By DAVE BELCHER
The Progress
Rawlinz Porter was held atop the shoulders of his Pirate team mates at midfield after the come-from-behind win for the Pirates on Sept. 1. In his right hand was the trophy presented for winning the Thursday Night Lights game at Boulder City. His left hand was clenched in the air as he was bounced while shouting with the team in celebration.
Standing behind was head MVHS head coach Brent Lewis watching with a smile. His team had just avoided an upset by the Boulder City Eagles with a razor close final score of 26-22.
“We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot,” Lewis said of the team’s early struggles in the game. “This young team fought hard coming away with the win. We’re learning.”
“I take my hat off to Boulder City!” Lewis added. “They fought and played hard! They are a good team.”
Penalties, a couple of turnovers and miscues slowed the Pirates down in the game. In addition, the Boulder City squad is coming in stronger this year.
Boulder City was playing their first home game in front of a student body in a white out. A television crew was broadcasting the game in front of representatives from the Las Vegas Raiders. It had all the atmosphere of a playoff game.
It was bedlam when the Eagles scored the first touchdown of the game. Bruce Woodbury took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a 6-0 lead with 11:42 to play in the first quarter. Woodbury ran through the Pirate special teams untouched.
The Pirates scored on their first possession when quarterback Cyres Katich found Joe Whitmore open on a post route to tie the score at 6-6. Shandon Matheson ran a fake point-after kick into the endzone giving the Pirates an 8-6 lead.
On Boulder City’s next possession, the Eagles capitalized on a coverage breakdown and scored on a 76 yard bomb to win back the lead. They made the two point conversion for a 14-8 lead late in the first quarter.
The Eagles would increase their lead in the second quarter with an 8-yard run up the middle. They scored the two point conversion from the swinging gate formation with the center snapping the ball to the fullback who ran into the endzone. The Eagles had a 22-8 lead which lasted until the second half.
Moapa Valley’s second possession of the second half resulted in a Pirate 17 yard touchdown reception from Katich to Degan Jones. It was set up by a well executed double pass from Jayden Bunker to Whitmore which took the Pirates inside the Eagle 20 yard line. The Pirate two-point conversion was incomplete leaving a 14-22 Eagle lead.
Late in the half, with just over two minutes to play in the game, Degan Jones took the hand off around the left side for 53 yards to the Eagle 22 yard line. Ethan Stankoski finished the drive with an 11 yard run up the middle with 1:02 to play giving the Pirates a 26-22 lead. That would end up being the final score after a failed two-point conversion attempt by the Pirates.
Katich finished with 108 yards passing on 9-17.
Stankoski led the Pirates with 67 yards running on 7 carries and a touchdown.
Landon Wrzesinski had 64 yards on 18 carries while Jones finished with 58 yards on 3 carries.
Jones caught 5 passes for a total of 75 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Pirates finished with 318 total yards in the game.
Boulder City was led by quarterback Jacob Bryant who was 4-8 for 92 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception.
Hunter Moore ran the ball 12 times for 62 yards.
The Eagles finished with 217 total yards of offense.
The Pirates are now 3-0 while the Eagles drop to 1-1.
The Pirates will travel to Eldorado High School to play SLAM on Friday evening, Sept. 9 at 7 pm.
SLAM was beaten, 41-22, on the road by American Leadership Academy from Gilbert, Arizona last Friday night. They are now 1-2. SLAM loves to run the ball as they are averaging 243 yards a game on the ground. They also have a good passing game averaging 178 yards.
Their quarterback Donnell Colbert is 15-26 for 308 yards passing with 3 touchdowns. He has also thrown 2 interceptions. He can run well as he h as scored 3 touchdowns on the ground while running for 138 yards.
