Bulldogs Win State In Overtime

By BOB SNELL & VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

Things looked bleak for Virgin Valley in the fourth quarter of the 3A state flag football championship game on Friday, Feb. 17. Trailing rival Moapa Valley 20-0, it appeared the Lady Bulldogs’ reign as state champs was over.

But the Lady Bulldogs staged an amazing comeback to tie the game in the closing seconds and then win it in overtime, 26-20, to re-capture the NIAA 3A state title at the Las Vegas Raiders headquarters in Henderson.

The win capped an 18-1 season overall for Virgin Valley as it successfully defended the state title it won a year ago while going a perfect 20-0.

“That was more than amazing,” VVHS head coach Joey Bowler said. “Our girls just kept playing and fighting and didn’t give up. It’s a phenomenal feeling to win back-to-back state championships.”

The Pirates started with the upper hand as quarterback Kyndal Longman finished the Pirates second possession with a 1 yard run into the end zone for the first score. Longman threw to Layla Moncrief in the end zone for the one point conversion, the ball was tipped which Moncrief caught for the 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Virgin Valley had their problems in the first half as they dropped several passes helping the Pirate defense.

Moapa Valley scored its next touchdown early in the second quarter when Longman found Alexa Nuckles deep for a 63 yard touchdown pass. Paige Fairchild caught the extra point for a Moapa Valley 14-0 lead.

The Pirates would score their third touchdown after Longman was injured and sitting out for a time. Eliana Holland came in as quarterback for the Pirates and threw a 24 yard touchdown pass to Fairchild as time ran out in the first half. The extra point was incomplete as the Pirates held a 20-0 lead at halftime.

“We didn’t have the greatest first half,” Bowler said. “It’s hard to beat a good team three times in a season. Moapa had a good game plan for us. They have some good coaches.”
“We told the girls at halftime to keep playing and that they were still in it,” Bowler added. “Our seniors also did a good job of rallying the girls.”

The third quarter saw no one score as both teams struggled to move the ball. Longman came back to throw two interceptions while the Bulldogs also struggled throwing an interception as well.

It was in the fourth quarter that the Bulldogs dug deep and turned the game around.
VVHS senior Aracely Lopez, who rushed for 126 yards on 21 carries, scored on a six-yard run and caught the conversion pass from quarterback Gabby Potter to cut the deficit to 20-7 with a little over 10 minutes remaining.

Virgin Valley got the ball back minutes later when Gentree Draney picked off a Moapa Valley pass.
“That interception was huge,” Bowler said. “Our defense did a great job in shutting them down in the second half.”

The Lady Bulldogs cashed in on the turnover with Potter tossing a two-yard touchdown pass to Kaeli Moore and then connecting with Linita Kioa for the conversion to bring Virgin Valley within 20-14 with 4:20 to go.

After stopping the Lady Pirates on their next possession and forcing them to punt, Virgin Valley had one last chance.

They drove to the Moapa Valley five-yard line in the closing seconds. Potter found Kioa in the end zone for the tying touchdown with 13 seconds left on the clock. The conversion attempt failed, sending the game to overtime knotted at 20-all.

Virgin Valley went on offense first and scored on a five-yard halfback pass from Lopez to McKenzie Averett. The conversion attempt was no good.

The Lady Pirates had four downs to score, but the Virgin Valley defense broke up two passes in the end zone and blitzed on fourth down to force a hurried throw that fell incomplete.

Despite the loss, MVHS Head Coach Dave Belcher said he was pleased with his team’s performance. “I am so proud of the way my girls came out and played this game,” said Belcher. “We were huge underdogs going into this contest.”

Belcher added that his team had many opportunities to secure the win in this game. “Things just didn’t go our way in the end.,” he said “I’ve got to credit Virgin Valley for making the plays they needed to to come back and win when they had their opportunity in the fourth quarter.”

The Bulldogs fanbase erupted as the final few moments of the overtime period went by leaving Virgin Valley as the state championship team on Friday night. That celebration continued for the Lady Bulldogs even after the team arrived back in Mesquite.

As the bus exited I-15 at exit 120, there was an even bigger crowd of celebrants waiting to welcome the victors home. The players and coaches boarded a city fire truck for a triumphant ride down Mesquite Blvd. and Sandhill Blvd. with a police escort leading the way back to the school.
“It was an amazing feeling to ride on that fire truck!” Bowler said. “It’s something these girls will never forget.”