By BOB SNELL
The Progress
Clinging to a two-point lead entering the fourth quarter, Virgin Valley needed something to stop the momentum that had clearly shifted to Moapa Valley’s side.
The Lady Bulldogs got the response they needed as they marched 60 yards in nine plays to score a much-needed touchdown and wrest back control of the momentum.
Virgin Valley, now 20-2 overall, would later add an insurance score as the Lady Bulldogs defeated rival Moapa Valley, 27-12, in a 3A state semifinal contest on Thursday night, Feb. 15 inside Evan Wilson Stadium.
The result will send the two-time defending state champions back to the title game against Boulder City on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 4:30 p.m. at Wilson Stadium.
The Lady Eagles defeated Mater Academy East, 32-0, in last Tuesday’s other 3A semifinal contest.
“We knew this would be a war tonight,” VVHS head coach Joey Bowler said. “It’s tough to beat anyone three times, let alone a good team like Moapa. We knew we would get their best shot.”
As a result, the Lady Bulldogs’ goal of achieving a three-peat is alive and well.
“We said at the first of the year, we wanted to be in a position for a three-peat and here we are,” Bowler said. “It won’t be easy. Boulder is a good team and we’ve got to play well.”
The two teams met three weeks ago in Boulder City with Virgin Valley coming out on top 18-0. The Lady Bulldogs scored two touchdowns late in the game to finally pull away.
On Thursday night, it appeared that Virgin Valley’s season might be slowly slipping away after Moapa Valley scored on its first two possessions of the second half to cut a 14-0 halftime deficit to 14-12 after three quarters of play.
The Lady Bulldogs needed a response on their next possession.
“Coach (Robert) Nelson told the offense that we had to score,” Bowler said. “We had some girls step up and make some big plays on that drive.”
Sophomore quarterback Davie Slack, who generated 202 yards of offense through the air and on the ground, led Virgin Valley down the field, scrambling for 26 yards on two carries and completing a key 16-yard pass to Nataly Martinez, who made a diving catch.
On fourth down, Slack rolled right and threaded a pass to Martinez in the end zone who made the catch between two defenders for the score.
“Nataly made some great catches tonight,” Bowler said. Martinez had four catches on the night for 44 yards.
Slack, who completed 15 of 19 passes for 138 yards, completed the conversion pass to Ari Easton to put Virgin Valley up 21-12 with 9:05 to play.
After holding the Lady Pirates on downs on their possession, the Lady Bulldogs put the game away with a 34-yard, three-play scoring drive. Slack ran for nine yards, completed a 12-yard pass to Linda Kioa and then found Martinez in the end zone for a 13-yard TD pass. The score put Virgin Valley safely in front 27-12 with 3:30 remaining.
Trailing 14-0 at halftime, the Lady Pirates got back in the game with two scoring drives in the third quarter.
Quarterback Kyndall Longman completed a 26-yard pass to Layla Moncrief and followed with completions of 10 yards to Raegan Stankosky and 10 yards to Alexa Nuckles to put Moapa Valley on the Virgin Valley five-yard line. On fourth down, Longman connected with Ashlyn Drosos for a touchdown to cut the margin to 14-6.
After forcing Virgin Valley to punt, the Lady Pirates were on the move again on their next possession.
Moapa Valley went 60 yards in nine plays to score on Longman’s 19-yard pass to Nuckles, who avoided a tackle at the 10-yard line and sprinted into the end zone on the final play of the quarter. The try for two failed, leaving Virgin Valley up 14-12.
The Lady Pirates threatened early in the game when Moncrief picked off a pass on the third play of the game.
A 22-yard pass from Longman to Stankosky moved Moapa Valley to the VVHS 14-yard line, but the Lady Bulldogs held and took over on downs.
Virgin Valley then drove down the field to score on Slack’s three-yard pass to Julitsa Silveyra. Slack found Kioa for the two-point conversion putting the Lady Bulldogs up 8-0.
After Easton picked off a Moapa Valley pass, the Lady Bulldogs went 28 yards in five plays to score on a seven-yard run by Slack to give Virgin Valley a 14-0 lead with 12:55 to play in the first half.
