FIELDER’S CHOICES: On a roll with the small schools
Here I was all afraid I’d screw up most of the small-school picks last week.
And how did I do? 5-0, baby.
Yeah, I was off on the points in The Meadows-Needles game, but almost dead on in the Boulder City and Mountain View picks.
Maybe I should pick small-school games more often. Or maybe it was beginner’s luck.
Let’s try it again, and see if I can go 6-0 this week.
Fernley (7-3) at Moapa Valley (6-3)
Moapa had last week off while the rest of the 3A Southern League had to play at Virgin Valley.
The Pirates might not have looked like a state contender after their 1-3 start — which included a 28-27 loss at Fernley on Aug. 28 — but they’re 5-0 since and have only allowed 27 points in those games.
An extra week of rest certainly couldn’t have hurt.
The Vaqueros, who have the second-coolest nickname in the state (behind the Muckers ... nothing tops Muckers), can put up points. Try 171 in the last four games.
Bryce Baker is the guy to watch on Fernley. The Vaqueros’ quarterback has thrown for 15 touchdowns and run for 17 more.
Look for Fernley to try to air it out. And look for Moapa to deflate the Vaqueros. Moapa Valley by 6.
Boulder City (7-4) at Truckee (10-0)
I’m pretty sure Boulder City is the only team still in the postseason in any sport anywhere that went winless in its league.
And that ... is quite the accomplishment.
Unfortunately, the Eagles’ reward is a trip to Truckee ... and there are far better places to be on a Saturday in November.
Truckee is really, really good. Like outscore-your-opponents-176-0-in-the-last-three-games good. The Wolverines have allowed 52 points all season.
Sorry, Boulder City. As much as I’d like to see a team with a winless league record take state, I don’t see it happening. Truckee by 24.
Mountain View (9-2) at Battle Mountain (8-2)
Mountain View’s bus driver (also their football coach) has been almost everywhere in the state at one time or another. And he may see all of it again on the trip to Battle Mountain. There's just no easy way to get there from here.
Along the way, the Saints will see such beautiful tourist attractions as Austin and the road that leads to Round Mountain.
The Saints, themselves, are more concerned about Battle Mountain’s Mike Lake, who has rushed for 1,013 yards and 11 touchdowns and is the team’s second-leading tackler.
Cortland LeBoeuf has rushed for more than 1,500 yards, and quarterback T.J. Engel has done a fine job of guiding the offense.
I’m thinking upset here. Mountain View by 4.
Pershing County (7-3) at The Meadows (9-1)
If you’re thinking this matchup looks slightly familiar, you’re right. It’s last year’s state final, which The Meadows won.
Gone are The Meadows’ two heroes from that game — Pat Kenny graduated and Gerard Martinez went around the corner and down the street to Cimarron.
The Meadows hasn’t skipped a beat, though, relying on new standouts like Garrett Gosse.
Dylan Bloyed is back at quarterback for Pershing County, which has five wins by 39 or more points to its credit.
This has the makings of a shootout. And again, the Mustangs will win. And it will be The Meadows by 8.
Tonopah (6-4) at Coleville (10-0)
It’s not very often a football team gives up more than 100 points in a game in one season and scores 100 or more in a game the next season.
Welcome to Coleville, where the scoreboard has four digits ... just in case.
The Wolves have scored 774 points in 10 games this season, including 108 against Mineral County three weeks ago.
Quarterback Jason Peters has thrown for 36 touchdowns and rushed for 19 more. Scary.
Tonopah rebounded after an awful start to the season, but Denver Otteson and the Muckers might be overmatched here. Coleville by 22.
Eureka (9-0) at Pahranagat Valley (8-0)
Speaking of offense ... Eureka has racked up 400 points this year and is far and away the lower-scoring team in this game.
The Panthers average more than 53 points per game, and in their last five, have outscored opponents 320-32.
Cody Hosier is efficient at quarterback, and the Panthers have a handful of rushers who know how to find the end zone.
The Vandals can run the ball down a team’s throat with Edgar Bircham, Justin Moyle and Dylan Allen combining for 1,693 yards and 30 touchdowns. Allen has also tossed 17 scoring passes.
A Pahranagat-Coleville rematch might lead to 300 points in a state title game. And that’s way too appealing to pass up. Pahranagat Valley by 20.
