ROUNDUP: Thibodeaux rushes Muckers into 1A state title game

Scott Thibodeaux ran for seven touchdowns and threw for two more to lead Tonopah to a 71-30 Class 1A state semifinal win at Carlin on Saturday.

By winning the rematch of last year’s state title game, the Muckers (8-3) advanced to face Pahranagat Valley (11-0) in the championship at noon Saturday at Arbor View.

Thibodeaux’s seven rushing touchdowns all came in the first half. He carried 17 times for 268 yards and was 9 of 18 passing for 170 yards.

Carlin (10-1), which never led, pulled within 26-22 on Kyle Meacham’s 14-yard touchdown pass to J.D. Thuringer in the first quarter.
Thibodeaux then scored on runs of 59, 4, 7 and 50 yards as the Muckers grabbed a 54-22 halftime lead.

“We moved the ball well,” said Tonopah coach Curt McElroy. “The offensive line came off the ball well. When your offensive line moves the defensive line 5 yards back, you’re going to have success.”

Tonopah stretched the lead to 71-22 on a Denver Otteson touchdown run, Thibodeaux’s 35-yard scoring pass to Adam Thackery and an Otteson field goal.

The Muckers racked up 650 yards of total offense, including 480 yards on the ground. Otteson carried 13 times for 135 yards.

The Railroaders had just 34 rushing yards on 19 carries. Meacham threw for 268 yards and four touchdowns, but was intercepted three times.

“We executed what we were supposed to be doing,” McElroy said. “We turned the dogs loose up front and they did their job. This was a chance to beat an undefeated team. The kids came up here to beat Carlin and get another shot at (Pahranagat Valley).”

Pershing County 28, Mountain View 22 — At Lovelock, Dylan Bloyed’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Udy Gonzales with just more than seven minutes left allowed Pershing County (11-0) to reach the Class 2A state title game.

Mountain View (5-7) trailed 22-14 entering the fourth quarter, but tied the game on Raymond Velarde’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Van Kempen and a 2-point conversion pass from Velarde to Dylan Martin.

The Saints moved to the Pershing County 40-yard line with less than two minutes to play, but were stopped short on fourth down.

Velarde ran for a touchdown and threw two scoring passes to Van Kempen.

Bloyed also rushed for a score and threw a pair of TD passes, one to Gonzales and one to Jayce Montes.

Pershing County will face The Meadows for the state title at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Arbor View.

Truckee (Calif.) 35, Virgin Valley 7 — At Truckee, the North’s No. 1 seed had little trouble handling the Bulldogs (9-3) to move into the Class 3A state title game.

Truckee plays Moapa Valley for the 3A title at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Arbor View.