SMALL SCHOOLS: Virgin Valley cruises with big second half
MESQUITE — When Boulder City stopped Virgin Valley quarterback Terran Leavitt at the 2-yard line on the final play of the first half to hang onto a 20-14 lead, it appeared the Eagles had the momentum.
But it was the last important stop Boulder City would make.
Virgin Valley dominated the second half, and turned five turnovers into 25 second-half points as the Bulldogs defeated Boulder City 39-20 in the Class 3A Southern League playoffs.
The Bulldogs will travel to Truckee (Calif.) next week in the state semifinals. Boulder City finished 5-5.
On the first possession of the third quarter, the Eagles drove to the Virgin Valley 20 in 10 plays. But quarterback Ryan Washburn was intercepted by Jonathan Gleave, who raced 90 yards for the score, and the game was knotted at 20.
The Eagles had a fumble, two more interceptions and two series end on downs in the next five possessions.
“We certainly wore them down,” said Virgin Valley coach Kirk Hafen, who won his 150th game at the school. “We didn’t panic after being behind at halftime. I knew we had what it took to make plays, and we certainly made them.”
After recovering a fumble on the next series, the Bulldogs took the lead for good as Leavitt found Gleave for a 17-yard score, and Virgin Valley led 26-20.
Boulder City then coughed up the ball on the ensuing kickoff, and the Bulldogs were in business again at the Eagle 22.
Four plays later, Colton Teerlink scored the second of his three TDs, an 11-yard run.
Teerlink, who led the Bulldogs with 52 yards on 13 carries, finished the scoring on a 6-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Boulder City had three leads in the first half, thanks to the play of Chris Leach. Leach put the Eagles on the board first with an 8-yard run fumble return.
He scored on an 11-yard run with 1:18 to go in the half to put Boulder City up 20-14.
“It was up and down the field in the first half,” Hafen said. “But we made some adjustments and our defense really took over the game. Again, we knew we could make plays, as long as we didn’t shoot ourselves in the foot like we did last week.”
Moapa Valley 41, Faith Lutheran 21 — At Overton, Brad Weiss rushed for 241 yards and three touchdowns as the Pirates defeated the Crusaders in the 3A Southern League playoffs.
Moapa Valley rushed for 323 yards in the game.
“You know, Brad is a special player but our front five blow open holes for our runners and that is who we have confidence in, the offensive line,” Moapa Valley coach Brent Lewis said.
The win moved the Pirates into the 3A state semifinals for the third consecutive year.
Moapa Valley led 21-14 at the half, and Faith Lutheran was driving for the tying score in the third quarter. But the Pirates stopped the Crusaders on fourth down, setting up a scoring drive capped by a 15-yard TD pass from Max Jenkins to Tyler Waite.
Jenkins also rushed for two touchdowns.
Moapa Valley’s defense held Faith Lutheran to 52 rushing yards and forced three turnovers.
The Meadows 28, Needles (Calif.) 27 — At The Meadows, Gerard Martinez threw for 299 yards and four touchdown passes to lead The Meadows (9-2) to the win in the Class 2A Southern League playoffs.
Remington Ross’s second touchdown reception of the game came on a 20-yard pass from Martinez on the first play of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 27. Dylan Lee’s extra point sealed the victory.
Needles (7-3) led 27-7 with 9:43 left in the third quarter, and failed to pick up a first down in its last four possessions.
“We kept going and I thought they ran out of gas,” The Meadows’ coach Frank DeSantis said. “Our guys just didn’t quit.”
The Meadows’ Pat Kenny had 102 yards of offense including a 24-yard touchdown pass from Martinez. He also led the defense with eight tackles.
“They came out strong and harder than we did, but the third quarter is our quarter. We came out after the half and dominated,” Kenny said.
Austin Brown led all receivers with 131 yards including a 35-yard score for The Meadows.
Stevie Kidd opened the game with an 85-yard kickoff return for Needles. Kidd added a 10-yard scoring run in the second quarter.
Needles’ Darra Russell had touchdown receptions of 55 and 12 yards.
Mountain View 40, Lincoln County 24 — At Panaca, the fourth-seeded Saints bolted to a 34-8 halftime lead to stun the top-seeded Lynx in a Class 2A state quarterfinal game.
Raymond Velarde threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more for Mountain View (5-6), which earned its first-ever postseason victory.
The Saints visit the North’s No. 1 seed, Pershing County, at 1 p.m. Saturday with a trip to the state title game on the line.
Velarde completed 9 of 16 passes for 140 yards and carried 18 times for 57 yards.
Lincoln County (7-4) ran only 15 plays in the first half.
Pahranagat Valley 56, Indian Springs 18 — At Alamo, the Panthers outgained the Thunderbirds 459-230 on their way to winning the Class 1A Southern League playoff game.
Taylor Poulsen threw for 179 yards and five TDs for Pahranagat Valley (10-0), which hosts Coleville at 1 p.m. Saturday in the 1A state semifinals.
Derek Oliver rushed for 89 yards to lead Indian Springs (5-5).
Tonopah 45, Round Mountain 28 — At Tonopah, the Muckers scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Knights in a Class 1A Southern League playoff game.
Scott Thibodeaux carried 20 times for 134 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Muckers (7-3), who visit the North’s No. 1 seed, Carlin, at 1 p.m. Saturday with a trip to the state title game on the line.
The senior quarterback also threw for 99 yards.
Clint Wilson scored on a 60-yard punt return and caught seven passes for 83 yards and three TDs for Round Mountain (5-5).
