SMALL SCHOOLS: Young Wolverines whip Lund

Henderson International’s football team didn’t look at its independent schedule last season as a negative.

The Wolverines saw an opportunity to build confidence.

And after going 2-1 against varsity teams and 7-1 overall, they had plenty of it.

Now, Henderson International is playing in the Class 1A Southern League with hopes of reaching the postseason. The young Wolverines showed Friday they could be a team to reckon with.

Henderson International scored 38 points in the first quarter on its way to a 68-0 rout of visiting Lund in a season opener for both teams.

“The sophomore group has been together since the middle school ranks and then (was) 7-1 last year,” Wolverines coach Brett Price said. “They’re just kind of used to winning football games. When they walk on the field, they’re expecting to compete.”

That sophomore group is the base of the team, including running back/defensive back Jay Sutorius, fullback/linebacker Charles Pachas, receiver/linebacker Keenan Gladd-Brown, quarterback Logan Christie and linemen Cole Fouch and Cal Rivera.

Sutorius carried three times for 79 yards and one touchdown, caught a 61-yard TD pass from Christie and scored on punt returns of 42 and 70 yards.

He said the idea of playing for a postseason bid has “everybody pumped up and ready to go.”

“Considering last year we went 7-1 and this year we have the opportunity to go to state,” he said, “I think it got everybody ready and we’ll work harder than last year.

“As a group (in 2008), we worked together, and whenever we put up those points, it carried over to this year.”

Pachas (121 yards, three TDs) and Chris Laliberte (110 yards, one TD) also had big ground games for the Wolverines, who took a 46-0 lead early in the second quarter to start a running clock.

Henderson International threw the ball only three times, with Christie completing 2 of 3 attempts for 63 yards and one TD.

Price said special teams has been a focus for his team.

“We practice that at the beginning of every practice, showing the kids that special teams is very important,” he said. “It’s game changing. Anything can happen with a kick return or punt return, so we always preach that.”

Sutorius credited downfield blocking for his pair of punt returns for scores.

“It’s not just me,” he said. “It’s the entire team going for it. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to get the help I need to run those back.”

Lund, which will play an independent schedule this season, was held to minus-8 yards of offense. The Mustangs dressed only 13 players and lost two to injuries during the game.

Price is anxious to see his team compete against perennial 1A powers Pahranagat Valley and Tonopah, which have combined to win the last four 1A state titles.

Henderson International visits Baker (Calif.) on Sept. 5 before opening league play at Beatty on Sept. 17.

“We know what we’re up against in our region with the Pahranagat Valleys and Tonopahs playing for state championships,” Price said. “We just want to compete, maybe a shot to see how good we are against those teams and see where we stand.”

Fernley 28, Moapa Valley 27 — At Fernley, the Vaqueros rattled off 21 straight points in the fourth quarter and held on to beat the Pirates.

Dillon Gordon caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Kelan Weiss with 1:30 remaining, but Moapa Valley’s pass attempt on a 2-point conversion try fell incomplete.

Moapa Valley turned the ball over four times, including three fumbles.

Matt Newton led the Pirates with 162 yards rushing and two TDs and three receptions for 62 yards.

Enterprise (Utah) 35, Mountain View 22 — At Enterprise, Utah, Slade Moyle ran for two touchdowns and threw for another as Enterprise built a 28-0 lead in the second quarter and held off the Saints.

Moyle scored on runs of 14 and 3 yards in the first quarter to help Enterprise grab the lead for good.

The Saints’ T.J. Engel threw touchdown passes of 21 and 15 yards to Karl Benjamin. Engle completed 13 of 33 passes for 135 yards.

Mountain View’s Cortland LeBouef had 11 carries for 70 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown run.

Benjamin had 19 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery.

Beaver Dam (Ariz.) 36, Spring Mountain 8 — At Littlefield, Ariz., Spring Mountain never got untracked offensively and fell to the Diamondbacks.

Clarence Torres scored the Eagles’ lone touchdown on a 37-yard run. Markess Harris caught a pass from Robbie Lindbloom for the 2-point conversion.

Layton Christian (Utah) 46, West Wendover 0 — At Layton, Utah, the Eagles returned three interceptions and one fumble recovery for touchdowns in a season-opening rout of the Wolverines.

West Wendover was originally scheduled to play Independence, but the Colts backed out of the game.

Milford (Utah) 33, White Pine 13 — At Ely, the Bobcats were unable to rally from a 20-13 halftime deficit.

Pahranagat Valley 64, Wells 13 — At Alamo, Cody Hosier completed 12 of 18 passes for 90 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Panthers past the Leopards.

Dustin Poulsen, Kale Leavitt and Tyler Higbee each caught a TD pass for Pahranagat Valley, which had six ball carriers combine for 185 yards rushing and six scores.

The Panthers outgained the Leopards, 322-98.