Palo Verde v McQueen at Mackay Stadium, UNR (refresh the page for up-to-date action)
1 2 3 4
McQueen 7 0 0 6 = 13
Palo Verde 6 0 6 0 = 12
1 - MQ, Martinez 1 yd run (Martinez kick good)
1 - PV, Blake 54 yd run (Dunlap kick no good)
3 - PV, Blake 54 yd run (run no good)
4 - MQ, Martinez 59 run (run no good)
On Fall Friday nights in Alamo, you can look in the North end zone and watch a large group of little kids playing their own game of football, even though there’s a game of hard hitting high school ball going on simultaneously.
Ten years from now who knows which of those youngsters will step up and become the next athlete to lead the Panthers to a state title game, as happened in their 22-18 win over Tonopah Saturday at Arbor View High.
Ten years ago, it was Brady Whipple and Taylor Poulsen in that playground game forging a bond that paid off for the Panthers on Saturday when they needed it the most.
Pahranagat took a 14-0 lead into halftime on a two 10 yard runs by Poulsen (27-99, 2 td). The first capped a 9 play drive in the first quarter. The second came following a blocked punt by Sophomore Jeremy Roemer and a two play drive.
Tonopah took the second half kickoff at their 40 yard line and drove the fieldd in 6 plays with a 24 yard run by Senior Scott Thibodeaux (17-135, 1td) and a 24 yard completion from Thibodeaux (6-17-90, 1td) to Sophomore Eddie Reynoso covering most of the yardage. The final 7 yards were covered on the ground by Thibodeaux for the score. The PAT was no good and the lead was cut to 8.
The Muckers forced a three and out and following the punt took over at their 37. Thibodeaux made a great read on the option, giving the ball to Denver Otteson (8-83, 1td), who broke the the initial pressure and found no one between him and the end zone. 63 yards later the Muckers cut the lead to 14-12.
Momentum had definitely swung to Tonpopah and they ended the Panthers next drive on an interception by Rene Martinez. The teams swapped possessions twice before the Panthers found some light on a 19 yard fade route from Poulsen (9-20-129, 1 td) to Kale Leavitt (5-87) to end the third quarter.
The Muckers defense who recorded 6 sacks after the Panthers had only given up 2 all season, once again forced Pahranagat into a punting situation. On a 4th and 6 Whipple took the snap and was suppossed to run to the left on a fake attempt. He went the wrong way and was hit hard by a swarm of Muckers.
On his way to the ground, he looked around needing to do something to get that first down. There, a few feet away, was his long time, playground teammate, Poulsen. As he probably did hundreds of times in that North end zone when younger, Whipple pitched the ball back to Poulsen, who took it and scampered around the left side for a 25 yard gain and a first down.
“I was right there, looked at him and he threw it to me,” Poulsen said of the play that took control of the momentum swing. 5 plays later it was a 9 yard fade from Poulsen to Whipple that capped the 12 play drive and a successful PAT run by Whipple pushed their lead back to 10.
When asked about the play, Coach Ken Higbee added,” Those two have been doing that together for a long time. The beauty of a small town is the kids are friends on and off the field. Play makers make plays in big games and that’s exactly what happened.” There aren’t very many instances when an off the field friendship wins the on-field game, but this was one.
Tonopah put together their own 11 play drive on the ensuing possession. They converted on a 4th and 2 on a 21 yard Thibodeaux scramble then on a 4th and 9 from the 20, Thibodeaux found Otteson(4-51, 1td) across the middle for a 20 yard touchdown strike and a 4 point deficit with 2:16 to go.
Tonopah’s onside attempt failed and the Panthers were able to run the time out for their third State Championship in four years.
“My hats off to Alamo. They have a program and will be the team to beat because of that. Whipple and Poulsen have been playing together since they were little kids and it showed on that punt play,” Tonopah Coach Curt McElroy said of the momentum changing play.
“We came in and played our hearts out. This is a great group of kids I’ve had the chance to watch grow up. They’ve been with me since I got here 11 years ago. I’m going to miss them,” added McElroy, who had a chance to go to a bigger program after a job offer in the off season, but chose to stay and see his seniors through.
“After last week, our defense wanted to prove that they could stop the pass and we got a complete game from our corners today. We were fortunate today to witness some great players, but even better we saw some great kids on both sides of the ball,” said Higbee following the his fourth title as head coach. It was the schools 12th title since 1978, moving them to 5th all-time.
Pahranagat Valley 128, Coleville 74
Tonopah 71, Carlin 30 (for game summary, click here)
The Meadows 23, Battle Mtn 14
Pershing Co 28, Mtn View 22
Bishop Manogue 48, Reno 6
Moapa Valley 35, Fernley 7
Truckee 35, Virgin Valley 7
Las Vegas 45, Green Valley 32
Del Sol 42, Basic 27
Palo Verde 35, Cimarron 21
Bishop Gorman 37, Cheyenne 36
Damonte Ranch 9, Hug 7
Reed 44, Douglas 24
McQueen 56, Galena 16
The team and individual championship awards were given Saturday at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Boulder City.
(For complete results for all classifications, click here)
1A/2A
Boys -
Team - (1) Sierra Lutheran, 21, 1:29:04.90 (2) North Tahoe, 58, 1:34:19.05 (3) Whittell, 61, 1:34:49.69
Individual - (1) Wade Meddles, Sierra Lutheran, 16:13.19 (2) Mike Sunseri, Incline, 17:17.95 (3) Michael Kubel, Sierra Lutheran, 17:51.53
Girls -
Team - (1) Sage Ridge, 41, 1:54:46.33 (2) Laughlin, 53, 1:57:54.14 (3) North Tahoe, 68, 1:59:39.15
Individual - (1) Claire Kelley, Sage Ridge - 21:04.24 (2) Briana Drago, Incline - 21:29.80 (3) Mary Jo Wright, Wells - 22:00.16
3A
Boys -
Team - (1) Lowry, 45, 1:32:33.69 (2) Boulder City, 59, 1:34:04.93 (3) Moapa Valley, 60, 1:34:36.41
Individual - (1) Matt Lundgren, Boulder City - 17:15.83 (2) Ben Stephens, Spring Creek - 117:25.00 (3) Josh Thompson, Moapa Valley - 17:28.82
Girls -
Team - (1) Lowry, 51, 1:58:57.43 (2) Spring Creek, 63, 2:01:49.33 (3) Faith Lutheran, 68, 2:01:26.81
Individual - (1) Keely Bakken, Faith Lutheran - 20:57.19 (2) Kristin Rampton, Spring Creek - 21:37.29 (3) Erin Tattersall, Lowry - 21:40.77
4A
Boys -
Team - (1) Centennial, 1:26:53.14 (2) Carson, 1:26:48.92 (3) Reno, 1:27:22.89
Individual - (1) Bryan Tibaduiza, Galena - 16:22.82, (2) Richard Shroy, Carson - 16:29.37, (3) Nathan Williams, Centennial - 16:37.76
Girls -
Team - (1) Galena, 51, 1:45:59.89 (2) Coronado, 62, 1:46:18.32 (3) South Tahoe, 69, 1:45:09.03
Individual - (1) Kelsey Smith, South Tahoe - 18:59.88 (2) Leah Leedy, Foothill - 19:35.69 (3) Michaelanne Laurent, Coronado - 20:12.00
4A North Final regular season games
Reno 56, Elko 28
Douglas 48, Carson 20
McQueen 34, Spanish Springs 14
Reed 69, North Valleys 22
Churchill Co 47, Wooster 0
First Round Playoff Games
(For playoff brackets, click the appropriate division at the right)
Carlin 42, Owyhee 28
Coleville 80, Wells 58 (For game summary, click here)
Tonopah 45, Round Mountain 28 (For game summary, click here)
Pahranagat Valley 58, Indian Springs 18 (For game summary, click here)
Mountain View 40, Lincoln Co 24 (For game summary, click here.)
Meadows 28, Needles 27
Battle Mountain 44, Whittell 8
Pershing Co 54, Rite of Passage 12
Truckee 57, Sparks 0
Fernley 44, Spring Creek 6
Moapa Valley 41, Faith Lutheran 21
Virgin Valley 39, Boulder City 20
Palo Verde 21, Sierra Vista 7
Cimarron-Memorial 35, Spring Valley 14
Cheyenne 32, Bonanza 7
Bishop Gorman 17, Legacy 6
Las Vegas 52, Foothill 20
Green Valley 32, Desert Pines 12
Del Sol 72, Rancho 47
Basic 34, Valley 21