3A STATE: Truckee erases 14-year demon, roughs up Moapa Valley

RENO — As Moapa Valley and Truckee headed to the locker room at halftime of Saturday’s Class 3A football state title game, it was difficult not to think of 1995.

Just like in that season, the Pirates trailed Truckee 20-0 after two quarters of the championship game.

Moapa Valley rallied for a 21-20 victory in 1995.

On Saturday, the Pirates couldn’t replicate that magic.

Truckee’s defense intercepted Moapa Valley quarterback Kelan Weiss four times and used big plays on offense to cruise to the school’s ninth state title with a 27-0 win at Damonte Ranch High School.

Ben Bolton and James Depew connected on touchdown passes of 20 and 83 yards in the first quarter, and Morgan Nevin returned a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown as the Wolverines (11-0) built that 20-0 halftime lead.

“We didn’t say anything about it to the kids because we didn’t want to jinx anything, but I was sure thinking about it,” Truckee coach Bob Shaffer said of the 1995 game.

Truckee’s defense made sure Moapa Valley (7-4) didn’t repeat history.

Nevin’s second fumble recovery, at the Truckee 32-yard line, ended Moapa Valley’s opening drive of the third quarter and led to a 44-yard touchdown run by Vince Shaffer that made it 27-0.

Depew’s 83-yard TD catch made it 13-0 with 1:15 left in the first quarter, capping an early flurry by the Wolverines.

“That kind of put them on their heels, and I thought our defense did an outstanding job, because that’s a very good football team over there, and they have several athletes who can take the ball to the house on any play,” Shaffer said.

Bolton completed 17 of 24 passes for 240 yards, with 128 of his yards going to DePew.

“They just kind of big-played us,” Moapa Valley coach Brent Lewis said. “They’ve got a hell of a quarterback who can throw the football, and he put it on the money. He was just better than we were today.”