SMALL SCHOOLS: Mustangs get defensive, top Mountain View
On Friday, the Mustangs showed they can play defense, too.
The Meadows held an explosive Mountain View offense scoreless until the fourth quarter on the way to a 27-12 Class 2A Southern League home win.
“Our defensive line was pretty solid,” said sophomore linebacker Mike Kenny, who had three sacks and recovered a fumble. “We just had a lot of pressure on the quarterback and running back.
“We got a lot of good flow by the linebackers, and it was just a good overall performance by the defense.”
Mountain View (3-2, 1-1) entered averaging 34 points per game, but lost three fumbles in the first half and four in the game.
Defensive end Heath Gould had two sacks and a fumble recovery for the defending 2A state champion Mustangs (3-1, 2-0).
“Paul Wood, our defensive coordinator, did a great job in that first half shutting down a very good team,” The Meadows coach Frank DeSantis said. “The guys played great; they played with some emotion. (Kenny) had some big plays. Josh Raimist had a very good game at linebacker.”
The Saints pulled within 20-12 with 5:57 remaining when T.J. Engel hit Justyn Anderson for a 5-yard touchdown pass.
But the Mustangs responded with an 11-play, 62-yard drive capped by Garrett Gosse’s 28-yard TD pass to Max Newman with 1:23 left.
“I freaked out,” Kenny said of his reaction to the final drive. “It was awesome. I was too happy.”
David Liu carried 20 times for 83 yards and one TD for The Meadows. Chase Marrs added 74 yards on 10 carries.
Gosse completed 6 of 13 passes for 170 yards and two scores, also running for a 19-yard TD. His favorite target was tight end Dylan Lee, who caught four passes for 128 yards and one TD.
Engel completed 16 of 25 passes for 224 yards and two TDs with one interception to lead Mountain View. Trevor Van Kempen had seven receptions for 88 yards, and Karl Benjamin caught three passes for 91 yards and a score.
Laughlin 40, Henderson International 6 — At Henderson International, Christian Kruse needed only 12 carries to rack up 216 yards and three touchdowns and help the Cougars (4-1) roll over the Wolverines.
Kruse scored on a 56-yard run on Laughlin’s second play from scrimmage. He added a 54-yard TD run in the second quarter and a 33-yard scoring run in the third as the Cougars built a 40-0 lead.
Corey Cook added 178 yards and a touchdown for Laughlin, which had 414 rushing yards. Andre Prosise had a pair of 1-yard scoring runs.
Chris Laliberte’s 1-yard TD run with just four seconds left in the game finally got Henderson International (2-2) on the board. The Wolverines lost three fumbles and had only 212 total yards.
Henderson International quarterback Logan Christie was 8 of 26 for 111 yards.
Spring Mountain 56, Round Mountain 6 — At Spring Mountain, James Maestas returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown and scored on runs of 52 and 40 yards to help the Eagles (4-1, 3-0 1A Southern) breeze past the Knights (0-5, 0-2).
Maestas had 12 carries for 172 yards.
Robby Lindbloom was 7 of 11 passing for 93 yards. Marquise Lewis caught three passes for 30 yards and a touchdown.
Jason Baez led the Eagles’ defense with 13 tackles and had one of Spring Mountain’s five fumble recoveries.
Indian Springs 44, Beatty 0 — At Indian Springs, Adam Reinke threw for 269 yards and five touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass to help the Thunderbirds (2-2, 1-1 1A Southern) rout the Hornets (1-3, 0-3).
Reinke completed 12 of 21 passes, including touchdown strikes of 50 and 54 yards to Dominic Smith. Smith, who caught five passes for 167 yards, also threw an 18-yard TD pass to Reinke.
Xavier Pena hauled in touchdown passes of 45 and 5 yards, and Devon Jackson caught a 15-yard TD pass from Reinke.
The Thunderbirds racked up 384 total yards.
Boulder City 67, Sunrise Mountain 0 — At Boulder City, the Eagles (3-2) held the Miners (1-4) to 65 yards of offense in the rout.
Boulder City running back Devin Combs ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Matt Combs ran for 44 yards and two touchdowns.
Backup quarterback Ryan Washburn ran for a touchdown, and Steven Kaposta ran for another TD.
Jack LaMarca returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown, and started out the game by running back the opening kickoff 79 yards for another TD.
Hansen added scoring runs of 7 and 5 yards as the Panthers built a 52-0 halftime lead and cruised to the win.
Dustin Poulsen returned a fumble 70 yards for a score for Pahranagat Valley, which held the Muckers to 24 total yards.
Tonopah (0-4, 0-1) scored in the fourth quarter on a 65-yard pass from Denver Otteson to Maurice Kennedy.
Lincoln County 32, White Pine 20 — At Panaca, the Lynx rolled up 300 yards rushing on the way to a win over the Bobcats.
Travis Sonnenberg carried 14 times for 123 yards and one touchdown, and Tyler Center added 104 yards and one TD on 14 attempts for Lincoln County (2-2, 1-1 2A Southern).
Lynx quarterback Eric Rippetoe completed 7 of 13 passes for 75 yards and two TDs.
White Pine (0-4, 0-2) was unable to hold onto a 13-12 halftime lead.
Needles (Calif.) 49, West Wendover 0 — At Needles, Calif., Bobby Stahel carried 10 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Mustangs past the Wolverines.
Stahel also scored on a 36-yard interception return.
Ryan Shorrow added three rushing TDs for Needles (3-1, 2-0 2A Southern).
West Wendover (0-4, 0-2) was shut out for the third time this season.
