The Virgin Valley High School Bulldog football team’s offense watched as the Sports Leadership and Academy (SLAM) Bulls took the opening kickoff to their 23 yard line and proceeded to march downfield 77 yards, to get the opening score and a 6-0 lead over the Dawgs. The Bulls managed 15 first downs all night with 7 coming on the opening drive. It was all Bulldogs after that as the Dawgs rolled up 28 first downs on 220 yards though the air and 313 yards on the ground for an amazing total of 533 yards of offense. Wyatt Delano led the Dawgs with 195 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Mebs Hollingshead went 8-13 for 220 yards plus 35 yards on the ground.
The Bulldogs matched the Bulls T.D. on their first play of the game with Hollingshead hitting wide receiver Tanner Fielding with a perfect pass for 79 yards tying the game at 6-6 with 4:30 remaining in the first period. The extra point try failed. The Bulldog kickoff was misplayed to the one yard line by the Bulls returner. Bulldog Will Barnum sacked the Bulls Q.B. for a two point safety giving the Bulldogs their first lead 8-6. The Bulldogs defense stopped the Bulls cold forcing a punt to the Dawgs 34 yard line. Wyatt Anderson had a good return giving the Dawgs a first on the Bulls 39 yard line. Three running plays by Delano set up a one yard punch by Anderson for the T.D. and a 14-6 lead. The first period ended with the Dawgs on offense on their own 47 yard line. Four plays later Delano stood in the end zone with his first T.D. of the game. The Big play of the drive came on a 22 yard keeper by Hollingshead and a 20-6 advantage for the Dawgs. The Dawgs added another score by Delano giving the Bulldogs a 26-6 lead after one half of play. The Bulls had no answer for Bulldogs bruising running attack.
The Bulldogs continued their offensive display as they took the second half kickoff down field setting up a Hollingshead pass to Case Crandall for a 6 yard T.D. increasing the Bulldogs lead to 32-6. The Bulls countered with their second long drive of the evening going 69 yards on 9 plays to cut the Dawgs lead to 32-12. The Bulldogs got the final T.D. of the night on their next possession behind their running game as Delano finished the drive with his third T.D. of the game. The defenses dominated the fourth quarter making the final score 39-12. “Our running game was outstanding,” said Bulldog coach Matt Woods. “Our offensive line dominated the scrimmage line. We got rolling after falling asleep to begin the first period. We finished with no injuries and should be in good shape next week against Sunrise Mountain.” The Bulldogs win gave them a 3-0 record in 3A Sunrise League play leading all teams with two games to go. The Dawgs travel to Sunrise Mountain next Friday before finishing the regular season at archrival Moapa Valley on October 25.
