Bulldog defense shuts down Eagles running attack holding Boulder City to minus 19 yards rushing for the game. Photo by Lou Martin

Bulldog defense shuts down Eagles running attack holding Boulder City to minus 19 yards rushing for the game. Photo by Lou Martin

The Virgin Valley High School Bulldogs ended the 2015 season with a bittersweet win crushing the Eagles from Boulder City High School 70-13. The Dawgs accomplished the win despite not having their two quarterbacks, top running back and defensive stalwart in the line. Running back Kai Mitchell ran the offense like a wild-cat back handing off when needed or keeping it for long gains. The Dawgs only attempted two passes for the game completing one for 39 yards. Mitchell began the game with a 50 yard touchdown run with less than one minute gone in the game and finished with a 55 yard scamper with seconds remaining to make the final margin 70-13.

The first quarter was all Dawgs as they put up four touchdowns, two by Mitchell, a 59 yard dash by Jaron Linge and a nine yard scamper from Josh Bishop. The rout was on as the Dawgs led 28-0. Caesar Zarate’s point after were all good. The third T.D. was setup by an interception by Marcelo Lara and the fourth on a recovered fumble by Garrett Hafen.

The Eagles showed some life scoring early in the second period on a 25 yard touchdown pass from Michael Martinelli to Zach Murphy cutting the Dawgs lead to 28-7.

Facing a fourth and long from the Eagles 36 yard line, Bulldog punter Sergio Gonzalez, faked a reverse and rambled behind a wall of blockers for an amazing T.D. keeping the Dawgs momentum going and a 35-7 lead. The Dawgs defense stopped Martinelli on two straight plays forcing a fumble recovery by Arden Bundy. Bulldog Jarett Tietjen scored two plays later upping the Dawgs lead to 42-7. The Dawgs final score of the first half came on a vicious hit by Jayden Perkins forcing a fumble recovery on the bounce and a T.D. by linebacker Trevon Hollingshead. The Eagles mounted a drive but had to settle for a field goal making the score 49-10 after one half of play.

Bulldog running back Kai Mitchell, stepping in at quarterback, follows a bevy of blockers for 50 yards and a Bulldog T.D. to begin Friday’s rout of Boulder City. Photo by Lou Martin

Bulldog running back Kai Mitchell, stepping in at quarterback, follows a bevy of blockers for 50 yards and a Bulldog T.D. to begin Friday’s rout of Boulder City. Photo by Lou Martin

The Bulldogs added two more scores in the third period on runs by Tietjen and Bishop. Hafen’s interception of a Martinelli pass set up the first score. The score stood at 64-10 at the end of three. The mercy rule made the third and fourth periods go by quickly. The Eagles added another field goal late in the game setting up Mitchell’s final T.D. run for the final 70-13 finish. The game ball should go to the Bulldogs defensive line and linebacker core held the Eagles, to -19 yards on 18 carries. The Dawgs meanwhile racked up 277 yards on the ground led by Tietjen’s 75 yards. The Dawgs finished the year with a 2-4 record in league play and 4-5 overall. The record itself is not disappointing except for the loss to Sunrise Mountain late in the game. The real disappointment was the lack of offense in the losses to the big three of 1-A Sunrise League play. The Dawgs will face another rebuilding year with 24 seniors moving on. The good news, realignment moves powerful Desert Pines up to Division-1 play next year.