Bulldog runner Elisabeth DeLeon #5 rips off a long gainer in the Dawgs 21-14 win over Tech Thursday night, Dec. 17 in the Dawg Pound. Photo by Lou Martin.
The Virgin Valley High School girls flag football team faced one of their toughest tests Thursday, Dec. 17 against a quick Roadrunner squad from (S.E.C.T.A.) TECH Academy. The Dawgs prevailed 21-14 behind the passing of Kallie Graves and the receiving of Dylan Bryant and Madison Cheney.
Neither team could mount much of an offense the first five minutes of the game. The Dawgs roared down the field on their second possession. Graves hit Cheney for 11 yards and Bryant for 28 yards. Katie Zuniga finished the drive with a short run for the touchdown. Bryant caught a pass from Graves for the point after.
The Roadrunners countered behind quarterback keepers to drive down the field to knot the score at 7-7 ten minutes into the game. The Bulldogs drove down the field on their next possession to take back the lead. Graves hit Bryant for 12 yards and a score and followed with a pass to Cheney for the point after and a 14-7 advantage. The Dawgs defense came to the forefront on Tech’s next possession holding the Roadrunners on the Dawgs one half yard line.
The Bulldogs took their third possession of the second half for a T.D. with 17:20 left in the game. The big plays of the drive were a reverse to Bryant who then hit Cheney on the fly for 25 yards and a 12 yard strike from Graves to Cheney for the score. Graves ran the point after upping the Dawgs lead to 21-7.
The Roadrunners countered once again on a line drive featuring runs and two passes for the score. The P.A.T. was good and the score now stood at 21-14 in favor of the Dawgs with three minutes remaining in the game. The Dawgs would need at least one first down to run out the clock. A huge pass from Graves to Cheney on a third and four from the thirty six yard line cinched the win for the Dawgs. Kari Wakefield led the Dawgs defense with 11 stops for the game.
“This was our ninth win of the season and no doubt our best all-around game,” said Bulldog coach Joey Bowler. “We easily could have lost.”
The win gives the Dawgs a 9-1 overall record and 3-0 in important Sunrise League play. The Dawgs travel to Moapa on Jan. 5 2016. The Dawgs are currently tied with Del Sol, Boulder City and Chaparral for the top spot. The Dawgs will face all three teams consecutively following the Pirate game.
