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MCHS beats Battle Mountain in overtime

MCHS facing league foe Battle Mountain tonight

Craig Daily Press Staff Report

Overtime

The Bulldog defense comes through when overtime started and holding the Huskies scoreless with two incomplete passes, a completion for 2 yards and a 1-yard run. The THunder offense came in and did its job, three plays, 3.5 yard average and Hodge Raftopoulos put it in for the win. 40-34.

Fourth quarter



Battle Mountain gets the ball after forcing a 4 & 23. With 1:12 left and 80 yards to drive. Engle goes 5 for 7 including a 23-yard touchdown pass to who else but Sanders with 8.8 seconds left. The kick wa good and the game is tied 34-34. Moffat County sophomore Ryder Seeley has been overmatched by Sanders all night long, with no exception on that last play as Seeley turned around as the ball went over his head into Sander’s arms in the back of the end zone.

This game is in overtime.



BMHS hits on another big play to Sanders – a 75-yard TD pass – is called back for a hold. The Bulldogs force a punt. Four plays later, on a 3rd and 4, Ivers gets wide on a zone read and takes off for 62 yards and a touchdown. The Bulldogs score three unanswered touchdowns. The kick was good. 3:17 remaining the Bulldogs have the lead. 34-27.

The Bulldog defense comes up huge on a 4th and inches with 21 sec. remaining in the third quarter. The line stops Engle for a 1-yard loss on the play and force a turnover. The Bulldogs convert three third downs and on 4th and inches from BM’s 15 Ivers gets stuffed up the middle but keeps the run alive, bounces outside and runs it in for the touchdown. The kick was good. With 7:24 remaining in the 4th quarter it is tied 27-27.

Third quarter

Moffat County bounces back. A 54-yard run by Gage Spears to the Battle Mountain 15-yard line. Five plays later Spears finished the drive with a 1-yard run with 2:20 left in the third quarter. The PAT is good, and MCHS trails 27-20.

After a three-and-out, MCHS dropped a snap by punter Braeden Sullivan, giving Battle Mountain the ball at the MCHS 30-yard line.

On the ensuing play, a pass went through MCHS’ Chet Harvey’s arm and into the hands of a Battle Mountain player on the 5-yard line. Battle Mountain ran the next play into the end zone. The point after attempt missed, and Battle Mountain now leads 27-13 with 5:46 left in the third quarter.

Halftime

Battle Mountain has dominated the first two quarters in the air. Quarterback Jake Engle was 10-17 for 275 yards. Receiver Reeve Sanders had 165 yards and two touchdowns.

Moffat County, by contrast, has three turnovers, all inside Battle Mountain’s 20-yard line. A bright spot offensively for the Bulldogs is 27 rushes have accounted for 193 yards.

Second quarter

The tide seemed to be turning back to Moffat County’s side. One play after Battle Mountain’s touchdown, quarterback Bubba Ivers took the ball 66 yards to the Huskies’ 13-yard line. A play later, Ivers fumbles and Battle Mountain recovered.

Battle Mountain then burned the MCHS secondary with a 65-yard play. The Huskies shock MCHS with another touchdown and go ahead 21-13 to end the half.

Battle Mountain’s big plays continue against the Bulldogs. The Huskies score on a 48-yard pass play from Jake Engle to Reeve Sanders. The Huskies now lead, 14-13, with 1:2 remaining in the first half.

The Bulldogs and Huskies exchange turnovers in the second quarter. MCHS quarterback Bubba Ivers threw an interception in Battle Mountain’s end zone.

Two plays later, MCHS senior lineman Justin Benedict catches a deflected pass and runs untouched into the end zone. MCHS goes for two and does not convert.

The Bulldogs lead, 13-6, with 3:30 remaining in the first half.

First quarter

It looks like it will be two opposite offensive approaches tonight. Battle Mountain is running a spread, with a majority of plays through the air.

By contrast, the Bulldogs are running the ball up the middle every play. MCHS failed, however, to convert on fourth and 1 at the Battle Mountain 9 with 1:35 remaining in the first.

The quarter closed with Battle Mountain crossing the 50 on three pass plays.

MCHS is tied, 7-7, at the end of the first quarter.

Battle Mountain responds. Aided by a 15-yard personal foul, a horse collar, the Huskies drive 68 yards in five plays. Battle Mountain scored on a 22-yard end-around by Reeve Sanders. The score is now 7-7 with 6:14 left in the first quarter.

After a three-and-out by the Huskies, MCHS lines up in the Thunder formation and grinds 38 yards in seven plays for a touchdown. Senior Gage Spears scored on a 7-yard run with 8 minutes remaining in the first quarter. MCHS leads 7-0.

The game has kicked off and MCHS begins on defense.

Pre-game

The Moffat County High School varsity football team travels to Edwards today to play Battle Mountain High School.

The Bulldogs have a 2-4 overall record this season, with 1-2 mark in the Western Slope League. The Huskies are 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the league.

The game, which begins at 7 p.m., is a crucial one for MCHS, with the team needing a win to keep playoff hopes alive.

The Bulldogs lost their last two games to Palisade and Glenwood Springs, 36-6 and 35-7, respectively.

Historically, MCHS has played strongly against Battle Mountain, beating the Huskies 45-7 last season at home.

For updates from tonight’s game, see this story at http://www.craigdailypress.com, or read the Saturday Morning Press.


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