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Reds down Bulldogs 41-14

Bruce Tippets

The Moffat County High School varsity football team bid for a Class 3A state title came to a close Saturday afternoon at Eaton High School field.

The Bulldogs, who finished the season at 6-5, lost, 41-14, to the Eaton Reds who improved to 9-2 on the year.

“We hung with them for most of the first half,” said Bulldogs coach John Haddan. “We then had the turnover that lead to a touchdown in the second quarter and that hurt us. In the second half Eaton came out and overpowered our defensive line. Eaton is a big, physical team.”



MCHS came out strong as running back Frank Counts, a senior, dove over from the 1-yard line at the 6 minute and 4 second mark of the first quarter to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 edge. MCHS went for two, but came up short.

Two minutes later Reds quarterback Scott Souther, a junior, hit wide receiver Casey Wiederspan, a senior, for a 44-yard touchdown and a 7-6 lead.



In the second quarter Reds linebacker Marty Unrein, a senior, returned a fumble 26 yards for a touchdown, putting the Reds up, 14-6, at the 6:59 mark.

With 28 seconds left in the first half, Reds running back Jesse Florez, a senior, scrambled 57 yards for a touchdown as Eaton took a,21-6 lead into the break.

In the third period, Reds running back Mario Rosas, a senior, rumbled 51 yards for a touchdwon and a 28-6 lead.

In the final quarter, Florez put the game out of reach, finding the end zone from 10 yards out.

On the ensuing kickoff, Bulldogs slot back Nathan Browning, a junior, ran it back 88 yards for a touchdown, cutting the score, 35-12.

The Bulldogs went for two and Counts converted it, but MCHS was still down, 35-14, with eight minutes left.

The Reds scored a touchdown late in the game to make the final score, 41-14.

“We got some breaks during the game and our kids played really well,” said Reds coach Bill Mondt. “We are a little bigger than they are, but it was a tough ballgame.”

Offensively for the Reds Florez finished with 158 yards on the ground and Rosas ended up with 89 yards.

“Moffat County is a good football team and I am pleased to get the win,” said Mondt. “The game was a lot closer than the score. Florez is a great back and he is a lot better back than anybody thinks he is. He is a good football player.”

For the Bulldogs, Browning led the way with 80 yards. Counts was next on the team with 60 yards and quarterback Jeff Gaylord, a junior, finished with 56 yards.

In the air Gaylord passed for 226 yards and wide receiver Kevin Voorhees, a junior, grabbed six catches for 122 yards.

Senior Eric Duran had three catches for 52 yards.

Defensively, linebacker Kevin Field, a senior, paced the team with 11 tackles and Counts finished with eight tackles. Defensive tackle Matt Johnston had seven tackles.

“The kids played tough and they played with a lot of heart. They played hard on the first snap until the last snap,” said Haddan. “We won four games in a row to make it to the playoffs and they have nothing to be ashamed of.”


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