On a wet, freezing, miserable day in Sparks, the Douglas Tiger Junior Midgets failed to capture the Snow Bowl by losing to the Sparks Steelers 12-6. The Tigers kept pushing until the final minute, but just came up short.
The Steelers controlled the ball much of the first half with a running game carried by the legs of their two big backs.
However, they were only able to score once as the Tiger defense would bend but not break.
The Tiger offense was having trouble getting things going.
The ball control of the Steelers was keeping them off the field, and when they did get on, untimely penalties and mistakes kept stopping their drives.
The second half started with a bang as Colton Hughes took the opening kickoff behind some great blocking and returned it some 75 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. The key block was made by Shane Fencl, but everyone seemed to be involved. The momentum was short lived though, as the Steelers returned the ensuing kick-off to the Tiger 45-yard line, and then methodically drove the ball down the field and across the Tiger goal. For the rest of the half, the Tiger offense continued to drive the ball into Steeler territory, while the defense kept the Steelers at bay.
They were unable to close the deal however, and their last drive ended on a fourth down incomplete pass on the Steeler 30.
The Tiger offense, led by quarterback Sam Cochran, consisted of running backs Fencl, Corey Dillon, and Tanner Matlock, receivers Theo Denson, Christian Neilander, Tim Fontyne, Nolan Lackey, and Tim Tollefson, and linemen Brock Crawford, Greg Smith, Derrick Gilmore, Austin Park, Ryan Simons, Kevin Owens, Sam Amador, and Brandon Berry.
The defense, led by middle linebacker Scott Rudnick, consisted of defensive backs Hughes, Dillon "Pickle" Spates, Duston Gilbert, and Alan Bolanos, linebackers Cody Valente, and Conner Love, ends Ruben Trujillo and Justin Tenny, and linemen Daniel Lundergreen, Shawn Castillo, Wile Derbyshire, Kellen Bradberry, and Chase Gonzales. Trujillo, Matlock, Denson, Dillon, Simons, and Rudnick saw extensive duty on both sides of the ball.
The Junior Midgets are not done yet. On Saturday they play the West Bay Rams from the Peninsula League in California, at 11 a.m. at Spanish Springs High School. There will be games involving Douglas teams all day long at Spanish Springs.
The Douglas Pee Wees will play for the state championship Saturday at 11 a.m. at Damonte Ranch.
-- Joey Crandall can be reached at jcrandall@recordcourier.com or at (775) 782-5121, ext. 212.
