Douglas football rebounds against Manogue

RENO - Douglas High's recipe for success was simple - give Brock Peterson the ball early and often, and play defense.

Peterson ran 27 times for 152 yards and two scores, and the Tigers' defense didn't allow a score over the final three quarters in a 13-7 non-league win over Bishop Manogue Saturday afternoon at D.J. Benardis Field.

The win evened the Tigers' record at 1-1, while Manogue dropped to 1-1.

"I'm real proud of the kids," Douglas coach Mike Rippee said. 'We had our backs up against a wall (after last week). Reed is a real fine football team, but we didn't play up to our standards last week.

"We played great defense and the offense did what it had to. Brock is a tough, hard runner. If a back is having a great go, we're not going to pull him."

Peterson scored both Douglas touchdowns, including the game-winner on a 9-yard scamper with 2:23 remaining in regulation.

"I give the credit to the offensive line," Peterson said. "If they weren't doing their job, there wouldn't be anything."

Peterson had tied the game at 7 with 7:25 left in the first half, scoring on a 4-yard run following a 16-yard interception return down to the Manogue 9 by Tony Ferris.

The go-ahead score was a result of a fine 51-yard punt with the wind that pinned Bishop Manogue at its own 7-yard line.

The Miners, who were without leading rusher Josh Dupree (hamstring) for their first two possessions of the fourth quarter, managed a quick first down up to the 19 thanks to Chase Annand. Douglas stiffened, forcing the Miners to kick the ball away into the wind. The result was a 26-yard effort to the 44.

Douglas didn't waste the field position.

Peterson broke off a 22-yarder on first down, finally being stopped at the Miners' 22. Will Sheerin picked up three yards and then busted one for 15 yards down to the Manogue 4.

Douglas quarterback David Laird's pass to Peterson resulted in a 5-yard loss, as the Miners did a good job of penetrating. Peterson took a handoff on the next play and ran through a tackle attempt by Manogue's Joey White at the 2 to score, snapping the 7-all tie and taking a 13-7 lead.

The Miners weren't through, however.

Quarterback Cale Carson hooked up with Keith Fuetsch in the right flat, and the Miner receiver turned it into a 30-yard gain and a first down at the Douglas 37.

Dupree came back into the game and gained six yards down to the 31. After Annand was thrown for a yard loss, the Miners were hit with a 5-yard procedure penalty and then Carson threw an incomplete pass. After Another 5-yard penalty against the Miners, Carson threw incomplete on fourth down.

Douglas' Laird took a knee three times and Peterson ran once to run out the clock.

Dupree gained 103 of the Miners' 212 yards. His longest gain was 15 yards, and the Tigers, thanks to the efforts of Ferris, Anthony Alvitre and Jeff Nady, bent throughout the game, but never broke.

"He (Dupree) is a fine back," Rippee said. "He is one of the best in the league. We didn't want him to break off a 50, 60 or 70 yarder on us. Nagy and Alvitre are two of the best in the league.

"We wanted to be able to run and get a lot of hats around the ball."