Football: Douglas JV upends McQueen, stays unbeaten

Football: Douglas JV upends McQueen

The Douglas Tiger junior varsity football team traveled to McQueen High last Friday to play the biggest game of their young season.

As if playing at McQueen wasn't difficult enough, the Tigers were without their starting running back, center, and middle linebacker due to injuries.

Able to suit up just 25 players, they were undermanned and undersized, yet with a lot of heart and some outstanding special teams play they were able to prevail 27-18. The win boosted Douglas to 3-0 on the young season.

With the game scoreless midway through the first quarter, Douglas started a drive on their own ten yard line. They marched 90 yards, scoring on a 12-yard pass from Sam Cochran to Nick Maestretti. The extra point was kicked by Nate Vonhasen and Douglas had a 7-0 lead. After an exchange of punts, McQueen answered back with a touchdown of their own at the 8 minute mark of the second quarter.

A missed extra point left Douglas with a one-point lead.

Then, with 3:17 left in the half the Tiger special teams struck. McQueen was attempting to punt from its own 20 when Trevor Shaffer broke through the line, blocked the kick and recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. Vonhasen's kick for point was good. Douglas then kicked off. Dylan Nielson's hit on the McQueen return man forced him to fumble, and Maestretti scooped the ball up at the ten and, dragging two tacklers with him, carried it in for the score. Douglas' try for a two-point conversion failed, but in the course of 10 seconds their lead had increased by 13 points.

The second half saw McQueen come out with a new resolve. Their first drive crossed into Tiger territory, but was stopped when Shaffer stripped the ball from the McQueen running back for a turnover. But after a Douglas 3-and-out, McQueen came back and scored on a 45-yard run, though they again missed the extra point.

The Douglas offense failed to move the ball on their next series, and once again McQueen was able to score. This time it was an 80-yard drive with every play being a run, but importantly, Douglas was able to prevent the two point conversion attempt, and kept a 2 point lead.

On their next possession, Douglas started on their own 35 and on the first play, Maestretti took a short pass from Cochran and ran it all the way to the two. Two plays later Conner Hughes punched the ball in for the touchdown. The extra point by Vonhasen gave Douglas a nine-point lead.

McQueen came right back, driving the ball to the Tiger 30, but this time the Douglas defense held and took over on downs with 9 minutes to play. With 7 minutes left, on fourth and two near midfield they ran a fake punt getting the first down and extending the drive. With three minutes left they finally punted the ball back to McQueen, the ball rolling out of bounds on the 14 yard line. McQueen started a desperate drive, but it ended on a fourth-down sack by Shaffer.

Head coach Lance Hartzell emphasized the victory was a team effort, but singled out a few players in addition to those cited earlier.

First was Pierce Dykes, who was moved from guard to center at the last minute, yet never missed a snap. Next was Austin Martin, a safety moved up to linebacker who played much bigger than his size. Jackson Ketron made several big plays at both fullback and defensive end. Noseguard Dillon McKinnish, though weak from being ill most of the week, played most of the game. Middle linebacker Justin Tenney made plays all over the field on defense, and anchored the offensive line. And Jordan Pruitt filled in well at guard, (when Dykes moved to center), even though he was still learning the plays on the bus to the game.

"Nobody gave these guys a chance, " said Hartzell, "especially when all the injuries started to pile up. But they found a way to get it done."

The team's next game is this Thursday at 7 p.m. at home against Churchill County.