Last Thursday, the Douglas junior varsity football team bounced back from the previous week's loss with a well played 27-14 win over Spanish Springs.
This was despite suiting up only 22 players, several of those nursing injuries.
The Tigers set the tone by opening the game with a six-and-a-half minute drive that culminated in a 9 yard touchdown run by quarterback Mike Nolting. Nolting kicked the extra point to make it 7-0. Douglas' second scoring drive of the half started at their own 15 yard line and ended 5 minutes later with a nine yard scoring run by EJ Rose.
Nolting's kick was good again. Strong defense by the Tigers kept Spanish Springs off the board and Douglas went in at halftime with a 14-0 lead.
That lead was soon cut in half however, as the Cougars returned the second half kick-off 95 yards for a touchdown. But Douglas was able to answer at the eight-minute mark of the third quarter as Nolting hit Cole Melhus with a 20-yard touchdown pass. The scoring play was set up on a nifty 25-yard run with a shovel pass by Rose. Spanish Springs tried to answer on their ensuing drive taking the ball to the Douglas 35 yard line. The Cougar quarterback, under heavy pressure from the Tiger front line, had his next pass picked off by Melhus who returned the interception 35 yards to the Cougar 40.
From there the Tigers moved quickly to score, once again using Rose on a screen pass for 30 yards to get close, and then Rose once more on a 4-yard dive for the touchdown. The Cougars were finally able to score on the Douglas defense at the end of the third quarter, but the Tigers, using ball control on offense and a ferocious pass rush on defense, secured the victory with a scoreless 4th quarter.
Almost all of the Tiger players saw duty on both sides of the ball, many playing away from their normal position.
Nolting, who enjoyed his best game of the season throwing the ball, also played safety, making several unassisted tackles. He handled all the kicking chores too.
Tailback Dylan Wilson had several key runs, and as cornerback on defense helped shut down the Cougar passing game. Rose, playing defensive end as well as fullback, harassed the Cougar quarterback most of the evening.
Linemen Nick Lufrano, Justin Harmon, Sean Jones, Caleb and Jared Vasquez, Matt Ross, Joe White, and BJ Sherwood, opened holes on the offensive side of the ball.
, and closed them on defense. Tight end Ben Cochran doubled up by playing linebacker on defense, and linebacker Cody Hayes doubled as a fullback on offense.
"This was a real team victory tonight," said head coach Lance Hartzell, "All 22 players contributed, and I'm very proud of every one of them."
The Tigers final game of the season is this Thursday, October 28 at Galena High at 5 p.m.
