Douglas' Tre Jackson (5) intercepts a pass in a loss to Damonte Ranch Thursday night in Minden.
MINDEN — Cameron Sandoval and Austin Price scored touchdowns on kick returns in the first half Thursday night to help propel Damonte Ranch to a key 47-21 Sierra League victory against Douglas at Keith Roman Field.
By winning, Damonte Ranch (2-1 Sierra League, 3-6 overall) gained the inside track to second-place in the league and a home field berth to open the playoffs.
Douglas (1-2 league, 3-6 overall) took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter on Nick Abreu’s 67-yard interception return.
Damonte Ranch answered immediately, however, when Sandoval returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for the game-tying touchdown.
After turning the ball over on another interception, the Mustangs came back to mount a five-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off by Elijah Sapico’s 25-yard touchdown reception from sophomore quarterback Drake Vestbie.
Sandoval scored on an 11-yard run and Vestbie completed a 2-point conversion pass to Jared Blake as Damonte Ranch took a 21-7 lead.
Douglas answered less than a minute later when quarterback Bryce James found Tomas Leitenbauer wide open down the middle of the field for a 57-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-14.
Damonte Ranch seized the momentum right back on the kickoff, which Price took 85 yards for a touchdown and 28-14 lead.
The Mustangs scored on their opening two possessions of the third quarter to break the game open.
Sandoval scored his third touchdown of the night on a 7-yard sweep to the right side and Vestbie threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Blake. Vestbie and Blake also hooked up on a 47-yard touchdown pass over the middle on the opening play of the fourth quarter.
James scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to wrap up the scoring.
Despite the loss, Douglas did clinch a playoff berth as Bishop Manogue posted a 21-10 victory against Galena Thursday night.
