With their QB healthy, Bulldogs want rematch

Nick Christensen

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2004 | 8:45 a.m.

Virgin Valley High's football players know exactly what they want to be doing next Saturday.

"I want to be playing Moapa," said quarterback Tyler Thurston. "I didn't get the chance earlier."

Northeast Clark County's two high schools, 30 miles apart on Interstate 15, played the last night of the regular season in Mesquite. Virgin Valley was shut out 38-0 at its home field, but the Bulldogs were playing without Thurston, out of the lineup with an injury until late in Saturday's 3A South playoff victory at Boulder City.

Virgin Valley travels to the Northern California town of Truckee to take on the 3A North champion, while 3A North runner-up Spring Creek, a school near Elko, will play Moapa Valley at Overton. The winners advance to next week's state championship at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Virgin Valley finished the regular season at 7-3, losing its opener to Dixie High School at St. George, and later falling 31-28 at Boulder City.

"(Truckee's) a top-quality football team. They're exactly the same team we played last year," Virgin Valley coach Kirk Hafen said. "They've got a good quarterback. They like to throw the ball. They'll try to mess you up with different formations. They've got a real good quality receiver. He's a Division I player."

Jamie Maehler led the Wolverines with 34 receptions for 601 yards. His quarterback, Paul Tierney, passed for 1,664 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Truckee finished the year 8-1, the one loss coming to 4A Sierra League champion Hug.

Thurston put up impressive numbers himself, going 69-for-138 for 1,161 yards this year. The Bulldogs' ground attack is led by Brock Francis, who had 534 yards on 103 carries.

The Bulldogs' longtime rivals, Moapa Valley, will also be tested. Spring Creek junior James Edwards has rushed for 2,590 yards on 312 carries this year -- second best in Nevada history. His 5,157 career rushing yards is already 130 yards better than previous record holder Chance Kretschmer's numbers.

Moapa Valley finished 9-1 and had wins against 4A Carson, Spring Valley, Del Sol and Canyon Springs. The Bulldogs have won by an average of 34 points since that 25-10 loss to Dixie.

In 2A semifinals, Battle Mountain travels to Needles, Calif., and The Meadows visits Pershing County at Lovelock.

"If we can stop their running game, we'll stop them," said Meadows defensive back Greg Maggiore.

The Meadows finished the year 2-7, but qualified for the 2A South playoff and upset West Wendover last week 19-18. Pershing County ended the year 9-0, and shut out five of its opponents.

The 2A championship will also be next Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

In 1A semifinals, Wells will play Carlin at Elko on Friday night, and Tonopah will face Pahranagat Valley at Indian Springs on Saturday.