Shadow Ridge graduate helps Idaho rally in bowl game

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

A Las Vegas resident was in the middle of one of the most exciting college football games this bowl season.

With 19 seconds to play in the Humanitarian Bowl last week, Shadow Ridge High graduate Preston Davis came up with one of the biggest catches in the history of Idaho's football program.

The Vandals trailed Bowling Green by seven points and potentially were down to their last play, facing a fourth down in their own territory. However, Davis leaped high to haul in a 50-yard heave from quarterback Nathan Enderle, bringing the ball to Bowling Green's 16-yard line.

Idaho proceeded to score a touchdown with four seconds left that trimmed its deficit to one point, 42-41. Coach Robb Akey rolled the dice and went for the 2-point conversion and the victory.

Enderle found Davis in the back of the end zone for the winning points, igniting a massive celebration.

"It was so surreal. I didn't feel like I was there," Davis said. "I had to watch the video to get a grasp of it. It was crazing seeing all of those people screaming and running onto the field."

Luther Carr, Idaho's wide receivers coach, said Davis never gave up on the long pass play. Enderle had to get rid of the ball early to avoid being sacked, and Davis intelligently made his way back to the ball.

"That wasn't one of the best passes thrown by our quarterback, but he put in a position where Preston could make a play on the ball," Carr said. "When that ball went up in the air, two guys could have caught it. But Preston wanted it more than (the defender) and went up there and grabbed it."

Davis, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, finished with four catches for 119 yards and a touchdown. He's hoping to use the performance to jump start the final two years of his collegiate career.

Davis sent Carr a text message last week explaining how he wants to be a leader during his final two years. Davis had 29 catches for 341 yards this fall and knows the sky is the limit for the rest of his career.

"I might not be the fastest," he said. "I might not be the tallest or the highest jumper. But I feel like I have enough desire to get the job done and the willpower to win the game. Those immeasurables are kind of my strong point."

Carr has seen that dedication firsthand.

He hears nothing but positives about Davis from the school's weight training coordinator and academic advisers. Also, Davis constantly is in the film room preparing for the opponent.

"Preston Davis is one of the hardest workers I know," Carr said. "He wants to be the best. He wants to go to the NFL. That is his goal and I know he's not going to stop until he reaches it."

Davis was a first-team All-Sunset Region selection at Shadow Ridge, catching 36 passes for 613 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior. The 2008 graduate led the Mustangs to the Sunset semifinals in 2006 — the best season in the school's seven-year history.

Now, he can proudly say he was part of one of Idaho's best seasons in recent memory. Idaho had only three wins in the last two years before opening 2009 with a 6-1 record.

"You have to give credit to coach Akey for having faith in his players," Davis said. "I was surprised, happy, shocked and scared, all of those emotions at the same time during the time out (before the 2-point conversion). They called a time out after we called a time out. It was like trying to ice the kicker. Just a crazy amount of anxiety."

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or [email protected].