(Editor’s note to commemorate the WWHS Wolverine Championship season the High Desert Advocate is pleased to reprint the original stories of the championship published 10 years ago this week)
Playing without their marquee performers, the Cinderella West Wendover Wolverines brought home the Nevada State championship with a 27-22 nail-biter win over Lincoln County Friday.
“The win was especially great because it was a total team effort.” Said Wolverine Head Coach Brian Poole. “Everyone and I mean everyone stepped up when the had to.”
It was the first state championship in West Wendover’s seven year history (see related stories this page).
Even without its two star running back, James Nichols out because of academic ineligibility and Pedro Morquecho limited in play due to an ankle injury the Wolverines showed they were up to the challenge.
West Wendover took received the ball on the opening kick-off and went on a controlled march from their own 22 to the Lincoln County 8-yard line.
Lincoln held but a roughing the kicker call on Kade Brown during the field goal attempt gave West Wendover a first down on the four and two plays later Jared Hollibaugh bulled his way in to put West Wendover up by six. The point after try by Brown was good and Lincoln found itself down by seven.
It did not stay that way for long.
The Lynx responded on their next possession with a touch down of their own and after the first quarter the teams were tied.
All but the last two minutes of the second quarter belonged to the Wolverines. West Wendover scored three more times including once after a fumble recovering by Hollibaugh deep in Lynx territory. And the game appeared to be heading toward a blowout.
But after the fourth Wendover TD, the Lynx served notice that they would not go quietly into the night, with a 78-yard kick-off return from Lincoln star running back Bobby Ho for a TD. The successful two point try put the score at 27-15 at half time where it remained for the entire third and most of the fourth quarter.
While the Wolverine offense protected their lead by running the ball, the Lynx were thwarted time and time again by a stubborn West Wendover defensive line and pass coverage that bent but never yielded the big play.
Then with four minutes left to play Wendover was pinned down on fourth down inside its own ten. The punt from Brown was blocked and Lynx line backer Cory Phillips ran the ball in for a touchdown. The score was suddenly 27-22. Lincoln County was thinking comeback and West Wendover fans were terrified that the Lynx would pull a rabbit out of the hat just as the Wolverines did two weeks earlier against Battle Mountain.
With a little under four minutes to play the Wolverines recovered Lincoln County’s onside kick at mid-field. Then followed three quick downs and the Wolverines were on fourth down with nine yards to go with two and a half minutes to go.
Poole had the biggest decision of his coaching career to make. A punt from Brown could have put the ball deep in Lynx territory but then again the Lynx had just blocked a punt. On the other hand going for a first down would mean another four plays to eat up the clock. But not making the first would give the ball to the Lynx at midfield.
“The boys were confident they could make it,” Poole said.
So was the coach.
But over two hundred Wolverine fans held their collective breath as Quarter Back Mitch Dean took the snap from center faded back rolled right and hit tight-end Josh Gunter for ten yards and then some.
The stands erupted in a cheer more of relief than elation and the Wolverines spent the next four downs eating the clock.
The fourth down punt (not blocked this time) by Brown pinned the Lynx back behind their own twenty. Once again the Wolverine defense held for three downs. On fourth a desperation pass to midfield was caught by a Lynx receiver and with one second left Lincoln County had enough time for one more pass.
The toss was batted down and fittingly enough it was the Wolverine defense, which sealed the deal for West Wendover first State Championship.