The Springlake-Earth Wolverines’ varsity football team took down the Valley Patriots in Petersburg on Friday evening, 62-29, to claim the 1A Six-Man D-I Bi-district Championship.
With the win, the Wolverines improve to 8-3 overall on the season.
The opening kick-off was muffed byAlejandro Gonzalez and recovered by Valley’s Malikhai Farley with 9:56 to play in the opening quarter.
Valley took over at the Springlake-Earth 38-yard line, but they were unable to capitalize on the good field position, punting the ball away with 5:14 to play in the first quarter.
The Wolverines got the ball back at their own five-yard line, but on their first offensive play of the game, JJ Jaramillo took a run to the right, but it was fumbled and recovered by Farley with 5:01 remaining in the quarter.
The Wolverine defense bowed their necks on a short field and on second and four, Brayson Cruse carried the ball to the left, but he had it stripped by Slade Beerwinkle, who fell on it for the turnover with 4:10 to play in the first quarter.
Springlake-Earth was unable to capitalize on the turnover, as they were forced to punt the ball away with 2:46 remaining in the quarter.
Valley took over after the punt at their own 34-yard line. Farley carried the ball on a run to the right for seven yards before being brought down by Tim Tovar. Taevion Ramos was stopped for no gain on second down by Froylan Agundiz and Gavin Gonzales, but on the next play, Damian Valdes completed a pass to his left to Farley, who took it down to the Wolverine 30-yard line, before being brought down by Beerwinkle.
With a fresh set of downs, Eric Petitt took a dive up the middle, but the Patriots were called for a holding penalty, backing them up to first and 25 from midfield. However, Cruse would break loose around the left side for a 40-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds to play in the quarter. The snap on the kick bounced off the kickers helmet into the hands of the holder, Tailor Green, who connected with Cruse for the extra point to make the score, 7-0.
The onside kick try by the Patriots was recovered by Gonzalez at the Wolverine 36-yard line. On first down, Beerwinkle hit Gonzales with a pass to the left and a flag on the play for a horse collar tackle by the Patriots set the Wolverines up with first and goal from the nine-yard line. Back-to-back runs from Jaramillo took the game into the second quarter with the Wolverines facing third and goal from the one-yard line. On third down, Beerwinkle found Tyler Tanaro with a shovel pass for the touchdown with 9:57 to play in the half. The kick by JJ Jaramillo was good, putting them in front, 8-7.
The onside kick was covered by Cash Sperry, as the Patriots took over at their own 19-yard line. Farley broke free on a run around the right side for a 61-yard touchdown run with 9:45 to play in the half. The kick from Valley was good, putting them back on top, 15-8.
The kick-off rolled out of bounds for Valley, giving Springlake-Earth the ball at the Valley 39-yard line. On first down, Jaramillo completed a pass to Beerwinkle, who broke a tackle on his way to the 39-yard touchdown with 9:32 remaining in the half. Jaramillo’s kick was good, putting the Wolverines back in front, 16-15.
The onside kick by Agundiz bounced off of the Valley return man and was recovered by the Wolverines at the Valley 34-yard line with 9:28 remaining in the half.
Springlake-Earth took over as Jaramillo completed a pass to Gonzalez, who took it down to the 18yard line for a fresh set of downs. On first down, Beerwinkle was sacked by Sperry and Tucker Schlueter for a three-yard loss, but on the next play, Tovar took a dive up the middle for nine yards to set up third and nine from the 12-yard line.
Jaramillo carried the ball on third down, but a holding penalty brought it back to third and nine from the 12yard line. Jaramillo again carried the ball into the end zone, but an illegal formation penalty was called on the Wolverines, backing them up to third and 14 from the 17-yard line. Jaramillo dropped back and hit Gonzales for the 17-yard touchdown with 6:42 to play in the half. The kick from Jaramillo was no good, leaving the score, 2215.
Valley would turn the ball over on downs at the Springlake-Earth 22-yard line with 1:38 to play in the half.
On first down, Jaramillo took a run to the right for a yard, before he was tackled by Orion Enloe, forcing Springlake-Earth to call a time out with 1:29 to play in the half. Out of the break, Jaramillo took a run around the left side, breaking free for a 57-yard touchdown run. The kick was good from Jaramillo, pushing their lead to, 30-15, with 1:19 to play in the half.
Valley got the ball back after the kick off and was driving with the ball into Wolverine territory, they took a time out with one second remaining in the half. They came out of the break, going for it on fourth and 17, but Valdes’s pass was tipped from behind by Tovar and caught by Beerwinkle, who returned it for the touchdown with no time on the clock. The kick was no good from Jaramillo, making the score, 36-15, going into the locker room at halftime.
Valley got the ball to open the second half, but just two plays into their first drive of the second half, Ramos had the ball knocked out by Tovar and it was recovered by Beerwinkle with 9:14 to play in the third quarter.
Both team’s next possessions would end in a turnover on downs and the Wolverines got the ball back at the Valley 24-yard line with 6:12 remaining in the quarter.
Jaramillo carried the ball on three consecutive plays to set up first and goal from the one-yard line. His pass on first and goal was dropped in the end zone by Gonzales, but on the next play, he carried it in for the one-yard score, following it up with the kick to stretch their lead to, 44-15, with 5:14 to play in the third.
Valley’s next drive would extend into the fourth quarter, but on fourth and 17 from the Springlake-Earth 18-yard line, Valdes’s pass over the middle looking for Sperry fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with 9:55 to play in the game.
The Wolverines took over at their own eight-yard line, as Tovar carried the ball for five yards on first down. The Wolverines were flagged for a false start on the next play, backing them up to the original line of scrimmage. Jaramillo picked up 11 yards on second down and Agundiz followed it up with a pass to Tovar on the left side, giving them a fresh set of downs at the Valley 26-yard line.
Agundiz kept it himself taking it around the left side, and a late hit was called on Valley, taking the ball down to the nine-yard line. On first and goal, Jaramillo carried it in over the left side for the nine-yard touchdown. The kick was blocked by Petitt, leaving the score, 50-15, with 7:42 to play.
Valley would get some offense going after taking over after the kick-off at their own 28-yard line. Valdes carried the ball to the right, cutting back to the middle for a big gain before a touchdown saving tackle was made by Agundiz at the Wolverine 17-yard line. Two plays later, Cruse carried it around the left side for the 15-yard touchdown with 6:48 remaining in the contest. The kick was blocked by Donovan Stiggers, leaving the score, 50-21.
Jaramillo took a pitch from Beerwinkle in for a three-yard touchdown run with 2:48 remaining in the game, but the kick was no good, leaving the score, 56-21. And, on the defensive side, Carson Tucker was picked by Jaramillo as his own 30-yard line, as he took it the other way for a pick-six with 1:14 to play. The kick was no good leaving the score, 62-21.
Valley would score in the closing seconds, as Tucker hit Sperry for a 46-yard touchdown pass, followed by the kick to trim the lead to, 62-29, but Springlake-Earth would take a knee to end the game, claiming the Bi-district title.
The Wolverines will take on Miami at Motley County on Friday at 7 p.m.