Defense, running game spark Palmer victory

PALMER — Last year, Palmer used a stout defense and strong running game to win its first conference title in nearly a decade.

Friday, the Moose picked up right where they left off in 2012.

Senior James Nisbett rushed for a game-high 138 yards and a touchdown, and the Palmer defense allowed less than 150 yards total offense during a 21-15 nonconference win over Bartlett at Machetanz Field.

Seniors Zeth Merritt and Ben Auamave also scored to help Palmer win the 2013 season-opener. Senior Vincent Aumavae added 75 yards on 11 carries. Ben Aumave plunged for the game-deciding touchdown, and the Moose drove their way to nearly 280 yards on the ground.

But it was the defense that came up big in clutch situations to help Palmer grab the win.

“We’re blessed with the great running game with James and the Aumavaes, but our defense should be really good this year,” senior captain and linebacker Cody Wells said. “It’s huge.”

Bartlett was winless a year ago, but boasts a dangerous spread attack on offense, led by junior quarterback Zyrelle Jones.

Jones, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound signal-caller, threw for a touchdown and rushed for another. But Palmer held Jones to only 57 yards on the ground and 47 through the air.

“He’s a tremendous athlete,” Wells said of Jones.

Jones connected with C.J. Hoffman on a 15-yard scoring pass in the first quarter and hit the corner of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown run during the final seconds of the first half. But the Palmer defense was also able to make big plays against Bartlett’s athletic quarterback.

The Moose defense forced a Jones fumble early in the third quarter. Midway through the third, with the Bears facing 4th-and-3, Ben Aumavae and senior Caleb Deemer teamed to stop Jones for a 2-yard loss.

The Moose had another big fourth-down stop with eight minutes left in the fourth. Bartlett was facing 4th-and-1, but Jones was swallowed by the interior of the Moose defense.

Palmer’s biggest defensive stop of the game came late in the fourth quarter.

After a Palmer turnover, the Bears took over at the Palmer 29-yard line with 4:37 left trailing by just a touchdown. A Bartlett illegal block penalty on second down negated a long Jones run and pushed the Bears back. Palmer junior Adam Christiansen nearly picked off a pass on third down. With the Bears facing 4th-and-21, Nisbett and Wells knocked Jones out of bounds after a 9-yard carry, and Bartlett turned the ball over on downs.

“It was great. We stepped up,” Wells said. “We really took care of it.”

Palmer’s defensive line, led by senior Brian Thompson and junior Nick Benshetler, was key for the Moose in the win.

“I thought our guys did a really good job up front,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said. “We were trying some different things in the first half. We probably weren’t as strong against the run in the first half as we were in the second half.”

Christiansen said he was proud of his defense, especially in critical moments.

“They decided to go out there and get after it,” Christiansen said. “Guys like James (Nisbett) are really good leaders. They’re tuned into the game, focused on what’s important. They guys really stepped up.”

Nisbett, who led the state with 1,555 yards rushing as a junior, carried the ball 25 times for 138 yards. He finished with five carries of 10 yards or more and posted a 10-yard touchdown run.

Merritt, making his first career start at quarterback, gave the Moose an early lead with a 2-yard touchdown score in the first quarter. He finished with 11 carries for 46 yards. He connected with Wells on a two-point conversion in the first half.

“He definitely stepped up,” Wells said of Merritt.

Ben Aumavae scored the game-clinching touchdown early in the fourth, a 1-yard run. His score was set up by Vincent Aumavae’s 37-yard scamper on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Palmer 21, Bartlett 15

Friday, Machetanz Field

First quarter:

Palmer — Merritt 2 run (Pempek kick) 10:39.

Bartlett — Hoffman 14 pass from Jones (Torres run) 1:45.

Second quarter:

Palmer — Nisbett 10 run (Wells pass from Merritt) 2:53.

Bartlett — Jones 6 run (Belgarde kick) 0:24.

Third quarter:

No scoring.

Fourth quarter:

Palmer — B. Aumavae 1 run (kick failed) 10:39

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING — Bartlett: Jones 17-57, Honore 8-19, Faloniko 6-11, Erving 1-4; Palmer: Nisbett 25-138, V. Aumavae 11-75, Merritt 11-46, B. Aumavae 3-8, Schneider 2-9.

PASSING — Bartlett: Jones 7-13-0—47; Palmer: Merritt 1-3-0—19.

RECEIVING — Bartlett: Hoffman 3-22, Erving 2-14, Reynolds 1-8, Kenney 1-3; Palmer: Wells 1-19.