Moose run all over Wolfpack

Sept. 17, 2006

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

PALMER - As West Valley head football coach Jeff Patterson walked off Machetanz Field after his team's 48-13 loss to the Palmer Moose Friday, he couldn't help but place the blame right square on his own shoulders.

West Valley, now 2-4 overall and 1-3 in Railbelt Conference play, allowed Palmer to score on its first four offensive drives, and dropped its second-straight contest on the road.

&#8220We were beat 56-26 last weekend down at South, but we were in the game 28-14 at half,” a disappointed Patterson said. &#8220If you would have told me after doing that, we were going to come here and get rocked in the first half, I never would have bet that. I don't have a lot of answers. I was kind of shocked by this. I guess I'm not calling the right things.”

West Valley took the early lead, capping its game-opening eight-play drive with a Duane Aamont touchdown pass to Tony Haas. But that was before the Moose managed to score on each of their first four possessions.

&#8220We always do well on first drives. First drives aren't the problem,” Patterson said. &#8220It's finishing the game.”

Palmer scored on four of its five offensive series in the first half. Its fifth series of the game was a one-play possession in the final 15 seconds of the second quarter.

The Moose also scored the first three times they had the ball in the second half.

The powerful Palmer running game pounded out 458 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

The Moose ran the ball on 43 or their 45 offensive plays, and the versatility and depth of their running game proved difficult to contend with.

&#8220All the misdirection. They run inside, they run outside,” Patterson said. &#8220When you're playing North Pole, you know pretty much when they run their misdirection, they're going to cut underneath ya. Palmer will go under you, they'll go outside of you. They go all over, and do a great job.”

Palmer normally uses the combination of senior running backs Haakan Bohman and Tanner Grover as the bulk of its running game. But on Friday, seven different backs touched the ball, and four scored touchdowns.

&#8220That's something I think came from our J.V. from last year,” Palmer quarterback Conrad Smith said. &#8220We were really strong, and we're finally getting those guys to step up.”

Key was the emergence of fullback Ryan Thorne, who gained a season-high 58 yards on 12 carries. The senior scored Palmer's first touchdown, a 6-yard run in the first quarter. Nine of his runs came in the first two quarters, and prevented the Wolfpack from focusing on the faster backs, such as Bohman, who like to hit the corners.

&#8220I think it really smoothed things out. His ability to block, run hard,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said of his fullback. &#8220He's just been running so hard, blocking so hard, we needed to go to him. He needed a shot in there.”

Junior speedster Devin Konkler, another emerging talent, scored touchdowns on his only two runs of the

game.

Sprung by a Drew Frohling block, he scampered 36 yards for a score in the second quarter, and added a 45-yarder in the fourth.

While Palmer used a variety of runners, West Valley stuck with its horse - senior Dustin Baxter. The back with the motor that doesn't seem to quit carried the ball 31 times for 140 yards.

&#8220The kid has a heart of a champion, he keeps playing,” Patterson said.

Aamont completed 6-of-15 passes for 164 yards, and tossed a pair of touchdown passes. Aamont and the Wolfpack saw immediate success in the passing game on the first drive. The senior completed three of his four attempts on the drive, including the 8-yard score to Haas.

Patterson said going into the contest, he was a little nervous about the weather and wondered how that would effect West Valley's passing game.

Aamont threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Andy Musgrove in the fourth quarter.

Smith also tossed a touchdown in the game, despite just two attempts in the passing game. Early in the third quarter the junior signal caller connected with junior Justn Draughon on a 15-yard touchdown. Draughon slid virtually untouched into the end zone, and found himself five yards from and Wolfpack defensive back when he caught the ball. Smith said the play wasn't anything to fool the opponent, it's just part of the playbook.

With the win, the Moose improved to 3-1 in Railbelt conference, and sit just a half-game behind Juneau-Douglas in the standings. With wins over North Pole next week, and Wasilla in the Potato Bowl, the Moose would put themselves in position to capture the conference crown.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.