Prep football: Warriors win in the wet

Aug. 20, 2006

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - The Wasilla football squad did something Friday it had not done in 53 weeks.

Wasilla won a game.

With a 9-7 win over the West Valley Wolfpack in a torrential downpour at Veterans Memorial Field, the Warriors snapped an eight-game losing streak that had dated back to the first week of the 2005 season. Wasilla also won its first Railbelt Conference game since 2004.

And to notch that win, the Warriors had to overcome the monsoon-like conditions, make key adjustments in the offensive game plan and derail Dustin Baxter, West Valley's workhorse running back.

&#8220It was very difficult,” Wasilla quarterback Hunter Scholtz said. &#8220There was a lot of adversity, for our team to come out and play in these kind of conditions.”

Despite winds and a driving rain that grew steadily worse throughout the contest, Scholtz managed to complete 10 of his 19 passes, and connected with tight end Zach Orr on the go-ahead touchdown pass midway through the third quarter.

Scholtz said, because of the rain, Wasilla ended up straying pretty far from the original game plan. Ironically, the wet weather actually was the reason Wasilla went more toward the passing game.

&#8220We wanted to come out and play outside, break open big runs,” Scholtz said. &#8220We weren't able to, so we stuck to the pass.”

Of Scholtz' 10 completions, only two went for more than 10 yards - the 11-yard touchdown pass to Orr and a key 26-yard throw to Westly Gagnon late in the game.

&#8220We stuck to the quick routes,” Scholtz said. &#8220We just took what they gave us.”

While the Warriors took what West Valley gave them on offense, the Wasilla defense prevented the Wolfpack from doing much of anything.

Last season Baxter burnt the Warriors for 191 yards, and posted the game-winning score in the final minute of a 21-14 victory. This time around Wasilla held Baxter to 60 yards on 21 carries. And 20 of those yards came on one run in the second

quarter.

&#8220Our defense did a heck of a job,” Wasilla head coach Jim Shetter said. &#8220Our boys showed up and worked as a team.”

Knowing what Baxter did against the Warriors last season, Shetter set up a scheme to try to shut down the small but sturdy West Valley senior. Shetter stuck safety Tim Orr in the middle of the field, with stopping Baxter as the sophomore's first priority.

&#8220Wherever Baxter goes, Orr goes,” Shetter said. &#8220He was mirroring him everywhere on the field.”

There were key individual performances - Tim Orr's work against Baxter, linebacker Derek Bosch hit double digits in tackles and defensive back Jeremiah Collins held dangerous West Valley flanker Andy Musgrove to only two catches - but Shetter said he was thrilled with his defense's work as a unit.

&#8220They came out really strong,” West Valley quarterback Duane Aamot said. &#8220Five, maybe six down linemen, a lot of blitzes. They were prepared.”

West Valley posted its longest play from scrimmage on their first offensive down of the game. Aamot connected with Musgrove on a quick screen, and the senior receiver scampered 50 yards down the soggy field. Aamot capped the opening drive with a 4-yard touchdown run.

&#8220Our first play of the game, that's what we wanted to do,” Aamot said.

Aamot said the Wolfpack wanted to stick to a gameplan that included mixing in the pass with the run, even on a rain-soaked field, but didn't have a great deal of success after that first

drive.

&#8220It was really tough, muddy. Everyone was slipping and sliding,” a drenched Aamot said following the game. &#8220(The ball) was tough to hold, tough to throw, tough to catch.”

Wasilla took an early 3-0 lead with Vladimir Dahl's 40-yard field goal on the Warriors' first drive of the game. Dahl kept that drive alive with a 19-yard run on a fake punt attempt.

The Warriors are now on the road for the next three weeks. Wasilla travels to the Kenai Peninsula to face Skyview on Friday.

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