Snowflake’s highly anticipated match-up with Show Low last Friday night turned into another runaway victory for what is a very good Lobo football team. A slow beginning found the Lobos trailing 7-0 at the close of the first quarter, but from that point on they outscored the Cougars 41-14 in the final three quarters of play to win their eighth game of the year by a final of 42-21.
Porter Black scored Snowflake’s first touchdown on a one-yard plunge early the second period. Brenton Ballard’s point after tied the game at 7-all. Midway through the second Drew Schneider scored the first of his four touchdowns, this one coming on a 72-yard run. Two minutes later Tyler Claridge connected with Travis Flake for a 35-yard score, pushing the lead to 19-7. With two minutes left in the half Schneider found the end zone again, this time from 43 yards out. The two-point conversion pass from Black to Lane Penrod pushed the lead to 27-7 at the half.
Midway through the third, Schneider extended the lead to 34-7 on a 16-yard rushing touchdown. Show Low cut into the lead late in the third on a Rhett Ricedorff to Willie Wyatt 31-yard touchdown pass making the score 34-14 heading to the final quarter. Early in the fourth the Cougars made things interesting as Wyatt scored on a 60-yard run to close the gap to 34-21. The score remained that way until the final three minutes of the fourth when Schneider put up an insurance touchdown on a seven-yard rush. Ballard’s final point after made the score 41-21.
Snowflake nearly doubled up the Cougars in total offense, finishing with 474 yards compared to only 247 by Show Low. Claridge completed 10 of 18 passes for 143 yards with one score. Black made good on one of two for eight yards. Schneider led the receiver corps with two catches for 48 yards. Flake had one grab for 35 yards. Porter caught three for 27; Penrod, two for 10; Zach Solomon, two for nine; and Trevor McCray, one for 22.
On the ground the night belonged to Schneider and the Lobo offensive line. The back rushed 14 times for 203 yards and four scores. McCray had 15 carries for 59 yards. Solomon rushed five times for 20 yards. Penrod carried four times for 18 yards. Alex Patterson had two runs for 13 yards. Black rushed four times, gaining eight yards, and Claridge carried four times for two yards.
Snowflake headed into the final week of the regular season ranked fourth in the power point standings. The Lobos’ final game will be at home on Friday, Oct. 31, when they host a struggling Globe team with just two wins on the year. Snowflake should head into the state tournament as one of the top four seeds in Division IV.
