The beginning of Holbrook’s home football game on Friday night certainly didn’t look good for first year head Coach Larry Hayes and his staff. The offensive unit had more fumbles than yards gained through their first two possessions. Nerves, for the young Birds were quite apparent as the quarterbacks were having a tough time just getting the ball from center in the early going.
Holbrook’s defense however played well, turning away Chinle on four plays inside the 10 the first time they recovered a Holbrook fumble. Just a few plays later Holbrook again fumbled inside their own 10 and this time the defense again held them out for three more plays. Finally, with 21 seconds left in the period the Wildcats managed to punch in a score from a yard out to take a 6-0 lead.
Penalty flags thrown on both teams marred the remainder of the first half. This game certainly looked like the first game of the season for both clubs. For the Roadrunners, not having a scrimmage game a week earlier really had an impact especially in the first half. Fortunately for the Roadrunners, the Wildcats weren’t exactly an offensive powerhouse either, which kept Holbrook in the game.
Jeffrey Jones, who will undoubtedly be the most exciting player on the field everytime Holbrook plays, tied the game at 6-6 early in the third period on a three yard run. Shylan Shay’s interception and short return of a Wildcat pass set up the tying score for the Birds.
Chinle didn’t waste much time with a counterpunch. Just three minutes later their big running back Roland Lee plunged in from a yard out putting Chinle back on top 12-6.
Inside the final five minutes a well-played interception by Holbrook’s Aiden Thomas set the Roadrunners up on offense. A few plays later Holbrook junior quarterback Tyson Begay rewarded Thomas with a 19-yard hook-up for a score once again tying the game up at 12-12. Tyson Begay then scored the two-point conversion on a quarterback keeper for the go ahead points, putting Holbrook on top 14-12 with 4:57 left in the game.
Chinle had a couple of final plays late in the game from Holbrook’s side of the 50 yard line but the Roadrunner defense which had been tough pretty much throughout the game forced two incomplete passes, leaving the Roadrunners with a 1-0 start to their season with the 14-12 win.
While stats were not available Jones showed why he is a dangerous threat anytime he has the ball. Jones had some electrifying runs crossing the field on numerous occasions before Chinle defenders were able to corral him. Shay also ran the ball well with power, and Myron Begay showed some shiftiness as well. Quarterback Tyson Begay struggled early in the contest, but in the second half he settled down and completed a few good passes including the tying touchdown strike to Thomas.
Holbrook’s defensive front line of Coran Gary, Myles Kaye and Malcom Secody, along with John O’Brien, also took control in the second half, putting pressure on the Wildcat backfield.
Holbrook will be off this week, giving them time to fine tune several areas of their offense. They will resume action on Sept. 7 when they host Ganado.
