Last Friday’s game with Monument Valley was anything but an offensive fireworks display. Neither Holbrook’s Roadrunners nor the Mustangs were able to get much of anything to work consistently when they had the ball.
Monument Valley did very little with its first four possessions, nor did the Birds, who only picked up four first downs the first four times they had the ball. Holbrook’s fifth possession was set up by Scottie Gishie’s interception, giving the Birds the ball on their own 31 yard line. Seven plays later Cade Maestas capped the 63-yard scoring drive with a three-yard run at the 6:14 mark of the second period to lead 6-0.
The two teams then traded interceptions, with Maestas getting the pick on defense, then giving it back moments later by throwing an interception. Monument Valley capitalized on the Maestas pick in Holbrook territory with a 26-yard field goal by Xavier Hunt, making the score 6-3 at the half.
Monument Valley was the first team to build some offensive momentum in the second half, moving down the field quickly thanks to a 60-yard pass play which put the Mustangs inside Holbrook’s 15 yard line. Two plays later they attempted a backward pass, which was picked up by Maestas who then outran the Mustang defenders for 86 yards, extending Holbrook’s lead to 13-3.
The Mustangs again moved the ball down the field with long passing plays, but Holbrook’s defense held them on fourth and goal to maintain the 10-point cushion.
Holbrook’s offense had brief moments throughout the game, connecting on the occasional Maestas to Gishie pass, but its running game was fairly nonexistent through much of the game. That lack of momentum allowed the Mustangs to pull closer when Irwin Holiday found Hunt from seven yards out with 1:28 left in the third, making the score 13-10 with Holbrook in front.
The teams traded punts until late in the fourth quarter when Holiday again connected with Hunt, this time from 29 yards out to put the visitors in front 17-13 with 4:49 left in the game. The Roadrunner offense took the field trailing for the first time at their own 32 yard line. One play later they were at the Monument Valley four yard line thanks to a long throw from Maestas which found a streaking Gishie down the field for a 68-yard completion. Gishie was caught from behind just short of the goal line, but Holbrook appeared to be poised for the go ahead score. Unfortunately, instead of punching the ball in on the next play, Holbrook was whistled for an unsportsmanlike penalty, pushing the ball back to the 18 yard line where the Birds eventually faced a fourth and goal from the 11. That pass fell incomplete, leaving the Mustangs with the lead. Holbrook hoped for one final chance, but when the Mustangs converted on a fake punt play inside the final minute, they closed out the 17-13 win.
With the loss Holbrook evened its season mark at 2-2. The Mustangs pushed their record to 4-0.
