Happy Valley opens with win over Cloudland
Published 9:13 pm Saturday, August 24, 2019
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Star Photo/Jeff Vonglis Cloudland's Chase Shell turns upfield looking to gain additional yards.
Star Photo/Jeff Vonglis Tristain Lacey looks to give a stiff arm to a Happy Valley defender.
Star Photo/Jeff Vonglis Cloudland's Connor Birchfield runs into a pile of players looking to gain some yards for the Highlanders.
BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN
STAR CORRESPONDENT
In a defensive struggle, Happy Valley took an early lead and using ball control took over the game at the end of the third period and held on for a 19-6 win on Warrior Hill on Friday night.
On the Warriors third possession senior quarterback, Noah Stevens connected with junior wideout Blake Young on a 60-yard touchdown pass. Cameron Cochran kicked the point after for a 7-0 Happy Valley lead.
Stevens was 3-for-6 passing for 75 yards in the first half.
“Me and Blake just have great chemistry,” Stevens said. “I knew when he got a step that I would find him open. We knew we had to shut the power run game down. We didn’t really think they could throw on us but that was big that we shut it down.”
For Cloudland (0-1), senior quarterback Hunter Shell was 4-for-8 for 28 yards and Hunter Blair completed a pass from punt formation for six yards.
The ‘Landers rushed 19 times for 68 ground yards while HV had 50 yards rushing on nine tries.
The ‘Landers first two possessions ended on downs and the closest Cloudland got to the HV end zone was fourth and one from the four-yard line and senior running back Tristan Lacy was dumped for a two-yard loss giving the Warriors the ball back at their own six-yard line.
Cloudland turned Happy Valley over on downs on the Warriors first possession of the second half and a Lacy 33 yard gallop put the ‘Landers at the HV 28 yard line.
A pair of major penalties set the ‘Landers back to a second and 29 and Cloudland punted it away.
From there the Warriors controlled the ball for the next 7:16 on a 15-play drive capped by a 15-yard scoring run from junior tailback Matthew Bahn. The PAT was no good and HV settled for a 13-0 lead.
“That was big right there,” Warriors head coach Jason Jarrett said. “We just had a one-score lead until that drive.
“I wanted to close this out a little more effectively and get the goose egg. My defensive staff wanted it, but I’m just glad to get the win. We want to find a way to close stronger though.
On the ensuing kickoff, Lacy took the ball from the 17 to the 45 where he was hit and fumbled the ball and Andrew Little recovered.
Stevens connected with Young once again – this on a second and inches – on a 31-yard scoring pass play giving the Warriors a 19-0 lead after another PAT miss.
Cloudland avoided a shutout in the final minutes driving 48 yards on five plays with Lacy scoring from two yards out. The two-point conversion run failed.
Stevens finished the night 8-for-12 for 132 yards and two scores while Young had three receptions for 96 yards and two scores.
Bahn led HV in rushing with 57 yards on seven carries.
For Cloudland Lacy had 82 yards on 10 tries while Conor Birchfield rushed for 66 yards on 21 tries.
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Happy Valley 19-6
Cloudland 0 0 0 6 – 6
Happy Valley 7 0 0 12 – 19
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
H – Young 60 pass from Stevens (C. Cochran kick) 1:08
Fourth Quarter
H – Bahn 15 run (kick failed) 5:54
H – Young 31 pass from Stevens (kick failed) 5:23
C – Lacy 2 run (run failed) 3:36
