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Highlanders blast West Wendover for Homecoming victory 

Doug Bodel
Receiver Lucas McNamara going for the touchdown
Provided

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The Incline Highlanders culminated their Homecoming festivities with a 61-0 victory over the West Wendover Wolverines last Friday night, in front of alumni, students, faculty, family, and friends at Incline High. 

The Highlanders showed that they are the team to beat in Division 2A football against a very big and athletic Wolverine team that came to Incline with an undefeated record. 

As Incline head Coach, Brian Martinez said, “The Wolverines have a smart and capable coaching staff, who are doing the right things with their program. Mark my words, in a few years, West Wendover is going to be a very good football team.” 



Unfortunately for the Wolverines, their pre-game dance in the middle of Incline’s field right before game time did not sit well with the home team. Rather than intimidate the Highlanders, the pre-game theatrics just flicked the beast mode switch with the Incline players. From the first kick-off to the final whistle, it was all Incline. 

Senior quarterback, Tommy Williams, got the Highlander offense going when he laced a 40-yard pass up the Wendover sideline to Senior wideout Jayden Abate. A few plays later, Senior running back Tate Gitchell opened the scoring with a 6-yard rushing TD up the middle. 



For the rest of the game, the Highlanders were rolling downhill. Incline wrapped up the 1st quarter leading 28-0 with three more rushing touchdowns from Williams, Senior Aidan Midgley, and Senior Lucas McNamara. 

In the 2nd quarter, the Highlanders got back to business and continued to push the ball up the field through their strong rushing offense. Incline’s ground game had contributions from Williams, Gitchell, Midgley, McNamara, Senior Jesus Aguilar, and Lucas MacDonald, the Junior QB, who, in the 4th quarter, scrambled 36 yards for his first Varsity touchdown. Over the course of the game, the Highlanders rushed for 274 yards and seven TDs. 

While most of the scoring was done on the ground, Williams also hit McNamara with nice passes, twice in the end zone; once for a touchdown, and another for a 2-point conversion. 

After 2nd quarter touchdowns from Williams, Gitchell and Senior Ryan Arnett, who had a beautiful defensive return, the Highlanders ended the 1st half up 48-0. 

West Wendover only has enough players for a varsity team, so at halftime, the Highlander coaches made some personnel changes, and gave more playing time to the second team Varsity players, as well as some of the JV athletes. When those Highlanders got their chance to play, play they did! Sophomore Matthias Tarazana, who was a menace last year on the JV team, scored his first Varsity touchdown in the third quarter. Junior Donovan Patricio laid on some big hits from the middle linebacker position and made a statement to the visitors from the east. 

With a score of 61-0, it’s easy to focus on all of the Offensive plays and scoring. But there was a reason that the Wolverines didn’t put any points on the board – the Incline Defense gave them no opportunities. The secondary had some spectacular plays, including two interceptions: one from MacDonald, and Arnett’s pick-six. Abate had a third interception, which returned 60 yards into the Wolverine end zone but was called back due to a Highlander penalty. 

The Highlander Senior Defensive Ends, Alex Finne and Ace Zendner, gave the Wolverine’s quarterback no time to deliver the ball. In the second quarter, Finne kept bull rushing the West Wendover Left Tackle and finally broke through to deliver a punishing sack. The entire Incline Defensive Line, which had multiple blocked passes, frustrated the Wolverine’s offense all night. 

After missing last week’s game, the Incline coaches wanted to make a statement. As Coach Martinez said, “This was an important win for us. Due to the Reno fire, our game against Pershing County last week got canceled. Obviously, we’re grateful to all of the first responders who did an amazing job controlling that fire. We just wish we had a chance to test ourselves against another strong Northern Nevada football team. Our performance tonight just sent a major message to the entire League. We’re playing great football.” 

Next Friday night, the Highlanders are heading to Battle Mountain to take on the 2-0 Longhorns for the first time since last year’s playoff win for Incline. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Eastern NV. 


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